Quiet W., We have missed something? I hope; it's something BIG.
Nice review of the next Encore.....
winmag.com
DVD Drive Deserves an Encore
--by James E. Powell
Right on the heels of our WinList favorite, the Creative Labs PC-DVD Encore Dxr2, comes a successor kit with a third-generation DVD drive, the PC-DVD Encore 5X. The drive features Dxr2 (DynamicXtended Resolution) picture enhancement technology to provide what are undoubtedly the most striking images you'll see. And the Dolby Digital (AC-3) sound is equally mind-boggling.
Engineered to run at five times the speed of first-generation DVD drives, the PC-DVD Encore 5X achieved a 3.3X DVD rating in our TestaCD Labs' DVD Tach test. The unit also plays CDs, though only at 21.3X maximum, not its 32X rated speed. However, this third-generation drive supports existing CD-ROMs, CD-Rs and CD-RWs-a claim I verified.
To test the Encore 5X, I replaced the on-board sound system of an NEC PowerMate 8100-450 with a Sound Blaster Live audio card (see Reviews, December 1998), and hooked the audio output to a Creative Labs DeskTop Theater 5.1 speaker system that supports Dolby Digital (AC-3) sound. Like Creative Labs' PC-DVD Encore Dxr2, the PC-DVD Encore 5X was extremely easy to set up, thanks to excellent documentation.
The results? The drive performed beautifully. Video was nothing short of spectacular, and the DeskTop Theater 5.1 speakers delivered all the nuances of my DVD movie titles.
So why get excited about DVD movies? Because of the potential for DVD-based AC-3 audio on the PC, which will make possible anything from more compelling PowerPoint presentations or marketing discs to more dynamic sound bites on encyclopedia discs.
If you want a fast drive that produces unsurpassed video and audio from DVDs and CDs, the Creative Labs PC-DVD Encore 5X is an excellent upgrade for your system. That's why it replaces the PC-DVD Encore Drx2 on our WinList.
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Creative Labs PC-DVD Encore 5X
Bottom Line: Faster, better performer and less expensive than its predecessor
Pros: Performance; documentation; price
Cons: None
Price: $249
Creative Labs
800-998-5227, 408-428-6600
Winfo #613
© 1998 Windows Magazine
March 1999, Page 103. |
