Thanks for checking, at least DiVI knows that the virtual tour doen't seem to work. CREAF review. WHen will a vendor get 5 stars?
techweb.com
DVD-ROM drive maker goes into second gear
By Gordon Meyer
PC-DVD Encore Dxr2
DVD-ROM upgrade kit
3 stars
It's been about six months since the electronics industry introduced DVD
video and DVD-ROM technologies, yet most manufacturers are still
scrambling to release their first DVD devices. Not so Creative Labs,
which has already unveiled its next-generation DVD-ROM kit, the PC-DVD
Encore Dxr2. Creative's head start in this area is evident in a release
that's better and less expensive than competing products.
As with the Hi-Val and Diamond kits reviewed here in September and
October, respectively, we tested the Encore Dxr2 on a PC powered by a
Cyrix 6x86 PR166 processor and a Number Nine Imagine 128 Series 2
graphics card, using a ViewSonic 17PS monitor set at 1,024-by-768
resolution. It took only about 20 minutes to get the Encore Dxr2 up and
running. The kit uses a customized version of Matsushita's
second-generation DVD-ROM drive, which, in addition to functioning as a
20X CD-ROM drive, can also read CD-recordable discs, a rarity for a
DVD-ROM drive.
Creative uses the same AuraVision chip set that Diamond has on its
MPEG-2 decoder card, but there are some significant differences. First,
Creative's card is less than half the length of Diamond's, so space
within the PC case is less of an issue. But if you want to watch DVD
video on your TV and hook it to your stereo, Creative's design is less
satisfying, because it's missing direct Dolby ProLogic audio
support--though when coupled with a solid pair of multimedia speakers,
the Encore Dxr2 does deliver full-bodied sound. (The card supports Dolby
Digital, a more expensive, less common technology.)
As with the Diamond DVD-ROM kit, the Encore Dxr2's MPEG-2 decoder
requires a "loop-through" cable, which connects to a standard graphics
card. Picture quality is sharper than the Diamond kit's, but fuzzy next
to the video image produced by the HiVal/Quadrant combo.
Creative's navigational software successfully emulates the buttons on a
DVD video player's remote control. You can also click on DVD menu
choices on screen, a handy option.
With a price at least $100 less than that of its nearest competitor, the
PC-DVD Encore Dxr2 is the best value yet in the emerging DVD-ROM drive
market. |
