From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (K. Khan)
Subject: Re: LD/CD Combi-player vs. separate components
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 15:10:57 GMT


In article <1992Apr6.210547.8803@kong.gsfc.nasa.gov> jonke@kong.gsfc.nasa.gov (Stephen Jonke) writes:
>
>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.

I too have a combi player with an "inconvenient" tray with the slot at
the rear. I just stick one of my fingers into the CD's center hole past the
first joint, bend that joint into an L shape, and lift up. I then reach
over with my other hand and remove the CD from my finger and replace it
in its jewel box. This technique should work for anyone who doesn't have
hangnails. ;-)



>
>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
Newsgroups: rec.video