CD drive or CD writer?

[ciphergoth]

A request for PC hardware advice...

Alison's new computer lacks only a CD drive to make it go. We could buy a bargain-bin drive from the local dodgy bargain-bin computer store (http://www.silicon-group.co.uk/) for £20. Or we could buy a PHILIPS 16x20x40 CDRW Burnproof for £70.

If we spend the extra £50, will the drive actually go? Will it reliably read and write CD-Rs and CD-RWs, rather than creating a lot of decorative coasters like my current CD-R? Is it worth spending more and getting a better one?

thanks,

Comments

[zz]

i've never really had coaster problems with internal cd writers at all, just the dodgy parallel port ones..

[lovingboth]

If it produces dodgy coasters, something's very wrong with either the drive or your setup.

I could get a CD writer to work on a 486... provided I didn't try to do too much else at the same time.

You need at least one CD writer in any flat.

[ex-meta.livejournal.com]

Philips mechanism? Don't know. But my Plextor mechanism drive with BURNPROOF has only made one coaster in over seventy burns.

[skx.livejournal.com]

I guess you've already had people say that it will work, which is
what I would have said.

I guess the important thing to ask is does she actually need
a writer?

If not you're probably better off not bothering...

[bootpunk.livejournal.com]

If you are having occasional problems with your CD-R, then having a second one around might be a good idea. You do have a penchant for taking lots of exceptionally good piccys with the DigiCam, and CD-Rs are a good way to back up and distribute the files.

[selectnone.livejournal.com]

In my experience BurnProof CD-writers usually manage to avoid making coasters no matter what you do with the computer barring the machine crashing or being switched off...

Far better than older writers which get upset by Loud Thoughts and Unusual Movements within the room.

Cool, new band name :)

[conflux.livejournal.com]

Well I'm just catching up on LJ after the weekends events. Personally, I would recommend any CD writer that calls itself burnproof or uses JustLink as these are very reliable even when doing something else with your PC. My old re-writer was not either of these and would make coasters on a regular basis, usually when I was in a hurry. There is little point in buying a re-writer that goes above 8 speed on RW at the moment because you will need special expensive fast re-writable CD's to make use of this. There can also be speed problems with cheaper burn once CD's so I'd just get the cheapest burnproof/JustLink re-writer you can find.

As to weather you need one or not I have found having one very useful. It lets me back up data, it lets me make mp3 CDs (which also play on a DVD player) so I can listen to my music at work, it lets me send people software, make normal CDs for my sister and send out pictures that would be too big for email.