If you run into trouble with the DVD200i, toll-free technical support is available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. MT on Saturdays. HP also provides a one-year warranty on the drive. The company's Web site includes a list of DVD+RW-compatible DVD-ROM drives and movie players but so far lacks a list for DVD+R. For those of you stuck with older DVD100i drives that can't use DVD+R media, HP offers an upgrade program: Send in your old drive plus $99 by June 30, 2002 (in the U.S.), and you'll get a new, DVD+R-compatible drive complete with software.
The most sensible choice
The DVD200i is an impressive performer and an excellent choice as a backup drive. Furthermore, DVD+R media may prove to be the most compatible DVD-recordable format. If you want or need a DVD burner today, a DVD+RW drive, such as the HP, is the sensible choice.
--by H.G. Bryant
Data-write tests Time, in minutes, to perform tasks (shorter bars indicate better performance)
Write a 383MB file to rewritable media
Write 500MB directory to rewritable media
Sony DRU120A (DVD+RW/+R)
2.02
3.28
HP DVD-Writer DVD200i (DVD+RW)
2.00
5.82
Pioneer DVR-A04 (DVD-RW)
4.67
6.58
Cendyne DVR-104 (DVD-RW)
4.74
11.04
Movie-write tests Movie files vary in size due to different compression rates, so write speed is measured in MB per second (longer bars indicate better performance)
HP DVD-Writer DVD200i (DVD+RW)
2.96
Sony DRU120A (DVD+RW/+R)
2.34
Pioneer DVR-A04 (DVD-RW)
2.17
Cendyne DVR-104 (DVD-RW)
1.21
Read tests Time, in minutes, to perform tasks (shorter bars indicate better performance)
Copy a 383MB file from rewritable media to the hard drive
Copy a 500MB directory from rewritable media to the hard drive
Sony DRU120A (DVD+RW/+R)
.77
2.48
HP DVD-Writer DVD200i (DVD+RW)
1.04
2.21
Cendyne DVR-104 (DVD-RW)
3.83
5.86
Pioneer DVR-A04 (DVD-RW)
4.70
9.81
While the DVD200i runs neck and neck or slightly behind the Sony DRU120A DVD+RW on many tests, it's a virtuoso at movie mastering, and it outperforms the Pioneer DVD-RW drive at every turn.
