Plextor breaks the previous 4x CD ReWritable barrier by more than doubling it with the PlexWriter 12/10/32A which features a 12X write, 10X rewrite, and 32X maximum read speed for CD-ROM media. Plextor claims the 10X-rewrite speed enables users to rewrite an entire 650MB CD-RW disc in just over seven minutes. How is this accomplished? Plextor has included Samsungs BURN-Proof technology that prevents buffer underrun write errors from occurring when the data flow of the drive is interrupted during the recording process. Basically, the drive simply stops recording whenever these errors occur, and resumes recording the next frame immediately after the last recorded frame, once the buffer (which is 2MB of onboard cache) gets filled. BURN-Proof reduces the need for internal buffer memory while enabling end users to run other software apps in the background during the recording process. The PlexWriter 12/10/32A is initially only available in an internal 5.25-inch half height design, utilizes a standard E-IDE (ATAPI) interface, and is currently shipping with a MSRP of $329.00 and includes Plextor Manager 2000 and CD-ResQ software packages.

Plextor Manager 2000 is a comprehensive suite of 32-bit software utilities that allows users to control audio management, playback, recording, and drive settings:
Music Video Producer 2000 (MVP2000) handles playback of music and video files. This CD-DA and digital A/V player can be used to create a digital jukebox and customized playlists for MP3, WMA, WAV files and CD audio tracks. Once the user has created individual playlists, recording an audio CD or CD Text from the playlist is as simple as a mouse click. Created audio CDs can be played on home, car, portable or PC CD players. A link to the Internet CDDB database from MVP 2000 supplies album, song and artist information on most commercially available audio CDs.

DiscDupe 2000 allows users to duplicate CDs directly to the PlexWriter 12/10/32A with “bit-by-bit” accuracy using the Session-at-Once recording method.

Audio Capture 2000 allows users to capture audio tracks from the CD to the hard disk as WAV files. A track selection window shows at a glance all necessary information about the source disc. Single or multiple tracks can be extracted at once. Audio Capture 2000 supports sampling rates of 44 kHz, 22 kHz, and 11 kHz, 8-bit or 16-bit resolution, and stereo or monaural sound. Encoding to Windows Media Audio (WMA) format is also supported at 64 kbit or 128 kbit sample rates.

AudioFS displays Audio CDs to your operating system and applications as WAV files. It eliminates the need to store large files on your hard disk, allowing your application to access the tracks from the audio CD directly through AudioFS. AudioFS allows easy drag and drop of audio tracks to your hard disk for a simple and quick audio extraction to WAV format. It also allows fast and easy encoding of WAV files to a number of compression formats such as, MP3, Real Audio and Liquid Audio with 3rd party software.

CD-ResQ is comprehensive data-disaster recovery software that stores an entire hard disk as an image file on secure CD-R media. The software can backup virtually any size hard drive and can create bootable CDs to allow for “one-step” restore.

The PlexWriter 12/10/32A lets users write, rewrite, and read compact discs at a variety of speeds. It records CD-R discs at 12X (1.8MB/s), 8X (1.2MB/s), 4X (600KB/s), or 1X (150KB/s) speeds. It plays back both CD-R and CD-ROM discs at speeds ranging from 14Xmin (2.1MB/s) to 32X max (4.8MB/s). CD-RW media can be recorded at 10X (1.5MB/s), 8X (1.2MB/s), 4X (600KB/s), or 2X (300KB/s), and read back at 24X max, for quick restoration of backed up data.

The Plextor PlexWriter 12/10/32A includes the following features:
BURN-Proof Technology

E-IDE (ATAPI-4) interface

3-in-1 drive: 12X CD-R, 10X CD-RW, 32X max CD-ROM

150ms Average Random Access

2 MB Buffer

Records highest quality audio CDs

Capable of Digital Audio Extraction at 24X max

Supports CD-DA; CD-ROM (Mode 1); CD-ROM (Mixed Mode); CD-ROM XA

(Mode 2, Form 1 and Form 2 and Mixed Form; CD-I; Photo CD; Video CD; CD-Extra; CD+G; CD Text

Compatible with a large number of CD-R and CD-RW media

Burn-Proof technology eliminates buffer underrun errors in fast write modes, allows for multi-tasking

Flash ROM allows for easy upgrade over the Internet

Windows 95/98/2000 and NT4.0 Compatible

Supports Disc-at-Once, Track-at-Once, Session-at-Once, Variable & Fixed packet writing modes

One-Year Full Warranty and Unlimited Toll-Free Tech Support