I am using a 12" PowerBook. Can anyone suggest a good external DVD burner that works well with Macs and is a bargain?
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External DVD burner suggestions?
- Thread starter umdjb
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I like my LaCie Porsche drive with the NEC3500 that it came with FWIW 
You could also get the drive and an enclosure then do it yourself as well unless you don't want to be bothered doing it that way?
You could also get the drive and an enclosure then do it yourself as well unless you don't want to be bothered doing it that way?
I' also looking for a DVD burner, and it doesn't have to be DL. It just has to be cheap.superbovine said:
Artful Dodger said:I like my LaCie Porsche drive with the NEC3500 that it came with FWIW
You could also get the drive and an enclosure then do it yourself as well unless you don't want to be bothered doing it that way?
I have the same one and it runs great.
I've got an earlier model of the LaCie d2 burner, and I have no complaints at all. Dead silent when it's not in use, pretty fast and burns just about any medium.umdjb said:
LaCie seems to use the NEC 35xx series, which are more-or-less the gold standard for DVD burners (for instance, Ars Technica has recommended it in practically every single system builder's guide for every model the last few years).
Jordan6 said:
It uses the same laser to burn the "label" as it does the dvd info. You just flip it over and it burns into the coating on the top of the dvd. Just a note it's not a color just a type of grayscale label that has a dull gold color to it. You can burn the label more than once to get a nice sharp image as some have claimed it looks nicer the second time.
As far as the speed is concerned, the disc will determine the label burn speed for the dvd/cd. If you do a google search or try www.supermediastore.com and look up "Lightscribe" you will see (or should) some info about the burn speed of the label. A new top surface is being put on these discs as of late that will allow you to burn faster but the old ones take about 30 mins. to burn a label one time. The new discs are said to take 10-15 mins. for a single pass. The first batch of discs were only DVD+R format but I thought they have included the DVD-R format as of late. I do know that they have DL+R Lightscribe dvds out now as I just saw them at the store over the weekend.
Anymore questions just ask
Personally, if you want cheap and don't care about Lightscribe, I'd just buy a Pioneer 111D (nice drive) from somewhere like Newegg for about $35 and stick it in a cheap FireWire case (you can easily find 5.25" ones for under $30--for example these for $25). Bingo, budget external burner with a good mechanism.
Artful Dodger said:It uses the same laser to burn the "label" as it does the dvd info. You just flip it over and it burns into the coating on the top of the dvd. Just a note it's not a color just a type of grayscale label that has a dull gold color to it. You can burn the label more than once to get a nice sharp image as some have claimed it looks nicer the second time.
As far as the speed is concerned, the disc will determine the label burn speed for the dvd/cd. If you do a google search or try www.supermediastore.com and look up "Lightscribe" you will see (or should) some info about the burn speed of the label. A new top surface is being put on these discs as of late that will allow you to burn faster but the old ones take about 30 mins. to burn a label one time. The new discs are said to take 10-15 mins. for a single pass. The first batch of discs were only DVD+R format but I thought they have included the DVD-R format as of late. I do know that they have DL+R Lightscribe dvds out now as I just saw them at the store over the weekend.
Anymore questions just ask
Damn, thanks ALOT!!
do they burn images or text,,,also what are the ositve and negatives oF Dual-Layer
Thanks again
Lightscribe burns anything you want, or at least any "black and white" image that the burning software supports--since the laser is either on or off, the difference is between two colors of shiny.Jordan6 said:
Dual Layer is pretty simple--holds about twice as much, but the media currently costs a lot more. I've seen no reason to use it, personally, since the difference between tried-and-true 4.5GB discs and much spendier 8.5GB discs just isn't worth it to me. But, if you wanted higher video quality out of iDVD or really needed to cram more data onto a disc, then I suppose Dual Layer is a good option.
(Speaking of which, while iDVD knows how to prepare and burn dual layer video discs, can the Finder even burn dual-layer data discs? You might need Toast for that.)
Jordan6 said:
I only have used the DL a total of 3 times for a total backup plan because of cost. I get TDK or Verbatum in a 25 pack of DVD-R for about $12 and at this time that's my backup plan (not great once you loose a disc as I did last month). However cost wise DVD-R or +R do the job. I did email a few vendors about the new speeds of the LightScribe media as I'm getting tired of using my Epson to print the tops and then spraying on sealer to keep them water/smudge resistant over time.
I think as long as your running 10.4 you should be ok. I know since I bought my Intel iMac I didn't install any of the drivers that came with my LaCie and it works fine with all the iApps (just burned using iDVD/LaCie) this past week end and it was fine.wmmk said:i must say , that sounds good
wmmk said:cool
is the pioneer 111D DL? how fast is it? thanks again.
