Buying a CD-writer: advices for a dummy

Hi everybody. I'm new of this forum and I think you can help me.

Right to the point.
At the moment I have a CD-Rom and [bold]I need a CD-Writer[/bold] and, why not, a DVD-Rom.

I'm looking for a cheap (but not the cheapest) and reliable product.

What the market around me offers is two combo:
- a Samsung 52x16x52x + 16x DVD-rom
- a LG 40x12x40x + 12x DVD-rom
both for 99€ (ab. 65£)


[bold]My question are [/bold](in order of importance):

1. Are combos less reliable than CD writers for burning (music in particoular)? It's better to buy a CD-writer and a DVD-rom separately?
2. Are combos more delicate? (If necessary I found a good Samsung 52x CD-writer for 59 €)
3. On the Samsung box it's written that it writes 90min-CD: anybody knows anything about the LG one?
4. Looking through the forum, the problem of making a back-up copy of protected CD hit me: are that combos good or poor with regard to this problem? Should I look for other brand?
5. Have I missed anything?
6. What would you do?

Thank you.

 

sorry for double posting. :-(

 

I would buy a DVD-ROM and a CD-RW if possible, and avoid combo drives if possible.

I think CDRLabs.com recently reviewed Samsung and it got good ratings. Samsung over all has been imroving recently on the optical storage field.

 

To answer your question in short simply buy none of the brands you posted m8.

DVD-Rom: Lite-On LTD 163/165/166
Can read [bold] all formats [/bold] after 1 firmware upgrade. Rips dvd's at 11-12x. Rips audio at 23-24x and super DAE speed and accuracy. I should know as I own the Lite-On LTD 165H model.
CDRW: Lite-On LTR 52x. This "bad boy" can backup the latest Safedisc& Securom cd protections, not to mention at least 7 audio cd protections as well. Super DAE speed and accuracy with this burner too.

Shoey

 

thank you Shoey and CD-RW. But...

I know that Samsung is not the best. But how far from the best it is? Can I rip audio? Maybe at 10x? Rate it (as far as you can)

PS: I had a Liteon 163. Burned and I still asking me why? Electrical line not stable? Unluckyness? Devil presence in my computer?

 

pecorella,
There's no best "roms" out there, mainly highly recommended m8. If you were to purchase the Samsung or LG then you would have to use emulation to play backups of Safedisc& Securom. If backing up dvd's or pc game protection doesn't apply to you, then grab the Samsing simply because "most" LG products (cdrw's) can't read atip. If this does apply to you or in the future, then definatly go with the Lite-On LTD 163/165/166 and the Lite-On LTR 52x cdrw. Remember that after 1 firmware update for a Litey DVD-Rom (163/165/166), the drive can [bold] read all formats at present [/bold] thus helping you in the future should you consider a dvd burner. This gives you the option to burn dvd "on the fly" simply because the Litey can read dvd-r/dvd-rw. I always look ahead or in the future when considering purchasing roms. I don't own a dvd burner and I look at many hardware reviews to determine which one will suit me best.

Shoey