Hardware
Review of: |
 Best
known for its high-quality tape products, TDK
has expanded into making CD recorders as well. Like almost every CD recorder
made today, this one, called the VeloCD, writes and reads
both recordable CD-ROMs (CD-R) and rewritable CD-ROMs (CD-RW). The VeloCD
resembles Plextor’s Plexwriter 12/10/32A CD-burner because it uses a technology
called BURN-Proof, developed by Samsung.
The VeloCD can reposition its laser precisely to restart a recording process
if it experiences a problem like a buffer underrun. You will probably never
ruin a blank CD, a big change from a standard CD burner.
Like most CD burners, the TDK VeloCD drive looks just like a standard CD-ROM drive, although perhaps one that came from a Macintosh computer. The pull-out drawer is a translucent aqua plastic, while the drawer front is white plastic. The drawer seems a little flimsy, but works smoothly. The drive’s packaging is exemplary for an add-on drive. It includes a large installation poster with easy-to-read drawings to guide you through the installation process. A complete assortment of hardware-screws, rails, and cable-is included in the package to cover all possible installation needs. Another poster provides an introduction to the TDK software that plays back and records music CDs, while the excellent Nero software is included for creation of data CDs (and it works for music CDs as well). The InCD software loads automatically, and provides the installable file system that enables writing and erasing files from a CD-RW disc, using Windows Explorer, just as if you were writing files to a hard drive. I encountered a glitch with the installation, however. One of the installation options is to use a separate CD-ROM drive as the source drive, with the VeloCD as the target drive. That arrangement should provide the fastest way to copy a CD, since it would not require saving a CD image on your hard drive. I proceeded to do that, and eagerly made a copy of a favorite audio CD. But when I listened to it, it sounded terrible — lots of clicks and skipped passages. True, the result was not a coaster, but the quality was lousy. I got a dialog box telling me it’s not a good idea to put the normal CD-ROM drive and the VeloCD on the same controller. However, that combination was explained as a permissible configuration, and even seemed to be encouraged by the installation instruction. Placing the standard CD-ROM drive as the slave on the first controller, and the VeloCD as the master on the second controller should fix the problem. I haven’’t gotten around to it yet. Although it’s no longer the speed record holder (several CD burners, including one from TDK, now offer 16X/10X/40X speeds), the VeloCD is a very fast drive. It writes CD-R discs at 12X speed, CD-RW discs at 10X speed (if you have blank CD-RW discs rated for 10X; most are still rated for 4X), and reads CD-ROMs like a 32X CD-ROM drive, which means it probably reads most information at 16X speed. Usually, CD-ROM speed ratings are highly optimistic. The BURN-Proof technology lets you actually use your computer for other things while you’re creating a CD. With most CD burners, you dare not touch your computer while a CD is being created, since that will take processor cycles and memory away from the CD-burning process and may well create a dreaded coaster, or defective CD. TDK provides some very decent software with the VeloCD. The primary software is the Nero program, which is fast and easy to use, although it’s not as easy to learn as some other programs. To help the beginner use the software, Ahead Software, Nero’s creator, provides a Wizard to get you started with common CD creation tasks. Although it’s a help, the Wizard does not make Nero as easy to use as some competing software. The Nero main screen, titled ISO3, is a compilation of files which will be burned onto a CD-ROM. On the right, a File Browser shows files available on your hard drive or other drive. All you do to make a copy of the files is select them in the File Browser view, and drag them to the ISO3 screen. In addition to making data and audio CDs, Nero has a special setting to back up your hard drive. Encouraged by the drive’s speed, I decided to use it to make a full backup of my hard drive. Whew! Twenty CDs and four hours later, I finished backing up the 6 GB of material currently on my hard drive. That’s much faster than my old Creative Labs 6X CD burner, but scarcely fast. But for backing up data files, the VeloCD is a great tool. For full drive backups, a tape drive or a second hard drive is still most painless backup strategy, and therefore the one most likely to be used. TDK provides a specialized program, called Digital MixMaster, for making audio CDs. Digital MixMaster lets you rip files from an audio CD (rip means extract a music file from an audio CD and save it to your hard drive. You can then convert the file on the hard drive to a very compact MP3 file and burn it onto a CD to create a collection of MP3 files to download to your portable MP3 player.) Candidly, I had a bit of a problem getting used to the MixMaster interface. The default skin (interface) is very unconventional, although several alternate skins are available at the TDK web site. I suppose that if you’re used to the Walkman player’s controls, the MixMaster skin makes sense. What doesn’t make sense is the murky colors used and markings used to identify the controls. Often, despite the fact that bubble help identify the tiny control buttons, it’s very difficult to even see a control. To test the Digital MixMaster, I loaded one of my favorite audio CDs, Lullaby Journey, on Dorian Recordings. I selected the .CPA files on the CD and ripped them to the hard drive as .WAV files. Next, I inserted a blank CD into the VeloCD, and told MixMaster to burn the .WAV files to a data disc. The first attempt produced a CD with .WAV files instead of .MP3 files, and those files refused to play; in fact, they locked up the computer tightly, requiring a reboot. That disc went in the trash. The second attempt (using a better blank CD) also produced .WAV files, but at least they played just fine. However, I see no point in converting audio files to .WAV files, since audio files play just fine on a computer. I’ll have to work on recording .MP3 files — but don’t hold your breath. I really have no use for such files at present. The bottom line for the MixMaster is that it’s possible you may need a separate program if you are serious about creating .MP3 files. There are a multitude of such programs, many of which are free. The bottom line
TDK is currently selling the VeloCD on its web
site for $229.95.
Vade Forrester |