External DVD burner

[orangeclockwork]

Does anyone have any suggestions for external DVD burners/ any advice for what I should be looking for in one? I am looking at the Formac model, but it does not list any speeds.

thanks,
nick

[gotohamish]

Originally posted by orangeclockwork
Does anyone have any suggestions for external DVD burners/ any advice for what I should be looking for in one? I am looking at the Formac model, but it does not list any speeds.

thanks,
nick

My advice would be buy a FireWire drive enclosure, then go to somewhere like newegg.com and buy the internal drive to put in it.

This has the advantage of being totally upgradable in the years to come.

Imagine if you do this and get a 4x drive, but want an 8x drive next year - you have that freedom and will save money. They're a breeze to install too.

[idea_hamster]

I don't have the Formac model, but have considered it in the past. I think the major drawbacks with the Devideon are (1) non-stackability and (2) questionable customer service.

I have the TVR (same shape) and found that it doesn't stack and I couldn't get in touch with anyone at Formac -- not even at their purchases line.

If these aren't big concerns, then the Formac model might be good and versatile (I think it has more record formats than other recorders).

I would consider the LaCie d2 DVD burner. They're currently offering Toast Titanium 6.0 with it ($249 at LaCie's web site; $239 at J&R).

[gotohamish]

So...

Enclosure:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-145-544&depa=1

$66.49

Drive (both same models used in Apple computers as SuperDrives):

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=27-129-133&DEPA=1&sumit=manufactory&catalog=5&manufactory=1167

$144.00

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=27-131-211&catalog=5&manufactory=BROWSE&depa=1

$164.00

The sony needs a line of code to be fully fuctionable. See the site below for more.


Check out http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/ for customer experience of people who have done just this.

[absolut_mac]

Originally posted by orangeclockwork
Does anyone have any suggestions for external DVD burners/ any advice for what I should be looking for in one?

Customers are very happy with Plextor's 8X DVD burner. External or internal, and an excellent price too :)

http://www.plextor.com/english/products/product_708Advdrw_drives.html

Sony's getting out of manufacturing their own low-end products, they're just rebadging Lite-On's DVD burners now. So the ones that you see in the store now are going to be the last ones made by them. They'll still continue to make the big ticket items, like the $3,000+ Blue Ray DVD burner.

Pioneer's new 8X DVD burner, the 107, should be just as good as their current crop, which Apple is using in their G5's. Although they are a little bit more expensive than the Plextors.

Pioneer also surprised everybody at this past CES in Vegas by taking a current 106 DVD burner, flashing the firmware, and then proceeded to burn a double layer DVD without any modifications to the hardware :eek:

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/article/0,,2076_4249_39099161,00.html

[Bitgod]

I just got one of these last week
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-146-022&catalog=92&manufactory=BROWSE&depa=8

If you like black, they have it for $3 more. It's working fine with a spare Pioneer DVR-104 that I have.

You could save a few bucks with a Firewire only enclosure, but I wanted a combo in case I ever needed to connect it to a PC that didn't have FW.