Roundup lettori DVD su Digit-Life

• NEC DV-5800A
• Panasonic SR-8586B
• Sony DDU1621
• Toshiba SD-M1612

12X

AOpen DVD-1240/AMH

This drive is a good budget solution. It excellently plays DVD-Video discs, finely reads standard CD-ROM discs. On its front panel there are buttons for playing Audio CDs. Unfortunately, the drive operates slowly with CD-R/RW discs, and implements capture of audio tracks with errors. Moreover, the AOpen drive makes quite a lot of noise even at a low speed of operation with CDs. Vibration is not eliminated completely. At last, the drive can get the RPC-1 support by changing its firmware version.

ASUS DVD-E612

This one is a good choice. It excellently reads both CDs and DVDs. Audio tracks are captured rather finely. On its front panel it has buttons for playing Audio CDs which can also be used for changing speed of operation with CDs. Unfortunately, the drive failed to finish reading data from the 780 MBytes CD-R. Thanks to a good speed reduction system in operation with CDs the drive doesn't produce much noise. The ASUS doesn't vibrate either. The device can be turned into the RPC-1 with the help of the jumper.

MSI MS-8212

This drive reads exceptionally well both CDs and DVDs. It copes with capture of audio tracks. Noise can be reduced to an acceptable level with the help of external programs. The vibration protection system works quite well. The drive, however, can be installed only in a horizontal position. From the very beginning this model has the RPC-1 support.

Hitachi GD-7500

On the one hand, the drive excellently copes with operations of audio track capture and can work with DVD-RAMs. On the other hand, it awfully reads low-quality discs. Its noise characteristics are not superb. It trembles noticeably even when working with usual discs. The drive can get the RPC-1 support by changing the firmware version or with a special utility.

 

NEC DV-5800A

This is an average drive. It copes quite well with playing DVD-Video discs and reads rather well standard CD-ROM and CD-R/RW discs. No problems appear also when the drive captures audio tracks. Unfortunately, it failed to finish reading of a 780 MBytes disc. Besides, it made quite a lot of noise even at a lower speed while working with CDs. However, noise can be reduced with exterior programs. The drive noticeably vibrates when it works with badly balanced discs, but reading is still successful. The drive can become a pseudo-RPC-1 by changing its firmware version.

PANASONIC SR-8586B

You should go with this drive if you are going to work only with DVD discs as it doesn't cope with CDs, especially low-quality ones. It doesn't excel in capturing audio tracks, that is why professionals should be careful. A noise level is not low, though it can be reduced with exterior programs. The drive noticeably vibrates when it works with badly balanced discs, but reading is still successful. The drive can become a RPC-1 by changing its firmware version.

SONY DDU1621

This is an attractive drive for a home user. It excellently reads all types of CDs and DVDs. No problems appear also when the drive captures audio tracks. A noise level is low, and the only negative impression is when the spindle starts. As this drive is shorter than usual ones it can be used in system blocks where normal drives do not fit. The drive noticeably vibrates when it works with badly balanced discs, but reading is still successful. It can become a RPC-1 by changing its firmware version.

TOSHIBA SD-M1612

It's not a bad drive. It excellently reads all types of CDs and DVDs. Besides, it is able to read DVD-RAM. No problems appear also when the drive captures audio tracks. Unfortunately, its noise level worsens the impression, but it can be reduced with exterior programs. The device noticeably vibrates when it works with badly balanced discs, but reading is still successful. The drive can't become a RPC-1.