Along with smaller cable size, one of the biggest benefits of Serial ATA is its ease of installation. Because it uses a point to point connection, setting jumpers has become a thing of the past. In most cases, installation is as simple as plugging in the SATA and power cables and turning the computer on. Needless to say, it took only a couple of minutes to install Optiarc's DVD writer in our test computer. After making sure that the AD-7200S was recognized by Windows, I was ready to go.
Documentation:
As I mentioned earlier, the drive we received from Optiarc did not come with any software or documentation. Fortunately, we were able to get a hold of a copy of the user's manual in PDF format. Similar to the ones included with NEC's earlier drives, this manual covers a number of different topics. It starts out by going over the various buttons and connectors located on the front and back of the AD-7200S.The diagrams Optiarc has provided are clearly labeled and easy to understand.
From here, the manual jumps right into the installation process. With no jumpers to configure, this section is relatively brief. Nevertheless, it covers all of the basics including how to install the drive in your computer and hook up the cables. The manual also has a brief section on how to use the AD-7200S. It explains how to insert and eject DVD's and how to get a disc out of the drive in case of an emergency. Last but not least, the manual finishes up with a comprehensive list of specifications for the AD-7200S.
In the end, installing the AD-7200S was pretty easy. Even with the basic manual I had, there were no problems getting the drive up and running. Just keep in mind that like with any OEM drive, it's up to the vendor as to whether or not you will receive any documentation or software. Overall, I give the installation an 8 out of a possible 10.
