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Lite-ON 24/10/40X USB 2.0
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Posted by Robin van Lieshout
Posted on 21/05/02 11:47
Number of views 7688
Menu
 Conclusion
 Introduction
 The package
 Specifications
 Data reading tests
 Music reading tests
 Reading scratched discs
 Writing tests
 Protected data test
 CD-RW tests
 Media compatibility
 Special CD-R disc tests
 General usage
Text Size  Text Size
The package
 

Let's take a look at the contents:



This is the top of the box, we found a small error here. Take a look at the 'designed for" stamp: Microsoft Windows XP, 2000, ME, 98, Windows NT. That must be wrong since USB does not work under Windows NT.




Here is what was inside the box:

  • The drive.
  • The powersupply.
  • A power cord with a special 3 pin connector that connects to the powersupply.
  • The Special USB cable used between the drive and the computer USB port.
  • A 3,5" stereo jack cable to use between the drive and a computer soundcard.
  • A 3,5" diskette containing a windows 98 USB 2.0 adapter cable driver.
  • A CD containing (sorted like how they appear on the CD):
    • Internal CD-RW drive utility
    • Internal CD-RW drive users manual
    • Copy DOS drivers to floppy
    • External CD-RW drive utility
    • External CD-RW drive users manual
    • USB Cable Driver for Windows 98
    • Install Nero and InCD
    • Install Nero (version 5.5.7.2 OEM, do only work with the drive it came shipped with).
    • Install Nero media player
    • Install InCD (Version 3.2.0.1, will only work if Nero is already installed)
    • Nero quickstart manual
    • Install Acrobat reader
    • Readme first
  • One blank Lite-On multispeed 700Mb/80min CD-R disc (Manufactured by Ritek, phthalocyanine type 7 DYE)
  • One blank Lite-On 4-12X 700Mb/80min highspeed CD-RW disc (Manufactured by NAN-YA plastics)
  • A quick installation guide, which is just a large double sided paper with a few illustrations and a few descriptions on various different languages.
The package contains everything needed to get started, but remember that an USB 2.0 controller is needed to get the maximum speeds out of the drive. We also liked that it was shipped with Nero burning ROM since it's one of our favorite writing softwares.

The manual included on the CD is 12 pages long and contains a lot of useful information if you are new at CD-Writing, but we would have preferred a paper manual instead.

The drive:

Let us take a look at the drive:



See that blue/white swirl in the drive? Yes, it spinning when the disc is spinning, a nice little detail. This drive also has Lite-On's name stamped onto the drive, something their internal drives do not have.




This is what the drive looks like when it's open. Do not touch the lens!!! Dirt on the lens is a bad thing, if you get dirt in the lens try to carefully blow it away with compressed air (use a small compressor or a box with compressed air). You could also see the eject button and the two leds (Light Emitting Diodes). The led to the left is green and used when reading or when the buffer underrun protection kicks in. The led to the right is red and used when writing. And in the middle the eject button and emergency eject hole is placed, the drive needs to be powered for the eject button to work.




On the right side of the drive you will find the volume controller and a 3,5" jack hole. You may use the included cable to connect to your soundcards Line-in connector, or you may just connect your favourite headset.




On the back of the drive there is the power and the very special ATAPI to USB connector.



And here is the sticker found at the bottom of the drive. As you could see the drive was manufactured in March 2002.

Final drive thoughts:

We liked the drive very well, it has a nice and attractive design, which is not the case for Lite-On's internal drives that have a very boring design. It has many nice details like:
  • Nice shaped look through window in the top cover.
  • Spinning swirl that could be seen through the window.
  • Very good rubber feets for stable operation.
  • Wavy design, not just square and boring.
  • Attractive silverblue/silver design.
  • It even have a metallic line in the front.
But lets continue to the specifications and features of this drive…
Introduction
Specifications
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Posted by on Saturday 01 June 2002 15:52
Very nice review OC-Freak! Enjoyed reading it. Oh and nice pics by the way ;)
Posted by MP|3 on Saturday 01 June 2002 22:25
The pics were really a pain in the ass to get them right in the backend system ;)

Great review though.
Posted by on Wednesday 19 June 2002 08:58
In order to backup Cactus Data Shield Audio CD's. I've found it helps to insert the CD with autorun enabled and allow it to start the built-in player. Stop the player, load CloneCD and copy the CD (make sure you don't have any fast error skip stuff enabled). This (for me at least) results in a copy of the CD which completely works 100% (and in fact can be backed up or ripped perfectly). :)
Posted by on Monday 17 March 2003 13:46
I have the 40x write version of this drive but can only reach around 20x in EAC burst mode.

Any ideas what's wrong?
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