Caddy This method was used in early CD-ROM drives and has reappeared
on some higher-end drives manufactured today. A CD caddy is a small plastic
case that looks much like the CD jewel case. The caddy is hinged on one side
and opens so that a disc can be placed inside. The caddy has a sliding metal
cover on its bottom that slides out of the way to allow the laser to access the
disc when the caddy is inserted into the CD-ROM drive. In many ways the
caddy method works very much like a 3.5-inch floppy disk.
Front-loading This method is very common on car CD players, but it is not
too common on PCs, although some Apple Macintosh computers use it.Audio Output and Controls
Reflecting their relationshi pto the audio CD, many CD-ROM drives include the controls
needed to play and listen to audio CDs. However, drives that include these controls are
becoming increasingly rare, and these controls are moving to keyboards or software
players. Figure 10-7 shows the placement and use of the controls commonly included: Headphone Output A mini headphone jack is provided that allows you to
plug in headphones so you can listen to the CD.
Volume Control Dial Most drives include a dial control that allows you to
set the volume of the CD audio output on the headphone output.
Start and Stop On some drives these may be the only controls on the front
panel. These buttons are used to start and stop the playback of the CD.
Next Track and Previous Track With these buttons included, the CD-ROM
drive is the equivalent of a CD player. They are used to move forward and
back to tracks on the CD.(^212) PC Hardware: A Beginner’s Guide
Figure 10-6. A CD-ROM drive with its tray extended