CD ROMs and CD writers and media

ATAPI CD ROM drives and CD re-writer packages for all models. Most can be fitted either to the built-in IDE interface on a RiscPC, A7000, etc. or to one of our IDE cards.

Although we can get SCSI drives we normally only stock ATAPI (IDE). As with most things SCSI is much more expensive, so ATAPI is usually a far more cost effective choice.

All the drives listed below are suitable for connection to the motherboard interface on any RiscPC or A7000, but a much better (and faster) solution is to use one of our IDE interfaces. This is especially recommended for CD writers as this speeds up data transfer to the CD drive and also from the source hard drive and makes writing CDs not only faster but more reliable. For mor information about CDburn see the CDburn website.

At APDL we produce all our in-house CDs and RISC World magazine in this way, so we know what we're talking about. We almost certainly burn more CDs on RISC OS machines,than anyone else. In fact, we probably burn more CDs than everyone else put together, and we use the products that we sell to you.

As usual you might think you can get something better/cheaper from a PC box shifter. That might be the case, but what do you do if it doesn't work as a CD reader (not all will on a RiscPC, and we supply drivers with our drives if necessary) or there are problems with CDburn? If you buy from us you know it's going to work and if you do have problems we're here to help.

Don't forget to check the 'Special Offers' section for some very special package deals.

CD ROM drives

Please add £6 UK carriage internal, £8 external.

Our APDL CD driver software is available separately for £7.50. It works with many ATAPI CDs including some faster drives that don't work from the 'built in' software.

CD Re-Writers

You can use these as an internal drive connected directly to ADFS on a RiscPC/A7000 etc, but it's a lot faster and more reliable with our IDE interface, either the standard ARCIN or the Blitz. Experience shows that with a drive connected to ADFS for reliable CD writing 4x is usually possible, but you may have to drop to 2x for music CDs. With our ARCIN interface 6x is 100% reliable, if the drive supports it, and 8x is almost always OK. With the Blitz interface there's no problem up to 16x (if the media is good enough).

In the past CD writers were not recommended for everyday use as CD readers because the read/write heads were heavy and the rapid head movement required during reading data CDs caused rapid wear. This is no longer te case. Modern drive have much lighter mechanisms and all these drives are perfectly suitable for sustained use as CD readers.

You might wonder why bother with a 4x writer when the 24x is the same price. The answer is that the 4x drive supports writing at 2x whereas 16x and 24x drives don't. If you are intending to connect the drive to the motherboard IDE interface you won't be able to write faster then 4x anyway, and for reliable music CD burning you'll probably need to write at only 2x, which isn't possible with the faster drives.

Prices include VAT, but add £6 UK carriage for bare drives and £7.50 UK carriage for external drives or drive + interface.

CD-Burn

The only RISC OS CD writing software still being actively developed and supported. Works with most modern SCSI and ATAPI CD writers and re-writers and also, as well as drives connected to the motherboard IDE interface, works with drives connected to the Simtec and APDL (ARCIN or Blitz) IDE interfaces.

Can make ISO images, copy or create data or music CDs in various formats including CDFS and with Joliet extensions.

Note that although we guarantee that CDburn will work with any drive we sell we cannot guarantee that it will work with any CD writer you may buy elsewhere.

Price is just £55 though you save £5 when you order it with a drive (see above).

CD media

CDR (write once) 80 min. 700Mb and CDR/W (re-writable) 74 min. 640 Mb.

Prices include VAT but add £5 per order UK carriage unless ordered at the same time as a CD writer when carriage (courier delivery) is free.