From: jonke@kong.gsfc.nasa.gov (Stephen Jonke)
Subject: Re: LD/CD Combi-player vs. separate components
Organization: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 92 21:05:47 GMT

I've got a low end Sony MDP-333 LD combi player which I use as my CD player
as well.  As far as sound quality is concerened, I can discern no difference
between it and any other CD player I've ever heard/used.  It is actually
easier to program then my old portable CD player and the programming can be
done on screen which eases the task a bit.  I believe it's limited to 20
track programming (can't remember the exact number though) and thats on par
with the average CD player.

As far as ease of loading/unloading CD's is concerened, the loading bit is
as easy as a normal CD player, however, if you don't want to get greasy
finger prints on your CDs, it is more awkward to get them out of it.  Since
the CD sits in a recess in the player there is not easy way to pick it up by
the edges only.  The platter of the player only has a U shaped hole going
through the far side of it, such that the only edge of the CD that you can
get a finger on is the far edge. This means that you have to either twist
your hand around backward and put your thumb on the far edge and index
finger in the center hole of the CD, or put your thumb in the center hole
and index finger on the far edge and lift up.  The later is easy if you have
a small thumb, but is a bit difficult otherwise.

Track seeking is slower then most CD players, but is tolerable and in fact is
faster and less noisy then my portable.  I use random play on occassion and
it works fine.

It has ALMOST every feature you can find on CD players, the only missing one
(and it's significant if you like to make recordings to tape) is a peak search
feature.  Otherwise it has the usual programming, random play, delete random
play, track scan/skip, auto-space, auto-pause and maybe some other things
-- I don't remember the exact list.  Plus, it can use some features
mainly intended for laser discs -- one is a temporary index marking feature
of the MDP-333 which allows you to mark up to six points anywhere on the disc
and then later press a button and go back to that particular point.  It does
NOT save these points when you eject the disc, it's only intended to mark
a point temporarily.  Personally, other then random and delete random play,
I just hit the play button and let it go!  Oh, one other feature that could
be useful for recording CDs to tape is an auto program feature in which you
type in the time per tape side and it automatically splits up the CD into
two or more programs that will fit nicely onto the tape.  It has optical
digital output which you can use if you've got an DAT recorder or possibly
if any of the new digital recording media coming out will accept it.  Some
recievers have an optical digital input as well.

I'd say that it makes a fine CD player, but if I could afford to spend the
money I'd buy a dedicated one.  I do NOT see myself doing this anytime
within the next few years, though -- I suspect that if you buy the LD
player first you will make the same decision.

I paid $369 + $20 shipping from Camera World of Oregon -- they were very
professional and straight forward.  They did NOT push me on an extended
warranty when I said I didn't want one -- I appreciated that.  I don't
know their number off hand, but they advertise in most video related
magazines.

Steve