The Plextor PlexWriter 12/10/32 is The Best IDE CD-Writer!
Written: May 01 '01 (Updated Jun 01 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very dependable at a great price!
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: It writes the perfect CD every time, no errors like on some other CD writers.
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| surferdude7's Full Review: Plextor PlexWriter 12/10/32 |
Yesterday I wrote a review on “The Best SCSI CD-Writer” and today I will tell you about The Best IDE CD-Writer. It happens that Plextor makes both the SCSI and IDE CD writers. Today I will tell you about the Plexwriter 12/10/32.
The main difference is the IDE has a faster CDRW writer at 10x verses the SCSI at 4x. Now the SCSI has a built in 4MB of buffer memory and the IDE has only 2MB. The transfer rate is faster on the SCSI but the IDE has BURN-Proof installed and the SCSI does not. The SCSI needs an SCSI card to be used, while the IDE will more than likely connect on the same cable as your hard drive. Both units can use CloneCD.
Due to my good friends, I have seen and used both models, myself I cannot tell any difference between them as far as performance. Both of them write rather fast without any problems.
For those who would like to see my review of the SCSI writer here is the link.
http://surferdude.epinions.com/content_20316917380
CD Copies
Your can legally make a copy of your own CDs, so if something should happen to the copy, you will always have the original.
You cannot sell or even give a copy to anyone, the copies are for your personal use only.
CloneCD
This program will allow you to copy your CDs and make an exact copy of the original.
Not all CR writers will work with CloneCD. If your CD writer will work with CloneCD, it will make an exact copy of almost every CD even if it is copy protected. (Almost meaning there is a few it may not copy because of the copy protection.)
CloneCD is shareware, so download it free and give it a try, there are some limitations with the shareware version. Be sure to check out the listings of what CD writers will work with CloneCD. The PlexWriter 12/10/32 works great with CloneCD.
BURN-Proof
BURN-Proof means Buffer-Under-Run Proof.
BURN-Proof is hardware and firmware that is resident on the drive control electronics on the CD Writer. Your CD writer has to be made for the BURN-Proof, you cannot just add it.
This helps protect you from experiencing Buffer-Under-Run Errors.
I look for many manufactures to use the BURN-Proof, it is very effective.
The Plexwriter 12/10/32A
This fast CD writer can write your CDRs at a nice speed of 12x. It will write and rewrite your CDRWs at a fast speed of 10x and read all your CDs at a nice speed of 32x.
IDE, EIDE and ATAPI Interface (PIO Mode-4)
Access time is 150 ms.
Supports Digital Audio Output with a SPDIF output.
It will Over-Burn 74 minute and 80 minute CDs.
It writes in CD-ROM Modes 1 and 2, CD-DA, CD-XA Form 1 and 2, CD-I, Photo CD, CD-ROM Mixed Mode, Video CD and CD-Text.
It is Compatible with Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000 and works with Windows ME.
CD Text
The Plexwriter 12/10/32 is capable of reading and writing CD Text information.
There is extra information on audio CDs like the name of it, the artist and the name of all the songs. A lot of the older CD writers could not write that information over.
If you use Nero to write your Mp3 files to audio files, you can have Nero automatically name the songs as listed on the MP 3 file name. You can also list them manually and rename them if you wish.
What you get
The Plexwriter 12/10/32 IDE CD Writer
One blank CDR disk and one blank CDRW disk
Mounting Screws
One IDE cable
Adaptec's Easy CD Creator software
PlextorManager 2000 suite of utilities
Overall
This beauty at one time cost $399 and now can be found for as low as $179. Plextor now has a 16x and 20x CD writer on the market but they are high. With the 12x you can copy a 74-minute CD in 6 to 7 minutes, with the 16x or 20x you will only cut about 1 or 2 minutes writing time off.
Don’t settle for those $99 CD writers, it is worth the extra $80 to go with this model. For those of you who have an older model you will probably agree, it is at a bargain price.
I personally do not like Adaptec's Easy CD Creator that came with it, I highly recommend Nero for all your CD writing. I might also include CloneCD, it is a very nice program for making exact duplicates.
Recommended:
Yes
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surferdude7
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