CD-Rom Reader?

[unclescott58]

Okay I have question for the computer guys out there. This morning I bought a collection of CD-Roms of National Geographic. I own several CD-Roms with things like old comic books and Mad magazines. The trouble I have, to use them I have to go into basement a look at them on my computer. Since buying an iPod a few years ago, I rarely go downstairs to fire up the old computer. I surf the web and most other things from the comfort of my living room or bed using the iPod. I love it!

But, I'd like to use the content of those CD-Roms from my living room or bed too. I love read old magazines and comic books in that format. So what do I need to do? What do I need to buy, to enjoy these CD-Roms upstairs too?

[JTalmage]

I dont know much about apple products, or how they work but depending on the format that the content on the cd's is, you may be able to upload them to iTunes and then view them on the iPod. But I can't say for certain. Apple is weird and proprietary so you can't just the stuff back to a jpeg or mp3 from itunes... one of the reasons I hate apple. You oughta get a nice 7" or so android tablet, then just convert all those files to jpeg's or to PDF's (if they arent already) and android already has built in PDF readers and have no issues viewing jpegs. Then all you'd need to do is plop them on a micro SD card, and you can put them on the tablet and take it anywhere you wanna go

[Ace-Garageguy]

As far as I'm concerned, it's a pain-in-the-apps to re-record CD data on your computer, then load it into iTunes or convert it to some other format and transfer THAT data to your pod or other device. I mean...all those steps which are, in my humble opinion, purely 100% wasted time. I consider my time to be valuable, especially since it's running a bit low.

You can buy a refurbished laptop with a LOT of power (and an integral CD drive) for less than $200, and look at your CD contents upstairs, in bed, whatever. You also get a much larger screen than you get with a pod.

I just bought a refurbbed WinXP laptop to run some legacy apps that aren't available for or compatible with my desktop Win7 machine, and I couldn't be happier with the results. It's the equivalent of big cheap horsepower in a small old car, and after I backed up all my business files on the older machine, I now also have full business and email capability if my primary machine goes down for any reason.

As far as I know, there's just no easy way to directly jack a CD drive into a pod...though there ARE apparently adapter cables to be had with an Apple-compatible plug on one end and a USB plug on the other. Good luck with that. Buying a cheap refurb laptop is a low-tech and functional work-around...with additional benefits.

HOWEVER...here's some information that may prove to be helpful about ways to connect USB devices to small Apples...depending on what kind of input-port you have. Note: you will probably have to use an externally-powered USB device (CD drive, in your case...if you can get it to work at all) because the little pod can't possibly provide enough power to run it.

http://ipod.about.com/od/ipadhowtos/f/connect-usb-to-ipad.htm

Edited December 25, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[SSNJim]

I would look into personal cloud devices. These are personal network storage that is accessible to your phone. I use a Western Digital MyBook Live to store all my music, pictures and documents, and is accessible to my phones, tablets, and computers. It works great with my Androids.

You use the computer to copy your CDs to the drive, and then they are accessible from your phone/tablet no matter your location as long as you have a data connection.

[Crazy Ed]

      If you can load the CD's onto the old Computer and leave it on you should be able to share the files via your Wireless Network to your IPod

[unclescott58]

I'm thinking Bill has the right idea. I don't know how to download cd-roms in the manner the rest of you are referring to. Nor with the amount on data on these discs do I think it's practical. When I use them on my regular computer, it doesn't actually down load the contents of the disc. It just reads the discs. 108 years of National Geographic magazines is going to take up a lot of space. There are 3 discs for each decade. So I think Bill's idea of the lap top sounds like the best one so far.

[bobthehobbyguy]

Another option would be a portable dvd player. No conversion would be necessary.The cd work on the dvd player. Places like best buy have them and you could see if it would be acceptable. Portable dvd players can be bought for less than 100 dollars.

[charlie8575]

As far as I'm concerned, it's a pain-in-the-apps to re-record CD data on your computer, then load it into iTunes or convert it to some other format and transfer THAT data to your pod or other device. I mean...all those steps which are, in my humble opinion, purely 100% wasted time. I consider my time to be valuable, especially since it's running a bit low.

You can buy a refurbished laptop with a LOT of power (and an integral CD drive) for less than $200, and look at your CD contents upstairs, in bed, whatever. You also get a much larger screen than you get with a pod.

I just bought a refurbbed WinXP laptop to run some legacy apps that aren't available for or compatible with my desktop Win7 machine, and I couldn't be happier with the results. It's the equivalent of big cheap horsepower in a small old car, and after I backed up all my business files on the older machine, I now also have full business and email capability if my primary machine goes down for any reason.

As far as I know, there's just no easy way to directly jack a CD drive into a pod...though there ARE apparently adapter cables to be had with an Apple-compatible plug on one end and a USB plug on the other. Good luck with that. Buying a cheap refurb laptop is a low-tech and functional work-around...with additional benefits.

HOWEVER...here's some information that may prove to be helpful about ways to connect USB devices to small Apples...depending on what kind of input-port you have. Note: you will probably have to use an externally-powered USB device (CD drive, in your case...if you can get it to work at all) because the little pod can't possibly provide enough power to run it.

http://ipod.about.com/od/ipadhowtos/f/connect-usb-to-ipad.htm

I agree with Bill. 

Micro Center and Tiger Direct both have excellent buys on good re-furbs. Staples does too, once in a while, and Staples will also offer free shipping to their store for pick-up or fairly reasonable shipping to your house.

Charlie Larkin