Need a quiet CDROM...

[hhieu]

Hi guys,
I'm looking for a new CDROM (my third one). I have a 2X, and a 40X. The 2X is so slow, and the 40X is so **** loud...so loud that every time I put in a rewritable CD, every one in my family knows it. Any suggestion for a "quiet" CDROM? gotta be 20X or above. Thanks,
...I might give you the loud one http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[Bleeding Edge]

The Kenwood True 40X40 Cd-Rom drive is probably the quietest high-speed drive around. It definitely does not have that louder whirring sound that I think your referring to. This drive, as you may know, is sold under the Hi-Val brand name. There is the newer True 52X but I haven't had the opportunity to try one.

If the True40x is the one you already have, accept my apologies to have suggested something you don't want.


[This message has been edited by Bleeding Edge (edited 05-08-99).]

[hhieu]

No Bleeding Edge, I have the Hi-val 40X, just 40x, not 40X40. By the way, what does it mean by 40X40? How does it differ from 40X?
Thanks for the tip.

[MR COMPUTER]

I use the Actima 40X drives. Quiet! But the Actima 44x's are noisy like the others.Go figure! http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[Bleeding Edge]

It uses a different way to read the disc than regular cd-rom drives. Instead of the normal single laser, it splits the laser into eight to read multiple data at once.

With any cd-rom drive the rated speed and data transfer are never constantly the same. The reading speed of data on the inner disc and the outer part of the disc is vastly different. So that's why we see many drives with a speed rating of 14/32 and such.

With the True40x40 the data tranfer speed is constant at 6MB/sec burst and the speed of the disk also remains constant from the inner to outer edges of the disc.

[ANTONIO E GUERRA]

Hi, everyone! The Actima and the Kenwood are excellent cd roms. I guess it is a question of price. In particular, try top avoid Mitsumi{s low speeds cd'roms or the 100x cdrom. The 100x sounds like an old lawn mower.

[BBA]

Yes, Bleeding Edge is right about the differences in the types.

Most 24-100x cdroms of yesterday would actually spin the cd up as fast as it could to get a faster read rate, hence the whirring noises. But... because the Kenwood uses multiple laser beams (7 total that overlap), it just moves the laser accross the surface faster and compiles the data from all beams into one bitstream. This gives the speed without having to spin-up as much so its quieter. It also spis up to its speed in less time because it normally runs at a low speed.

Just imagine if a cdr had enough lasers to read all the tracks in one revolution, that would rock!

BBA

[hhieu]

Thanks guys! Looks like the Kenwood is the one...I'll look into it.