Rating: 
Summary: CD-Extreme freezes system
Review: Drive installed easy, but running the provided CD-Extreme CD writer software freezes the system. I get several messages, then a 'Scanning buses' message followed by a freeze. Only power down gets you out of this problem. I removed by USB card, my sound card, 2nd SCSI card and old Memorex 2X CD-RW drive. Still had the same problem, even when this Sony drive was only IDE device on system. I uninstalled all the Sony provided software. I downloaded and installed a 10 day trial version of NTI CD-Maker 2000. That software ran fine and created CDs with no problem. But, I am not going to spend more money on software to get Sony hardware to work.
Rating: 
Summary: This drive is awesome!
Review: Great drive! When used as a reader it is the quietest 32X drive I have ever heard - it's audible, but doesn't vibrate the case screws loose. As for burning, I was tempted by 16X drives, but 12X media is cheaper and more abundant, plus the time difference on burning a full CD is only about 2 minutes when you do the math.I can't comment on the bundled software, since I'll never look at it. What I can say is that the drive works like a charm with Adaptec Easy CD Creator 4. It used to take over 20 minutes to burn a 700mb CD with my old 4X SCSI burner, now it's about 7 minutes with the 12X Sony! Haven't had any buffer underruns either, all you need is a source that can sustain a 2mb/sec read speed, which is easy to do with any 16X+ CD-ROM or modern hard drive. Who needs burn-proof these days anyway?
Rating:
Summary: Dissapointed in Sony!
Review: I am dissapointed in Sony! Usually you can't go wrong. However,the drive just doesn't do what it claims. It will not write fasterthan 8x when burning files and 4x when going from CD toCD. Bufferunderruns are the norm and not the exception. When it didrun it was real noisy. I tried callingSony.................................................I waited longerthan this, and they hung up on me after 35 minutes waiting to talkwith them. This happened three times. That was enough. You have tostand behind your product...
Rating: 
Summary: You get what you pay for
Review: I bought this burner at Fry's for ... and am very pleased with it - very fast [takes less than 10 mins to burn ANY full CD] + it DOES support the 80 min CDs. The software's ... though - I recomend getting a Mp3 CD Burner and a Nero from Cnet. Overally, a ... fast, and reliable burner.
Rating:
Summary: BE ALERT FOR OUT-OF-BOX FAILURE-TEST BEFORE INSTALL
Review: I PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT AND UPON COMPLETION OF A VERY EASY & PROPER INSTALLATION TODAY (12-27-01) THE UNIT FRIED THE COMPUTER POWER SUPPLY AND HARD DRIVES. COMPUTER NOW IN SHOP FOR EVALUATION. THIS PRODUCT WAS IN A FACTORY SEALED BOX. THE COMPUTER REPAIR SHOP ALSO TESTED THIS UNIT AND FRIED ANOTHER POWER SUPPLY IN THE PROCESS. EVIDENT OF A INTERNAL "DEAD" ELECTRICAL SHORT. I AM AT THIS VERY MOMENT IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING A HUMAN AT SONY CORPORATION TO SEE HOW WELL THEY HANDLE THIS AND TO WHAT EXTENT THEY WILL MAKE GOOD. IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS. I WILL REPORT THEIR RESPONSE TO THIS REVIEW AS SOON AS I RECEIVE IT. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL CUSTOMER OF SONY PRODUCTS FOR A LONG TIME. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS WITH COLLATERAL DAMAGE BEING INFLICTED ON OTHER COMPONENTS DUE TO THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW PRODUCT RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. BEST REGARDS.
