DVD Burning

[Jynx0916]

I want to be able to burn DVDs with my mac and play them in a regular DVD player. The only system I've done this with is DVD Shrink on a PC.

What external burner, compatable with my laptop, is best for burning copies of DVDs that'll play in a DVD player?
And, Do I need any software to go with it?

[rumplestiltskin]

DVD Shrink contains both the "ripper" and "shrinker" in one package. For your Mac you'll need Mac the Ripper (also uses the acronym MtR) which, as its name implies, does the ripping from an encrypted DVD to your hard drive. Then you'll need something to do the shrinking and that's where DVD Remaster comes in. Alternatively, for this second task, Toast will also work.

[Jynx0916]

thanks for the help but what external dvd burner would be best? I've heard alittle about...I think it'scall LaCie or something???

[rumplestiltskin]

You can build your own with a burner and case from newegg.com or, if you don't mind spending $10-20 more, buy this one from OWC:
http://tinyurl.com/yr62et

It has both FireWire and USB2 so you're covered no matter which port is free. (I'm a big fan of having both FW and USB2 available.)

LaCie units are overpriced (IMHO) but still decent quality.

Use DVD-R (as opposed to DVD+R) media; more set-top DVD players are happier with the "-R" format. Also use Verbatim DVD-R's (Apple's official recommendation) even though they might be a few pennies more per disc than the store brands or Memorex or Ritek. The "silver-top" Verbatims you'll find at meritline.com or BestBuy are fine. Do not use sticky paper labels.

Others will probably chime in with suggestions.

[budz]

thanks for the help but what external dvd burner would be best? I've heard alittle about...I think it'scall LaCie or something???

Get a PIONEER or SAMSUNG external dvd burner.

[Frobozz]

Lacie makes excellent external drives and also supports them with firmware updates that can be flashed on a Mac. The drives themselves are by other manufacturers by LaCie designs the case and the bridge. I recommend Firewire drives for use with Macs although USB 2 is fine.

The Web site xlr8yourmac.com has a drive compatibility database where users report how well different makes and models of optical drives work on their Macs.

What I'd look for is being able to do firmware updates from your Mac. I've read at xlr8yourmac.com that someone created a way to do this with Pioneer drives.

[Levina]

Take a look at the Samsung SE-S204N http://www.samsung.com/ph/products/opticaldiskdrive/dvdmulti/se_s204n.asp . It is sold in a Mac retail kit with Roxio Toast software (and it's also sold in a Windows retail kit with Nero software). I just bought it and it's great. Will burn anything and is fast. You can also buy it in a LaCie casing, but then you'll pay about twice as much.

[rumplestiltskin]

I also have an inexpensive Memorex DVD burner (about $40 on clearance at OfficeMax about two years ago) and it works perfectly. I think the point here is that almost any decent burner will work for you. Apple used to use Pioneers exclusively but has since gone to Optiarc and Matshita (mediocre drives) in their slot-loaders. For an external, though, you'll be using a tray-loader and they will give much less trouble in the long run.

[Levina]

Yes, slot-loaders are a nuisance indeed. Four months after bying my new iMac a dvd got stuck in the Superdrive. And of course there's no more paperclip hole on the iMacs now. In short, the drive, a Pioneer (that worked really great - until it broke down of course), was replaced by a Matshita and I'm not too happy about that. So after trying to have that replaced, I gave up and bought the Samsung and am happy as can be .