Digital Trends

HP dvd400i

December 15th, 2003 | by Ian Bell

Introduction

HP's dvd400i DVD+R/RW writer is currently the company's fastest home DVD writer, and while it may not support both +/- formats, a lot of emphasis is put into the dvd400i's software package and the drives ease of use. Those looking for cutting edge performance will be disappointed by the dvd400i's slow CD-R/RW writing speeds, but the drives reliability should more than make up for this shortcoming. The HP dvd400i can be found for around $199 at your local retailer.

Features and Design

HP is currently offering 4 IDE DVD writers which share similar features and software. They are the 100i, 200i, 300i, and 400i. They each come with a 2MB buffer to prevent buffer under-run errors, and all the necessary cables and software to get you up and running. The main difference between these writers are the speeds at which you can write CD and DVD media. The 400i is the fastest writer in the group and is capable of writing at 8X DVD+R and 4X DVD+RW speeds. Unfortunately the dvd400i cannot write to DVD-R/RW media so if you have a home DVD player that supports this format, you will probably want to purchase a different DVD writer. The upside is that most home DVD players support the DVD+R/RW format which is what HP is aiming for.

HP includes a rather robust software package as well as a thorough instruction guide. If you cannot tell by now, HP is targeting the basic computer user with this drive. This means that the included software should cover just about anything you might want to do.  The software included: ArcSoft ShowBiz (for video capture and editing, as well as DVD creation), Sonic RecordNow (for creating music and data discs), Simple Backup, Cyberlink's PowerDVD (for playing back movies) and Muvee AutoProducer DVD Edition (for automated video editing). HP was also kind enough to include both DVD+R and DVD+/RW media. If you plan on making this your system's primary drive, then you will need to purchase an audio cable from the store since HP has failed to include one with the dvd400.

According to HP's website and packaging, the dvd400i appears to only be compatible with Windows based systems; there is no mention of compatibility with Linux or Macintosh based operating systems. If you have experience using this drive on either a Mac or Linux operating system, please make sure to mention this under the user review section of this review.

Our particular test drive came in a dull black color as opposed to the traditional beige or HP's own off white. Located on the front of the drive is the eject button and nothing more. If you are one of the 1% of users that actually uses the volume controls and audio inputs found on other drives, you are out of luck with the dvd400i. Overall the drive is as handsome looking as a DVD writer can get and its black color matched our black Cheiftec computer case perfectly.