Entered CNET Catalog: 08/28/2002
SKU: 0683728001346
Manufacturer: Cendyne, Inc.
Manufacturer description
CenDyne is a marketer of computer peripheral products to the computer and consumer electronics market. CenDyne is rapidly becoming a reliable and recognized supplier all around the world. CenDyne is strategically planning the implementation and development of hardware solutions targeted directly at the personal computer/consumer industry. The personal computer industry has changed not only how the business world works, but also how home users obtain information, educate, as well as entertain them. CenDyne provides products, solutions, and strategies that fit these markets, with the goal of connecting the world by providing the highest quality information, documentation and products.Product summary
The good: Fastest external burner we've tested for mastering discs; inexpensive compared to similar drives; connects via USB 2.0.
The bad: Lacks extraneous niceties such as installation videos and software manuals; no Mac software.
The bottom line: If you want a fast drive that's easy to share, pick the CenDyne external USB 2.0 CD-RW. It offers a low price and easy setup, and it masters more CDs per hour than any external unit we've tested.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: Yes
- Reviewed on: 09/18/2002
Earlier this month, CenDyne was ordered by the Superior Court of California to shut down. The company is no longer shipping products and is not servicing warranties, honoring rebates, or providing technical support. Consumers should exercise caution before purchasing CenDyne products. Read the full story. (August 22, 2003)
Easy does it
The CenDyne lacks extraneous niceties such as installation videos and software manuals, but everything you truly need comes in the box. It includes the drive, cables, Ahead Software Nero Burning ROM 5.5 for mastering chores, and the same company's InCD program for packet writing. To install the drive, plug in the USB and power cables, insert the software CD, and follow the onscreen prompts. Total time: about five minutes. The drive works with Windows Me, 2000 Professional, and XP. If you need help, consult the concisely written installation guide, which also offers handy tips on topics such as media compatibility.
The full-sized drive weighs about a pound and measures 8.5 inches deep by 6 inches wide by 1.5 inches high. It feels reasonably sturdy and features metallic-blue-and-silver styling with flowing, slightly sculpted lines. Two buttons on the front of the unit let you skip tracks and stop or eject CDs, and the right-front side of the unit sports both a headphone jack and a volume control for easy access. The back plate features a 35-pin Centronics-style connector for the proprietary cable and a power connector for the 4-ounce AC adapter (the drive won't run off bus power).
More discs per hour
In CNET Labs' tests, the CenDyne turned in some remarkable scores--faster than nearly all of the external competition, as well as many internal IDE burners. The drive mastered our 473MB audio file in a mere 2 minutes and took a paltry 1 minute, 39 seconds to install Microsoft Office 2000 Small Business Edition. In packet-writing tests, the drive took 7 minutes, 49 seconds to write 400MB to CD-RW. It also extracted 273MB of audio in only 53 seconds. The CenDyne offers buffer-underrun-compensation technology so that you can confidently burn in the background without fear of creating bad discs.
The drive carries an industry-standard, one-year warranty, and CenDyne provides telephone support Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT on Saturdays, though it's a toll call. Online support includes FAQs, e-mail to a technician, product registration, and a tech-support bulletin board, though we could find no software or firmware updates specific to this model. You can always update the Nero software at Ahead's Web site, if necessary.
If you need a burner that's easy to share, we recommend the CenDyne external USB 2.0 CD-RW. It offers easy setup and the fastest mastering times we've seen for an external drive, all at a very affordable price.
All write tests are run with both the drive's recommended media (submitted by the manufacturer) and with Verbatim media, rated at the drive's maximum speed.
Write tests
Time, in minutes, to complete tasks (shorter bars indicate better performance)
Audio burn to CD-R from image on hard drive (from 43 min., 11 sec. audio CD) Packet-write from hard drive to CD-RW (400MB directory)
TDK VeloCD 40/12/48 (EIDE)
2.17 5.43 Plextor PlexWriter 40/12/40A (EIDE)
3.57 6.85 CenDyne external USB 2.0 CD-RW (40X/12X/40X)
2.0 7.82 CyClone CD Revo 32X/10X/40X (FireWire)
3.67 10.28 EZQuest Boa FireWire (32X/10X/40X)
2.65 10.64 QPS Que Fire 32X/10X/40X (FireWire)
2.62 11.66
Audio-extraction tests
Time, in minutes, to extract a 26-minute, 58-second audio track (shorter bars indicate better performance)
CyClone CD Revo 32X/10X/40X (FireWire)
0.87 CenDyne external USB 2.0 CD-RW (40X/12X/40X)
0.89 QPS Que Fire 32X/10X/40X (FireWire)
0.89 Plextor PlexWriter 40/12/40A (EIDE)
0.93 TDK VeloCD 40/12/48 (EIDE)
1.25 EZQuest Boa FireWire (32X/10X/40X)
1.45
Read tests
Time, in minutes, to install Microsoft Office 2000 Small Business Edition (shorter bars indicate better performance)
TDK VeloCD 40/12/48 (EIDE)
1.52 CenDyne external USB 2.0 CD-RW (40X/12X/40X)
1.65 QPS Que Fire 32X/10X/40X (FireWire)
1.71 Plextor PlexWriter 40/12/40A (EIDE)
1.71 EZQuest Boa FireWire (32X/10X/40X)
1.74 CyClone CD Revo 32X/10X/40X (FireWire)
1.75
The CenDyne external USB 2.0 CD-RW took just two minutes to complete the audio-burn test, beating all the other external drives and some internal models as well. During packet writing, the CenDyne also beat out most of the competition. When it came to audio extraction, however, the CenDyne finished in about the same amount of time as 32X external drives from Cyclone and QPS.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14out of 14 user reviews
Can be faulty
Pros:
Cons:
out of 14 user reviews
Excellent performance, flimsy design
Pros:
Cons:
out of 14 user reviews
Disappointing Experience
Pros:
Cons:
out of 14 user reviews
Tech Support & Drivers Non-Existent
Pros:
Cons:
out of 14 user reviews
Difficult intallation, tech support non-existent
Pros:
Cons:
out of 14 user reviews
The burner I'd like to carry in the hereafter
Pros:
Cons:
out of 14 user reviews
Flimsy, driver nightmare, not USB
Pros:
Cons:
out of 14 user reviews
the price and junk
Pros:
Cons:
out of 14 user reviews
I love Cendyne product
Pros:
Cons:
out of 14 user reviews
i am not made of maney yah knoe
Pros:
Cons:
out of 14 user reviews
I dont like your product
Pros:
Cons:
out of 14 user reviews
speedy, but has a cheap feel
Pros:
Cons:
out of 14 user reviews
Fast, easy and accurate. Love it!
Pros:
Cons:
out of 14 user reviews
Fast Burner, Reliable, Flimsy Design
Pros:
Cons:
