Rating: 
Summary: Great Hardware, OK software.
Review: Buy it just to insure that you will always burn a good disk.I wanted something that would 1) spead up my burns (I was using a 4x external), 2) eliminate buffer underruns and 3) read DVD's all in one unit. This is a great product, but I'm not too happy with the software. I've always used Adaptec Easy-CD and Direct-CD to burn CDs and do packet writting. The Ricoh comes with Nero and it's packet writting software. Even after upgrade, Easy-CD wouldn't see this drive as being able to write at more than 4x and Direct-CD didn't see it at all. I switched to the Nero software that was included and it works fine for burning, but it's packet writting software won't install at all. It keeps saying that I have to uninstall Direct-CD (which I did) in order to install it. On the up side... With Nero, I can do 12 speed burns with no fear of buffer underruns. I burned across my network and had 360 buffer underruns and still ended up with a good disk. Great stuff here. The DVD drive comes with PowerDVD software (no hardware decoder included) and it works fine (no flicker and smooth action), even on my 400 Mhz machine. I can now burn disks while surfing the web or doing anything else without fear of losing a disk. If I could get the rest of the nero software to install and work, or use Adaptec like I always did, I'd give it 5 stars. As is, only 4. One last note here: Don't expect to burn at 12x (with any drive) without a fast processor, lots of memory and fast disks. A 400MHz CPU, 32 MB of memory and 5400RPM disk drives are the minimum requirements for burning, and you won't burn at 12 speed, maybe at 4 or 6.
Rating: 
Summary: good then bad
Review: I bought the Ricoh unit, but then returned it when I found out that Ricoh OEMs (or private labelled) the same unit to Cendyne. The Cendyne unit sells for much cheaper and is equilavanet in quality. If you are considering buying the Ricoh unit, you might want to look at the Cendyne unit. Either way, Ricoh makes out. But you don't have to pay the extra price for the name. You'd be able to tell that the Cendyne unit is made by Ricoh because it says right on the chassis, "Ricoh Corporation". Shop smart.
Rating:
Summary: Great unit, but the Cendyne is cheaper and is also Ricoh
Review: I bought the Ricoh unit, but then returned it when I found out that Ricoh OEMs (or private labelled) the same unit to Cendyne. The Cendyne unit sells for much cheaper and is equilavanet in quality. If you are considering buying the Ricoh unit, you might want to look at the Cendyne unit. Either way, Ricoh makes out. But you don't have to pay the extra price for the name. You'd be able to tell that the Cendyne unit is made by Ricoh because it says right on the chassis, "Ricoh Corporation". Shop smart.
Rating:
Summary: good then bad
Review: I first got my drive and it worked like a dream, I would describe it like all of these other 4 or 5-star people are giving this. But now I've had my drive for about a year, and I'm starting to get the same problems that the 1 or 2-star ratings say they have. It used to work perfectly, but now it doesn't. My guess for possible reasons may be accumulated dust in the drive or some manufacturing glitch of the product. My drive doesn't support UDMA 33 either.
Rating:
Summary: Tough to get working - seems to work well now.
Review: I have a AMD Athlon 1100 with 256 meg of ram. The Ricoh was horible to get set up. The 32 packet software caused untold problems but the Prassi software seems to work well. I have trouble with less expense discs writing at 12X. However, good quality disk generally work fine. Lowering the write speed to 8X or 4X seems to solve the problems. DVD player works well now but locked up the system before the bugs were worked out. Buy with care and have a good understanding of how to set it up.
Rating:
Summary: It's a great idea.
Review: I have a HP 6330 cpu and the DVD portion of the drive is not functioning. I keep getting an error signal and when I look up this error and do what the manual tells me it still does not work. I am going to have to get in touch with Ricoh and find out what I need to do. But, once that glitch is worked out this will be a great addition to my computer.
Rating: 
Summary: Reviews from other owners appreciated!
Review: I hear a lot of people complaining that the drive simply quits recognizing cds. Some units will only work with Ricoh brand media, etc. others won't play DVDs. We would appreciate reviews from folks who have purchased this unit!
Rating:
Summary: Tough to get working - seems to work well now.
