What's a good external DVD burner for my iBook G4?

[KeepItSimple]

Hello I need to get an external burner for my iBook G4 with Superdrive and I was wondering if y'all had an opinion on a good one that has firewire. I've had great luck with Pioneer drives in the past. Macworld likes a Sony model but it's USB 2 only.

Other World Computing has an OWC Value Line Dual Layer DVD-/+RW
Pioneer DVR-112D 18X External for $95 + $4.95 shipping. They also have another one that's not value line that also uses the 112D for $119.99. Other than the slightly different outer case it looks like they do the same job, maybe comes with more software which I don't need.

Anyway if anyone has opinions they'd like to share on external burners for the mac i'd be much appreciative.

Thanks!

[rumplestiltskin]

I'd trust OWC to provide a quality case; the burner (as a Pioneer) is fine. You can build yourself a cheaper unit by buying the burner from Newegg and a 5.25" FireWire/USB case (either from Newegg or elsewhere) but, as I said, you can trust OWC to do it right.

One good reason to use an external DVD is if you occasionally get DVDs from other regions; you can set the internal DVD unit to one region and the external unit(s) to another region(s). In this manner you avoid having to change the region code setting on your internal burner and running the risk of it ending up permanently set to the wrong region!

[terryj]

I agree with Rumple,
here are plans for the external DVD Burners I have built that are rock solid.

First, get this burner from newegg.com
Next, get this case
or my favorite case.

Follow the instructions, included with the case,
and for less than $80, you got an external DVD
burner to last for cheaper than an off the shelf
one.

[dnix71]

I have a 112D in a LaCie firewire box. The LaCie box cost me about $60 and the 112D $40 more. As long as it's firewire for the mac, you're okay. You won't get 18x across firewire, 5x is realistic.

[rumplestiltskin]

I've not had good luck with ADS products. The Meritline ME-320 case (FW+USB2) is very nice; I've owned a number of these of the FW-only persuasion and have always been happy. I like the fact that it uses a standard 3-prong plug and not a wall-wart. Certainly the price is nothing more than pocket change. Yeah, I'd go with that one.

As for the Pioneer drive: Can you believe it's actually less $$ than the case?? What a hoot!

Nice finds, terryj.

dnix71 is correct that 18x just isn't reality. While Toast may let you choose that speed, if you watch the seconds count down you'll see that it's like 2-3 real seconds for every 1 in the Toast countdown. Regardless, this isn't Pioneer's fault and the drive is a good one.

[terryj]

Thanks Rumple.
Yes, amazing that the Pioneer drives consistently
hover between $25 to $40 bucks.

In the words of the Pioneer tech I talked to last week,
in questioning why these drives only had a 1 yr warranty:
"Our drives are so cheap, that we tell customers up front,
rather than send it in for service, just go buy another one"

Great customer service...keeping the drive price so low,
that rather than pay $80 bench just to look at it,
plunk down less than half that and go get another?

Sony could take a lesson in that, I think.......

[Kryton]

Great for consumer economies but a nightmare for the environment.

At least in Europe, and as a result of the WEEE directive (which is now in force) the purchase price of consumer electronics should include the cost of safe disposal of the device.

Then its up to consumer to make sure that their dead equipment makes it into the correct disposal channels.

[rumplestiltskin]

Great for consumer economies but a nightmare for the environment.

At least in Europe, and as a result of the WEEE directive (which is now in force) the purchase price of consumer electronics should include the cost of safe disposal of the device.

Then its up to consumer to make sure that their dead equipment makes it into the correct disposal channels.

Excellent point, Kryton.

What are the true costs of plastics, disposable diapers, phone books, computers, etc.? Shouldn't the consumer of these items pay for these costs rather than the disposal and recycling costs having to be borne by the entire society? We'd have a much better idea of the true costs of the things we purchase, eh?

[SVcabron]

How about the new plextor 810-uf? Newegg sells it and plextor gives you firmware upgrades specifically for the mac.

[Huxley]

I have a lacie Mobile dvd dl +/- with a NEC drive in it.

No problems with it. Very nice to play or burn with as you look at the green light to know if its on vs a room filling sound.

http://www.lacie.com/us/products/family.htm?id=10008

[pamywamy]

This is probably too late to ask since the last post was a week ago but...do any of you know if these external drives compatible with the iBook G4 will burn a DVD for re-playing in a DVD player connected to a TV? I have spoken with three techs, one being from the computer company and I could not receive and firm "yes". I don't want to go to the expense without a firm answer. I want to burn a DVD of my 1st Grandbaby and add music and give to my son and his wife for Christmas to view together in front of a TV rather than separately on their own laptops. The alternative is to install a Super Drive into my iBook but I've been told external is less expensive. Expense is not my issue just viewing DVD on a TV.

[terryj]

You want to:

1. Hook up an external DVD Burner to a G4 iBook?

2. Use iMovie and IDVD 5 or Toast 7 to create (author) a DVD
of Grandbaby and burn to DVD-5 (DVD-R) media?

3. Then take that DVD-5 ( DVD-R) and mail it to
your son so he can watch it on his DVD Player
connected to his TV?

the answer is : YES, YES, and YES!


why you couldn't get an answer is beyond me, and I
am ashamed at my fellow "brethen" in the tech industry.
UNLESS, you were trying to do this on Company owned
equiptment?

[analoghdesc]

Hey thanks everyone for your input on this subject. After looking around at repair cost of a CD/DVD drive it is much cheaper to go external!

Thanks

analoghdesc