AOpen DUW1608/ARR 16x DVD+/- R/RW Review - The Drive

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The DUW1608/ARR looks like most optical drives on the market.  It is missing a headphone jack and volume control on the front of the drive.  However, I can't believe there are many people that plug their headphones into those jacks even if a drive were to offer the connection.  Most people would use the one on their sound card.

The DUW1608/ARR does have a trick up its sleeve. The drive is referred to by AOpen as the Chameleon and ships with two additional face plates to allow you to better match the drive's appearance to the color scheme of the rest of your case.

AOpen even provides this little tool for face plate removal. The process is pretty easy and even the least mechanical minded shouldn't have a problem. I was impressed with AOpen for providing the additional face plates in the box. Some optical drive manufacturers offer their drives with different face plates, but they are different models, meaning if you were to by a beige face plate to match your case today, you couldn't easily change it to black to match a case in the future. Obviously, with the AOpen DUW1608/ARR that wouldn't be a problem.

The DUW1608/ARR with the front faceplate removed.

Standard IDE, audio and power connectors on the rear of the drive.

The DUW1608/ARR uses a Ricoh chipset.

AOpen provides a pretty good bundle with the DUW1608/ARR, consisting of:

• an audio cable
• installation screws
• manual
• PowerDVD 5 CD
• Nero 6 OEM suite CD
  • Nero Startsmart
  • Nero Express 6
  • Nerovision Express 2 Video Editing Suite
  • Nero Recode 2 Video Converter
  • Nero Cover Design
  • Nero Backitup
  • Nero InCD
  • Nero Utilities 
• Chameleon Bezel Kit

Nero 6 suite and PowerDVD 5 are some great tools to get most people started. The Nero suite is very comprehensive. The only thing missing form the list is an 80-pin Ultra ATA66 cable, considering the drive needs one to operate properly it is strange AOpen choose not to include one.

Next: Specifications >>
 

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Comments On: AOpen DUW1608/ARR 16x DVD+/- R/RW Review

· Have a P4 & KM266 Motherboards with Nero software. Won't burn CD or DVD. get...    · Newly I bought 25 INFINITI professional cds (99min) but sad to say these cds cannot...    · That's why you guys should read the reviews first. I mentioned in the conclusion...    · ... just slate the machine in your review ? Look at what you said in your reply...    · I bought one of these last october, i've had numerous problems with it and any dvd i...    · Bought new a while ago, have never been able to burn a dvd with the duw1608 model....    · Same problem. No problem with CD burning. Can only burn on HP DVD-R and HP DVD+R...    · I have several brands of burners Sony, Toshiba, Plextor and this AOpen module. Using...    · I am seeing one common factor in everyone's complaint about the AOpen...    · NERO is DEFINITELY NOT the problem. I own a Rosewill RD-162. It is OFFICIALLY...    · hi..i have also a problem with AOpen DUW1608/ARRi have burned over 200...    · I have also problems with my aopen duw1608/arr. If I try to burn on dvd-r or cd-r...    · I'm rather new to ALL of this, but I have similar probs. My AOpen DUW1608/ARR simply...    · I guess its not just me thats frustrated with this hunk of shit drive. I have been...    · My AOpen drive came with my computer, which I bought two and half years ago. I've...    · Just thought I'd give an update my previous comment about by drive door not even...   >>> Post your comment now!