Medley Plus. (multimedia upgrade kit) (Hardware Review) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
by Bruce M. Bowden

The Medley Plus multimedia bundle from CelL Micro brings MPC compatibility to your PC in an inexpensive, easy-to-install package. It consists of a sound card, a CD-ROM drive, stereo speakers, and necessary cables. Also included is a starter CD-ROM library consisting of the Toolworks Multimedia Encyclopedia, World Atlas, U.S. Atlas, and Game Pack II.

A small but complete manual guides you through installation. I was able to install the sound card, CD-ROM drive, and all the software in less than an hour. Included on floppy are sound-editing and -digitizing programs, CD-ROM control software, and all the drivers for the CD-ROM and sound card.

The sound board is compatible with Ad Lib, Sound Blaster Pro II, COVOX, and Disney Sound Source drivers. It has an OPL3 FM stereo synthesizer, which generates 20 voices. The board can produce and play back stereo sounds from four sources at sampling rates ranging from 4 to 44.1 kHz, and it's equipped with an automatic stereo recording level control. You can output to an external amplifier or use the on-board four-watt amplifier, which accommodates two speakers. The CD-ROM drive attaches to a 16-bit interface on the sound card and has a fast 265-ms access time, with a double-speed transfer rate of 300K per second.

Cell Micro gives free phone support during the one-year warranty period.