Sony DRX510UL 4x USB 2.0 DVD±RW Drive

by Sony

Product Details

Product Manual [28kb PDF]

• Item Weight: 6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00009967L
• Item model number: DRX510UL
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 17, 2003

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Been putting off buying because you're afraid of choosing the wrong DVD format? Sony's amazing new DRX510UL is the next generation DVD recorder for your PC that brings together all the popular formats in a single drive: DVD+R and DVD+RW, as well as CD-R and CD-RW.* Create and share your home movies, preserve old tapes on DVD, backup your system, create slide shows of your digital pictures, create your own original music CDs, and more.

*DVD+ R and DVD+RW discs recorded on this drive will playback in most consumer DVD players.

Please record responsibly. Before copying anything onto a CD or DVD disc, please be sure you are not violating copyright laws. Features

• Sony introduces World's First 4X DVD+RW Drive
• Records on DVD+RW/+R and DVD-RW/R media and standard CD-R/RW discs so you can choose the right disc for the task at hand
• Sonic Solutions MyDVD Video/Video CD authoring software will turn your home movies into DVDs or Video CDs for easy sharing
• Protect your valuable data against system failures by backing up with included backup software, Veritas Simple Backup
• Burn custom music CDs, share photos and video, and so much more!
• USB 2.0/1.1 and i.Link interfaces for easy installation

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 102 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice drive, with some important compatibility limitations, September 18, 2003

By 

R. A. Wilson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony DRX510UL 4x USB 2.0 DVD±RW Drive (Personal Computers)

See also the Sony DRU-510A, which is the internal version of this drive.

Unlike the competition, Sony DVD burners will not let you create a DVD+RW disk that looks like a DVD-ROM. This means the DVD+RW disks it creates will not play in many DVD players, especially those made before 2001. For these players, you'll have to try burning DVD-R disks instead, and this gets expensive since the disks are not reusable.

Search Google for 'compatibility bitsettings' (use the quotes) to locate a detailed description of this restriction, which applies to most, if not all, DVD burners made by Sony, but not to other DVD burners.

Furthermore, though I had no problems burning Memorex 4X DVD+R or 4X DVD+RW media, or TDK CD-R, CD-RW media in this drive, I had a lot of problems burning Memorex 4X DVD-R media. Check the Sony Storage support web site for recommended media before buying.

This Sony drive is fast and flexible, and it works well with recommended media. But if you want to create compatible, reusable, DVD+RW video DVDs, I wouldn't recommend this drive until Sony releases engineering information to developers explaining how to change the compatibility bitsettings on burned disks.

You cannot get around this hardware restriction by using DVDXCopy or Nero Burning ROM or any other utility.

71 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best 4x external DVD drive on the market. Period., November 18, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Sony DRX510UL 4x USB 2.0 DVD±RW Drive (Personal Computers)

After doing extensive research, I made the decision to purchase Sony's DRX-510UL external DVD drive. I had two primary needs: 1.) The ability to backup large amounts of personal computer data; 2.) The ability to make backups of my DVD movie library using "DVD X Copy Platinum" software for Windows from 321 Studios (highly recommended -- and available on Amazon.com -- as the included software does not make such backups). On all counts, I made the right decision to buy this particular burner.

Sony delivers a superior product: It stays cool during operations; the unit is sturdy; every disc I've created has worked (no coasters after making over 60 discs to date); and it operates quietly, too. I use Memorex's DVD+R and DVD+RW blank media; I've also used TDK's Armor Plated DVD media successfully, too. (They cost double what other blank DVD media costs, but yield 100 times greater resistance to dirt and scratches, plus repel dust. It's worth the investment, esp. if you have family or friends that must touch/use the DVDs themselves... and tend to scratch them.)

While this drive can burn/read DVD-R, I haven't used this format and cannot comment.

To consider, too: The 8x DVD burners are becoming available as of this writing. While those new 8x units are faster, bear in mind the price of the 8x media, plus the new-ness of the software drivers. The Sony DRX-510UL may be 4x speed, but has a proven track record at this point. The 8 meg. cache on the 4x (vs. the 2 meg. cache on the 8x) may sound like an advantage, but 8x units are still faster. It's a matter of whether you want to spend extra $$ for slightly faster performance, plus slightly pricier blank DVD media -- or not. Then again, you could also wait a year or two for the blue laser DVD burners which ought to yield over 27 gigs. of data. It depends on what you need right here, right now -- and can afford. Technology is ever-changing.

Before buying, make sure your DVD player(s) can handle the DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+RW or DVD-RW format(s). You'll want to burn DVD discs which are compatible with your players. My home DVD player could handle what I burned. However, after taking a disc to a friend's house, we found their older DVD player would not play it. (Note: It is said that 90% of "newer" DVD players can handle DVD+R discs.)

Also: Evaluate your computer system for true USB 2.0 and/or FireWire hardware connectivity. Without it, the burner still operates fast with USB 1.0 and 1.1 -- but nowhere near as fast. Just because you have the USB and FireWire ports doesn't mean they're up-to-date. Check 'em first; upgrade them if necessary to get better speed results.

What would make me happier about this purchase? Linux drivers/support in Sony's product lines.

All in all, the Sony DRX-510UL is an excellent product.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Beware of defective drx-510ul, January 24, 2004

By 

Karthikeyan Murugesan "cartic" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony DRX510UL 4x USB 2.0 DVD±RW Drive (Personal Computers)

I become one of those unfortunate customers to get a defective drx-510ul drive.

I am a amateur photographer and wanted a dvd writer for backup of my digital images that run over a 18 GB bow. Bought the drive two months ago used it to burn over 15 dvds, like twice a month couple of dvds. And one fine day the burn process stopped. I tried installing all the latest updates of Record Now, My DVD software the firmware etc. I read somewhere that drx-510ul has the same internal drive as the DRU-510A. Apparently lot users who bought that also have same problem Hope this helps with your buying decision. If you buy test extensivly during the first 30 days or the return period.

Pros: Fastes drive Yet. Dual interface (iLink/USB)

Cons: Stopped working, defective drive.

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