Installing Plextor's new DVD writer in our test computer took only a couple of minutes. I took the PX-740A out of the box, left the jumper set to master and installed it on the secondary IDE chain by connecting the IDE cable and power connector. When I turned on the computer the BIOS saw it as a UDMA 33 device and Windows had no problems automatically detecting the drive.The only thing left to do was to go into the Device Manager and make sure DMA was enabled.
Software Installation:
As I mentioned earlier, the PX-740A comes with a CD full of software from Nero. If you have autorun enabled on your computer, the menu shown below will automatically come up when you insert the disc.
As you can see, this menu is pretty straight forward. To install the writing software, you will want to choose the "Nero 6 and Express Suite" option. After that, you will be taken to the Nero installation menu.
By now most of you should be pretty familiar with this menu. From here you can install Nero,NeroVision Express 3, Nero Media Player, Nero PhotoShow Express or InCD 4. You can install each component individually, or everything but InCD and PhotoShow Express in one shot. Once you reboot, you'll be ready to start burning your own discs.
Documentation:
With the PX-740A, Plextor has tried to make the drive as affordable as possible. To do so, they've had to cut costs in a few areas. One example of this is the documentation. Instead of large printed manual, most of the drive's documentation is located on the software CD in electronic format. Similar to the ones included with Plextor's other DVD writers, the manual starts out by getting the user familiarized with their new DVD writer. The first section goes over the drive's capabilities, features and system requirements.
The next section of the manual jumps right into the physical installation of the PX-740A. It starts out by going over how to open up your computer and determine your existing IDE configuration. If you're not sure about how to configure your computer, Plextor has provided a few examples along with the corresponding jumper settings. For more experienced users, there are also a few recommended configurations that will get you up and running quickly. The rest of the installation section walks you through the process of mounting the drive in your computer and hooking up the cables.
The guide finishes up by going over the basic operation of Plextor's new DVD writer. Along with information on how to use and maintain the drive, there is a short list of frequently asked questions. Last but not least, you have a list of specifications and recommended media for the PX-740A.
The PX-740A also comes with a small, fold out "Quick Reference Guide." On one side of the guide Plextor has provided some instructions that walk you through the installation process. While brief, they cover all the basics including how to set the jumpers, hook up the cables and install the drive in your computer. If you flip over the guide, there are instructions on how to install and use some of the bundled software.
Like Plextor's previous DVD writers, the PX-740A was very easy to install. Thanks to the great documentation, most people won't have any problems getting the drive or the software installed and working correctly. My only real beef is that the manual is in electronic format. However, it does help keep the price of the drive down.
Like the other Plextor drives I've reviewed, the PX-740A was very easy to install. I had no problems getting the drive or the software installed and working. If you need help for some reason, the documentation Plextor has provided is quite good, even though it is in electronic format. Overall, I give the installation a solid 9 out of a possible 10.
