CD-RW drive hits SMEs
CD-RW drive hits SMEs
Sony has released its latest high-speed recording CD-RW drive, the CRX 145.
With a 10x recorder, the product is aimed at the storage and recording needs of small to medium businesses and graphics users, said Sony product manager for data media and storage, Gordon Kerr.
The drive also has 4x RW capability, a feature that Mr Kerr said is good for graphics and business users saving smaller amounts of data, who do not need the capacities of tape.
The product is available in two formats: the EBK, an IDE drive for normal storage applications, and the SBK, a SCSI drive intended for higher quality recording.
The drives feature a 4MB buffer, which is designed to prevent underrun error by ensuring the CD media is constantly fed with information and does not 'drop out', or leave unrecorded spaces on the disc.
The product also includes 4x audio playback, which works with the buffer to speed disc to disc recording, and allows the drive to reach 32x playback with anti-skipping.
Both drive formats have internal movement and can be installed either horizontally or vertically in the desktop. They also utilise Sony's own laser burning technology, so the media can be read by other vendors' drives.
The CRX 145 is available bare or as part of a kit that also includes cables, guides, CD Creator 4 and Direct CD 3, a drag-and-drop application useful for RW. These applications are compatible with Mac and Windows 95, 98 and NT.
The drive also ships with preformatted CD-RW media, which saves the user an hour-long formatting process.
The CRX 145 EBK kit retails for $695, while the SBK model sells for $795.