How many drives do you really need?

[verse101]

I'm looking to buy a DVD-RW drive, but wondering if I also should get a separate DVD-ROM drive. I currently only have a CD-RW, so I can't read DVD's.

What I'd like to do is make back-up DVD's and store old home movies too. Is one DVD-RW drive enough to rip and write DVDs? You can't really copy DVDs on the fly like CDs right? If you can't, then it makes no sense to get an extra DVD-ROM. Unless it's better to not wear out the DVD-RW.

What I'm looking to buy. Either Plextor or Lite-On 8x single layer DVD-RW. If I get the DVD-ROM, I'll get a combo CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive.

 

[Mr5oh]

I would just get the DVD-RW drive. You wouldn't want to copy DVDs on the fly, blank DVDs aren't exactly cheap yet, and you don't want to worry about drive eating disks. Much better to rip the DVD then copy it, much less of a chance for error

Realistacally by the time you wear out that DVD drive, it'll be time to upgrade anyways. I mean are you really going to go nuts copying everything you can get your hands on, or just use it everynow and then? I have several old HP CD-writer drives around here (the old ones copy formats the newer ones don't), and have used it as a main CD-Rom drive since I bought it new how ever many years ago.

The drives really just last so long you aren't really going to wear them out, and like I said by the time you do wear it out, you probably won't be able to get single layer DVDs anymore.

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[verse101]

Thanks for the reply (I'm glad SOMEONE finally did haha). This was what I was leaning towards too, just one DVD-RW for now. At just $70, even if it lasts for 2 years, I can replace it for a faster one then. I still have a really fast CD-RW to burn CD's with to keep the DVD-RW from too much wear & tear. That was a really great deal, 52x CD-RW for $10 after rebate.

 

[dhlucke]

Just get one.

</font color=red><i><font color=red>GOD</font color=red> <font color=blue>BLESS </font color=blue><font color=red>AMERICA

 

[Mr5oh]

$10, can't beat that! I am still using a 10x HP drive, becuase the new ones won't read/write CD-G.

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[Kutter]

The one advantage of having a seperate DVD-ROM drive is that you can put the original disk you are ripping into the DVD-ROM and then your blank media in the DVD-writer. You then set up your software to rip, re-author, burn etc and walk away from the computer. When you come back the burnt disk is done. It saves you from having to take out and insert the blank media.

DVD-ROM drives are dirt cheap - I enjoy the convenience of the two drives (now I just have to figure out why I get burn errors with my Plextor 708A...)