The other day I was talking to one of my tech inclined friends and he recounted how he owned an early generation DVD burner back when they were $5000 a piece. Luckily those days are ancient history and now DVD burners cost less than some DVD movies.

For todays review, our friends at Acoustic PC sent us the latest burner from Asus: the Asus DRW-22B1LT. This DVD burner is a Multi DVDR/RW which includes LightScribe technology for laser etching labels. Using LightScribe is as simple as burning the data to your DVD and flipping the disc over to laser etch a label. Besides these fairly standard features, Asus added a few new wrinkles including E-Green technology, OTS (Optimal Tuning Strategy) and Auto Vibration Reducing System (AVRS).

So lets take a closer look at the Asus DRW-22B1LT and find out if it is one of the quietest drives around. Let’s get started….

Asus DRW-22B1LT

Reviewed by: Tomas Ratas

Sponsor: Acoustic PC

Tech Specs,Features or the Basic Info:

DRW-22B1LT

LightScribe Drive enables personalized and professional labels

The Asus DRW-22B1LT is X Multi DVDR/RW drive capable of reading and writing data on DVD+R/RW/DVD-R/RW/ DVD-RAM formats in a more power saving mode. The dual compatibility feature of the DRW-22B1LT allows you to create DVDs that can be played or read by most DVD ROM drives and DVD players. This function provides you with flexibility and efficiency in terms of multimedia data storage and sharing.

The Asus 22B1LT offers consumers and businesses a more power saving drive to burn professional, silkscreen-quality labels on their CDs and DVDs. Using the same laser that burns data in their disc drives, customers burn their data as always, flip the disc over, reinsert it into the drive and burn a precise, laser etched label.

Multi Function: (X MULTI+LightScribe)

- Max. 22X DVDR/ 8X DVD+RW/ 6X DVD-RW/12X DVDR (DL) Write
- Max. 48X CD-R/ 32X CD-RW Write
- Max. 16X DVD-ROM/ 48X CD-ROM Read
- Max: 12X DVD-RAM Write/12X DVD-RAM Read br>

Energy Green Engine(E-green)

The innovative E-Green Engine technology features an E-Green Mode that automatically closes drive applications when not in use to help conserve energy - helping the environment by decreasing CO2 emissions and reducing the depletion of trees.

Optimal Tuning Strategy(OTS)

Automatic Adjustments for Optimum Disc Backup with OTS. The advantage of OTS:

• Cover both media and drive variations as well as operating temperature.

• Optimal write speed detection.

• Total write quality improvement.

• Extend the lifetime of drives: OTS is capable of produce the most suitable and write quality improvement.

• Reduce the possibility to burn unplayable disks.

• Reduce disc coaster

Auto Vibration Reducing System (AVRS)

The AVRS technology is designed to minimize the vibration caused by the spindle motor and resonance between components as well as the drive and PC cases. AVRS is designed to reduce vibration and noise induced by unbalanced mass of rotating machinery. With AVRS, Asus DRW-22B1L provides high readability and playability.

LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling

LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling enables CD and DVD images and disk labels to be permanently etched onto discs using the same drive that is used to burn the data. The technology requires three elements to deliver lasting, silkscreen-quality labels: 1) a LightScribe-enabled optical disc drive, 2) LightScribe-compatible media, and 3) LightScribe-supported software applications.

Compatible with a Wide Range of Disc Formats

Operates on Horizontal or Vertical Mounting

Asus Unique Live Firmware Update Tool

Windows XP/ NT/2000/VISTA Supported