mdavis@pro-sol.cts.com (Morgan Davis) (12/17/90)
Has anyone else checked out the possibility of a special interface for regular audio CD players to allow them to be interfaced with computer systems as CD ROM players? I ask this because I've been noticing a lot of ads for the NEC Access CD ROM player. It looks suspiciously similar to a lot of the portable audio CD players I see (and own). I have a Toshiba portable (with wire and wireless remote ability), 4x oversampling, etc. (I'm giving details about its features, because I can't recall the model number off hand). The basic design of my Toshiba looks a lot like the NEC player. And I see how the NEC player comes with an "interface kit". From the ads I've seen, it isn't clear if this interface kit is to convert the NEC from a standard audio player to a computer-interfaced unit, or the other way around. This interface kit sells for about $72 through mail order houses. What is this interface? Could it be adapted to a player like my Toshiba to provide CD-ROM ability? --Morgan UUCP: crash!pro-sol!mdavis AOL, BIX: mdavis ARPA: crash!pro-sol!mdavis@nosc.mil GEnie: m.davis42 INET: mdavis@pro-sol.cts.com ProLine: mdavis@pro-sol
rmh@apple.com (Rick Holzgrafe) (12/18/90)
In article <6362@crash.cts.com> mdavis@pro-sol.cts.com (Morgan Davis) writes: > Has anyone else checked out the possibility of a special interface for > regular audio CD players to allow them to be interfaced with computer > systems as CD ROM players? I'm no expert, but I can't resist shooting off my mouth anyway. :-) One reason CD-ROM decks cost more than audio CD players is that the reader-head transport (or whatever it's called - I mean the motors and mechanism that move the laser lens) has to be much more robust in a CD-ROM machine. Audio decks don't do much seeking, and they don't do it very fast. CD-ROM decks must seek vigorously throughout their lifetime. Any adapter that puts a SCSI interface on an audio player isn't going to address that problem. I think you'd just wind up sending the poor audio deck to an early grave. ========================================================================== Rick Holzgrafe | {sun,voder,nsc,mtxinu,dual}!apple!rmh Software Engineer | AppleLink HOLZGRAFE1 rmh@apple.com Apple Computer, Inc. | "All opinions expressed are mine, and do 20525 Mariani Ave. MS: 3-PK | not necessarily represent those of my Cupertino, CA 95014 | employer, Apple Computer Inc."