If you try sometimes you get what you need (Iomega ZIPCD)

Member Name: gollygumdrops

Product:	Iomega ZIPCD
Date:	06/07/01 (308 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, External

Disadvantages: Slow

I wanted a CD burner. I'd love to tell you I wanted one to store vitally important information that I had created and copyrighted myself.

That wouldn't be true.

If you've read any of my other opinions you'll be aware that the world will not wish to keep copies at the British Library, and the Smithsonian is not going to open a new wing for my musings.

I wanted a burner for music, and plenty of it.

I am however, a technology idiot, and whilst I happily buy anything new on the market I can't work any of it. For that reason I decided that an external CD writer was the only way I could be sure that I wouldn't total my PC.

I chose Iomega because I was perfectly happy with Zip drives I'd used before, and figured they knew a thing or two about data storage.

The hardware itself came safely packaged, with everything I needed to get set up, but the tiniest instruction book ever. I installed it all pretty quickly, a plug to the mains and a USB connector to my PC, er that's it. Even I could cope. There is no real manual, just an on line link, which isn't helpful at all.

Microsoft Windows did it's 'plug and play' detection thingy so no real stress there. The software provided took a couple of attempts to load, and I was irritated to note that that a small slip of paper was included with the software CD telling me not to bother using the Adaptec software on the disc as it didn't work. So why include it then huh?

There was no software to convert MP3 files to WAV files, and no explanation of how or why you might need this. I turned for help to the good folk at OpCom, and I downloaded CDex on their recommendation, and found it to be excellent.

So now I'm fully installed. I suggest you allow a whole evening, and arrange for any impressionable children to be out so they aren't exposed to inappropriate language. It may also be wise to lo
ck the cat out to avoid any unnecessary kicking.

How does it perform?

Er, OK, I suppose, if you like that kind of thing.

Once you get the hang of the software it is easy to use, but slooooooow, and not 100% reliable. In fact not 75% reliable.

The Iomega turns about one in four of my CDs into coasters. I can reduce this to around one in ten if I carefully perform a 'test writing' first. As that adds an extra hour or so, nearly doubling cutting time I rarely bother.

I've tried a variety of different disc brands to improve performance, and provided I don't use super cheap supermarket specials there is little difference in the mid to expensive range.

The Iomega does do the job I need it to do, but only if I keep hassling it. I'm not about to throw it out and buy a new burner, but then, I only use it for leisure and timing is not critical. For a high volume, high data value user this unit is just too flaky.

I'll keep my Iomega, but I'd recommend that you shop elsewhere.

Summary: