Topic: Question for the computer wizards

[mrbreeze]

I don't know much about computers but I do know my CD burner crapped out.I got this computer in Nov. 02' so I expect things are gonna start heading south.Anyways......I would like to get any recommendations on replacing it.I saw them at Fry's Electronics from around $40 to up and over $100.I was looking at a few in the $60 range. A Memorex and an HP. They both have the lazor script function that my old one didn't. What should I be looking for as far as features,reliability,etc. The one in my computer now is Record Now. I have seen a few that have Roxio and they burn 3 times quicker than mine. If I had a few people chime in with some info.....it might steer me to a better decision.

[rugger81]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106084

$18 plus shipping.  If you order it before noon it will be at your doorstep in 3 days.  Even comes with nero 7.  For the most part a cd burner is a cd burner.  Any one will do the trick.

edit*

or if you want to go for broke you can spend an extra few bucks you can get one that will burn dvd's as well.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106264

[mrbreeze]

Oh Hell Yeah!!!!!.....If I'm replacing it,I want the DVD.$18 must be like the basic no frills version. I'm thinking like mid cost. I don't want cheap but I don't need the "top of the line" either.

[Bob Wessner]

My internal DVD drive was becoming problematic a couple years ago. I bought a LG Multi external drive to back-up/replace it. Very happy with it, solidly built, quiet, but might be a bit more than you wanted to pay.

[mkramer1121]

get a dvd bruner, a retail version if you want all the software.  lite-on and plextor make good drives.  also check if your PC has SATA or an IDE connection for the drive, as SATA allows you to write faster.  in truht if you have XP or vista, you don't need any additonal software as you can burn CDs and DVDs right through the OS.  really there's not muhc diff between the $20 drives and the $100 drives.  stay away from lightscribe unless you're going to use it (DVD label etching using the Laser, uses special DVDs or CDs). 

[mrbreeze]

Alright....good info.I have XP so I should be OK with a moderately priced unit. I thought the light scribe thing sounded cool but not an issue if you have to buy special disks to use it.

[CaféElite]

Funny thing is I have not put a disc in my computer in like three months. I did that just cause I was in a hurry to reload the OS and was having issue getting the install to run off USB. If I need to transfer media I use the network, my phone or SD card via a USB reader.

Heck I ported all my daughters movies to AVI a while back, stored them on a eight gig SD card that is constantly plugged into my xbox 360.

Not saying you shouldnt buy another DVD burner but disc media is dead in my book.

[mrbreeze]

Like I said..........I'm not a computer head!!!......80% of what you just said there was like a foreign language to me!!!!! Thats why I asked for info from the "computer wizards"..........Thanks for your input.

[Gordon]

Not saying you shouldnt buy another DVD burner but disc media is dead in my book.

It's definitely on it's way out, but a dvd/cd burner is still a good thing to have for now.  Just a few months ago I actually had the need for a floppy disc drive!   I had some info on an old floppy disc that I needed, went to put it in the computer, and realized I no longer have the capability to use it.  Luckily the computers at work still have them.

I start feeling old when I think about the fact that my dad used to drill me on my multiplication and division tables with flashcards that were made from blank computer punch cards that he would bring home from work.       

[tramp]

i bought a philips with script and it works great about 30 bucks

[eldar]

I think optical media will always have a place. Reason is that it is very good for long term storage. As long as the disk is just kept in a safe place, it will be good for years to come. That is the downfall of flash devices, they can die at anytime even if you do not use them. Sure it is not super common but if I have important pictures to save of my kids, I go optical. Besides, in a couple years, blu-ray will come down and be a very affordable 50+ GIG storage. There is even work being done on 100+ gig disks. So I doubt optical will die anytime soon.

As for lightscribe, you do NOT need a special disk to use the burner, only the light scribe part of it. I have a dvd burner that is 6 years old and it has worked on ANY disk I tried.

Just do the newegg thing and get a good lite-on drive. LG is ok but I have seen more failures with those than lite-on as a whole.  If you see H.L datastore drives, RUN!!!! They STINK!

[333]

One thing about going DVD or not.  You said yourself that the computer is old, and things are likely to start going fast.  But some of the advanced DVD functions require a newer processor.  Like, I don't know about Nero 7. but Nero 6 requires a 1.2 GHZ Pentium 3 processor for DVD and video authoring, or a 1.6 GHZ Pentium 4 for real-time capturing and burning.  Probably stuff your 6 year old computer doesn't have.

[eldar]

Well unless he had a bottom barrel pc, it should be fine. Mine is 6 and I did NOT get bleeding edge components and it would easily run nero 7.The average P4 then was around 2Ghz with 512 ram or more. Unless it is bottom barrel of course.

[Blasbo]

+1 for LiteOn and newegg.com, I've had good luck with both. I don't think a computer from Nov 2002 would be SATA, more likely IDE. I would get DVD+-RW that way you could read/write anything.
If you get a new system you could always put the drive in it.

[mrbreeze]

OK.....thanks all for the info.

[fuzzybutt]

nec and digital are both really good ones