>> SHUTTLE 56X << Anyone still love them?

[Blain]

These aren't the newest / hottest drives out there. But does anyone still like them for audio extraction & fast access times?

 

[Blain]

Anybody?

 

[S0me1X]

The newest systems don't have CD-ROM drives anymore... with the low prices on 24x burners and 16x dvd drives , why bother with the old drives?

 

[Blain]

1. Price
2. Fast access time
3. Quiet

 

[S0me1X]

A Shuttle 56X EIDE CD-ROM costs $38 dollars + shipping.
For $10 more dollars ($48) you can get a 16x Lite-ON DVD drive. While the Lite-On DVD drive may be a bit slower reading CDs, its ability to read DVDs more than make up for it.
Also, for around $25 more ($63) you can get a 16x10x40x CD Burner with burnproof.

I don't think the money you save from buying a CD drive is worth it at all.

 

[BeauJangles]

Yea, CDRW drivers are so inexpensive now that regular CDROMs really can't compete.

 

[Blain]

Here's how I use my CD-ROM drive, when I use it...

I use it to access specific files & folders on the CD
I use it to run games
I use it to load full programs
I use it to listen to audio CDs
I use it to extract specific audio tracks from CDs

Basically, above is also the priority order in which I use the CD-ROM drive.
So fast spin up, quick access time, good audio extraction all in a quiet running drive are the qualities I'm looking for. DVD drives tend not to have as quick access times as pure CD-ROM drives do. I have a DVD player in my livingroom connected to a 31" TV. So watching DVDs on a 19" monitor has no appeal to me. And with very few programs coming out on a DVD format, the old school CD-ROM drive will serve me well.

 

[RC7]

I like watching dvds on my 19" monitor better than our 32" wega with svideo hookup. 1280x1024 resolution with dvd kills tv for me.