(03/19/2001) – WHAT’S HOT: As a CD-R and CD-RW writer, the Imation CD Burn-R 12x10x32 sits right in the middle of the 12X/10X/32X performance pack. However, the drive astounded us by extracting our 250MB digital audio file in 1 minute, 37 seconds–tying with our current record holder, the Yamaha Corp. CRW2100. The Imation Corp. drive uses Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd.’s Burn-Proof technology to help eliminate buffer underruns.
WHAT’S NOT: This drive was a disappointment when it came to reading normal CD-ROMs. Its CD Tach rating of 14.5X is slower than that of several 24X-rated drives we’ve tested, and it took a lethargic 6 minutes, 11 seconds to install Microsoft Office 2000–about a minute slower than the average 32X-rated drive. The otherwise informative setup/user guide made no mention that DMA should be enabled to improve performance.
WHAT ELSE: The CD Burn-R ships with Adaptec’s Easy CD Creator 4.02 to handle CD mastering and DirectCD 3.01 for packet-writing tasks. It carries a one-year warranty. Toll-free technical support is available for 9 hours on weekdays.
BEST USE: A low price, coupled with average CD-R/CD-RW write performance and Burn-Proof buffer underrun prevention technology, makes this drive a viable option for the budget-conscious.
Buying Information
Imation CD Burn-R 12x10x32
CDN$299 [estimate]
12X/10X/32X, IDE, internal, 4M byte buffer, buffer underrun compensation technology, Adaptec Easy CD Creator 4.02, Adaptec DirectCD 3.01; one-year warranty, 9-hour weekday toll-free support.
Prices listed are in Cdn currency.