Sony DRU-500A 24x10x32 Internal IDE DVD+RW/-R/CD-RW Drive

Rating:
Summary: I hate it
Review: After using it for more than a year, it just stops reading DVDs for no reason.

Rating:
Summary: Be prepared to spend a lot more!
Review: Beware the software! The Bundled MY DVD Software would be great if it were compatible with more hardware, because you need a video capture device of some kind - it has a feature that will let you make DVD's real-time by burning directly onto a disk, and if you want to do this with a digital camcorder, fine. If you want to do it with ANYTHING ELSE, be prepared for a lot more computer upgrades. If you want to use this with an analog recorder or to make dvd's from old videotapes, you must ALSO buy an ATI All In Wonder 8500DV video capture card ... because the My DVD software bundled with this unit will not work with anything else! They don't tell you this anywhere except deep in the help pages. If you have Firewire already installed, you can use a Dazzle DVC II Hollywood Bridge, if you can find one.... An alternative is to import files previosly captured from these other devices: Adaptec VideOh!, ADS USBAV-7000 or USB Instant DVD, ATI All-In_Wonder Radeon 7500, Avid Raptor, Dazzle DVC 80, Margi 1394-to-go, NEC MPEG-2 Studio, Pinnacle DC100 or V One Snazzi III. With any of these devices, you capture the video and then import the files and edit them in the bundled software, a major pain the you-know-what. In addition, some programs will not recognize the Sony and use it as a recording device, notably AVER products . It is possible to use the Sony to only BURN the disc after you have created the DVD in another program, using the disc burning software only, which is included. Research this throughly before you buy.

Rating:
Summary: These drives have hardware issues!!! Please Read!
Review: I have owned this drive since 10/2002 and am actually on my second unit now because the first one stopped being able to read/write DVD-RW and DVD+RW/R formats (but still would read and write DVD-R). I spent a month going back and forth with Sony and it was only my background in network engineering that enabled me to convince sony engineers that the drive did in fact have a failure. They finally replaced the drive with a completely new unit and that unit has been fine - until today... Now, of course, the unit is no longer in warranty so I am screwed. Just another example of Sony's recently waning quality. See for yourself if you must, but I am buying the Pioneer A04 like I should have in the first place. I have had it with Sony!

Rating:
Summary: Great when made in Japan, but now made in Malaysia!?!
Review: I have two of these drives. The first one that is made in Japan is great cosmetically and functionally. The second, made in Malaysia and manufacturedin January came with minor scratches and blemishes and flaky electroplating...but it functions well. If you're going for it, try to find made in Japan.

Rating:
Summary: I hate it
Review: I just purchased this drive yesterday and hooked it up. As of yet I've been unable to burn a single successful DVD copy using DVD X Copy Express. I was also surprised that it will not properly read my child's Reader Rabbit CD - complains that .wav files must be installed when executing the application from the hard disk (it reads from the CD after launch from the HD). The interesting thing is that my cheapo 35X CD Reader ($25.00) reads the Reader Rabbit CD perfectly and doesn't complain - works perfectly. I've also tried to disconnect my CD reader (the cheapo one) in the belief that it may be a compatibility issue, but alas still no go on the Sony unit. I've looked at their site for driver updates for XP and there are none to be found specific to the drive (there are updates though to some of the included applications/tools that come with the drive). I'm planning on returning this drive today and trying out another one since it may just be a bad unit. Very strange that I can copy files from the Sony unit to my hard drive, but can't execute an application that reads from it, and odd that it won't copy DVDs even though it thinks that a successful copy has taken place (DVD X Copy Express).

Rating:
Summary: Not Happy So Far
Review: I just purchased this drive yesterday and hooked it up. As of yet I've been unable to burn a single successful DVD copy using DVD X Copy Express. I was also surprised that it will not properly read my child's Reader Rabbit CD - complains that .wav files must be installed when executing the application from the hard disk (it reads from the CD after launch from the HD). The interesting thing is that my cheapo 35X CD Reader ($25.00) reads the Reader Rabbit CD perfectly and doesn't complain - works perfectly. I've also tried to disconnect my CD reader (the cheapo one) in the belief that it may be a compatibility issue, but alas still no go on the Sony unit. I've looked at their site for driver updates for XP and there are none to be found specific to the drive (there are updates though to some of the included applications/tools that come with the drive). I'm planning on returning this drive today and trying out another one since it may just be a bad unit. Very strange that I can copy files from the Sony unit to my hard drive, but can't execute an application that reads from it, and odd that it won't copy DVDs even though it thinks that a successful copy has taken place (DVD X Copy Express).

Rating:
Summary: this drive WILL die on you
Review: I purchased this drive, worked great for a year until it magically decided to stop buring dvds. A week later, it stopped burning cds, and sure enough, a few weeks later it could no longer read anything. I have searched the internet and found countless posts of people having the same problem. The worst part is, it seems to magically happen after the warranty has run out! Dont buy this drive unless you only want it for a year.

Rating:
Summary: Sounds good...Rates even better.
Review: I suppose this drive and the premise to buy it would be based on a lot of things. Do you really need it? Well it reads CD/CDR/CDRW and it burns them all as well. It plays DVD/DVDR/DVDRW/DVDetc..etc..etc and it burns them as well. When used in conjunction with 321 Studios DVD X COPY, well i have been told by a friend it makes PERFECT copies of your DVD movies. Enjoy the options or extras in your new LORD OF THE RINGS DVD? They will still be there when you burn it onto a new DVD with this drive. Considering I have just a CD and CDRW drives right now, this was a big step for me, But im sure one way or another, instead of paying 10-25 bucks to replace my scratched DVD's, I can just burn another copy and know it will work just fine in my DVD player. Its even a SONY, you just cant go wrong with SONY electronics.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Multiple Format Choice
Review: I've owned the Sony DRU500A for a few months and I am very happy with it. I have yet to encounter any sort of problems or issues while I burn CDs and DVDs on an almost daily basis. If this device has a flaw, it's only that its writing speeds don't keep up with models that offer less compatibility with the various CDR and DVDR formats that are available. This means that when buying this device, you are ultimately sacrificing speed for greater compatibility. So, if compatibility is what you're looking for, and speed isn't a major issue, then look no further than the DRU500A.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Multiple Format Choice
Review: I've owned the Sony DRU500A for a few months and I am very happy with it. I have yet to encounter any sort of problems or issues while I burn CDs and DVDs on an almost daily basis. If this device has a flaw, it's only that its writing speeds don't keep up with models that offer less compatibility with the various CDR and DVDR formats that are available. This means that when buying this device, you are ultimately sacrificing speed for greater compatibility. So, if compatibility is what you're looking for, and speed isn't a major issue, then look no further than the DRU500A.