Review: I receieved a new MP9120A for Xmas. I was very excited as my older HP was a 4X model and you couldn't risk using the computer while a burn was in progress or you might get a coaster. Ricoh's justlink technology looked impressive. Thats the last good thing I have to say about this unit. Put simply, this unit is unreliable. Its inconsistent and often can't read disc that it burned. In fact, I can't get it to recognize blank media most of the time. I have to eject a disc and reinsert it about 10-20 times before its finally recognized. This is true with both Easy CD Creator 4.03 as well as the Primo software which came with the Ricoh. Here the most damaging information in my view. My son has a 12X Plextor in his system. We both use windows 2000 professional. I purchased 3 different brands of media (8X Kodak, 12X CompUSA, and 12X Hypermedia). I have yet to find any media the MP9120A can burn at 12X... but the Plextor unit will burn the exact same 12X media at 12X with no problems. In one case, I burned a 12X CompUSA CDR (on the MP9120A) at 8X and it completed with no errors. The unit gets I/O errors and fails to reliably read this disc. Interesting that the Plextor 12X unit reads it just fine and it didn't even write it!!! So, in summary. STAY AWAY FROM THIS UNIT. I'M GOING TO INSIST ON A RETURN AND BUY SOMETHING ELSE. I'VE MESSED WITH THIS FOR THREE WEEKS, TALKED TO RICOH, AND CAN'T MAKE IT WORK.
Rating:
Summary: The ultimate product to leave you frustrated...
Review: I receieved a new MP9120A for Xmas. I was very excited as my older HP was a 4X model and you couldn't risk using the computer while a burn was in progress or you might get a coaster. Ricoh's justlink technology looked impressive. Thats the last good thing I have to say about this unit. Put simply, this unit is unreliable. Its inconsistent and often can't read disc that it burned. In fact, I can't get it to recognize blank media most of the time. I have to eject a disc and reinsert it about 10-20 times before its finally recognized. This is true with both Easy CD Creator 4.03 as well as the Primo software which came with the Ricoh. Here the most damaging information in my view. My son has a 12X Plextor in his system. We both use windows 2000 professional. I purchased 3 different brands of media (8X Kodak, 12X CompUSA, and 12X Hypermedia). I have yet to find any media the MP9120A can burn at 12X... but the Plextor unit will burn the exact same 12X media at 12X with no problems. In one case, I burned a 12X CompUSA CDR (on the MP9120A) at 8X and it completed with no errors. The unit gets I/O errors and fails to reliably read this disc. Interesting that the Plextor 12X unit reads it just fine and it didn't even write it!!! So, in summary. STAY AWAY FROM THIS UNIT. I'M GOING TO INSIST ON A RETURN AND BUY SOMETHING ELSE. I'VE MESSED WITH THIS FOR THREE WEEKS, TALKED TO RICOH, AND CAN'T MAKE IT WORK.
Rating: 
Summary: A Marvelous product
Review: I recently purchased this product among the horrid reviews, expecting the same amount of problems that others have faced, and the same ones I Had when I installed a similar drive but returned it. I was simply amazed at the product. After a proper Master/Slave ATAPI configuration (DONT Use Cable Select or CSEL) windows started up properly with another drive in the works. I imediately installed the burner software, and it whipped out a 10X Rewritable CD in under 6 minutes! I was FASCINATED! Then I installed the DVD softs and, for having no decoder card, a Pentium II 350Mhz and an old, antiquitidated Riva TNT videocard, DVD's play back smoothly. They're not as crisp as I like, but that's my videocard and system I know. Anyways, put short, if you take a proper configuration path (feel free to mail me asking for help) this product is the absolute best for someone who doesnt have a lot of drive bays or doesnt want too many perhiperals in thier system. It works like a charm, and yes I was doubting of all the performance of this drive.. The only beef I have with it is that it's a tad noisy with reading any CD, but it doesnt matter cause it's not like a high pitched whine. Not only does it perform great as a burner and a DVD drive, its a FAST CD reader. Old DVD drives took up to 10-20 seconds to recgonize a CD, not a DVD and this drive picks em up real fast. Random Access times are GREAT, instaling the CD software took less than a minute for the WHOLE PACKAGE! It is great! If anyone cannot get this drive to work properly... Check your configurations on the drives. Master/Slave, Make sure you have Pin 1 Lined up with the cable and the other rules of hardware installations.
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