Rating:
Summary: BE ALERT FOR OUT-OF-BOX FAILURE-TEST BEFORE INSTALL
Review: I PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT AND UPON COMPLETION OF A VERY EASY & PROPER INSTALLATION TODAY (12-27-01) THE UNIT FRIED THE COMPUTER POWER SUPPLY AND HARD DRIVES. COMPUTER NOW IN SHOP FOR EVALUATION. THIS PRODUCT WAS IN A FACTORY SEALED BOX. THE COMPUTER REPAIR SHOP ALSO TESTED THIS UNIT AND FRIED ANOTHER POWER SUPPLY IN THE PROCESS. EVIDENT OF A INTERNAL "DEAD" ELECTRICAL SHORT. I AM AT THIS VERY MOMENT IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING A HUMAN AT SONY CORPORATION TO SEE HOW WELL THEY HANDLE THIS AND TO WHAT EXTENT THEY WILL MAKE GOOD. IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS. I WILL REPORT THEIR RESPONSE TO THIS REVIEW AS SOON AS I RECEIVE IT. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL CUSTOMER OF SONY PRODUCTS FOR A LONG TIME. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS WITH COLLATERAL DAMAGE BEING INFLICTED ON OTHER COMPONENTS DUE TO THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW PRODUCT RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. BEST REGARDS.
Rating:
Summary: BE ALERT FOR OUT-OF-BOX FAILURE-TEST BEFORE INSTALL
Review: I PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT AND UPON COMPLETION OF A VERY EASY & PROPER INSTALLATION TODAY (12-27-01) THE UNIT FRIED THE COMPUTER POWER SUPPLY AND HARD DRIVES. COMPUTER NOW IN SHOP FOR EVALUATION. THIS PRODUCT WAS IN A FACTORY SEALED BOX. THE COMPUTER REPAIR SHOP ALSO TESTED THIS UNIT AND FRIED ANOTHER POWER SUPPLY IN THE PROCESS. EVIDENT OF A INTERNAL "DEAD" ELECTRICAL SHORT. I AM AT THIS VERY MOMENT IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING A HUMAN AT SONY CORPORATION TO SEE HOW WELL THEY HANDLE THIS AND TO WHAT EXTENT THEY WILL MAKE GOOD. IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS. I WILL REPORT THEIR RESPONSE TO THIS REVIEW AS SOON AS I RECEIVE IT. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL CUSTOMER OF SONY PRODUCTS FOR A LONG TIME. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS WITH COLLATERAL DAMAGE BEING INFLICTED ON OTHER COMPONENTS DUE TO THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW PRODUCT RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. BEST REGARDS.
Rating:
Summary: Great Drive, Fast Burn, Sleek Software, Nice Price
Review: I won't boar you with the details of the week I spent in Sony Customer Service hell. Suffice it to say the drive was defective right out of the box, the documentation says it is Windows 2000 compliant (it isn't) and Sony offers no software update which is W2K compatible, only that they apologize for the mis-representation. Add to this their only remedy for the defective drive is to repair it in 20 to 30 days. So, I end up with a rebuilt drive (they specificaly said NO NEW replacements) after paying for a new one that does not meet the requirements of my operating system. Good Luck.
Rating:
Summary: Garbage
Review: I won't boar you with the details of the week I spent in Sony Customer Service hell. Suffice it to say the drive was defective right out of the box, the documentation says it is Windows 2000 compliant (it isn't) and Sony offers no software update which is W2K compatible, only that they apologize for the mis-representation. Add to this their only remedy for the defective drive is to repair it in 20 to 30 days. So, I end up with a rebuilt drive (they specificaly said NO NEW replacements) after paying for a new one that does not meet the requirements of my operating system. Good Luck.
Rating: 
Summary: Updated rating
Review: I wrote the previous comments and after further review decided to upgrade the rating on this to 3 stars for the following reasons...I finally did get in to Sony's support line and spoke with one of the best support people I've every spoken with - VERY helpful and knowledgable. I was directed to some websites that contained the proper manuals for some of the software (called CD Extreme) packaged with this CD-RW. Ever since, I've been much happier with this unit. I would have easily given this unit 4 or 5 stars if it would have come with proper manuals (or at least tell me where I could get them) and if it was a little easier to get into their support line. But all in all the unit itself is solid and once you figure out the proper bundled software to use (my opinion: CD Extreme is good, abCD terrible) this is a pretty good package.
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