From: dcole@ua.d.umn.edu (david cole)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Re: MediaVision Fusion CD Impressions (and OS/2)?
Date: 27 Jan 1993 23:26:59 -0600
Organization: University of Minnesota, Duluth
NNTP-Posting-Host: ua.d.umn.edu

In article <1993Jan26.211559.5460@midway.uchicago.edu> sip1@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
>Quick Electronics is offering the MediaVision Fusion CD (not 16)
>package for $399.  (Quick can be reached at 800-800-5500).  (Good price?)
>
>This package apparently includes the NEC CDR-25 portable, external,
>SCSI CD-ROM drive, Pro Audio Spectrum Plus, speakers, Compton's
>Encyclopedia with Atlas and Dictionary, Wing Commander II w/Speech
>Pak, Carmen Sandiego Deluxe, and Ultima Underworld.
>
>Does anyone have anything to say about this package, pro or con?  On
>the surface it looks like it might be a fairly good choice for OS/2 2.1,

I bought this and paid $399 at the local Sams Club end of last year.  The NEC
is the cheapest external SCSI you can buy, as far as I know.  It seems to be
fine.  It can play audio CDs.  There is a neat utility that runs under
windows that supports that (it lets you give track titles to the tracks on
each cd, so you can click on a track list to play).  Apparently it remembers
each cd by generating a unique id number for it from the total track length
and some other info.  Nice idea.  There is also a less nice DOS player.  I
have had a problem, as yet unsolved, with noise on the audio line whenever
the player "busy" light comes on -- which is often.  It is unsolved, but
APPEARS to be a difficult to eliminate cabling problem, not something
intrinsic to the drive.  Otherwise the drive is fine, but no speed demon.
It has been fast enough for me, but would be slow for database searches. It
claims to support PhotoCD first session.  It would be easy to move from
computer to computer, if each had a SCSI port (and right driver installed). I
had no free drive slots so I wanted a cheap external drive and am generally
happy except for the noise problem mentioned.

The PAS card is quite good as a SCSI interface.  It is OK as an 8 bit audio
digitizer and player.  It is lousy as a synthesizer (Yamaha FM chip).  I like
the mixer onboard.  The software is poorly documented, windows stuff has no
online help, and it is hard to get it to remember where it should be set.
Hopefully fixed in future releases.  I have had no problem with SB
compatibility.  The Windows software is very easy to use.  I no problems
recording from a mike the first (and only) time I tried.

The WCII and Ultima Underworld are on a single cdrom.  Don't believe the WCII
includes speech accessories.  Carmen is nice.  Haven't tried the
encyclopedia; it is supposed to be more kid oriented than the more common
Groliers/Toolworks.

On balance, I think this package is good value.  I have heard from people who
had BAD experiences with Quick electronics.  I have seen them advertise
things at one price and tell me another (higher, of course) price when I
called.  The advantage of buying this mailorder is you can get good deals on
other cdroms that you order at the same time.  The disadvantage is that you
cannot return it as easily as local.

Mediavision tech help is hard to reach, friendly when you get them, but seem
unfamiliar with the Fusion package.  They were unable to help on ANY of the
5 or so problems I had.  This lamentable performance, however, may be no
worse than their competitors.  Sigh.  If I were you, I would try to buy it
from someone you trusted to permit returns.  These systems are complicated
and exotic enough that it is hard to tell just how it will work in a given
system or with the software you want to use -- or OS2.  From what I have
heard, Quick is not the place.

Dave