Hardware Installation
By itself, your CD-ROM drive is incapable of communicating with your computer.
You must use a hardware link that enables your drive to ‘‘talk’’ with the rest of your
computer.
Plextor’s UltraPleX drives use a SCSI interface as their link. If you own a PC, there are
four ways in which you can make the SCSI connection:
1) Use a separate SCSI interface board. This is the most common method for
both internal and external drives. We recommend using a 32-bit PCI bus
mastering SCSI interface board to maximize the drive’s potential. Older 8-bit
SCSI interface boards are not recommended. More cost-effective, but with
a decrease in video performance, are 16-bit ISA bus mastering SCSI interface
boards. Both these bus mastering interface technologies also allow you to
take advantage of SCSI multitasking in 32-bit operating systems such as
Windows 95, Windows NT, UNIX, SCO, Solaris, etc. Another possibility is
to use an ISA-PIO SCSI interface board, but performance will suffer, as will
multitasking.
2) Use a soundboard that also has a SCSI interface built onto it. This helps save
a slot in your computer by combining the functions of two boards (SCSI
interface board and soundboard) into one. Plextor recommends against
using the SCSI interface on a soundcard with the UltaPleX. Doing so will
limit the performance of the UltraPleX.
3) If you have an external drive, you can also use a parallel-to-SCSI interface.
This is a device that plugs into the parallel port (the one your printer normally
is connected to) of your computer. It is convenient, but typically at a cost of
reduced performance to your CD-ROM drive.
4) If you have an external drive and a portable computer with a PCMCIA slot
(Type II or III), use a PCMCIA-to-SCSI card. This is a small, credit-card size
device that plugs into the PCMCIA slot. It too is convenient, but may also
provide less performance than a direct connection to a 32-bit or 16-bit SCSI
interface board. PCMCIA connections should, however, provide better
performance than a parallel-to-SCSI interface.
NOTE:
The following section is only for PC users who need to install a SCSI
interface board, or a soundboard with a built-in SCSI interface, in their
computer. If you plan to use a parallel-to-SCSI, or PCMCIA-to-SCSI
interface, you can skip to Chapter 9. If you are a Mac user with an external
drive, you can laugh at how easy life is and skip to page 30. Otherwise,
proceed to page 25.
---- CHAPTER 8 ----
ULTRAPLEX OPERATION MANUAL
21
