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Need some help finding/choosing DVD Burner for laptop.

Discussion in 'DVD / Blu-ray drives' started by Niobis, Nov 24, 2006.

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  1. gecko3500

    gecko3500 Member

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    Thanks for the reply. A senior Bestbuy geeksquad member recommended the Plextor to me. However, I've known the guy since high school, he's a pretty decent friend and I think he was just showing me a burner he would recommend that Best Buy carries. I've since emailed him today w/ more questions as he does know his stuff and as he asked me to send URLs of DVD burners I've found and were recommended elsewhere either from Afterdawn.com, Tigerdirect, Pricewatch and so on. Continuing, I will most likely need to get a firewire adapter as this is a present for my parents and I don't know if their computers have a firewire card/port or even USB 2.0 as I don't know much about their computers but will find out. Also, can you get a firewire adapter for a laptop or upgrade to USB 2.0? One more question, which external Lite-ons would you recommend as you said you plan to buy one. Sorry for such a long response but any advice given would be much appreciated.
     
    gecko3500, Dec 11, 2006
    #21
  2. gecko3500

    gecko3500 Member

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    Both my laptop and parents desktop have IEEE 1394 Bus Host Controllers listed under device manager and my parents laptop is new so I'm sure it does too. Another questiobn, how do you know if you have USB 1.0, 1.1, or 2.0? Thanks.
     
    gecko3500, Dec 11, 2006
    #22
  3. binkie7

    binkie7 Moderator Staff Member

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    Hmmm since you have an inside guy there at Best Buy - here's another one to check out. Best Buy has it on sale this week for 79.99 - 18x Samsung. They usually have a good rep.
    Link

    The LiteOn external I'm looking at is the SHM-165P6SX. But now my sis is insisting no gift cards this year (I prefer them!) I have to choice something I want so I gave her the Samsung drive or a external hard drive on sale too. So we'll see - she may just decide to do the gift card :)

    Yes you should be able upgrade the pci bus cards on a laptop to 2.0. May want to have your friend at BB do that for you. If the pc or laptop is only a couple of years old probably has 2.0.
    You can check device manager and see if they have 2.0 or firewire.

    Right click on 'my computer'. Click on properties then click on hardware then device manager. Under 'universal serial bus controller' look for usb2 enhanced controller - this is 2.0.
    For firewire look for IEEE 1394 Bus.

    edit to add: slow typing tonite - your parents have firewire and more than likely have usb 2.0 (see above on how to check)
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2006
    binkie7, Dec 11, 2006
    #23
  4. gecko3500

    gecko3500 Member

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    My laptop has under USB Controllers "Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller" listed Not sure if this is USB 2.0. I probably do have 2.0 though as my laptop, which I purchased in December 2004, doesn't get the whole "this device could perform faster..." message which I used to get on my 6 year old HP Desktop. that computer is down for the count at the moment w/ an Unmountable Boot Volume error but that's another story as I just haven't had enough time to fix it and might have to order the OS disks from HP.

    I will also be getting a new external HD for Christmas as my 120GB Maxtor isn't cutting it anymore. CompUSA was selling a Maxtor OneTouch III 300GB Hard Drive for $129 after rebates which isn't too bad but it's back up to $199. What were you thinking about by the way as I was also looking at the Western Digital My Book Premium Edition 500GB Hard Drive. I was warned about anything over 300GB as the read or write times were slow. That model also got some bad reviews as well as they are apparetnly prone to spontaneously dying which would suck as I only back up my files on one external. Just curious. Thanks!!!1
     
    gecko3500, Dec 11, 2006
    #24
  5. binkie7

    binkie7 Moderator Staff Member

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    Yep sounds like you have 2.0 usb - the enhanced part usually means that.

    And you not getting the 'device can perform faster' pop up.

    I was looking at the Western Digital My Book 250 gig at BB for 99.99. A friend of mine has that one and seems good so far.
    If the 500 gig are slower and don't have good reviews think I stick w/ the 250-300 gig ones.
    Yes that would suck if it died! eck!

    Another friend got some off brand external hard and that's what it did - died and didn't take long. So just looking at Western Digital or Seagate. Haven't heard too much on Maxtor externals.
     
    binkie7, Dec 11, 2006
    #25
  6. binkie7

    binkie7 Moderator Staff Member

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    Just an update on the external burner.

    I did get the Samsung SE-W184M for Xmas. But I returned it for an external Seagate hard drive.
    2 reasons - I noticed no booktyping capability on the drive and the minimum system specs for the processor required were high. All my pc's exceeded the minimum ram of 500 mb but only 2 meet the processor requirement of 2.8 ghz.
    My laptop is only 1.73 ghz & that's what I mainly got it for.
    Bought the LiteOn SHM-165P6SX - only requires 256 mb ram and a 1.3 processor. So far so good burning w/ it.
     
    binkie7, Dec 31, 2006
    #26
  7. creaky

    creaky Moderator Staff Member

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    Happy New Year all..

    i just bought a couple more Belkin USB2.0 enclosures for extra burners, for swapping between PC's
     
    creaky, Dec 31, 2006
    #27
  8. binkie7

    binkie7 Moderator Staff Member

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    Happy New Year!

