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My favorite products to review, at least initially, are camcorders and notebook computers. Every time I open a new one, it feels like Hanukkah morning. In the long run, however, the products I like keeping around are automatic DVD duplicators. To very roughly paraphrase Lt. Col. Kilgore from Apocalypse Now , I love the sound of DVDs dropping into the output tray - it sounds like money printing. If you're in the market for such a device, you should strongly consider the Microboards CX-1 Disc Publisher, which costs around $2,100.
After having the CX-1 for about four months, and having produced about 500 DVDs, I can recommend the unit with some confidence. There are some caveats, however, such as the lack of a Mac client or network capabilities (although it now supports Vista). On the other hand, as you'll see, it's a very fast performer; offers the best print quality I've seen in any similar disc-publishing product; has a mature, generally functional software bundle; and comes from a reputable company that's been around since 1989.
Let's take a tour of the CX-1 in the order you'd probably approach it after purchasing: hardware installation, label design, pre-mastering software, and finally, recorder/printer functionality.
The hardware
The CX-1 combines a DVD recorder, printer, and input area in a 42lb. unit that's 24in. wide, 24in. long, and about 11in. tall - not counting the output tray for completed discs that hangs off the front, extending below the printer by about 5in. This means that you'll have to set the unit on the edge of a desk or table; I have mine sitting atop two HP workstations of equal height that are beneath my desk. The output tray screws on with thumbscrews, so it's easy to take off and replace. The uncovered input bin is on top, and it can hold up to 100 blank discs.
You connect to the CX-1 via USB 2.0. Installing the bundled software takes only a few moments. After installing your ink cartridges, you should be ready to go.
Designing your labels
Because I always produce the DVDs I replicate with the CX-1 in either Apple DVD Studio Pro or Adobe Encore DVD, my first step when using the CX-1 is producing the label....