Multimedia's ability to combine text, graphics, animation, and sound to produce interactive presentations is no longer tied to the desktop. We tested three portable 486s from BitWise, Scenario, and Toshiba that include sound cards, CD-ROM drives, speakers or headphones, and microphone support. All three comply with the Multimedia PC Marketing Council's recently updated MPC standard.
The BitWise Model 466/ACP, Scenario DynaVision IVMM, and Toshiba T6600C/CDV support maximum 16-bit sound-sample sizes, with sample rates of up to 44 kHz for recording digitized sound, and each can generate MIDI synthesized sound. The BitWise notebook uses Creative Labs' Sound Blaster card, the DynaVision IVMM contains a custom configured Portable Sound Plus card from Digispeech, and the Toshiba notebook's sound is generated by MediaShare's Mambo (i.e., a D
VI/Ethernet card).
Each system includes a speaker or headphone system. The type of audio system you need depends on the sound quality you desire, as well as considerations like space and whether the sound needs to be heard by others. The Scenario system uses an external speaker (1.8 by 2.8 by 7 inches) that plugs into the side of the unit. It features a volume control and a headphone input jack. BitWise provides small stereo headphones for its multimedia unit, and the Toshiba's sound plays through two speakers located on the front of the system.
CD-ROM DRIVES
All three systems use CD-ROM drives that support CD Audio, CD Extended Architecture, and Kodak Photo CD multisession standards. (Single-session Kodak Photo CD players can show only pictures recorded in the initial session, while multisession players can show pictures added after the first recording.) Each unit uses SCSI CD-ROM interfaces. The CD-ROM data transfer rate for the DynaVision IVMM is rated at up to 330 KBps; the Toshiba and Bi
tWise notebooks are rated at a maximum of 300 KBps. The BitWise's CD-ROM drive provides the fastest rated average access time (280 ms); the average access time on the Scenario and Toshiba notebooks is 200 ms.
Scenario's DynaVision IVMM was the lightest system at 11.6 pounds, while the BitWise and Toshiba units were hulking at 22 and 19.3 pounds, respectively. All three systems are reminiscent of early portable units. The BitWise Model 466/ACP uses a lunch-box-style case with a keyboard that snaps off the front of the box to expose a display that tilts forward. The Toshiba T6600C/CDV requires a great deal of desk space (4.7 by 15.4 by 12.6 inches), but it features a detachable keyboard.
Scenario's DynaVision IVMM consists of a Texas Instruments TravelMate 4000E WinDX2/50 look-alike mounted on top of a lower unit that houses a CD-ROM drive and sound board. This is the only one of the three that runs on battery power.
These three multimedia units all use a high-quality active-matrix color di
splay. We rated the color quality of the BitWise and Scenario screens slightly higher than the Toshiba display. However, the Toshiba's screen is the largest of the three--10.4 inches diagonally.
The Scenario's notebook design limits its memory expansion to 20 MB and the number of keys to 83. The BitWise and Toshiba notebooks use full-size 101-key keyboards and support 32 and 40 MB of RAM, respectively.
PERFORMANCE
Each system delivers similar overall performance. The Toshiba and BitWise notebooks contain 66-MHz DX2 processors (the BitWise also features a 128-KB secondary memory cache). The Scenario DynaVision uses a 50-MHz DX2 CPU, but it can compete with systems with higher clock speeds because of its efficient memory architecture.
A final note: The recently introduced Panasonic CF-V21P arrived too late for testing, but its unique features deserve mention. The CF-V21P is the first notebook to support an internal 3 1/2-inch CD-ROM drive. The CD-ROM drive slot also accepts a floppy driv
e, a second battery pack, or a TV tuner with VCR input. The system features an upgradable 50-MHz 486DX2 CPU, expands to 20 MB, and supports a 200-MB hard drive. The portable accepts three detachable displays (i.e., monochrome, 10.4-inch active-matrix color, and a pen-operated module that fits over the keyboard). It supports external resolutions of up to 1024 by 768 pixels.
How They Compare
OVERALL EASE OF
MODEL PRICE CPU SPEED USE
BitWise Model 466/ACP $7995 DX2/66 4.35 Fair
Scenario DynaVision IVMM $6995 DX2/50 4.47 Good
Toshiba T6600C/CDV $8999 DX2/66 4.64 Excellent
SCREEN
MODEL QUALITY DISPLAY
BitWise Model 466/ACP Excellent Active-matrix color
Scenario DynaVision IVMM Excellent Active-matrix co
lor
Toshiba T6600C/CDV Good Active-matrix color
WEIGHT DIMENSIONS
MODEL (LBS.) (HWD)
BitWise Model 466/ACP 22 9.6 x 16 x 8.2
Scenario DynaVision IVMM 11.6 3.4 x 11 x 8.5
Toshiba T6600C/CDV 19.3 4.7 x 15.4 x 12.6
Photograph: BitWise Model 466/ACP
Photograph: Toshiba T6600C/CDV
Photograph: Scenario DynaVision IVMM
Mobile Multimedia
