Re: CD ROM Ues on Apple IIgs [R(82)]

[dempson@swell.actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <9303301657.AA21712@lakeoa.mednet.af.mil> myers@LAKEOA.MEDNET.AF.MIL (David L. Myers) writes:
> HI!!,
> 
> This is my first posting and this subject may or may not (nor
> anyone really care) have been addressed before. I have a ROM 01
> Apple IIgs with 4 MB memory, 127 MB HD, one each 3 1/2 and 5 1/4
> drives, and a Apple high speed SCSI.  I am thinking of daisy 
> chaining a CD-ROM to the hard drive, but I am not really sure 
> where to start. First what are some good (affordable) CD-ROM units
> that will work on a IIgs.

If you want to maximise software compatibility, go for any of the
Apple CD-ROM drives.  The original Apple CDSC and the Apple CDSC Plus
work fine on the IIgs.  I don't know of anyone who has tried the new
models (CDSC 150, etc.) so I don't know if they work.

The original CDSC has stereo RCA connectors on the back for audio
output, and a headphone socket with volume control on the front.
There is also a manual eject button, but no other controls.

The CDSC Plus has software volume control (I haven't seen one, so I
don't know if the volume knob is still there).  I don't know much
about the later models (my CDSC Reference Manual only documents the
Plus).

The device driver for the Apple CD-ROM drives using an Apple SCSI card
is supplied with the IIgs system software.  System 6 also includes "CD
Remote", a New Desk Accessory that acts like a CD Player's remote
control, for playing audio CDs.  With System 6, there is also the
"Media Control" toolset, which includes a driver for Apple CD-ROM
drives.  This supports a device-independent mechanism for controlling
CD-ROM drives, Laserdisc players, etc.  HyperCard IIgs 1.1 includes a
stack which demonstrates this toolset.


I'm not aware of any third-party CD-ROM drives that are compatible
with the Apple drive, so you'd need a device driver specifically for
the drive.  CD Remote doesn't work with third-party drives, and you'd
need a Media Control Toolset driver to be able to use that toolset
with the drive.

> Second are there any commercial CD's available for the IIgs.

About three.  Two of them are full of old PD, Freeware and Shareware.
The third is the "System 6 Golden Master" CD-ROM, which includes
System 6, a copy of the Apple II portion of the Apple developer CDs,
source code samples, technical documentation for System 6 (now
superceded by the System 6 Programmers Reference from Byte Works),
HyperCard IIgs 1.1, and lots of other goodies.

Otherwise, you can sometimes get data off CD-ROMs for other computers,
but there is rarely any presentation software for the II or IIgs.

> Third, Is the High Sierra Format used on CD's or do the use ProDos
> and MacOS.

All three.  System 5 supports High Sierra, ISO 9660 and ProDOS format
CD-ROMs.  With System 6, you can also access HFS (Macintosh) CD-ROMs.
-- 
David Empson                                                               
dempson@swell.actrix.gen.nz    <--- Note my new E-Mail address!