IDE/ATA/ATAPI IDE is an acronym for Integrated Drive Electronics. ATA is an acronym for Advanced Technology Attachment. ATAPI is the short for AT Attachment Packet Interface and is the extension of the same ATA interface used by hard drives. ATAPI is an industry standard Enhanced IDE interface for CD-ROM drives. ATAPI is a software interface that adapts the SCSI/ASPI commands to the IDE/ATA interface. CD-ROM drive manufacturers have now been able to take their high-end CD-ROM drive products and quickly adapt them to the IDE interface. IDE CD-ROM drives are also now compatible with the MSCDEX (Microsoft CD-ROM Extensions) that are used to interface with DOS. The IDE/ATA/ATAPI interface is lest costlier yet high performing interfaces and is mostly used in internal CD-ROM drives. New PCs have a CD-ROM drive that is connected to it through IDE/ATAPI interface.
Proprietary Interfaces Proprietary interfaces are non standard interfaces and are mostly available with low cost CD-ROM drive kits which are provided with their own adapter card. These interfaces are not flexible and do not provide any high performance. They are generally less expensive. It is advisable not to use these proprietary interfaces and use drives that use SCSI or IDE interface.
2.f) Operating System The Software/OS requirement for a CD-ROM drive varies from one drive to another. As with all hardware devices it is better to ensure that the CD-ROM drive is compatible with the Software/OS of the PC; be it Windows, Mac or Linux or be it Microsoft Windows 98 SE, Microsoft Windows NT or Microsoft Windows XP. Once you have made up your mind on what you are going to use the CD-ROM drive for and the important features you need to consider, buying a CD-ROM drive is not that difficult as it might appear to be. Click here to get the entire range of CD-ROM drives available at PC Universe.
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