External DVD+/- Writer?

[kling]

I am looking for an external DVD writer (+/-) with a good built quality and a decent price. Firewire and USB 2 would be nice, but is not a must. I have come across the LaCie D2 offering and also the MicroSolutions latest one, both of which hover around US$270. Sony would be nice but is US$50 more. Any experiences you may have had with these drives would be appreciated. Does anybody know which drives LaCie and MicroSolutions actually used (since I believe they don't actually produce drives)? Any references to reviews of these drives will also be appreciated. Thanks for your help in advance :)

[arklab]

Well for my 2cents worth, I like to build my own.
This is still working out for me, and I can swap the drive out for a 16X DVD burner when they arive net fall.

My other post:
http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic. ... highlight=

Good Luck

[kling]

Thanks for the reply... I also read the other threads related to external enclosures. An internal power supply is not an issue for me, so the Coolmax 510 looks good. Which burner would you put inside? Is this combination better than a single package deal (ala LaCie or MicroSolutions)? It would be nice to know what drives are in those enclosures...

[tazdevl]

Had the Coolmax 510. Worked great.

I'd put either a Plextor 708A, Sony DRU510A or Pioneer AVR06 in it... in that order.

[kling]

Can anybody share some experiences with any DVD burner put into an external USB or firewire casing working with Windows XP? Is the drive recognized adequately by the burn software? How careful need the box be handled? Are the complete solutions offered by LaCie or MicroSolutions or others more sturdy?

thanks for the feedback