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dedpool · Veteran Member

I wanna buy an external dvd burner for my sister for Christmas. I see a few of them on amazon for about $50. Would these be any good or are they a piece of junk and I need to get something more expensive?

Choice 1

Choice 2

Choice 3

23ib0d0n · Moderator

As it so happens, I am much more likely to geek drive enclosures together myself so that my own particular criteria is met.

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=AA70944

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=AA42450

I like these drives and enclosures, and have several . . . as well as dozens of backup RAM discs for data protection. A little slower than writing to a Versatile disc, but RAM functions exactly like a hard drive does. Simpler to just update revised files for me than burning to yet another optical WORM disc and that is really alot more convienient.

Plug and play, simple enough that even my 'anti-tech' mom can use one.

AirGunEric · Site Admin

DVD-R (RW) drives have now gone the way of the CD and CDRW drives- cheap. There was very little reason for them to be 5x the price of a CDRW drive a couple years ago- other than the manufacturers trying to recoup some of their R&D money.

No reason not to own one- although of the choices you and J. put up- I would lean towards the LG and Memorex units- both have typically had decent quality (relative to alot of others anyways) on media products.

The "Lightscribe" feature is not necessarily important- it means you have to buy "lightscribe" compatible discs (at a premium over non-LS discs) so you can write a label directly on the disc instead of writing one by hand or with a paper label. Surely puts out nice looking discs- but just another component that could potentially break- and is anyone really producing high-end stuff out of their house, other than the pirates?

Anyways- $50 is nothing to worry about. However, if the drive enclosure on one of these external drives is powered through the computer's USB port and nothing else- that might be a problem depending on the computer. If the enclosure has it's own power supply (like the empty case J. posted)- that won't be an issue.

23ib0d0n · Moderator

My labels are hand written on the case in 'sharpie' since wallyswurld sells the double sided RAM discs for $8-$10 for a 5 pack. I haven't even burned a Versitile disc since I discontinued editting video.

dedpool · Veteran Member

wow 23ib0d0n, I had no idea there was such a thing as external enclosures. Thats pretty nifty

23ib0d0n · Moderator

Have a few networked RAID 5 boxes and can run multiple disc burners but found that extreme video didn't sell well enough to justify the effort required to edit together a disc length feature. Now mainly just navigate the internet after I tire of cutting / melting metal for the day . . .