There will be a long line of folks coming along to say I'm full of it, but my advice would be to buy the cheapest one you can find which includes decent burning software. If you already own something you like software-wise, just buy the rock-bottom priced drive.
I have never felt that I got my money's worth by overpaying for a brand-name optical drive. Never, ever.
There will be a long line of folks coming along to say I'm full of it, but my advice would be to buy the cheapest one you can find which includes decent burning software. If you already own something you like software-wise, just buy the rock-bottom priced drive.
I have never felt that I got my money's worth by overpaying for a brand-name optical drive. Never, ever.
Thanks for your advise and you are the only one to reply so thanks again.
Maybe I scared that "long line of folks" off with my rather emphatic statement.
Maybe it's just me, but this entire forum has gone pretty unresponsive as of late it seems.
On topic: I'd say go with prof's idea, but also try to keep somewhat decent. If you use it once in awhile, any old drive should do. If you abuse it, though, you might want to get something a little more reliable. Not even that helps all the time, though: my CD burner is dead after only a couple years, and it was pretty highly rated. Wear and tear is the biggest factor, I think.
Maybe I scared that "long line of folks" off with my rather emphatic statement.
Maybe, but I have been doing some reasearch and I see that they all do about the same thing, the more expensive ones do the same as the cheaper ones, so I think I will go with what you say, buy the cheaper one, thanks again.
If it helps, I was formerly associated with an Old Time Radio group. It was not unusual for me to burn a couple of dozen discs a week. Sometimes I'd go through a 100-Pack spindle in the course of a few days. I sent a few burners to an early grave through overuse, but the brand-name drives seemed to croak about as often as the others.
If it helps, I was formerly associated with an Old Time Radio group. It was not unusual for me to burn a couple of dozen discs a week. Sometimes I'd go through a 100-Pack spindle in the course of a few days. I sent a few burners to an early grave through overuse, but the brand-name drives seemed to croak about as often as the others.
Thanks for the info, you made up my mind for me, I am going to buy the cheaper one and get out of it what I can, I agree with you if your going to get a lemon it could happen in an expensive one or a cheaper one, so I will go with the cheaper one, thanks for all your input.
Many many people on this forum have been very happy with the DVD burner I have. It's the NEC ND-3540A. I'm sure the 3550A is just as good (as ryko posted). I paid under $40 with shipping for mine about a month ago
I wouldn't mind paying an extra $5-$10 for a drive from a company I trusted. My earlier comments were based largely on my experience of walking into a store and seeing two drives side-by-side, one for $35 and the other for $75. MicroCenter had a no-name DVD burner (16X DL, etc) available for $29.99 over Thanksgiving. I still wish I'd bought one. :o
cheapest is all well and good but is 3-4 dollars really worth it? go with the nec 3550a
for $43 with shipping.
I have this one and agree. A friend and I both had the Plextor 716 and both are now dead. The only upside was that when we got them it was as expensive as everything else (which was strange for a Plex). By the time mine died (less than a year) the prices had come down so much I figured it wasn't worth the hassle to RMA. She did and wished she hadn't. I'm betting her replacement doesn't make a year.
So far so good on the NEC- but it's only been a month. It burns fast and cleanly the first time and has been very friendly with Nero.
I would add Liteon to the list, never let me down.
But....... In my humble opinion........
The key to successful DVD and CD burning is in the media and the software.
Get yourself decent media and you are three quarters of the way there. Even the cheapest recorder will record on decent media, but an expensive recorder will not burn cheap media reliably.
Look at Nero or Alcohol120% for your software, again, never let me down.
I am also a Liteon man like Crypto. But when it dies I will get a Nec burner, I have heard nothing but good reports about them, and the price is about the same as the liteon. The liton is also a good burner, never had a problem with it yet. If you are going to do a lot of burning don't get the bottom of the line Kmart special. The Nec and Liteon are within everyones price range.
Sony and Liteon are for the most part, the exact same units. Their respecitve firmwares works on eachother. I do work for a pretty big shop and Sony/Liteon are those where most rma/returns are generated. Especially the short version. (they make a short-neck version)
I own a BenQ,Samsung and the beforementioned NEC, but i have only used the BenQ. I have never burned a coaster on it, not even with the cheapest DVD media you can find.
My Sony died within 6-8 months, but I never had a coaster.
Mine too pilot. It worked fine when it was working. Then one day it went to pio and I could not get it run dma anymore. I gave it to the recycle can...
Comments
I have never felt that I got my money's worth by overpaying for a brand-name optical drive. Never, ever.
Thanks for your advise and you are the only one to reply so thanks again.
Maybe it's just me, but this entire forum has gone pretty unresponsive as of late it seems.
On topic: I'd say go with prof's idea, but also try to keep somewhat decent. If you use it once in awhile, any old drive should do. If you abuse it, though, you might want to get something a little more reliable. Not even that helps all the time, though: my CD burner is dead after only a couple years, and it was pretty highly rated. Wear and tear is the biggest factor, I think.
Maybe, but I have been doing some reasearch and I see that they all do about the same thing, the more expensive ones do the same as the cheaper ones, so I think I will go with what you say, buy the cheaper one, thanks again.
Thanks for the info, you made up my mind for me, I am going to buy the cheaper one and get out of it what I can, I agree with you if your going to get a lemon it could happen in an expensive one or a cheaper one, so I will go with the cheaper one, thanks for all your input.
for $43 with shipping.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827152058
you may be able to find one for $35 or so, but the nec is suppose to be the best on the market right now and worth the $5 extra bucks IMO...
I have this one and agree. A friend and I both had the Plextor 716 and both are now dead. The only upside was that when we got them it was as expensive as everything else (which was strange for a Plex). By the time mine died (less than a year) the prices had come down so much I figured it wasn't worth the hassle to RMA. She did and wished she hadn't. I'm betting her replacement doesn't make a year.
So far so good on the NEC- but it's only been a month. It burns fast and cleanly the first time and has been very friendly with Nero.
But....... In my humble opinion........
The key to successful DVD and CD burning is in the media and the software.
Get yourself decent media and you are three quarters of the way there. Even the cheapest recorder will record on decent media, but an expensive recorder will not burn cheap media reliably.
Look at Nero or Alcohol120% for your software, again, never let me down.
Cheers
Crypto
I own a BenQ,Samsung and the beforementioned NEC, but i have only used the BenQ. I have never burned a coaster on it, not even with the cheapest DVD media you can find.