CD-ROM recommendations

[Vanfanel]

My A1200 is now equipped with Blizzard 1230 Mk IV and the SCSI Kit. Did I pay too much for it, probably, but that's neither here nor there. My question to you all today is what would you recommend for an external CD-ROM drive for it. I know SCSI is supposed to be standard, but there are always hardware quirks.

As always, thanks for your assistance.

[LaserBack]

My A1200 is now equipped with Blizzard 1230 Mk IV and the SCSI Kit. Did I pay too much for it, probably, but that's neither here nor there. My question to you all today is what would you recommend for an external CD-ROM drive for it. I know SCSI is supposed to be standard, but there are always hardware quirks.

As always, thanks for your assistance.

externally you can connect a ide or scsi cdrom...both will works fine
internally also you can connect a slim laptop cdrom

[tone007]

I've used various SCSI models, from NEC 7 disk changers to generic SCSI boxes with who knows what drive inside to portable Panasonic laptop-style ones all with good results.  As external SCSI stuff is getting a little harder to find these days, it might just be best to go with the cheapest/easiest to find option and work your way up if it isn't satisfactory.

Any trouble finding one, I'm sure I can dig up a very reasonably priced one to send.

[motrucker]

I used to use a Sony reader/writer (SCSI) on my old A1200 that worked very well indeed. It would write CDs without too much trouble.
Sorry I don't remember the model #

[amiman99]

I have external PANASONIC KXL-D740 drive on my A3000, works fine. Should be able to fine it  on ebay.

[Tension]

Used a yamaha 8424 drive for yeeears on my a4k. Then got an IDE cd writer whenever prices became stupidly cheap a years back. The 8424 is now in the unused 2000. Both worked with a 2091 card.  By the way, the IDE drive was so much faster that I wonder why anybody bothered with SCSI at all.

[mechy]

Used a yamaha 8424 drive for yeeears on my a4k. Then got an IDE cd writer whenever prices became stupidly cheap a years back. The 8424 is now in the unused 2000. Both worked with a 2091 card.  By the way, the IDE drive was so much faster that I wonder why anybody bothered with SCSI at all.

Well,if you compare a old drive to new drive,obviously speed will be better.
but you picked the worst way to use scsi,the crappy 2091. If you had used scsi off a good accelerator your results would of been night and day.
if your lucky the 2091 was good for 2 or 3MB/s and if you had no ram on the 2091,more like 1.5MB/s downhill with the wind.
you should be shot for crippling a 4000 that way :rofl: no wonder they banned you..heh

[mechy]

I have to agree with tone here, scsi was one of the best standards on amiga. I mean real scsi off the accelerator,and not the half baked zorro2 cards or squirrel scsi(although they do work for the most part). Most people who complain about scsi i find don't spend 5 mins understanding it,its super simple once you understand how termination and such is used.I've used it since 87 on amiga's and find it super reliable.

Mech

[Ral-Clan]

Plextor drives always worked well for my on my Amiga 2000.

I also used a Yamaha CD-RW drive too without trouble.

[MarZ]

I similarly had / have an A1200 with the blizzard 1230 acc and SCSI Kit IV. I bought a SCSI box fitted with my first ever SCSI HD (1Gb Quantum) and first CD ROM Toshiba XM5701. The hard disk and the drive works fine till present date! I never had a single issue with them during my 4-5 years usage, since I discarded the A1200 in the box-room. I have then plugged the scsi box with HD/CDrom to an EMU sampler e6400 and again they did the job till 2002 when I stopped composing music. However, whenever I switch on the unit for nostalgic purposes, they still work fine.
 
On the PC, where I used IDE, I have thrown away some 3 IDE HD and 1 CD-Writer.  From m yexperience, its either they used to built better devices 10yes ago, or it's becasue of SCSI technology.
 
On a different matter, SCSI I devices with the 50 centronics are pretty rare, old (2nd hand might turn faulty) and expensive, so IDe might at the end be the most feasible choice.

[mechy]

I similarly had / have an A1200 with the blizzard 1230 acc and SCSI Kit IV. I bought a SCSI box fitted with my first ever SCSI HD (1Gb Quantum) and first CD ROM Toshiba XM5701. The hard disk and the drive works fine till present date! I never had a single issue with them during my 4-5 years usage, since I discarded the A1200 in the box-room. I have then plugged the scsi box with HD/CDrom to an EMU sampler e6400 and again they did the job till 2002 when I stopped composing music. However, whenever I switch on the unit for nostalgic purposes, they still work fine.
 
On the PC, where I used IDE, I have thrown away some 3 IDE HD and 1 CD-Writer.  From m yexperience, its either they used to built better devices 10yes ago, or it's becasue of SCSI technology.
 
On a different matter, SCSI I devices with the 50 centronics are pretty rare, old (2nd hand might turn faulty) and expensive, so IDe might at the end be the most feasible choice.

well this may be viewed as a shameless plug(ok it IS):rolleyes:,but if you need a way to use a CF as a scsi HD,this works pretty well

http://a4000t.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_79&products_id=184

Mech

[mousehouse]

Instead of using a SCSI CDROM can't you add USB to your A1200 and use an external USB DVD? That's what I'm doing on my A4K, on the DENEB it's also a lot faster than any of the alternatives.

[Bamiga2002]

Instead of using a SCSI CDROM can't you add USB to your A1200 and use an external USB DVD? That's what I'm doing on my A4K, on the DENEB it's also a lot faster than any of the alternatives.

This is an A1200 he has. I doubt a Subway gives more speed than the SCSI-kit since Subway is 1.1 speed only. Deneb is another matter since it is faster. SCSI all the way. One can get an SCSI-IDE adapter to use IDE drives on SCSI-chain.

[Jiffy]

For a classic Amiga, I would go for the SCSI-route, especially since you already have the SCSI-expansion to your Blizzard 1230. SCSI is easy to set up, reliable, fast, flexible and most of all: expandable.

I have my A1200 setup with a host of SCSI-drives (7 in total), ranging from zip to jazz, MO to cdrw. All work flawlessly. The same goes for my A2000, which has a range of different types of drives connected.

[Colani1200]

Plextor PX-20TSi / Plextor PX-20TSe (external version).

The best CD-ROM drive ever made.