Installing the VPC-1000 is straightforward. The documentation has the quick installation directions on the very last page, oddly enough. The drive mounts in a standard 5.25" bay. The kit comes with several components and parts:  A power supply transformer, remote control, interface card (passive), and an assortment of cables. The DVD drive is of standard proportions, although with the added depth of the faceplate, it means that the drive extends a little bit farther back into the case than is normal.  This almost caused a problem with the Antec power supply I am using, but it managed to fit without too much trouble.

There are a few differences that allow the unit to be self-reliant for power.  The standard 40-pin ribbon cable to connect to the IDE interface is standard fare.  No nice rounded cable here, but I will remedy that issue later. Next is a 20-pin flat ribbon that they call the "Dominator", although what it dominates is beyond me. This cable connects the DVD-ROM drive to the accessory bracket that you have to install in a free rear slot on the case.  The card itself is small and doesn't utilize a PCI slot. The ribbon reached the unit with extra length to spare.  In order to provide power to the drive/radio when the PC is off, you can't use the PC's power supply.  To get around this, the VPC-1000 includes an external 12-Volt power plug that plugs into the bracket in the rear of the case.  To connect the bracket with the drive, the kit includes a standard 4-pin Molex-style connector about a foot long.  You can use the PC power supply if you wish, but then it won't work with the PC power off.  This kind of defeats the purpose of the unit, so I went ahead and used the supplied cable.  The last cable to connect inside the case is the CD-audio-in jack that is found on the motherboard.  It goes to the bracket instead of the drive itself. All of this installation went smoothly, but it left me with a bunch of cables inside the box.  The 4-pin power connector is not sleeved, so it doesn't exactly make for a neat installation in a case that has a big window in it--like mine.  The cables are somewhat of a bummer.  I selected this unit partly because of it's looks (to accessorize Project Bling Box), and to have two clunky ribbon cables and a stringy mess of a Molex connector wire running straight across the motherboard doesn't exactly thrill me.  If you aren't showing off the inside of your case, this won't be a problem for you.  I'll keep the unit in the machine, but I will definitely have to make my own cables for the interface board.

Once installed, the VPC-1000 unit looks great from the front panel. The Antec Super Lanboy aluminum case that I have is a perfect match for the aluminum-colored drive bezel.  The fact that there is a DVD drive behind the display adds a definite "trick" aspect to it.  Opening the drive is a two-step operation.  First you push the release button on the upper left of the display (or press eject on the remote), and then when you pull down on the faceplate (sometimes it follows your finger, and sometimes it doesn't), the tray extends.  The action of both the faceplate display and the tray are somewhat jerky, so if you are looking for Alpine-car-stereo-motorized action, you are going to be disappointed. Even so, this is not a detractor, since most of the function of the unit can be accomplished without opening the door. 

In the next series of photos, you can see the process of opening and closing the drive.