Finally a USB CD-R that works with a Win2k Laptop
Written: Oct 17 '01 (Updated Oct 17 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Simple and robust, works well
Cons: Cheap plastic case
The Bottom Line: A safe choice - reliable and solid.
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| nhunt's Full Review: Hewlett Packard CD-Writer Plus 8220e CD-RW Burner |
A simple, no-frills CD burner that works with a laptop USB connection. I'm into my second 50-pack Memorex CD-Rs with no failures to date. The software that comes with is fine, but I ended up uninstalling that and using the Roxio Easy CD 5.0 Platinum for its ability to create Video CDs.
I run my life from my laptop, and I need a way to back up vital data in case it breaks or gets stolen one day. My first try was a TEAC CD-R which used to freeze the computer (power cycle required) about 1 in 3 attempts, and failed to produce a CD 2 of 3 attempts. That seems pretty common with many of these devices, reading the other reviews. The HP, on the other hand, seems much more reliable - I've not yet had a freeze or a bad CD. Oh yes - I'm running Windows 2000 Professional - for which it is notoriously hard to get current drivers that work for some peripherals.
The box itself is small and quiet - there's no fan noise, which is unusual. Its a little larger than would be ideal for a crowded desktop, and it looks a little cheesy, but that's the worst complaint I have about this item.
Installation of the USB drivers is straightforward. I tend not to use the disc that comes with the box since there's almost always an updated driver on the website. Its a bit of a struggle to find the driver on the HP site: its at http://www.hp.com/cposupport/information_storage/software/usbver39.exe.html. Once downloaded, installation is trivial.
Initially I installed the HP Record Now software (from http://www.hp.com/cposupport/information_storage/software/chprn3en.exe.html). Installation detected my Roxio software, claimed it "incompatible" and offered to uninstall it (which I declined). The Record Now utility has a very simple interface, and it works fine.
I soon wanted to use some of the more advanced features available in the more common Roxio software. I re-installed the Roxio software update (5.02b) from http://www.roxio.com/en/support/ecdc/ecdc501s.jhtml, and uninstalled Record Now. A couple of reboots later (to remove the HP stuff) and I was up and running.
USB performance is inherently limited - a full CD takes about 20 minutes (40 minutes if you go through the test phase first). [The test phase "practices" writing the data, exercising all the data paths from the hard-disc all the way to the peripheral to make sure the device won't over-run the feed of data and ruin the CD-R.] But if you don't have PCI slots or SCSI interfaces, it sure is convenient just to be able to plug the device in.
Suspending the laptop and warm undocking generates a warning dialog when resuming: "unsafe removal of device." Its easy enough to shut down the device from the systray applet, and when the laptop is docked back again, the CD-R continues to work - no rebooting required.
As usual, try out a few samples of CD-R media on your burner, your main CD drive, and any other devices you plan to use, as there different brands have different degrees of compatibility and robustness with different readers. I have been quite successful with the cheap Memorex CD-Rs.
There are other smaller, cooler-looking USB CD-Rs out there, but extreme caution seems to be in order. The HP 8220e is a reliable appliance to get a boring job done with minimal hassle. This unit loses 1 star for not being as small and portable as I would have liked for mobile use; if that's not your plan, it gets 5 stars for functionality and robustness.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 160
Operating System: Windows
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Epinions.com ID:
nhunt
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Member: Neil Hunt
Location: Bay Area, California
Reviews written: 33
Trusted by: 3 members
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