AOpen CDW-1232 preview
| Installing a CD-ROM or CD-R drive
should be no problem even for beginners. After checking the jumpers at
the backside of the drive (master or slave) you can already install it
into an empty 5.25" drive bay. Since CD recorders are basically just a
CD-ROM drive with enhanced features, every drive can be used instantly
as it will be given a drive letter automatically. |
 |
Inserting any data CD will be enough
to test the basic functions of the drive.
AOpen CRW-1232 infofmation:
Interface: IDE/ATAPI
Write Speeds: 2X,4X,8X,12X
(CD-R)2X,4X,10X (CD-RW)
Data Buffer: 4MB
CD-Text: Yes
Raw Modus (CloneCD): Yes
Software and Utilities: Nero
5.0, Gammut 2000, Norton Ghost 5.1, 1 CD-R and 1 CD-RW
In order to determine media compatibility,
I used several brand and no-name CD-Rs. AOpen's CD-recorder worked fine
at full speed with any CD-R I threw at it, regardless if high-class brand
CD-R or if no-name unmarked CD-R. 4 MB of memory are buffering write data
in order to ensure a constant data stream. This buffer can only bridge
approx. two seconds, but it proved completely sufficient. If you use the
bundled software Nero 5.0, you will get another 20 MB buffer of main system
memory. Those 24 MB of write buffer reduce the chance of encountering the
feared 'buffer underrun' to a minimum. However, users with 64 MB or even
less memory cannot really take advantage of this software buffer feature,
because the system will swap-out the software buffer to the hard drive
as soon as the physical RAM is completely used. This obviously eliminates
the advantage of stream buffering.
Aopen's drive proved to be a fully
sufficient CD-recorder that produces reliable CDs/CDROMs in very short
time.
Comparing
|
Aopen CRW-1232 |
Plextor PX-W8432t |
Plextor PX-32TS32X SCSI ROM |
| Audio CD Read(80 Min, Audio
Catalyst 2.1 w/ Dynamic Sync) |
12min 59s |
~80min |
11min 13s |
| Copy CD to HDD(647 MB) |
3min 34s |
3min 38s |
3min 46s |
| Write Time at 12x |
6min 40s |
n.a. |
n.a. |
| Write Time at 8x |
9min 48s n.a. |
9min 50s |
n.a. |
| Write Time at 4x |
19min 22s |
19min 28s |
n.a. |
| Write Time at 10x RW |
8min 5s |
n.a. |
n.a. |
| AOpen ships their new CD-writer
with Nero 5.0, which can be operated intuitively. This software allows
you to record all common CD types like ISO data CDs (bootable as well),
audio CDs, mixed mode CDs (audio and data), video CDs, hybrid CDs and of
course CD copy. If you want to start a new CD project, a tutor will guide
you through |
Nero 5.0 screenshot |
all important steps. Surprisingly you
are given the chance to choose 10x write speed although the AOpen drive
only supports 8x-speed or 12x-speed. If you do so, the drive will switch
to 8x-speed by default.
Most other CD writers come with
WinOnCD 3.7 from CeQuadrat, a software that is considered as something
of an unofficial reference. The differences between WinOnCD and Nero 5
are more or less cosmetic, making Nero a similarly good choice. It's important
to note that we could not operate the provided version of Nero with a Plextor
CD writer. Obviously it was modified in order to work only with AOpen drives.
Lots of people like CloneCD from
Elby because of its ability to copy CDs including all errors. Thanks to
this you may copy practically every CD. A quick check with AOpen's CRW-1232
was positive: CloneCD worked properly.
| Gamut 2000 is an audio player.
You can easily create your own play lists and make use of its internal
CD database, which will detect the vast majority of all commercial music
CDs. A DSP software emulation will add effects like echo or voice emphasizing.
An issue fordiscussions may be the program |
Gamut 2000 audio player |
style: Both the play list and the DSP
function require a separate window, taking up quite a lot of space on your
desktop.
Again there are lots of alternatives
available through the Internet. For example WinAMP or Sonique are better-featured
players.
Norton Ghost 5.1 should be known
from some of our motherboard reviews. It's not only included with the AOpen
CD writer, but also with several motherboards from different companies.
Use Ghost to make exact backups
of partitions or whole hard drives. They can either be used for quick hard
drive duplication or as a complete system backup.
Advice:
The price for AOpen's CRW-1232
should be well below $250. According to pricewatch.com there is also one
company selling it for $189, which we could not verify so far. Yet approximately
$ 210-230 is okay for a timely product - the drives from Plextor and Teac
are usually more expensive.
Technically AOpen's new 12x CD-recorder
is a good product. Its 4 MB write buffer is standard to ensure a safe write
process at 12x-speed. The bundled recording software 'Nero 5' is one of
the best. The drive supports all common formats and both read performance
as well as operating noise are good. The drive does not produce an annoying
noise level even when reading at 32x-speed. The drive was almost free of
vibrations at this speed.
By Star Boy
(Source: Tomshardware.Com
for more tech hardware news)
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