help, please best DVD writer to buy

[faustmonk]

Hi I have held off buying a DVD writer for some time but I want to go ahead now. Which is the best DVD writer to get and what are the pitfalls for me to watch out for? I've heard it may be worth waiting for about 4 to 6 weeks as new writers are about to be released by Pioneer and Panasonic. I apologise if you been through this with others but pass me the links if you prefer. We all have to start somewhere. Thanks in advance for your time and help. faustmonk

[jrhilton]

The big decision about which DVD burner to buy hinders on which format to buy, e.g. DVD-R or DVD+R. If you want my advise, I would very very very stongley advise you to wait as you say 4 to 6 weeks as there are some new drives being relaeased that will record to DVD-R and DVD+R as well. I think they are called "Dual RW" drives. They basically record onto the 2 competing formats of recordable DVD, don't bother with DVD-RAM, you cant play them on standard TV dvd players or Computer DVD players, check out the following link for some info on the Sony drive that will record to both mediums:
http://www.burnworld.com/cdr/hardware/sony/dru500a.htm
Don't believe all that you read about DVD+R, it may well be read by many players but an awful lot can not play the disks proprally, DVD-R IS the most compatable in terms of being able to be played back without a hitch.

Hope this helps but I really would advise you wait and get a drive that can write both formats because who knows which format will win DVD-R or DVD+R remember the best format may not neccessorally win (any one remember the who VHS vs BETAMAX where of course the worse format VHS won because there were more players avalable) By buying a drive which can write both disk types you will be safer in the future.

[faustmonk]

Hi Thanks for the info. Yes, I remember well when Betamax lost out .. so I'll sit tight for the moment and wait for reports.

[ronbo613]

Hello-I'm waiting for this Sony unit as well. I think everyone who does not have a DVD burner is going to buy it! Ron B

[rinkel]

Well, it's probably worth the wait,
But it really doesn't matter which burner you buy.
If there will be a winner, then it will be from several years from now, the prices will be dropped by then and at that time you just buy a new burner (do you still own your first cd-burner ??)
I can only say i have very good experiences with Pioneer A03 and Nero, but beware of cheap media. DVDr is just a young technique and the media is not always that good.

[apinkel]

That sony unit is nice... support for both formats is kinda nice although I don't really see that as a big deal. You can play both formats in most players anyway.

The 4x speed is nice. I'd wait for that. I've got a Pioneer DVR-103... burning with 2x media takes about 30 minutes. I'd love to be able to cut that to 15.

If you are big on rewriteable media, one nice thing about the DVD+RW format is that is supposedly faster for writing... you don't have to spend a ton of time formatting the media like you do with dvd-rw.

DVD-r has an edge in media cost.

I think Pioneer is coming out with a 4x capable drive shortly as well. Personally, I'd get whichever is cheapest and available first.

Al

[leebo]

you don't have to spend a ton of time formatting the media like you do with dvd-rw.

I have NEVER formatted an -RW disc, and they play fine.
They do have to be FINALIZED, but so do -R discs. And that dosn't take long at all.

I don't know what you're talking about.

[rubberman]

I;m thinking about the A04 but was wondering if any DVD burners that might be coming out in the near future that will burn more than the 4.7gig disc? Like more movies and that. Will the A04 burn more than 4.7gig if the media supports more?

[leebo]

The DVD spec is for 4.3 gigs, actually.

There wont be any DVD's that can hold more than that, at least not under the current standard.

They're working on the next generation of DVD, which is supposed to hold a lot more, but none of the current recorders will be able to burn them.

You can wait, but then eventually they'll come out with something else, and you can wait for that too.

Of course, you'll be old and probably more worried about remembering to go to the bathroom than burning DVD's...