Hit:CD Tower Costs

[julie lepisto <0362lfsh@INFORMNS.K12.MN.US>]

From the several responses I got back, most of you did not understand my
comment.  When I see the word "Cum" written I think of the pronounciation
that rhymes with "some."  Maybe I have been working with middle school
kids too long!


Frederick Muller,      Halsted Middle School Library
Librarian              59 Halsted Street         voice (973) 383-7440x228
fmuller@planet.net     Newton, NJ  07860               FAX (973) 383-7432

Our tech people were telling me a 7 bay CD Toer would cost in excess of
$7500 and I asked for information:  Here's the summary of information I
received from media personnel - no advertisers or direct company replies are
included:

NEC 7-drive tower is available for $1995.  $2244 with a network interface kit.

Toshiba 7 bay tower is available for around $3600

Yes a tower is expensive but the pluses are great with the use.  You will
find you'll want a second 7 after one year of use to accomodate all the
great stuff available to students.

Yikes! Are your techies off base!  I juyst bought a 7-bay, 12 speed cd tower
for under $200.  It will handle dual platforms - MicroDesign.  There are
many brands under 2500.  Add the cable, SCSI card, and you can add another
300.  You will need SCSI Express to run it off your server so add another
500.  Total under $3000.

Try a Diskport and a small tower.

Ours (7 bay, 12 speed) was under 2900.

Even at $7500 it's worth it!

Try Optical Access from Boston. Mass.

Check ads in Media and Methods or Electronic Learning.

I just ordered an 8X 8 drive Maxtet tower from Unicom for under $4000.

For models under $1795 try SCINET, 268 Santa Ana Court, Sunnyvale CA 94086
or at 1-800-653-1010.

Check out Computer Shopper or the Tuesday NY Times Science section for prices.

I just ordered a 7-bay cd-rom tower from GE Capitol at 2654 Cameron Street,
Suite A, Mobile AL 36607.  $2499.00.

Optical Access has 8-bay towers for about $5500; 7-bay around $3500.

There is a listing of cd-rom networking providors in the March/April 97
issue of Media and Methods, p.47.  Might help.

End of this portion of the HIT.
Julie Lepisto
0362lfsh@informns.k12.mn.us
Librarian/Media Director

Only the truly ignorant think they know everything.