HP 20x External Super Multi DVD (Lightscribe) HP1040E
by PLDS
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Category: CE
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: PLDSModel: dvd1040e
Product features:
- What's in the box? - External dvd1040e drive with DVD+-R/+-RW with DVD+-R up to 20x, double layer recording, DVD-RAM, and LightScribe direct disc labeling, Software CD including electronic user's guide, Quick-Start placemat, Getting Help guide, USB 2.0 cable, Power supply
- Record to all major formats (+-R/+-RW, DVD-RAM, CD-R/RW), plus use LightScribe, on a single drive
- Record double-layer DVDs at up to 8x, recordable DVDs at up to 20x, rewritable DVDs at up to 8x, and DVD-RAMs at up to 12x
- Transfer hours of video onto DVD with your PC, then show on your TV
- Get excellent playback compatibility on DVD drives and players, thanks to HP's testing standards
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of HP 20x External Super Multi DVD (Lightscribe) HP1040E
Customer Review: Say Goodbye to Labels and Just Burn, Flip, Burn Baby!
Summary: 4 Stars
Bottom-Line: The "HP DVD Writer 1040" with LightScribe technology is an outstanding bargain and a must have for any aspirating small business owner who needs to burn CD's for clients.
Then I discovered Hewlett Packard's breakthrough technology called Lightscribe while browsing [...] a few years ago. I ran across an ad asking for volunteers to help test a new product called LightScribe; I signed up without knowing who the manufacturer was, or exactly the product was, but it sounded exciting. I was contacted shortly thereafter by the folks running the test program and they accepted me into the group. It turns out the manufacturers of the technology was Hewlett Packard, and LightScribe was a new disk labeling systems utilizing a DVD-R/RW drive.
The first drive Hewlett Packard sent me was an external model very similar in look, feel, and functionality to the HP DVD Writer 630e, with (1) USB 2.0 and (2) Firewire connections. But we (members of the group) were warned that these early models had a problem with over-heating, and sure enough early this year, right after the official testing program wrapped up, my external unit stopped working; my computer would no longer recognize it. So HP sent me a new unit, this one internal, the HP DVD Writer 640i, with LightScribe technology (official title: LightScribe DVD Writer 640i).
Since then I have become addicted to the LightScribe technology and I will not purchase a DVD drive for one of my computers without it. My latest acquisition: the "HP DVD1040E External 20x Dual Layer Burner w/ LightScribe."
The Burner
The matt black "HP DVD1040E" is an external USB 2.0 connected drive with DVD+-R/+-RW with DVD+-R up to 20x, double layer recording, DVD-RAM, and LightScribe. The "Double Layer" feature allows the drive to record and store up to 8.5 GB of data or music. The drive also acts as a fully functional CD-R/RW & DVD+R/+RW drive, however it is also compatible with single-layer DVD's (4.7 GB storage). The "HP DVD1040E" can burn data at speeds of up to 20x single layer (8x double layer), and a CD writing speed of up to 40x.
Installation
The "HP DVD1040E" is a rather large drive, but it ships with a vertical stand, so one can tuck it away. I choose to let it lay horizontally on my desk. Though earlier HP external (LightScribe) drives shipped with Firewire and USB connectivity, the "HP DVD1040E" only has USB 2.0 ports. A disappointment considering I have a Firewire port waiting to be used, but...
There is not software to install really; once plugged in Windows Vista recognized the drive and assigned it a drive letter. Since this drive was replacing an older LightScribe-enabled drive, I did have to download and install the latest version of the software control panel from HP's website; once this was done SureThing CD Labeler, recognized the drive.
LightScribe Technology
Hewlett Packard's proprietary LightScribe disc labeling technology allows you--the end-user--to burn data to a disc (CD-R/CD-RW/DVD-R/DVD-RW); flip the disc over and scribe or etch, or burn, if you will, a label onto the opposite side. With LightScribe, now on version (2), there is no longer a need to print a separate label, or use awkward press-on gadgets to label your discs. The LightScribe etching is indelible and the results are professional-grade.
Using specially gold-coated discs and a LightScribe drive like the "HP DVD1040E," in conjunction with a third-party disc labeling software like SureThing Disc Labeler, which is LightScribe aware, you can go far beyond just labeling discs, you can create your own custom designs using templates, text, backgrounds, and photos that you can import into the software that ships with the drive (more on that below). The drive then laser etches the design onto the CD. Imported digital photos or backgrounds can also be burned directly onto the LightScribe discs from your favorite graphic-design software.
And already etched discs can be labeled with new information by clearing the information from the original design using the LightScribe-enabled software, add the new label information (text, graphics etc.), and burn (etch) the LightScribe label again. And for a more prominent label, you can re-burn the original design to achieve a darker color, but as I stated above the burning process produces indelible results; in other words, labeling information cannot be removed once burned onto the disc.
LightScribe currently burns at only 2X speed, and on average it takes 20 minutes to render a disc label with complex graphics, however, simple titles such as track listings take only about 5 minutes to complete. True color labels are not possible because of the dusty-gold surface of the LightScribe discs, but that's something I can live with given the output.
Hewlett Packard is committed to making all of its future (DVD) drives with LightScribe technology, and the company states that their LightScribe drives will work with most existing labeling programs. And there are plenty of other vendors willing to support the burgeoning technology: Memorex, Imation, Verbatim, and TDK, all offer LightScribe media, thought the cost is slightly more then regular CD-R/RW discs. And drive manufacturers BenQ, Hitachi, Lite-On, Philips, and Toshiba all have available LightScribe drives on the street.
First Impressions
I love this drive! The burning speeds are more than respectable using Easy CD Creator Platinum 9.0, and it didn't even require a program upgrade to use the drive. Equally impressive is burning files through Windows Vista Home Premium native burning applet.
The SureThing CD Labeler Deluxe 5 program ships with special LightScribe templates and background included, and I take full advantage of them, though as I stated above labels will not be in color. However, they will be dark, sharp, crisp, and permanent. The program allows you to customize the labels will all manner of special symbols that give them a very professional look and feel, which is what I needed most of all.
I do have one, or two quibbles: the drive is so quite at rest that I can't tell if it is even on and HP did not see fit to add a power light to the front of the drive. Nor is there a power switch on the back. But these are minor annoyances and fall far short of show stoppers.
Of course the "HP DVD1040E" also plays movies, though I rarely if ever use it for that functionality. Overall, the "HP DVD1040E" with LightScribe technology is an outstanding bargain and a must have for any aspirating (or seasoned) small business owner who needs to burn CD's for clients and want to give them that professional touch, or for those who are tired of those not-so-friendly adhesive labels. The retail price of the drives has come way down since the technology was introduced some (3) years ago, so picking one up is relatively inexpensive.
Description of HP 20x External Super Multi DVD (Lightscribe) HP1040E
External 20X DVDRW (LightScribe) w/DVDRAMDigital Cameras & Photo Categories
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