    Dumb question for you creaky (haven't looked much into it) - do the Belkins have enclosures just for burners? I was thinking of doing that but in a quick search only found enclosures for hard drives and a guide on using one for a burner.
     
    binkie7, Dec 31, 2006
    #28
  9. creaky

    creaky Moderator Staff Member

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    The Belkin's i use can be used for both optical drives and hard drives as they're so big inside, but i don't often look for burner enclosures as i only use Belkins for that so i don't know how much choice is out there for burners.

    However for hard drives i do know there's gazillions of enclosures out there. At the moment i'm using one of these cheap & cheerful USB2.0 enclosures for my 120MB MP3 hard drive -
    [​IMG]

    ..works a treat and i move it easily and transparently between my Linux laptop and Windows/Linux Burner PC, USB is excellent when you get a decent chipset :)

    But for no reason whatsoever i'm mulling over getting one or two of these with a 250GB drive to replace the 120GB enclosure for MP3's to future proof myself a bit (i sure do like my music) -
    [​IMG]
    (lots of nice lights and buttons).

    These are the Belkin burner enclosures i swear by (i've had 2 for the longest time, just bought another 2) - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Hi-Speed-External-Drive-Enclosure/dp/B0001GYNJ2

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2007
    creaky, Dec 31, 2006
    #29
  10. binkie7

    binkie7 Moderator Staff Member

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    Txs for the tips creaky!

    I'd go with the one with the lights - looks cooler :0)

    Yeah I need to start future proofing my stuff too - have it all over different pc's - time to consolidate and save :)
     
    binkie7, Dec 31, 2006
    #30
  11. kar10

    kar10 Member

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    LITE-ON Black Model SHM-165P6SX

    Does the above model have any problems burning ISO. I'm refering to making a back up of my DVD movies.
     
    kar10, Jan 7, 2007
    #31
  12. Ripper

    Ripper Active member

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    No it won't.
     
    Ripper, Jan 7, 2007
    #32
  13. binkie7

    binkie7 Moderator Staff Member

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    Yep Ripper's right.
    That's the one I picked and no problems so far doing any type of burning w/ it.
     
    binkie7, Jan 7, 2007
    #33
  14. mackdl

    mackdl Regular member

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    Informative thread, a few questions though.

    I'm concerned about the heat, is that still an issue if one has an external burner drive? Binkie, what cooling pad do you recommend?



     
    mackdl, Jan 8, 2007
    #34
  15. binkie7

    binkie7 Moderator Staff Member

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    Heat can be issue with laptop's. They don't have the best airflow and ain't the easiest to clean out.

    I've only burned 2 (?) with the external and laptop so far - & no difference then using the internal burner.
    I don't use the laptop as much to burn as I do the pc's.

    I just have a cooling pad I picked up at Best Buy called Targus. Only one they had. Think it was $20.
    Even those fans are getting dusty now!

    I'd like to find one that has a little stronger fan.
     
    binkie7, Jan 8, 2007
    #35
  16. mackdl

    mackdl Regular member

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    Thanks Binkie,

    They have the Targus on sale this week at Staples (Canada). I don't really have a huge choice of stores locally. I guess I'll look for online reviews, and see what's available in the big cities or wait for a sale at NCIX. I've only tested the drive the one time but did notice it got fairly warm.
     
    mackdl, Jan 8, 2007
    #36
  17. binkie7

    binkie7 Moderator Staff Member

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    Let me know if you get one - I'd like to get a new one myself but one w/ a little stronger fan.


    I didn't notice the drive itself getting warm. Using a 2.0 usb port?
     
    binkie7, Jan 8, 2007
    #37
  18. mackdl

    mackdl Regular member

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    Binkie, it's an internal drive. I felt the top of the laptop where the drive is. I didn't feel the rest of the laptop. Guess I should have, huh?

    I've looked at the external drives at Costco. They had a LiteOn and a Plextor. The Plextor enclosurer had a fan while the LiteOn didn't. I concluded that perhaps they do produce heat? Or is it just the cpu? Anyways, I hummed and hawed too long, and they are no longer.

    Wow, the Samsung had a minimum requirement of 2.8 ghz! I will have to keep that in mind when I look at externals again. I looked through my flyers and didn't see 1 laptop that would meet that requirement.



     
    mackdl, Jan 8, 2007
    #38
  19. mackdl

    mackdl Regular member

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    mackdl, Jan 9, 2007
    #39
  20. binkie7

    binkie7 Moderator Staff Member

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    Sorry about that mackdl - I was thinking you were talking about an external burner getting hot after 1 use.

    My internal burner in the laptop can get warm - the cooling pan does help though.

    Yeah those specs on the Samsung 18x are high - funny thing was in the instruction manual they show pics of hooking it up to laptop!

    Ever consider a LiteOn? Great drive and cheaper than the Plextor (126 is kinda high imo for a refurbished).
    I think the minimum is 1.3 ghz and 256mb ram.
     
    binkie7, Jan 9, 2007
    #40
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