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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: werthers93 on August 10, 2004, 01:59:59 PM

Title: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: werthers93 on August 10, 2004, 01:59:59 PM

Does anyone recommend a cd-rom drive to fit to my A1200?


would any of these work?

http://search.ebay.co.uk/pcmcia-cd_W0QQsofocusZbsQQsbrftogZ1QQfromZR10QQsoloctogZ9Q26Q3DQQsotrZ2QQsosortpropertyZ1QQsosortorderZ1


ur help is appreciated,

Mark.
Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: doctorq on August 10, 2004, 02:22:07 PM
I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you. I don't think they will work, as I believe the electronics are different between the two platforms (Amiga and PC). Some with more knowledge on this subject might want to clearify.

I do know for sure that it's easy to add a CD drive to the internal IDE controller on the A1200 motherboard. It only needs a connector and a power connector. You should be able to find a 2.5" --> 3.5" converter and then it's only a matter of installing the software for the CD drive to work with your Amiga.
Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: Vincent on August 10, 2004, 02:30:02 PM
I've had a 52x CD drive I got from Eyetech years ago that works wonders, but when my mum got a new PC I decided to see if her CD drive would work in the miggy, an it did :-)

Mind you, it was an old 4x but it installed perfectly as an atapi.device which was the same as my old one (I did a complete re-install of the CD software, so it wasn't just running under the old settings).

I've got no idea about newer CD drives but they could work.
Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: Orjan on August 10, 2004, 02:33:03 PM

Laptop CD-ROMs will work in a A1200, but you have to get an IDE interface and a Mini-IDE -> Normal IDE adapter...

Look here:

http://home.twcny.rr.com/wicksall/1200CDMod.html
Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: blobrana on August 10, 2004, 02:34:18 PM
Hum,
yeah, that sounds like the best way, (through a powerflyer EIDE interface + power supply), though a bit messy if not in a tower..

(There are no drivers to drive those nice PC external cd drives, as they are...)

if you have a search around for a squirrel SCSI interface (pcmcia ) with drivers, then all you need is a  external scsi cdrom... (a bare 24-speed SCSI CDROM mechanism is about  £30)
I generally think a 8x speed is fine for the small file sizes of the amiga operating system...a 42x speed may actually be slower...



Try the hardware-company links here...(or amibench (http://www.amibench.org/))

Good luck
Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: on August 10, 2004, 04:43:24 PM
Another solution is an "AlfaData PCMCIA CD-ROM Controller",
with Mitsumi CD-Rom.
I use one with my A600, but will also work with an A1200.
I'm not sure if the AlfaData also works with other CD-rom
players then Mitsumi.
 :-)
Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: Amigaz on August 10, 2004, 06:47:15 PM
Just bought an Alfa Data cd controller and also wonder if it's true that only old and very sloooow  :-( cd-rom's work with it?

/J-J
Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: doctorq on August 10, 2004, 07:23:46 PM
Had one of the Alfa Data controllers myself once, and I used it with a Memorex 32x CD-RW drive without any problems. Even think I tried my 52x Memorex CD drive with it without any problems.

I'm aware of the writing on BBoAH, but I don't think you would get any problem running a newer drive on the controller. Nice controller indeed for a desktop A600 or A1200.
Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: Amigaz on August 10, 2004, 09:42:25 PM
Thanks for the helpful info!
Can't wait to install OS3.9 on my upgraded little A600 with the cd-rom  :-D
Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: werthers93 on August 10, 2004, 10:02:12 PM

right thanks for the replies but Im a bit confused.

Ive got plenty of old internal cd-rom drives knockin around the house from old desktops, how can I use these in the IDE socket as I have a hard disk in there at the moment.
Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: blobrana on August 10, 2004, 10:26:06 PM
Hum,
you need an interface that will split the IDE  into two or more connections!

Read this link, (http://www.softhut.com/product.html)

Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: Etho on August 10, 2004, 10:34:27 PM
If you live in the UK i might me able to get a Squirrel SCSI interface to you. So you use that type of CDROM.
Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: on August 11, 2004, 10:54:45 AM
Quote
Ive got plenty of old internal cd-rom drives knockin around the house from old desktops, how can I use these in the IDE socket as I have a hard disk in there at the moment.


If you use an AlfaData CD controller, you don't need
the IDE-socket. Just plug the AlfaData into the
PCMCIA-card slot on the left side of the A1200-desktop.
This way you can keep the A1200 case intact.
Look on eBay for an AlfaData CD-rom controller.
 :-D
Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: Orjan on August 11, 2004, 10:57:15 AM

If you use a PCMCIA solution to your hard drive, you will not be able to use it for network cards... And that is why I think a PCMCIA IDE solution isnt as good as connecting it to the internal IDE controller... It probably isn´t as fast, either...
Title: Re: adding an A1200 Cd drive
Post by: on August 11, 2004, 11:37:14 AM
Quote
If you use a PCMCIA solution to your hard drive, you will not be able to use it for network cards... And that is why I think a PCMCIA IDE solution isnt as good as connecting it to the internal IDE controller... It probably isn´t as fast, either...


The guy just wants to fit a CD-rom to his A1200...
maybe he don't want to use the PCMCIA card slot for
a network-card.
About that it isn't as fast... That's not exactly true.
I once used an IDE-splitter for hard drive and cd-rom.
I tested it and it wasn't faster than the Alfa Data PCMCIA solution.
 :-)