What manufacturer and mechanism did NeXT choose to use in the external cdrom? Was it custom built for them, or just an existing scsi drive with a custom painted faceplate.
Chef
I'm pretty sure it never was a drive especially made for NeXT exclusivly as long as the CD technology in the early days wasn't a computer related development in common means but an "audiophile" development of Herbert Karajan (Berliner Philharmonisches Orchester) along with the Phillips coorporation. Regarding the possible first date of appearance of the drive it will most likely be a Phillips, Toshiba, Matsushita or TEAC drive, I suppose, just like Apple's CD integration of early CD drives expanded for computer integration and usage (like the PowerCD).
J
Hopefully someone who has one can open it up and see what it is. If you boot in verbose mode, how does it identify itself to the system? Did they do a custom firmware to "re-brand" it by changing the SCSI identification string, or just leave it as is from the supplier.
Thanks for the info,
Chef
I don't think that there is or was a custom "NeXT" identification string. As far as I know the hardware identification process of NeXT hardware it does more or less the same as other systems: just reading out the producer's ROM entries and print them to the screen. I will confirm this by connecting my PowerCD (and some other old Apple drives) to my NeXT machines, maybe this will provide some further informtion.
J
Quote from: "Jenne"I will confirm this by connecting my PowerCD (and some other old Apple drives) to my NeXT machines, maybe this will provide some further informtion.
That would be great, as then you could see when it boots how it identifies itself, and hopefully figure out what manufacturers mechanism was used.
Thanks for the help Jenne,
Chef
Weird in that I can't remember. I had a next cd rom drive once upon a time but sold it. I remember seeing identical one including placement of the rca jacks everything the same except the case was not black in color and labeled sony I think? but can't remember exactly what brand it was or where I saw it...
Alot like this one though:
http://cgi.ebay.com/APPLECD-300e-Plus-EXTERNAL-SCSI-CD-ROM-DRIVE-Macintosh_W0QQitemZ120158092270QQihZ002QQcategoryZ51046QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemI think the 300 without the "e" has the correct rca jack placement:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Apple_CD300.jpg
It might've been an apple 300. I know apple drives work really well with NeXT boxes. I'm using a 600e, works perfectly.
Quote from: "Nightengale"I think the 300 without the "e" has the correct rca jack placement
I know of at least 5 different 300 drive versions. The "e" within the naming was just a hint on "external", meaning that the front plate was just decorated with that multi color apple symbol. Those e-drives were made in two major versions: the very early ones still used that caddy system, later ones the standard tray system. Both were also made as "i" versions, meaning to be used as "internal" drive without housing and controller and anything else. Those e- and i-versions were identically, just the frontplate was different. In fact just the drive You were linking to was version number 5, having the rca jacks in a different place.
J
Quote from: "nextchef"What manufacturer and mechanism did NeXT choose to use in the external cdrom? Was it custom built for them, or just an existing scsi drive with a custom painted faceplate.
I have one at home sans the case - IIRC, it's a Sony slot-in CD-ROM. I can check the exact model next week.
-- cuby
Quote from: "nextchef"What manufacturer and mechanism did NeXT choose to use in the external cdrom? Was it custom built for them, or just an existing scsi drive with a custom painted faceplate.
Chef
I just picked one up on eBay, so I'll check that one as well when it arrives.
Quote from: "matthewmac66"I just picked one up on eBay, so I'll check that one as well when it arrives.
Congrats on winning the auction, I guess I will have to bid more next time :?
That would be great if you could take a look after you get it.
Chef
Personally I Think it was just a clone of another cd drive apple had in existance at the time (
http://www.oldmac.de/macse303a.jpg) with a few modifications to make it interface with the NeXT.
Quote from: "nextchef"Quote from: "matthewmac66"I just picked one up on eBay, so I'll check that one as well when it arrives.
Congrats on winning the auction, I guess I will have to bid more next time :?
That would be great if you could take a look after you get it.
Chef
Sorry to have taken so long to get back to you on this. I just managed a bit of time to open up the case. My external drive, dated 12/1992 is equipped with a
Sony Model CDU-541-1N. Version BA.
I hope that helps.
Quote from: "matthewmac66"Sorry to have taken so long to get back to you on this. I just managed a bit of time to open up the case. My external drive, dated 12/1992 is equipped with a Sony Model CDU-541-1N. Version BA.
I hope that helps.
That helps a lot, and confirms my suspicion that it was a Sony Drive due to resemblance to some other drives I have.
Thanks very much for the info.
Chef
Quote from: "nextchef"Quote from: "matthewmac66"Sorry to have taken so long to get back to you on this. I just managed a bit of time to open up the case. My external drive, dated 12/1992 is equipped with a Sony Model CDU-541-1N. Version BA.
I hope that helps.
That helps a lot, and confirms my suspicion that it was a Sony Drive due to resemblance to some other drives I have.
Thanks very much for the info.
Chef
Anytime, glad to.
Here is an auction for what appears to be the same basic drive, just installed in some custom carrier. A little black spraypaint and you would be there.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120147865186Chef
Quote from: "nextchef"Here is an auction for what appears to be the same basic drive, just installed in some custom carrier. A little black spraypaint and you would be there.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120147865186
Chef
That's the one.
