Another computer question, recordable DVD drives

jcaut
jcaut Posts: 1,849
edited February 2024 in Clubhouse Archives
Perhaps someone who's more "up" on this stuff than I am can help me out. My CD-Rom drive on my computer is dying. Not a big problem, since I've also got a CD-RW that I can use...

Anyway, I'd like to replace it with a DVD burner. I'm not so much interested in burning videos as I am in data storage. My computer is around 3 years old and therefore rapidly getting outdated, but I'm not in a position to be buying a new one anytime soon. It's a Dell P3, 933Mhz unit. Currently it's running 384Mb RAM and has a Nvidia GF2Mx, 32Mb video card, and a 20GB hard drive. It's running WinME, which everyone complains about, but has never given me any trouble at all. This thing will support a DVD burner, won't it?

I'm comfortable working inside it, so I can upgrade whatever I need to myself.

What kind of drive should I be looking at? What about refurb drives, like the ones at newegg.com? Would they be worth looking into? Like I said above, this is a fairly old computer so I don't want to sink an extraordinary amount of money in it. How about software?

Thanks for your input!
Jason
Post edited by RyanC_Masimo on
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Comments

  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited July 2004
    I would suggest upping it to at least 512mb RAM, and get rid of ME. You can buy a Lite-On DVD burner for $70 at newegg that works great, and a copy of winXP home will set you back $90. I suggest Nero for burning, but I get it for free from my job...
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • TheReaper
    TheReaper Posts: 636
    edited July 2004
    My cd burner died back in December and I replaced it with a Lite-On DVD/CD and all those +- RW stuff. It was a very painless install (easy, with no problems). All my existing CD burning software still worked, and I installed the Sonic MyDVD software that came with the drive. I have only burned 1 DVD though, the freebee that came with the drive. I have burned around 30 CDs using it.

    I have an HP 8775C with WinMe, P3 933mhz, 256 meg ram, 2 hds 60gig and 70 gig, DVD reader, DVD/CD R/W (LiteOn) and I just installed an ATI AllInWonder 9600 XT (with component video adapter on order).
    Win7 Media Center -> Onkyo TXSR702 -> Polk Rti70
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  • polktycoon
    polktycoon Posts: 35
    edited July 2004
    Grab this one from newegg:
    dvd

    $75 free shipping, burns everything including the new dual layer dvds.

    Grab the demo software hero:
    nero
    Someone can pm you the key.
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited July 2004
    I had my eye on that one, too. I'm just not familiar with NEC as a optical drive manufacturer. I've had experiece with some of their Pentium-class systems back in the day, but nothing lately.
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • Demiurge
    Demiurge Posts: 10,874
    edited July 2004
    PLEXTOR is hands down the BEST DVD player/burner on the market. Trust me on this one. I gurantee it.
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited July 2004
    They may be the best, but they are also expensive. I agree... if money were no object, Plextor is the king.
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • jcaut
    jcaut Posts: 1,849
    edited July 2004
    Yeah, I'd buy Plextor if I was building a new computer, or if I had excess cash to spend. I don't, though, and the $75-$85 dollar range is the absolute most I can spend. That NEC drive has gotten some great reviews. I was actually leaning toward a Lite-On 8X, dual layer drive. SOHW-832S, I think. How important is the buffer underrun prevention, which the NEC apparently doesn't have (remember, my computer is otherwise pretty slow)? And who is willing to PM me a key for Nero??
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  • Sami
    Sami Posts: 4,634
    edited July 2004
    See if you can find an older (used) Pioneer for the same or less than the Lite-On. You won't get 8x burning but you will get more reliability. I have Pioneer 104/A04 and it is very compatible with even the cheapest discs. I have put on the $70 players in quite a few machines and while they are fast, they don't do as good of a job writing, even at 1x.

    For discs, get Ritek. Not the cheapest but affordable with good reliability. Around 50c a disc the last I looked, probably coming down.
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  • polktycoon
    polktycoon Posts: 35
    edited July 2004
    The nec does have buffer underrun protection. It standard on all drives now. The nec one seems to get good reviews on all the sites that I visit and it very compatible with media. Nec drives are also easily modable (firmware). The liteon drives are also great.
    The had some problems early on with firmware and media capability. The liteon drives have an extra analyze function for media that is not on other drives. Will try to find a link.

    Plextor was the king, but I don't think it is anymore. Their price has not kept up with technology. They are very expensive and some of the features they offer only work on their drives. They also may have advanced features such as 12X burning, but if there is any 12x certified media, it s a moot point.

    For media I use Ritek G04 DVD-R. $71 per 100.
    I'll pm the key if you don t have it.
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  • Demiurge
    Demiurge Posts: 10,874
    edited July 2004
    Plextor was the king, but I don't think it is anymore. Their price has not kept up with technology. They are very expensive and some of the features they offer only work on their drives. They also may have advanced features such as 12X burning, but if there is any 12x certified media, it s a moot point.

    I guess it's our opinion, but Maximum PC, a magizine I highly trust still holds them as the top in CD/ROM/CDRW and DVD-R drives.

    I also understand the money issue. That's a road block I guess. I still think buying the best you can afford is the route to go. If you don't have a quality drive you're not going to have DVDs with quality SQ and PQ. It's important to me.

    Let us know what route you go. Plextor has great competitors now and I didn't mean to downplay them with any of my comments.
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  • Sami
    Sami Posts: 4,634
    edited July 2004
    Originally posted by Demiurge
    If you don't have a quality drive you're not going to have DVDs with quality SQ and PQ.
    As long as the drive writes them so they are readable, there isn't any difference in SQ or PQ.

    Even if you have the 12x option, I have found it to be the best to burn in 1x.
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  • avelanchefan
    avelanchefan Posts: 2,401
    edited July 2004
    I think Plextor or NEC will more than serve your needs. But LiteON DVD drives have really come on strong in the last year. From what I am hearing they are very easy to setup, they are super fast, and you can pick up a cheap DVD+RW/-RW.
    Sean
    XboxLive--->avelanchefan
    PSN---->Floppa
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  • Demiurge
    Demiurge Posts: 10,874
    edited July 2004
    Originally posted by avelanchefan
    I think Plextor or NEC will more than serve your needs. But LiteON DVD drives have really come on strong in the last year. From what I am hearing they are very easy to setup, they are super fast, and you can pick up a cheap DVD+RW/-RW.

    You're right on there.
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