[conspire] question about DVD writer

[Darlene Wallach]

Rick Moen wrote:
> Quoting Darlene Wallach (freepalestin at dslextreme.com):
> 
> 
>>I have a Sony CD rw that is scsi and a CD r that is ide. I'm
>>contemplating/considering buying a dvd reader/writer. When I
>>was at Central Computers I looked at the DVD roms. I saw combo
>>CD/DVD readers/writers and just DVD readers/writers. Is there
>>an advantage to a DVD only over a CD/DVD combo?
> 
> 
> Not that I know of.  By the way, oh joy:  There are two distinct
> semi-compatible standards for DVD-ROM:  DVD+R[W] and DVD-R[W].  (There's a
> very different class of drive called "DVD-RAM" that you'll probably
> never see, and which I'll not even attempt to address.)
> 
> Just to make sure I'm clear -- again, ignoring DVD-RAM, that's four 
> physical formats:  DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+W, and DVD+RW.  The "W" media variants
> are rewriteable in drives that support erase and rewrite; the
> "R-with-no-W" variants are, by contrast, write-once and then read-only.
> A DVD-R drive will write once (only) to DVD-R or DVD-RW discs.  A DVD-RW
> drive will write once (only) to DVD-R disc and rewritably (erasably) to
> DVD-RW discs.  And so on.  Media without erase/rewrite ability are
> cheaper, just as with CD-R[W].
> 
> Fortunately, on the software side, I _think_ (slightly more than a
> guess, somewhat less than certainty) that the main Linux DVD-writing
> tools now handle all of this mess transparently -- though the "minus"
> variants were better supported for a long while, and caution would
> suggest seeking that sort of drive instead of "plus" ones.  See: "DVD"
> on http://linuxmafia.com/kb/Hardware/
> 

Rick - thank you very much for the clarification esp since I forgot
to ask about the differences between "+" and "-".
> 
>>My Sony CD has worked well. Is Sony a good brand for DVD?
> 
> 
> Probably.
> 
> 
>>Has anyone heard anything about LiteOn?
> 
> 
> I personally wouldn't go there.   I like:  Plextor, NEC, Sony, Toshiba.
> Views Differ<tm>.  (Note:  Preceding prejudices are carried forward
> without modification from CDR days, and arguably mark me as a fossil.)
> 
> 
>>What about IDE vs SCSI for DVD rom?
> 
> 
> I think you'll have a difficult time finding a SCSI DVD burner, so it's
> a non-issue.
> 
> 
>>Is there an advantage to internal DVD rw over external?
> 
> 
> Cheaper, less clutter.  Otherwise, no.  Disadvantages include heat
> buildup, power draw, and infeasability of moving the drive temporarily
> to a different machine.
> 
> DVD burners in external enclosures, reached via Firewire or USB are tres
> cool, and remain my own strong preference.
> 

I know I have 2 USB ports, I don't have Firewire ports so I assume I
would need to buy an external DVD burner with a USB connection.

Darlene