Traxdata CDR 4120 PRO 4x write/12x read CD recorder

Emedia Professional, Oct, 1998 by Hugh Bennett

Well-known in their native U.K. and throughout Europe and Asia, Traxdata Ltd. is one of a growing number of sophisticated companies assembling, selling, and supporting rebranded CD-Recordable bundles. Traxdata's latest offering is the CDR 4120 PRO CD writing solution, which integrates TEAC's second-generation CD-R55S recorder with topflight supporting elements. With performance and features at the top of its class, the CDR 4120 PRO offers state-of-the-art 4X writing speed, true 12X CLV read and Digital Audio Extraction performance, flash firmware, I MB buffer, and a SCSI interface, as well as Disc-At-Once (DAO) and packet writing capability.

Seldom is any product as perfect as its spec sheet might imply, however. The CD-R55S has a few noteworthy shortcomings, among them a lack of Running Optimum Power Control (Running OPC), no support for the Serial Copy Management System (SCMS), and no R-W subcode handling ability. Despite these deficiencies--which won't affect most buyers' use of the product anyway--the CD-R55S has been enthusiastically integrated into many CD duplication and production systems.0

Depending upon the geographic location in which it is marketed, Traxdata offers a number of versions of the CDR 4120 PRO, including a Mac bundle as well as internal and external PC configurations with and without a SCSI card. The $479 internal PC version reviewed here is an intelligently stocked package that comes complete with a Traxdata-branded TEAC CD-R555 4 x 12 recorder, an Advansys ABP-930 SCSI card and cable, two blank discs, CeQuadrat's WinOnCD and PacketCD CD-Recordable software for Windows 95/NT, plus some label design templates and a marking pen.

PACKETCD 3.0: DRAGGED-AND-DROPPED, COMPRESSION-BOOSTED CD-R

For day-to-day storage duties, the CDR 4120 PRO package includes the latest version of CeQuadrat's PacketCD incremental packet writing software. Similar to Adaptec's popular DirectCD, PacketCD makes the recorder appear to the operating system as a writable drive so any number of files can be dragged and dropped to CD-R as if it were a write-once floppy. Alternatively, files can be saved to CD-R from within any application software without the use of a traditional premastering tool.

CDs are written using OSTA's UDF 1.5 file format so, in addition to being readable by recorders running PacketCD, recorded discs can be accessed from CD and DVD-ROM drives using standard UDF drivers. PacketCD also writes a UDF driver in a reserved ISO9660 portion of each disc for instances where suitable drivers are unavailable.

PacketCD is designed to remove the complexity from CD recording so the software is extremely easy to use. After a blank disc is inserted into the recorder, a wizard appears on the screen with the option to format the disc. Following a short thirty-second procedure, the disc is ready for action as a standard drive icon. In addition to being simple to use, recording with PacketCD is also fast, taking only a minute or two longer than using a dedicated writing program like WinOnCD or Adaptec's Easy CD Creator. Comparatively, 4X writing enables the recorder to create a full, 650MB disc in 19 to 22 minutes, as opposed to 38 to 40 minutes required for 2X recording.

PacketCD 3.0 also offers the option of recording discs as proprietary compressed volumes which can only be read by PacketCD. As a result, this option is best used for personal backup rather than for exchanging data. Although the manufacturer promises that the compression feature nearly doubles disc capacity from 650MB to 1.23GB, real-world testing indicates that, depending upon file types, it is possible to squeeze only another 100 to 200MB on a disc.

WINONCD 3.5: A WELL-ROUNDED WINDOWS RECORDING TOOL

For more advanced projects, Traxdata also includes an OEM version of CeQuadrat's WinOnCD 3.5 recording software. A full-featured package, WinOnCD is capable of creating most disc formats including ISO 9660 with Joliet extensions and controllable file placement, multisession, CD-DA, CD Extra, and basic Video CD (from MPEG or AVI files). The software can also be used to duplicate most disc types with an easy-to-use CD copying function. However, users wishing to create bootable CDs or ISO 9660/HFS hybrid discs must upgrade to the full retail version of the software. Similarly, converting analog audio sources like cassette tape and vinyl records to CD requires the additional purchase of the Just Audio software, also available from Traxdata.

Disc creation with WinOnCD is very straightforward with the software fully supporting the advanced recording capabilities of the TEAC CD-R55S, including Disc-At-Once writing. For example, assembling an ISO 9660 disc is a simple case of selecting the correct disc type from the new project greeting screen that appears when the program is loaded, selecting the source volume, dragging the files to be written into the recording window, and pressing the record button. For those who have an aversion to manuals or documentation, WinOnCD even boasts a built-in optional wizard that tutors users and guides them through the disc creation process. Rounding out WinOnCD's feature set is a rudimentary graphics capability used to create and print jewelcase booklets and inlay cards as well as to design disc surface labels for users who own sticky labeling kits.