Hi all,

Backstory: My girlfriends mother is moving and asked me to help. She had several boxes of old computer components that she no longer wanted and asked me to throw away. While searching through one of the boxes I found a PlexWriter 8/4/32 CD-R drive. Linkage

My main interest in using this device would be for audio extraction using EAC. I am currently using a Lite-On DVD drive for the majority of my audio extraction, Lite-On JLMS XJ-HD166S to be exact. Linkage

Does anyone think that this PlexWriter would be a better/faster choice for use with EAC? I know that EAC was designed around use with a Plextor drive and is supposedly the best drive type to use with the program.

Thanks for any input you can provide.
JXL

Nevermind, the read/write speed is so much slower than my two current Lite-On drives that it's almost impossible that it could improve the performance any.
JXL <---- Duh....

But i wouldn't throw that away. It's always good to have a plextor around. Even if it's on the shelf...

Apologies if I'm under the wrong impression, but I wouldn't equate speed with accuracy.

Wasn't referencing to the drives accuracy. The plextor has a max read capacity of 32x compared to 52x for my 2 Lite-On's. Any additional accuracy/advantage provided by the Plextor would be negated by the additional time it would take reading a disc.

Plus my Lite-On's get the job done, I was just thinking that having over read into lead-in and lead-out would be nice. My Lite-Ons only overread into Lead-In and often slow down at the end of tracks and occassional sync errors occur while it goes to start the next track.
JXL

Edit: Grammar and sentence structure...

The rated CD-Data extraction speeds and actual DAE speeds (especially in secure mode of EAC) often have quite a bit of difference. I would still test it just to see.

try with plextool or easy cd da extractor , more fast extraction rathen than eac ( c2 error read and repare)

I'v tried Easy CD-DA Extractor and would never recommend it over EAC, PlexTools, or spoon's new r12 ripper.

CD drives as they get older deteriorate, that is more errors are read and not recovered (any one who has ripped 1000's cds in EAC secure mode could testyfy that), there is something to be said for a nice new cd drive.

Thanks for all of the input.

Yeah, I just got excited after finding a free Plextor sitting around, but after thinking about it I could probably do alot better. I've done some digging on CD/DVD drives and burners and I'm currently leaning towards getting a new Plextor drive.

I've read that the PX-760 is very slow when used with EAC and that I would need to use Plextools in order to gain full use of all of its features... not cool! Same for several other Plextors...

The PX-230A sounds nice and is definately a great drive for the price, but for my needs I am thinking of getting a PX-716A or 716SA to replace my current Lite-On DVD-RW LDW411S.

P.S. ~ Supposedly Plextor is discontinuing sales of the 716A. It says "EOL" or "END OF LIFE" on the Plextor website. Linkage

Thanks again,
JXL

The reason why the PX-760 is so slow is because it caches audio data. I have a PX-716A and it caches audio data as well.

However, I use the FUA command with this drive and its C2 performance is quite good, so I'm experiencing ~burst speeds in EAC's Secure mode. This command does not work on every system but I have identified some software that may be the reason in (EDIT: at least) some of the cases (link).

The FUA command is one way that PlexTools is able to get such good performance and it is also implemented in spoon's new ripper.

If it works with my PX-716A, I don't see why it wouldn't work with a PX-760.

why?

It is rarely accurate when it comes to ripping tracks with errors and doesn't hold a candle to the other programs mentioned.

This is especially bad considering that you have to pay for it.

with my plextor it work fine, same results as plextool with scracted cd , easy to use and more fast than eac.
but USD 29.95 is too much expensive

I take it you're comparing the results between PlexTools and Easy CD-DA Extractor bit-for-bit or by checksum?

bitcompare with foobar

I was curious and installed the trial of easy cd-da extractor

threw one of my cds with tons of unrecoverable errors at it and set it to use C2 error information

The final rip of the one track I tested came out with less audible glitches in it then EAC.

By no means is the fact there were less glitches in one track a professional, controlled test. It may have just been a fluke, but I think someone, who has more time then me, should do some real tests with version 10 of this software.

I haven't touched it since I was new at cd ripping, back at maybe version 5.0, and only found it too buggy and pretty much worthless, but maybe it's making some serious progress, who knows.

I'm glad it's working for you guys. I don't share your success with the program, but admit I was grossly wrong for generalizing in Post #13.

Well since I have some free time, today I'm going to attempt a small comparison w/ 4 drives and 4 supposedly secure rippers (dMC R12, EAC, Easy CD-DA, and Foobar2000)

I'll try to set it up like Spoon's EAC/R12 comparison...hopefully I can get my old desktop working since 3 of the drives are in it.