Author Topic: eCS and 3 inch CD drives?  (Read 9843 times)

Mark Szkolnicki

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eCS and 3 inch CD drives?
« on: September 26, 2014, 08:23:17 pm »
Hi All!

In some ways this is really a general hardware question, but I also thought I'd ask as it relates to eCS.

I recently bought an AULA gaming mouse, for the very infrequent times I actually can get around to playing games, and when I received it, it came with one of those small 3 inch CD / DVD type discs, which has software to adjust sensitivity settings, button controls etc.

I've seen these types of discs in the past, and have always wondered about where you could get a drive to read them - the standard CD / DVD drives in North America don't seem to have an option (unless some come with some sort of insert to center the disc in the drive?), so I was wondering what type of computer drive takes them, and where they can be bought (have heard of small MP3 players taking these discs, but not computers).

I thought someone here might be aware of them - also, would eCS recognize such a storage drive? - I doubt any OS/2 / eCS specific software or drivers would ever be packaged on such a disk, but if they could be read, perhaps an experiment in MP3 discs may be in order, if such a drive could be easily obtained (the experimental hardware technogeek in me is always intrigued by new hardware to play with).

Just curious today, and Best!

Mark
Vincit Que Se Vincit - "He Who Conquers Self Succeeds"

Andy Willis

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Re: eCS and 3 inch CD drives?
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2014, 09:22:01 pm »
If these are the disks I am thinking of, they fit in the regular CD/DVD player.  I only ever had one of them many years ago but it read like any other CD but was just smaller.  In fact, if you look at a CD bay when it is out, there is often a smaller circular area that it would fit at.

Doug Bissett

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Re: eCS and 3 inch CD drives?
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2014, 09:43:51 pm »
Quote
and have always wondered about where you could get a drive to read them

It has been many years since I saw a CD/DVD drive that wouldn't read those things. I will venture to say that ALL drives, manufactured in the last 20 (probably 25) years, will read them. Just drop it into the smaller ring, and the drive will look after the rest.

The usual caveats apply: Don't use warped CDs. Don't use CDs with stick on labels. Avoid those odd shaped CDs, and so on.

ivan

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Re: eCS and 3 inch CD drives?
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2014, 09:52:25 pm »
As Andy and Doug say they fit in the centre depression of a standard CD/DVD drive.  I have 7 ot 8 of them here that came with various bits of equipment - 28" monitor, a couple of custom computer cases and so on and since they have the equipment manuals on them I keep them for reference. 

Dave Yeo

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Re: eCS and 3 inch CD drives?
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2014, 03:55:05 am »
I've even successfully used business card shaped ones, they actually have rounded ends and fit in the small depression like a 3 in CD and I guess are just a 3in CD that has two sides cut off. Don't hold much  but an interesting idea.

Martin Iturbide

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Re: eCS and 3 inch CD drives?
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2014, 03:13:28 pm »

it came with a warning that it may not run in all CD players....but you gotta love this GreenDay single.   :)
Martin Iturbide
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Mark Szkolnicki

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Re: eCS and 3 inch CD drives?
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2014, 05:08:03 am »
Thanks for the interesting comments!

The first time I ran across them was about 5 years ago, related to another piece of equipment that came from Asia - based on Doug's comments, Ii didn't realize they had been around for ages (and also didn't cue in to the disc fitting into the indent of most CD drives - the "ASSUME" factor was alive and well.

Its obvious that this disc format did not make the big times as I've ran into very few examples of it over the years, although Ivan indicated he had 7 to 8 of them - possibly more common outside of North America?

I did try it in one of the CD's on my systems and it was read perfectly under eCS - reads as 13 Mb CDFS so not a lot of disc capacity - although it looks like its approx. 15 Mb overall, if the disc is filled.

Martin's Green day Disc is quite interesting - can see why they indicate it might not play on all CD's ................ 

Thanks for the comments and Best of the weekend to all!

Mark





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Doug Bissett

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Re: eCS and 3 inch CD drives?
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2014, 05:48:03 am »
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Its obvious that this disc format did not make the big times as I've ran into very few examples of it over the years,

The format is identical to "normal" CDs, they are just smaller. The ones that I have seen, were used to distribute small drivers for various devices (windows, of course). I suspect that the cost is about the same as a normal CD, so the only logical reason to use them, would be to fit into a smaller physical package.

I think you miscalculated the data capacity. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD-ROM#Capacity for more information.

BigGoofyGuy

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Re: eCS and 3 inch CD drives?
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2014, 04:59:41 pm »
Perhaps the 3 inch disc is not compatible with optical drives that are trayless? Perhaps this could be what it is referring to?  8)

I think it is neat using the smaller optical disc's. I always wondered why they did not create an optical drive that is just big enough for the smaller disc's. Perhaps use it in the smaller computers like a netbook. Just thinking out loud.  8)

I guess the optical drive might be replaced by flash drives. The flash drive comes in all shapes and sizes and amounts of memory. :)
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