Tip on adding a CD ROM to your PC
JAKARTA (JP): A Sony CD ROM dealer in Jakarta told me that he was losing money trying to sell CD ROMs. That's a shame, folks, since CD ROM should be selling like 14" color TV sets nowadays. There is such a wealth of reference information available on CDs that you're not taking full advantage of your personal computer unless you have got a CD ROM drive on it.
With a CD ROM and a sound board that we talked about last week you can listen to audio CDs, of course. You can listen to Vivaldi's Four Seasons with no problem while finishing the letter or report with your Ami Pro. But, with a CD ROM you can also explore various encyclopedias, consult on-screen dictionaries and thesauruses, as well as use all sorts of reference titles available today.
Some brand-named PCs, such as Compaq Pressario and Mac LC 575, already have a CD ROM pre-installed. If your computer still has no drive on it, here are some things that you have to ask for while shopping for a CD ROM drive: 1. A SCSI 2 connector. A drive with a proprietary card will limit your expandability, although it may cost less and is easier to install. 2. Double speed. The state of the arts in CD ROM drive technology is quadruple speed, but you don't really need so much speed for your day-to-day affairs. However, avoid all of the old single- speed drives. 3. Ability to read multi-session PCD, if you work on graphic images. Even though Kodak Photo-CD has not become a popular consumer product like karaoke, it has won the support of the digital image industry. 4. MPC Level 2 compliant, if you're into multimedia. 5. Some people like the drive design that requires them to put the CD in a caddy before inserting it. They buy a caddy for each CD they have, and that's a reasonable investment. Others prefer drives that have an open slot that let you simply drop in the CD. It sounds more practical and cheaper, too, since you don't have to buy caddies and trash your CD jewel boxes. But, in practice, it exposes your CDs to the risk of getting smudged and scratched. It's up to you to choose between these two designs. 6. An internal drive is usually less expensive than an external one. Just make sure that yours has a stereo audio connection to your sound card. 7. If you work in a dusty area, or you smoke like a Bajaj, find a model with double doors, such as NEC 3Xe. Unfortunately, according to the test by PC Magazine, this model is not a performance leader. Just find a similar design.
-- Zatni Arbi