Need help picking a CD - RW

[GCE]

I have been thinking about getting a cd burner for a while but I have no idea what is a fast burner or a slow one. Of course I want a fast one. Could someone help me out?

 

[34534534534555]

GCE, there are a no. of factors to choose from when buying a cd burner.

0. There is no point in getting a super fast burner if your system cannot compliment this performance (hdd speed)

So my advice is;
1. Burnproof, buffer under-run protection - all the same - get it.
2. 20write is a good speed with about 10 re-write.
3. Must be capable of burning 80 min cd-r media
4. Should be capable of oversizing
5. Must support RAW write

There are cheaper drives but these tend to lack the features for 'full-featured' operation...

Plextor and Yamaha tend to lead the pack. And are both exceptional writers in terms of reliability / functionality and performance. I also have experience of Ricoh which i have no complaints with.

It is not just the hardware you need to choose carefully, software is very important, Nero is good for writing music and hdd backups but for more intricate operations you will want some more powerful tools.(i will let you explore this s avenue at a later date as there are different tools good for different situatuions)

Media is also a key factor, try not to buy no-name media, as this is likely produced by some of the worse factorys. Kodak, Imation, Philips and Traxdata are all very good (go for the premium , gold or silver versions) if you can afford it.

Good Luck! Please let us know what you think of posts, feedback is always appreciated as this will help to further our knowledge as well.
_________________________________________________
Create like a God, Command like a King, Work like a slave..

 

[Treeking]

GCE: Checkout this link and the links listed when you reach this page:

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/bguide/0,guid,1,page,1,00.asp

Also check out:

http://www.cdspeed2000.com/go.php3?link=daeresults.php3

Personally, i prefer Lite-On w/EasyCDCreatorPlatinum5.xx(I do NOT use DIRECT CD- causes too many problems). Have used on Win98(SE,ME),Win2000Pro,WinXP.

 

[Snakeyeskm]

As treeking says the Lite-On is a good drive at a great price.

 

[Snakeyeskm]

Checkout this Lite-On 52x24x52 CDRW at NewEgg.
I wish I had waited for it.

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=27-106-184&DEPA=1

 

[GCE]

Is there that much of a difference in speed between ide,usb, fire wire, and SCSI?

 

[cdogg]

If you're comparing USB 2.0 to the rest, they're all pretty much identical for burners. However, there are USB 1.1 burners that can only max out at 6x. I'd stay away from those.

IDE burners are the cheapest since they're in the highest demand. If you've got the money and ports, USB 2.0 drives and Firewire drives are more attractive since they're portable. Also, a USB 2.0 burner will work in a USB 1.1 port, but at 1.1 speeds of course!


Happy Hunting!



~cdogg

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
- A. Einstein

 

[JeffTH]

GCE, for the money the LiteOn series can't be beat. You get a solid drive, host of features, and Nero software. I recently replaced a Yamaha 24x10x40 drive w/ a LiteOn 48x24/48 drive and haven't looked back <g>. Check out the LiteOn 48x24x48 CDRW Model LTR-48246S Retail unit at

http://www.newegg.com,

for $54, w/ free FedEx Saver shipping.

 

[Snakeyeskm]

Hey JeffTH they now have a 52x24x52 Lite-on for the same price on NewEgg

 

[GCE]

I check out the LiteOn burners and I think that is the cd brner I am going to go with. The biggest bang for the buck.

 

[Mulga]

I have been using a LiteOn 40x12x48 for a few months and am very happy. It will probably come with Nero software which is the best for my money, this is particularly so if you are using XP. Stay away from packet writing (Nero InCD or Roxio DirectCD), again particularly in XP. If possible do not connect it as a slave to your HDD, for some reason burners on a lot of systems work better if connected as a master device on the secondary IDE channel. Help us to help you, please post back and tell us if this helped.

All things are possible except skiing through a revolving door.

 

[GCE]

Has anyone had problems with a LitOn cd burner?

 

[chaosinc]

have had 2 lite-on cd-rw's now.
first one is 2 years old and still going strong.
but wanted a faster one so just picked up a new one.
still use both and have never had a problem.

as for ripping software i use nticd2000 pro for most of my burning, but also use nero, fireburner, and clone cd too.


knoweldge is power, spread the power

 

[drdebit]

When I approached this problem last summer $ were my governing factor. I wanted a write capability, but I wanted it cheaply. I watched the sunday papers for rebate specials and wound up with a couple of Samsungs that have worked fine for me. (BUT my usage needs were very simple-copying cds, moving virus definition files from one computer to another and other data type needs.) I see in the links above that samsung did not do particularly well in the reviews-but comparatively speaking for me a 24x samsung at home and a 32x at work were faster than my 8x phillips-and as another responder suggested, are probably close to the edge of what my hardware will support.

The thing I'm curious about from above is packet writing.
I wondered if someone would a) say what it is so I know for sure what we're talking about, and b) say why it's bad or undesirable. I think I've been doing it and thinking i'm being thrifty saving cds and saving landfill space from used cds.
Thanks
Dave H.

 

[drdebit]

After reading some other posts, I thought I'd better say one other thing. My $ criteria has led me to &quot;free after rebate&quot; cds. So for me in most cases (unless I feel like taking a chance with a very small file) &quot;working fine&quot; means 16-20x burning speed (because that's the maximum cd rating)and I've not tried major projects on either drive at higher speeds.
DJH

 

[mistanapesis]

Jump on the Lite-on banwagon. I have a lite-on 40x24x10 and never made a coaster yet.....it just does it every time with anything I have asked it to copy. Does an on the fly copy in about 4 mins (xp1800+). If your unsure....Dont do it!