cd-rw, dvd etc question

[Pat]

I am puzzled about all the different drives there are available. There is
DVD, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW etc to choose from. The new computer I plan to
purchase will require a drive or drives. I will need to install programs,
backup files, burn a photo album. Can I use a drive like a DVD-RW to do all
of these tasks?

Thanks if you can advise.
Pat

 

[ars]

Can I use a drive like a DVD-RW to do all

This drive has only one advantage - it has CD/CD-RW/DVD/DVD-RW drive and it
takes less place, but when the drive brakes down... You dont have any of
this

Better buy CD/CD-RW and DVD-DVD-RW separately...

 

[Adam Stemp]

Can I use a drive like a DVD-RW to do all

This drive has only one advantage - it has CD/CD-RW/DVD/DVD-RW drive and it
takes less place, but when the drive brakes down... You dont have any of
this

Better buy CD/CD-RW and DVD-DVD-RW separately...

Don't be silly.

-
Ad

 

[S.Heenan]

I am puzzled about all the different drives there are available.
There is DVD, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW etc to choose from. The new
computer I plan to purchase will require a drive or drives. I will
need to install programs, backup files, burn a photo album. Can I
use a drive like a DVD-RW to do all of these tasks?

Yes, you can use a DVD burner to accomplish all of these tasks. Dual layer
media can also be burned in the Pioneer and NEC driver, though DL media is
hard to find and expensive. The drives below can all be found for less than
$100USD.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=27-131-327&depa=1
Pioneer DL DVR-108
Plextor 8X PX-708A/SW
NEC 16X DL ND-3500A

 

[Skeleton Man]

I am puzzled about all the different drives there are available. There is

DVD, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW etc to choose from. The new computer I plan to
purchase will require a drive or drives. I will need to install programs,
backup files, burn a photo album. Can I use a drive like a DVD-RW to do all
of these tasks?

CD-R holds 700MB
DVD-R holds 4.5GB (4.7GB is what the packaging will say tho)

I would go for a DVD burner, preferably the Pioneer DVR-108.. as far as I
know this is the only 16x DVD burner around, and one of only a couple of
dual layer burners (tho the media costs a fortune.. AUD $14.00 per dual
layer disc here !!)

A DVD burner will read/write just about all CD and DVD formats (all the
formats you'll want anyway).


Regards,
Chris

 

[ars]

Don't be silly.

You are silly, I'm far-sighted....

Ars

 

[Zotin Khuma]

I am puzzled about all the different drives there are available. There is
DVD, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW etc to choose from. The new computer I plan to
purchase will require a drive or drives. I will need to install programs,
backup files, burn a photo album. Can I use a drive like a DVD-RW to do all
of these tasks?

Thanks if you can advise.
Pat

It depends on your budget and what you're going to use it for. If
you're going to want to store several GBs of data on a disc, a DVD
writer's the way to go. Some people complain that the lack of
standardisation can be a pain.

A CD-RW can write hundreds to thousands of picture files on one CD and
costs much less than a DVD writer.

ars's suggestion makes some sense. Removeable disc drives have a
complex mechanism which do sometimes break down with heavy usage. If
you're going to use it mainly for reading CDs with just an occasional
writing job, it makes sense to install two drives - a cheap read-only
drive and a separate, relatively expensive writer. E.g., here in
India, a DVD writer costs ten times as much as a good CD-ROM drive,
while a CD writer falls somewhere in between the two.

Some possible combinations :
CD-ROM drive + DVD writer - mainly for reading CDs and occasional DVD
viewing and writing.
DVD-ROM drive + CD-RW - mainly for reading CDs and DVDs plus writing
modest amounts of data. Costs less than a single DVD writer.

 

[Karen]

"Pat" <[email protected]> wrote in message

It depends on your budget and what you're going to use it for. If
you're going to want to store several GBs of data on a disc, a DVD
writer's the way to go. Some people complain that the lack of
standardisation can be a pain.

A CD-RW can write hundreds to thousands of picture files on one CD and
costs much less than a DVD writer.

ars's suggestion makes some sense. Removeable disc drives have a
complex mechanism which do sometimes break down with heavy usage. If
you're going to use it mainly for reading CDs with just an occasional
writing job, it makes sense to install two drives - a cheap read-only
drive and a separate, relatively expensive writer. E.g., here in
India, a DVD writer costs ten times as much as a good CD-ROM drive,
while a CD writer falls somewhere in between the two.

Some possible combinations :
CD-ROM drive + DVD writer - mainly for reading CDs and occasional DVD
viewing and writing.
DVD-ROM drive + CD-RW - mainly for reading CDs and DVDs plus writing
modest amounts of data. Costs less than a single DVD writer.

I just sold my LG 4120b D\L .... as the only CD-RW it would recognize was a
Kodak 1x4 speed
so do not make the mistake they will read every disk you put in them
Karen