Sony DRX-500UL

Sony's DRX-500UL makes the current thumb-wrestling over competing DVD standards seem trivial by showing just how easy it is to put them together in one device. Blank DVD media comes in R (recordable) and RW (rewritable) flavors, and the DVD format is, of course, capable of several applications including video, data storage, and archiving.

DVD+R and DVD+RW are backed by Hewlett Packard and Microsoft, among others. The alternative standard, DVD-R and DVD-RW, draws support from the Apple/Pioneer/Panasonic camp. Sony can't solve the compatibility issues with legacy DVD devices, but the DRX-500UL really can serve two masters. (Make that three masters, actually. The DRX can also play and record CDs.)

Besides the DRX-500UL, Sony also offers an otherwise identical internal version, the DRU-500A. The external DRX-500UL is a space-saving device (6"1.6"7.5"), with one USB 2.0 and dual FireWire ports (Sony calls this i.Link) in the rear panel. A cable with an inline transformer carries the main power. While these thin-wire cables are a little less onerous in terms of cable clutter, the connector has no snapping mechanism to keep the connector in the socket. This is not specifically a Sony problem, as low-voltage power cables are now an industry standard for many peripherals. Still, I've had the cables pop out while just moving a drive a few inches across my workspace. The interface protocol is ATAPI or, as many people incorrectly call it, IDE or EIDE.

The DRX supports Windows 98E, 2000, XP, and the latest 4X DVD-R and 2X DVD-RW media, making it the fastest DVD burner currently available (the 4X recording speed requires a firmware update).

I connected the Sony DRX-500UL to a new dual-processor IBM IntelliStation using the USB connector. Sony bundles a comprehensive authoring and backup software suite. Veritas Record Now is a mastering app for creating custom CDs and DVDs...