Best of both worlds?!

[DReborn]

Hey people, I am building my new dream machine from water cooling on up and I'm finally ready to get into the DVD-burning game. I am probably going to go with a plextor CD-RW or even save some cash and go for the 52x Lite-on. My question is this: is the new Plextor DVD-Burner (http://www.plextor.com/english/products/504A.html) supposed to be anything special? I mean, since I am going to already get a CD-burner do I need the 504A (with its CD-r burning capabilities)? Would I just be better off geting the Sony DRU-500? Basically, I want to burn CDs and DVDs and I want them both internal...what is the best option(s)??! THANKS!!

[cfitz]

The Sony DRU-500 can burn CD-R and CD-RW as well. In fact, it burns faster than the Plextor: 24X Z-CLV for CD-R versus 16x CLV for the Plextor. The Plextor isn't anything special in that regard.

Also, the Sony can burn to DVD-R/RW media as well, a capability the Plextor lacks.

Check Ian's review of the DRU-500:

http://www.cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.php?reviewid=154

cfitz

[Dartman]

I'd get the 500a or ax. Mine has been great, almost never a coaster till I tried a newer burning demo that appeared to not play well with others.
The 52 LiteOn is very nice too. Having all media capability is sweet.
TDK is sposed to be releasing a multiformat also and I'm pretty sure NEC has one too.

[DReborn]

Thanks, you guys are awesome. So, would it be overkill to get the Lite-on burner AND the Sony 500a or ax? Or should I just wait and see what NEC and TDK have up their sleeves?

[Dartman]

I'm running the 500a, a 52x Liteon, a 48x, becuase it was the earlier drive, and a 166s Liteon DVD drive.
They work very nicely together. The DVD rips audio and movies fast enough for all the burners.
I would get a 166 dvd, Buslink sells them at Best buy unless they've changed what's in the box since I got mine, The LiteOn/Buslink 52x burner, and the sony 500a/ax. you can get them online or Best Buy sells all of these. Make sure the Buslink burner says Smart Burn on it and it will be a LiteOn inside.
If you can afford all of those you'll have a pretty unbeatable combo.
So far my Sony has written many disk and only 3 partial coaster due to software conflicts. It might not burn all media any faster then 1x but it always seems to work if setup properly with good software.
It also has a 8 meg cache which so far none of the other Companys offer in their DVD burners. People are still figuring out which media goes fast with it so watch here and other sites.

[DReborn]

Hmm...that's a fair amount of drives. The money doesn't get me as much as the number of 5.25 bays going bye-bye. Since I am not in a serious rush for a DVD burner (don't have the home movie thing goin on yet and I have an external HD for backup) what about the new Samsung Combo drive (SM352?)? Burns at 52, reads at 52, and is a 16x DVD player. Then, in a couple months when formats get even more sorted out, prices go down, etc. I could pick up a spankin DVD burner. Question is: when is that damn Samsung comin out???