CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 12/17/2002
- Released on: 09/30/2002
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The Toshiba SD-R5002's DVD read (12X) and write (16X CD-R and 10X CD-RW) speeds compare favorably to those of many competitive drives still on the market, including Pioneer's DVR-A04 and CenDyne's DVR-104. It tops out, however, at a less impressive 2X and 1X on DVD-R and DVD-RW write speeds, so it simply can't keep pace with some of the latest models such as Sony's DRU-500A and Pioneer's DVR-A05.
The SD-R5002 is one of the few drives that we've reviewed that ships with VOB Instant CD/DVD software, one of the most comprehensive packages available. The suite includes InstantWrite for packet writing; InstantCopy for 1:1 disc copies; InstantDisc for mastering chores; InstantBackup for backing up your system; InstantVideo for authoring video CDs and DVDs; and InstantMusic, a 16-track audio recorder and sample arranger. InstantCD/DVD covers every type of CD and DVD project, including Apple's native HFS format.
InstantDisc.
However, we do have a few quibbles. For example, we'd like to see more help for beginners in the documentation. Plus, we would rather see all the functions brought under one roof instead of being loosely connected by a launch application. Toshiba also includes CyberLink's PowerDirector for editing video and authoring DVDs and the same company's PowerDVD for DVD movie playback.
PowerDirector Pro 2.5.
While the SD-R5002 proves no competition for the faster Sony DRU-500A or Pioneer DVR-A05, its performance compares favorably with that of other 2X DVD-RW drives. In CNET Labs' tests, the SD-R5002 took only 8 seconds more than the Pioneer DVR-A04 to write a large 383MB file to DVD-RW but needed nearly two minutes longer to write a 500MB directory of files. It finished in a dead heat with the DVR-A04 writing our 3.24GB movie file to DVD-R and proved far superior in all our read tests, nearly quadrupling the DVR-A04's performance. The drive also wrote to CD-R and CD-RW media in times commensurate with its 16X and 10X ratings--far faster than our anecdotal tests of the 8X/4X-rated Pioneer DVR-A04 and the CenDyne DVR-104.
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Data write tests Time, in minutes, to perform tasks (shorter bars indicate better performance)
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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) |
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Read tests Time, in minutes, to perform tasks (shorter bars indicate better performance)
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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. For more details on how we test DVD-recordable drives, see the CNET Labs site.
Toshiba backs the SD-R5002 with a one-year warranty, typical for the industry. Tech support is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT, but it's a toll call. The Toshiba support Web site offers a copy of the installation guide, downloadable firmware upgrades, general FAQs, warranty information, and an e-mail link to tech support.
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