Toshiba Portégé 650CT User Manual page 137

Connecting a CD-ROM Drive to the Parallel Port
A CD-ROM drive can also connect to the parallel port on your
Portégé 650CT with the appropriate hardware. This type of hard-
ware is called a parallel interface, an electrical cable with a con-
nector that matches the parallel port on the computer. The parallel
port is typically used for printer connections but can be used for
any device that uses a parallel connection.
To connect your CD-ROM drive using a parallel interface, you
need to purchase a parallel connector cord and a CD-ROM drive
that supports a parallel interface. Consult your dealer for the type
of hardware you need for this option.
Connecting a CD-ROM Drive with the Desk Station V Plus
Toshiba's Desk Station V Plus accessory provides several ways to
connect a CD-ROM drive to your Portégé 650CT. In addition to
the exceptional expansion capabilities featured on the Desk Sta-
tion V Plus, there is a SCSI connector, an IDE interface, PC Card
slots, PCI and ISA slots, and a SelectBay. All of these expansion
options can be used to connect to a CD-ROM drive. For more
information about the Desk Station V plus, refer to "Using the
Optional Desk Station V Plus" on page 205 for more information.
What Type of CD-ROM Drive Should You Buy?
There are many CD-ROM drives on the market today. Dual-speed
(2x), quad-speed (4x), and 6-times speed (6x) are terms that refer
to the speed at which the drive spins the compact disc. Generally,
a drive that spins faster can find and transfer data faster. This trans-
lates into better overall performance.
4x CD-ROM drives operate twice as fast as 2x CD-ROM drives.
If you want to use your drive to install large software programs, or
use multimedia applications, the faster the drive, the better.
Part I: Getting To Know Your Computer
The Wide World of Multimedia
Connecting a CD-ROM Drive
143