PleXWriter PX-W4824A

Review Pages

1. Introduction
2. Installation/Package
3. Data Reading Tests
4. Error Correction Tests
5. CloneCD Reading Tests
6. DAE Tests
7. CDR Tests
8. Writing Quality Tests
9. RW/Packet Writing Tests
10. Mt. Rainier Tests
11. Conclusion

PleXWriter PX-W4824A IDE CDR-W - Page 2

- The package

We got the European retail package which contains: the drive, a PDF manual in 16 languages, an RMA request form, a registration card, a quick installation guide, 5 blank recordable discs (by TaiyoYuden), one 24X US-RW media (by Mitsubishi Chemicals), an IDE cable, an audio cable and mounting screws.

The attached CDR software comes from Ahead (Nero 5.5.x/InCD 3.3.x) and a separate CD with "PlexTools" v1.15. The drive has a 2-year guaranty (only valid in Europe, Middle-East and Africa) and Plextor's "on-site collect and return service" (EU countries + Norway and Switzerland). The retail package is expected to cost 140Euro. Plextor Europe also offers a special edition with black front bezel, in the same price. However USA buyers may buy the special black front bezel edition slight higher than the white version....

The front panel of the PleXWriter PX-W4824A is the same as the previous IDE models. You can see the "48/24/48", "BPRec" and the "Ultra Speed" logos. The codename of the PX-W4824A is PY-YORK.

The CD indicator lids to green when a CD is loaded, becomes yellow when while reading and orange while writing. The CD set window ruler indicator blinks to orange at different speeds, depending on the current write and re-writing speeds.

In the rear panel will find the power connector, the IDE cable connector, jumpers for setting up the MASTER/SLAVE/CABLE select status and finally, the analog/SPDIF connectors. There are also 2 jumpers that control the "DMA" status, in case you need to force the DMA working mode:

The drive was an August 2002 model with TLA#0000 hardware revision:

- Installation

Plextor PX-W4824A was installed as a Master in the primary IDE BUS. The drive worked in UDMA-33 model. After booting, it identified itself as a "PLEXTOR CD-R PX-W4824A". WinXP activated DMA without our interference. We used Nero v5.5.9.9, CloneCD v4.0.1.10 and Ahead InCD v3.37.1 for the recording tests.

User can de-activate PoweRec function under the drive properties. When you un-tick the "PoweRec enabled" box, a warning message comes up with information about the usability of this option.