[KLUG Members] IDE cd burner

[Bryan J. Smith]

Patrick Mc Govern wrote:
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> I can get a 16x10x40 IDE Yamaha cd-burner for $130.

Where?

> Here are some concerns:
> 1.  It is supposed to burn a cd in 5 minutes.

It'll be more like 6-7 minutes for a full 650MB.

> It seems reasonable to use an IDE system If I can afford
> to wait the 5 minutes without touching the key board.

Shouldn't be an issue.  Under Linux (and NT/2000), you should be
able to use the system at the same time as burning, since Linux uses
SCSI-like emulation.  Wouldn't chance it in Windows 9x/ME -- I've
gotten coasters when 8x SCSI burning in 9x/ME, but run even VMWare
and Netscape in Linux and slamming the system hard, I've never
dropped below 70% full on my 8x SCSI w/2MB buffer.

With cdrecord under Linux, I use a _huge_ memory buffer, like
64-96MB (which canNOT be swapped out of memory), but I have 512MB of
RAM.  I think the Yamaha 16x has a 4MB, possibly an 8MB, which
really helps.  And most drives have "overburn" protection, which now
makes IDE viable IMHO.

> Are there other reasons to avoid an IDE CD-burner??

I'd make sure I put it on its own, dedicated IDE channel.  I don't
recommend putting more than one IDE device per channel, period,
because it's not like SCSI.  I.e., if you have a CD-ROM and CD-R on
one IDE channel, it still has to "bother the CPU" on transfers.

> 2.  I have a 450 P3 with 128 RAM and an Abit MB. It has 2
> IDE hard drives on one controler

Ouch!  Man, you must have some performance issues.  I'd look into
putting one drive on each channel.

> and one cd-rom on the other.  Can I put the cd-burner on
> the same controler as the cd-rom using a dual interface cable?

I wouldn't recommend it.

> 3.  Would I notice a difference by upgrading the RAM to 256?

Only if you want to use a bigger memory buffer -- you have to tell
your burning software to use it.  I don't know about Adaptec/Rixio,
and never used Nero (which I've heard is better) under Windows, but
UNIX/Cygwin cdrecord can use a big buffer.  With 128MB, I'd make it
16MB, with 256MB, I'd make it 32-48MB.  Not sure if the Windows
programs can guarantee the memory won't be swapped out like cdrecord
does.

-- TheBS

-- 
Bryan J. Smith   mailto:b.j.smith@ieee.org   chat:thebs413
SmithConcepts, Inc.           http://www.SmithConcepts.com
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