any standalone units that compare to panny's plus dvd-rw????

[K_cin_az]

Are there any good standalone units out their that compare very closely with the pannasonic models , except with the capability to burn to dvd-rw instead of dvd-ram. I plan on using the standalone for capture and then bringing the video into my pc, which I need the capability to use dvd-rw for. I really like the pannasonic units, their harddrive features and etc. Their quality is very good also. I will be doing my own research on this but would love for some advice on which models may be my best bets?

[K_cin_az]

I like the Samsung SM-352B. It is a 52x cd writer, 16x DVD reader and a DVD-RAM reader. It goes for $60-$70. Reads any non-cartridge DVD-RAM disk. (works with both my e-20 and e-60).

well this post seems to have fixed this probelm for me, for $70 bones i will be able to just add this drive to my cpu

[FulciLives]

Are there any good standalone units out their that compare very closely with the pannasonic models , except with the capability to burn to dvd-rw instead of dvd-ram. I plan on using the standalone for capture and then bringing the video into my pc, which I need the capability to use dvd-rw for. I really like the pannasonic units, their harddrive features and etc. Their quality is very good also. I will be doing my own research on this but would love for some advice on which models may be my best bets?

TOSHIBA makes a fairly inexpensive DVD-ROM reader (for your computer) that can read DVD-RAM discs. Do a search on a website such as PRICEGRABBER.COM and you should be able to find it for around $40 USD plus shipping.

Add that to your computer and now you can read DVD-RAM discs from your stand alone PANASONCI DVD Recorder.

Also consider investing in WOMBLE MULTIMEDIA's MPEG2VCR program. This programe can EDIT your DVD-RAM disc and not SCREW IT UP like just about every other MPEG-2 editor seems to do. The program is something like $125 USD but it is a MUST HAVE program if you will be editing DVD-RAM on a computer.

BTW the model number of the TOSHIBA DVD-ROM/DVD-RAM reader is SD-M1712 and according to the TOSHIBA WEBSITE has a MSRP of $49.00 USD

Good Luck!

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

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Are there any good standalone units out their that compare very closely with the pannasonic models , except with the capability to burn to dvd-rw instead of dvd-ram. I plan on using the standalone for capture and then bringing the video into my pc, which I need the capability to use dvd-rw for. I really like the pannasonic units, their harddrive features and etc. Their quality is very good also. I will be doing my own research on this but would love for some advice on which models may be my best bets?

TOSHIBA makes a fairly inexpensive DVD-ROM reader (for your computer) that can read DVD-RAM discs. Do a search on a website such as PRICEGRABBER.COM and you should be able to find it for around $40 USD plus shipping.

Add that to your computer and now you can read DVD-RAM discs from your stand alone PANASONCI DVD Recorder.

Also consider investing in WOMBLE MULTIMEDIA's MPEG2VCR program. This programe can EDIT your DVD-RAM disc and not SCREW IT UP like just about every other MPEG-2 editor seems to do. The program is something like $125 USD but it is a MUST HAVE program if you will be editing DVD-RAM on a computer.

BTW the model number of the TOSHIBA DVD-ROM/DVD-RAM reader is SD-M1712 and according to the TOSHIBA WEBSITE has a MSRP of $49.00 USD

Good Luck!

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

I've said essentially the same thing so many times that it is comforting to see it again.

DVD-Ram offers a tremendous advantage at the capture level. If these features are not important then acquire a DVD-Recorder that simply will burn to DVD-+Rw. It's linear and non sequential but if timeslip etc at the recording level is not too important then it is a good solution.

If you choose to take advantage of DVD-Ram then you have a few options:

1. A DVD-Rom drive that will read DVD-Ram. About $40.

2. A CDR burner and DVD-Rom drive combo that reads DVD-Ram. About $70

3. A multi-drive that reads and writes DVD-R and DVD-Ram. About $130.

4. Or this which does it all. Pricey. LG GMA-4040B. I don't own one so I can't vouch for it.

[RabidDog]

does dvd ram have any other advantages ?? can it be read in a standard dvdplayer or dvd-rom drive. I have seen a burner offering the faciliyt to use dvd ram and was wondering if it was worth the extra money. (about 30 quid extra shock:

[next]

does dvd ram have any other advantages ?? can it be read in a standard dvdplayer or dvd-rom drive. I have seen a burner offering the faciliyt to use dvd ram and was wondering if it was worth the extra money. (about 30 quid extra shock:

Depends on your shock level. Here in the states a Panasonic DVD player can be had for $80. For 80 bucks the player will play DVD-Ram. No finalization required.

I've replaced all my cheapo DVD-Players with cheapo Panasonic DVD-players that play DVD-Ram just fine.

It does require an investment and I would not recommend it to everybody. Money is hard earned. We all make choices. I made a choice.

[K_cin_az]

thanks for the info,

now all i need to do is save up $550 for the panny e80, got 135 yesterday for my ati 8500dv so im on my way

[handyguy]

I dont think you read the specs, the panasonics write to dvd-r too....

just plop that dvd-r disk into your computer if you want to play around with your media files.

[PhilipL]

Withdrawn

[RAAGAAman]

PhilipL
DVD-RW media is a lot cheaper than DVD-RAM however DVD-RW has no cartridge (may be an advantage or disadvantage to some) and is only re-writable 1000 times against DVD-RAMs 100,000, although new writing methods from Pioneer can improve this upto 10 fold (upto 10,000 rewrites depending on media quality, i.e. branded).

Most DVD-RW media on the market is crap. The only good media, Pioneer and Verbatim, is too expensive to take the chance it might write 1000 times.
DVD-RW has a problem with the LPP addressing that gets damaged after so many overwrites. I think what Pioneer might be doing is implementing some kind of UDF defect management system but I will be surprised if the finished disk can be played in reliably in most new DVD players that support DVD-RW. Not to start a flame war the same thing cannot be said about DVD+RW. There is no LPP to get damaged so I can see 1000 overwrites being achieved. The only drawback is most of the Philips Set top recorders that I have tried are nothing compared to a Panasonic RAM recorder. If you want good overwrites and long lasting Data you cannot beat RAM recorders.

RG

[PhilipL]

Withdrawn

[piano632]

Most DVD-RW media on the market is crap. The only good media, Pioneer and Verbatim, is too expensive to take the chance it might write 1000 times.

What criteria are you using to determine that Pioneer and Verbatim DVD-RW are good and everything else is crap? Verbatim discs don't seem to be that expensive, but they're all made in Taiwan now. I shop around for the Japanese-made discs - I have found some by TDK, Fuji, Sony & Maxell (have had no problems rewriting any of them so far - just that I haven't gotten anywhere near 1,000 times yet). All of the +R(W) discs I have seen are made in Taiwan (lower quality, if you ask me). I have also seen some RAM discs made in Japan (Panasonic, TDK, etc.)