Re: Philips PCA80SC CD drive and IIGS

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) wrote:

>Supertimer <supertimer@aol.com> wrote:
>
>> gospodin@clubi.ie (Vincent Quinn) wrote:
>> 
>> >2) is using an eight-speed drive likely to cause any problem - is it too
>> >fast for the GS?
>> 
>> No problem.  The faster the better.  There has been talk that
>> above 6x would gain no additional speed on the IIGS because
>> of the Apple Bus transfer limit of 1MB/sec.  However, one must
>> remember that the faster speed the CD-ROM, ACCESS TIME
>> also decreases!
>
>I strongly dispute that.  I have two PowerMacs: the older one (7600) has
>a 4x drive, and the newer one (8600) has a 24x drive.  The 24x drive is
>_significantly_ slower than the 4x drive for access times, due to the
>spin-up time required.
>
>Once it it up to speed, it is really fast, but the delay getting there
>is a real killer.

On my Windows PC, the 24x CD-ROM spins up when you put the
disc in.  After that, the CD-ROM normally continues to spin at a high
rate (presumably 24x).  When it is spinning like that, access time is
REALLY fast.  After several minutes, the disc spins down.

However, this type of CD-ROM would still be fast on a IIGS.  A
IIGS user normally uses the disc soon after it is put in the drive,
so it is still spinning fast and access times will be fast.

I don't deny that there is a spin up time initially, but spin up time
and access time are two different things.  The laser goes from
one point of the disc to another faster on faster CD-ROMs
because the quality of the seek motor is superior.