Advice on buying a DVD drive

I have tons of music on my comp that I want to protect by burning to
DVDs. I want an external drive. A DVD+RW, I guess. All I want to do
is record my flv and mpg music videos and mp3 files for safekeeping.

I see drives that are very cheap, under a $100. Are these worth buying?
I don't want problems. I want a drive with a good rep for burning and
being stable and long lasting, without going up in smoke after a week of
use.

Any suggestions as to brand, etc.?

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:39:00 -0500, Joez@eeirq.com wrote:

>I have tons of music on my comp that I want to protect by burning to
>DVDs. I want an external drive. A DVD+RW, I guess. All I want to do
>is record my flv and mpg music videos and mp3 files for safekeeping.
>
>I see drives that are very cheap, under a $100. Are these worth buying?
>I don't want problems. I want a drive with a good rep for burning and
>being stable and long lasting, without going up in smoke after a week of
>use.
>
>Any suggestions as to brand, etc.?

It occurs to me that I should have asked also about which software is
best?

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:41:16 -0500, Joez@eeirq.com wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:39:00 -0500, Joez@eeirq.com wrote:
>
>>I have tons of music on my comp that I want to protect by burning to
>>DVDs. I want an external drive. A DVD+RW, I guess. All I want to do
>>is record my flv and mpg music videos and mp3 files for safekeeping.
>>
>>I see drives that are very cheap, under a $100. Are these worth buying?
>>I don't want problems. I want a drive with a good rep for burning and
>>being stable and long lasting, without going up in smoke after a week of
>>use.
>>
>>Any suggestions as to brand, etc.?
>
>It occurs to me that I should have asked also about which software is
>best?

I've had good luck with LG drives... I have 2 DVD RW drives and 2 CDRW
drives and have had no trouble with any, but then I don't give them
very heavy use. I also have had success with the basic Nero Software
bundeled with the drives, but for my new computer (which I included a
new LG DVD RW drive) the drive was bought as an OEM which is a "bare"
internal drive, so software didn't come with it. But I've never used
an external CDRW or DVD RW. My guess is that they would be more prone
to problems.... so I'd go with an internal if that's at all possible.

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:53:19 -0500, Charlie Hoffpauir
<invalid@invalid.com> wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:41:16 -0500, Joez@eeirq.com wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:39:00 -0500, Joez@eeirq.com wrote:
>>
>>>I have tons of music on my comp that I want to protect by burning to
>>>DVDs. I want an external drive. A DVD+RW, I guess. All I want to do
>>>is record my flv and mpg music videos and mp3 files for safekeeping.
>>>
>>>I see drives that are very cheap, under a $100. Are these worth buying?
>>>I don't want problems. I want a drive with a good rep for burning and
>>>being stable and long lasting, without going up in smoke after a week of
>>>use.
>>>
>>>Any suggestions as to brand, etc.?
>>
>>It occurs to me that I should have asked also about which software is
>>best?
>
>I've had good luck with LG drives... I have 2 DVD RW drives and 2 CDRW
>drives and have had no trouble with any, but then I don't give them
>very heavy use. I also have had success with the basic Nero Software
>bundeled with the drives, but for my new computer (which I included a
>new LG DVD RW drive) the drive was bought as an OEM which is a "bare"
>internal drive, so software didn't come with it. But I've never used
>an external CDRW or DVD RW. My guess is that they would be more prone
>to problems.... so I'd go with an internal if that's at all possible.

I gave up on internal drives a long time ago. When the externals go, I
just pull the plug, junk 'em and hook up the new one to a USB port.

I've noticed that external drives I've had have lasted longer than the
internal ones I had. Maybe that's because the OEM internals were
cheapies put in by the comp manufacturer, while the externals I bought
were of better quality and a bit more pricey than stock ones. Besides,
it's easier pulling a plug and plugging in than opening these new
cramped boxes and screwing with dips and cords. I guess I'm lazy.