HP's DVD100i uses DVD+RW format discs, making it speedy but potentially incompatible with some DVD players. Is the speed worth the risk?
If speed were the only measure, Hewlett Packard's DVD-Writer DVD100i would have a clear lead among the emerging DVD-storage technologies: DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW. This jack-of-all-trades DVD+RW HP drive handily outperforms its rivals, such as Pioneer's DVR-A03 -- a.k.a. Apple's or LaCie's SuperDrive. It also functions as a 12X/10X/32X CD-R/RW drive and an 8X DVD-ROM.
The DVD100i's out-of-box experience seems better suited to savvier users than novices. The multilingual installation guide is barely enough to get you started, but there's a setup video on the software CD, and the software installation itself is painless. An IDE cord, a drive-to-sound-card cable, and a single DVD+RW disc also come with the drive. Additional DVD+RW media is available for a reasonable AU$30-AU$35 a pop.
Through a mirror darkly
The trouble with DVD+RW is compatibility. The media has low reflectivity; thus, it's not nearly as compatible with legacy DVD-ROM drives and DVD movie players as the high-reflectivity DVD-R media supported by the SuperDrive and other DVD-RAM/R drives. This makes sharing data or movies with friends via DVD+RW potentially problematic. The DVD+RW developers group will be introducing a high-reflectivity DVD+R media that should be readable by more drives and players. However, the DVD100i won't be able to write to DVD+R without a firmware upgrade, which HP doesn't plan on providing. At least the company doesn't try to whitewash the compatibility issue--it lists all the current drives and players that can read DVD+RW media on its Web site.
A well-rounded bundle
Unless you're planning on producing professional videos, the DVD100i's software bundle should take care of all of your video-capture and disc-creation needs. Sonic's MyDVD is provided for easy creation of DVD-movie discs. The program lets you storyboard your masterpiece by importing and converting files, capturing video, and the like. It even lets you record directly to a DVD+RW disc from a DV source such as a camera. One caveat: MyDVD requires an 800MHz or better CPU.
HP provides RecordNow to take care of audio and data CD-mastering chores, while the company's Simple Backup program adds backup and disaster-recovery capabilities. The DLA (Drive Letter Access) program lets you use DVD+RW discs like floppies, randomly copying and erasing files via the standard Windows interface. PowerDVD is included to play DVD movies.
To buy or not to buy
If you don't care about compatibility with older DVD hardware, then the DVD100i is a great drive for backing up your system or creating DVD movies. But if you want to author DVDs for Aunt Jenny and her year-old drive or DVD player, you might want to opt for a DVD-RW drive or wait for the next generation of DVD+RW drives that have DVD+R capability.
Hewlett Packard DVD100i
Company: Hewlett-Packard
Price: AU$1,499
Distributor: Selected Resellers
Phone: 13 13 47
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