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Poet deVine
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Hurricane Alley

0 posted 2001-03-02 10:11 PM



I got a bonus at work and want to get an internal ReWritable CD burner...what's the best one to buy? I already know that I want Adaptec as my software..we use that at work and I like it.

© Copyright 2001 Poet deVine - All Rights Reserved
Ron
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1 posted 2001-03-03 02:47 AM


I have two, one that I bought two years ago at an outrageous price, and one that I had installed in my new P4. The old one, a Memorex, is only a 2x and came with it's own software. The only "reliable" way to build a CD was to build an image on the hard disk and then write it to the drive (meaning you need enough hard disk to store it twice). The new drive is a Sony 12x and came with the Adaptec software. I've only used it once so far (still setting up the machine), but I agree the software is VERY easy to use. Surprisingly, though, it didn't seem to be substantially faster than the older Memorex (except I didn't need to build the CD image first).

I would safely recommend either the Memorex or the Sony, having had no problems with either, but I'm not sure it really matters much what brand you get. Like hard disks and floppies, the technology seems to have become pretty standard, without a lot of differences. The difference in speed is very, very marginal. I would say find one in your price range that comes with the software you want, and not worry too much about either brand name or speed.

Acies
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2 posted 2001-03-03 12:18 PM


I agree with Ron --- You don't have to get the brand names for they are much more expensive. With reagrds to the quality, you never really know nowadays if you're getting a lemon or not. So much mass production of hardware in my opinion, has considerable lessened the quality of anything you buy nowadays. A sony should be around a bill and a half. Don't let them over charge you

"So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this give life to thee." W.S.

Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley
3 posted 2001-03-03 02:20 PM


Thank you gentlemen! I have the money in hand and will venture into the aisles of my local Fry's Electronics Store now. I may not be back for days!!! I love looking at the software as well as the hardware.
Michael
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4 posted 2001-03-10 01:30 PM


I would have to back up Ron on the Memorex recommendation. This is the only brand I have ever used, but that alone is probably the best reason, reliability. I have witnessed many friends use other brands and then accumulate an almost obscene number of "frisbee discs", called so because that is all they are good for when done trying to burn them. I have also witnessed many friends have to replace their CD Writers within a two year period for many different reasons.

Not only has my Memorex been very reliable but, as Ron also stated, the best way to burn a CD is to make an image file on the hard drive and then copy that to the CD. The Memorex software allows you to do this in a very user-friendly manner. Of course, it will also work with your Adaptec software, though, if you choose to use it.


just my two cents.


Michael

wayoutwalt
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since 1999-06-22
Posts 4870
TEXAS (it's all big)
5 posted 2001-03-12 11:32 PM


we use Yamahas at school they fast!!
Christopher
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Purgatorial Incarceration
6 posted 2001-03-13 04:01 PM


Another thought... SCSI!

C

Ron
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7 posted 2001-03-13 06:04 PM


Yamahas, Walt? As opposed to Harley's you mean?  

When it comes to hard disks, SCSI is it. That's especially true on a multi-user machine. But, while I don't have a SCSI CDRW I do have a SCSI CDR, and have had nothing but problems with it. I'm not sure why, but I have a theory. SCSI is essentially a bus in its own right, and one of its strengths is that the CPU can issue a command and then go do something else (with EIDE, the CPU has to wait for the command to complete). Because a CDR is so timing critical, I think that extra level in the chain results in more read errors. Of course, my drive is several years old and it's quite possible today's implementations are better.

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