Suggestions for SCSI CD-ROM drive

[Gearhead]

I'm trying to upgrade my SCSI CD-ROM / CD-RW setup. I'm looking at the Yamaha F1 for the writer, but I can't find much info on SCSI CD-ROM's. Does anyone have any suggestions an a good player (that still exists). It needs to have fast reliable CD-DA reading.

[Peter M]

If you want the best CD-DA reading, use the Yamaha writer. Mind you, this is an IDE drive with an IDE-SCSI adapter dongle. So if you have an IDE channel with nothing on, you may just as well use it natively.

[Gearhead]

You get much better CD to CD performance when you use SCSI. That is why I am sticking with the SCSI option. Are they realy just putting a IDE to SCSI dongle on the Yamaha F1.

[Peter M]

Well with most SCSI CD drives not supporting disconnect/reselect, the better performance is a myth I must say - as long as your IDE drives are ALL on separate channels. Direct CD-to-CD is a bad idea anyway. Too many coasters created because the reading drive hits a read problem and needs to retry, causing a buffer underrun. (And if you want quality CDRs, don't rely on "burnproof" trickery.)

Yes the Yamaha drive uses an IDE-SCSI dongle; their former real SCSI models didn't do disc/resel either, so what gives? The only ones that have a fully optimized SCSI bus implementation are Plextor's.

regards, Peter

[Gearhead]

Thanks Peter!! I think I may just go with the IDE option. I am running an IDE RAID MB and my standard UDMA controlers are sitting empty anyway.

[Peter M]

Then hurry now and grab a Yamaha CRW-F1 while stocks last.