That I don't know since my LaCie has a NEC 3500 in it but the last firmware update let it burn up to 4 or 6x for DL. Try a quick Google search I'm sure it'll have some specs on there for that model (guessing 16x +/- and 4x for DL) as that's the standard since January or about. side note:wish I had a MBP with backlit KB right now
30 seconds searching on Newegg.com will give you all the stats you could want for it. The short answer is "about as fast as anything else new on the market".wmmk said:cool
is the pioneer 111D DL? how fast is it? thanks again.
But no lightscribe, if you're set on that.
Artful Dodger said:
Which sealer do you use?? I want to prevent that from happening to my cd's/dvd's that I print with my Epson.... TIA!
Dopeyman said:
LOL...I learned this in of all the places my painting class at school. Use Krylon Clear Artists Spray (about $7.00 a bottle). Use an old cd label spindle to let the dvd rest upon, making sure the bottom doesn't get any spray on it, I kept the foam disc under it. Then give a nice even spray, just keep the can about 8" away from said dvd. In painting class late at night (well we spent the night as finals were due and sleep deprivation kicked in) we used the sculpting wheel to spin the "whole unit", spindle and all and just held the can in one place for 3-4 seconds. Let dry or help it with a hair dryer and within a day it gives a nice semi-gloss protective coat that won't chip under normal handling. This came in handy around holidays with the 5-8 year olds that grab a drink, have damp hands from sweat and so on then "attack" the dvd like a nerf ball
It works very well so enjoy
PS, just what does TIA mean? It's been a long day and the only thing that TIA stands out was in health class and it relates to a stroke so I hope you don't mean that
Artful Dodger said:Use Krylon Clear Artists Spray (about $7.00 a bottle). [...]
PS, just what does TIA mean? It's been a long day and the only thing that TIA stands out was in health class and it relates to a stroke so I hope you don't mean that
TIA means Thanks In Advance.
I have one concern with putting gunk on the label side of a DVD (or CD) - it is well known, for example with CDs, that if you put substances on the label side of a CD, it will corrupt the CD and make it unreadable in due time (acids and chemical reactions eat through to the data layer). That's why they sell special labelling markers to use on CDs that use special inks that don't do that. Also, you are always cautioned not to glue anything onto a CD, as the glue will eventually corrupt the CD. I imagine, the same principle applies to a DVD. Down the road, 1, 2. 3 years later you'll find your DVD/CD useless and unplayable.
The Krylon Clear Artists Spray you are using - do you know for a fact it's safe to use on DVD/CDs?
DVDRs are actually much tougher than CDRs--unlike most CDRs, which have the aluminum recording layer basically sitting right up on top with nothing but the label protecting it, DVDs actually have a second layer of plastic up there to protect the data layer. I believe it's actually in the spec.
Regardless, IN THEORY that stuff is intended for use as a fixitve on artwork, so it's formulated not to contain any acids that discolor paper, etc. Of course, a DVD is not a piece of art stock, so it may not be as gentle, but my totally uneducated guess would be that it's probably ok.
Regardless, IN THEORY that stuff is intended for use as a fixitve on artwork, so it's formulated not to contain any acids that discolor paper, etc. Of course, a DVD is not a piece of art stock, so it may not be as gentle, but my totally uneducated guess would be that it's probably ok.
Makosuke said:
Pretty much covers it but FWIW the first dvd I tried this with is still working fine and has never faded nor chipped and that's from winter 2002.
Thanks,
as for the gunk, it seems very stable. I had it on an oil painting 8x10 and that's from 2001, no discolor or odd texture to it such as it breaking down over time, not yet anyway. Back to the top of a dvd, I would think that the LS method would chance corrupting more than adding a protective layer to it let alone printing onto the top of a dvd. I guess it just depends if you feel comfortable printing and then sealing it.
Artful Dodger said:LOL...I learned this in of all the places my painting class at school. Use Krylon Clear Artists Spray (about $7.00 a bottle). Use an old cd label spindle to let the dvd rest upon, making sure the bottom doesn't get any spray on it, I kept the foam disc under it. Then give a nice even spray, just keep the can about 8" away from said dvd. In painting class late at night (well we spent the night as finals were due and sleep deprivation kicked in) we used the sculpting wheel to spin the "whole unit", spindle and all and just held the can in one place for 3-4 seconds. Let dry or help it with a hair dryer and within a day it gives a nice semi-gloss protective coat that won't chip under normal handling. This came in handy around holidays with the 5-8 year olds that grab a drink, have damp hands from sweat and so on then "attack" the dvd like a nerf ball
It works very well so enjoy
PS, just what does TIA mean? It's been a long day and the only thing that TIA stands out was in health class and it relates to a stroke so I hope you don't mean that
TIA = Thanks In Advance.....
Thanks again for that info on the Krylon... I'm gonna try it......