I want to buy a DVD writer but am a confused newbie...

[joker2]

OK, here's the deal, I want to buy DVD writer.
What is the benefit of a + drive and a - drive?
I want to copy my DVD's and play them on my stand alone machine.
I also will want to put some of my olf mpeg1 films onto a DVD for playback on a standalone player.
and finally do I need a drive that does both DVDR & DVDRW + & -?
Please help me...

[SLICK RICK]

You can purchase a dual format burner for around $100. So to avoid the worries of wether or not you should have purchased a +RW instead of -RW or vise versa, just buy a dual format burner. That way you could always purchase whatever media is on sale regardless of what format it is.

SLICK RICK

[noki]

joker2
best bang for the buck (pound!) is the NEC ND-1300a. it comes disguised as a TDK 440, Iomega, etc. so you need to investigate. the NEC itself sells for $105 USD here. and that includes tax and shipping (again here in the states). good luck.

[mrplop]

NEC 1300A is a good choice - look for Herries fimware and you will have a pretty decent burner.

[warmagain]

The pioneer 106 is awsome and uses almost any media even the cheapie stuff . You can find it on line here in the US for about $115. I have Both the Pioneer 106 and the Nec 1300A, the pioneer is much less picky with cheap media and With out having to flash it with hacked firmware like the Nec.

[samdha14]

i have the pioneer dvr-104 it is fast and has no bugs + the media is ceap

[falberni]

Although the NEC is a very good burner, it may be pretty nerve wrecking for a newbie to try to flash the firmware. Pioneer 106, or A06, is a proven workhorse. You can't go wrong with it. Just slightly more expensive.

[troyvcd1]

Get the memorex. It rocks.

[lordsmurf]

Pioneer

[indolikaa]

Optorite.

[Colindale]

Research, Research and research, it's all here for the looking!.

[Hardcoreruss]

Latest Sony

[daamon]

Hi Joker2 / Fellow countryman,

I, too, am a newbie and was in the same boat as you up until recently. I did a lot of research (as Colindale eloquently points out) by looking at the DVD Writers section on the left, as well as trawling through the forum topics.

I eventually plumped for the Pioneer DVR106D, as opposed to the RD - there was some confusion over whether you could flash the firmware or not (jargon for updating the internal software of the drive - usually supplied by the manufacturers to make it faster etc. See thread:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=187580&highlight=

I bought if from http://www.blankdiscshop.co.uk/ - Also known as SVP.

That said, you need to do your own research and make up your own mind - I'm just offering some info to help you choose.

With regards to the +R / -R question, there's loads on that too in the guides / info on the left.

Hope that helps...

[joker2]

Thanks for your help guys, but I feel I may have opened a hornets nest!

If after I buy by duel drive does it mean that I can pick up any old DVD to record upon on and it will then work on my standalone?

Also the mention of flashing the firmware? Does this mean the drive does'nt work until you flash it? Or does it come 'pre flashed' and the process you are talking about is to upgrade its firmware?

(Little fish in a big sea methinks)

[daamon]

Hi joker2,

If after I buy by duel drive does it mean that I can pick up any old DVD to record upon on

Not neccessarily any DVD media (in terms of manufacturer), but the ones where people report that it works with any brand (cheap or pricey) are obviously the ones to look at.

There's also different types of media: DVD -R, -RW, +R, +RW, RAM, ROM (and probably others). Check these out in the Glossary (top left, blue) for further info.

and it will then work on my standalone?

This depends on what your standalone can play. Check out the "DVD Players" link on the left for compatibility - it's a (pretty accurate) guide, but does not 100% ensure it'll work.

Also, from personal experience, it states that my standalone plays SVCD. But when I made one the audio was out of sync. Turns it it was the way the player reads the headers created by the software I was using (VCDEasy) to create the SVCD. The moral: it may not always be the media / software that you use. Read the reviews of your player too.

Flashing the firmware:

See the firmware reference in the Glossary:

https://www.videohelp.com/glossary#Firmware

Flashing the firmware is just upgrading this code. The device will come with firmware pre-installed and ready to work. Upgrading it is usually because the manufacturer has a newer version (maybe to allow faster writing, or handle new media - not sure, not an expert).

Hope that helps...

[MysticE]

-R's seem compatible with more standalones. And it's odd, but cheap Princo's play in a few more older players.

[Vintageman]

Just get the Pioneer and enjoy the show