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Can I use an external firewire dvd-rw drive with my ibook to back-up dvds?
- Thread starter DavidCL23
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I'd say yes, and Toast Titanium or Retrospect, depending on which dvd drive you purchase. You probably will not be able to duplicate dvd movies, but if you want to back up your drive to the dvd drive, it shouldn't be all that difficult.
There was a recent artilce in Macaddict about the LaCie DVDR, it should fit your needs, check the review for more info, www.macaddict.com
Little thing called encryption and copywrite protection. You can try it, but don't be too surprised if it doesn't work.
What is the real reason you want to duplicate your dvd movies??? Don't give me that 'back them up' bull-sh*t. There are cleaners out there and ways to remove heavy scratching. You can even write to the producers of the dvd's and get replacements if it gets to the point where it won't play. Granted, they will want the original back just to make sure you are not scamming them (can't blame them there).
I have had more then a few mass burned/produced cd's that couldn't be duplicated, even with hardware designed for it. I have a 6 up cd-duplicator at work that can't handle some cd's. Some makers put flaws into the cd on purpose that prevents duplication/reproduction.
even if you could ...
Plus, you'd have to switch discs in the middle of the movie. That's a big pain in the @$$ (I remember the old days of the LaserDisc). I'm also assuming that the menu set-up would work on the 2nd disc (BIG assumption).
In the end, it's just not worth it.
Most commercial DVDs are stuffed to the brim. Around the area of 7 or 8 GBs. Even if you could do it, it wouldn't be that cost effective. You'd need to use 2 DVD-Rs, which could run you like $7 or so. So you'd save what, $5 to $10 on the cost of a new one if you were to damage it.
Plus, you'd have to switch discs in the middle of the movie. That's a big pain in the @$$ (I remember the old days of the LaserDisc). I'm also assuming that the menu set-up would work on the 2nd disc (BIG assumption).
In the end, it's just not worth it.
It all depends on what you are going to do with the stored data. IF you want to put it on a shelf, or into a safe, and have many GB's to back up, a dvd-rw could be a good solution. You can also share the data on the dvd's with systems without firewire, depending on how you set up the disc. You could make it cross platform and share data with friends on peecee's with the dvd.
Depending on which firewire drive, it could be faster, but will probably be larger. Also, when you want to access any of the files on the drive, you have to connect it to your system, where with the dvd, all you need to do is put the disc into your reading drive. Of course, that is provided that you have at least a dvd-rom inside your computer, if not a combo drive.
You have to decide which is a better option for you, a lot storage all at once, or the possibility of having even more storage with only needing to get more blank media. At ~4.5GB a disc, you can easily get into the hundreds of GB.
Depending on which firewire drive, it could be faster, but will probably be larger. Also, when you want to access any of the files on the drive, you have to connect it to your system, where with the dvd, all you need to do is put the disc into your reading drive. Of course, that is provided that you have at least a dvd-rom inside your computer, if not a combo drive.
You have to decide which is a better option for you, a lot storage all at once, or the possibility of having even more storage with only needing to get more blank media. At ~4.5GB a disc, you can easily get into the hundreds of GB.