DVD-R / DV RAM at Compusa $249 after $100 Rebate
- Thread starter Stevem627
- Start date
Hey,
Looks like a nice deal. $250 seems really nice. I've had a bunch of QPS drives.....nice products. Good pricing too! I don't know much about this particular drive, but they've always delivered great products in the past!
Mike D
Looks like a nice deal. $250 seems really nice. I've had a bunch of QPS drives.....nice products. Good pricing too! I don't know much about this particular drive, but they've always delivered great products in the past!
Mike D
Yea, the products are usually rebadged and basically good stuff but only do this deal if you are willing to wait 5 or 6 months for your rebate.
You can find some other threads in the forums about QPS rebates and how long it takes. I've been waiting a little over 5 months on a 24x CDRW. They said the other day that they were going out but I'm not holding my breath.
Honestly, I think they sped up the rebates for the 24x because they were pushing the DVDr this week with a rebate. Maybe CompUsa crawled their butts.
In other words just consider the rebate icing on the cake and don't figure that into your purchase because for all I know QPS could be having financial troubles and might go belly up in the next 6 months.
You can find some other threads in the forums about QPS rebates and how long it takes. I've been waiting a little over 5 months on a 24x CDRW. They said the other day that they were going out but I'm not holding my breath.
Honestly, I think they sped up the rebates for the 24x because they were pushing the DVDr this week with a rebate. Maybe CompUsa crawled their butts.
In other words just consider the rebate icing on the cake and don't figure that into your purchase because for all I know QPS could be having financial troubles and might go belly up in the next 6 months.
I can't agree with you MaDHaVoK, When netobjects went out of business and I thought I was screwed out of my $100 rebate, I called compusa and the sent me the check.
Am I the only one who finds the "Sorry...we're closed" page at CompUSA infuriating? I mean, what genius working there decided it would be a good idea to completely shut down their website for periods each day? This is the fourth time in the past week I've tried to look at something on their site, and the fourth time I've had to wait until they "reopened". Rediculous.
My experience with CompUSA rebates has been good, and with the rebates I had problems with, they gave me a credit for the amount so I was satisfied.
<< I can't agree with you MaDHaVoK, When netobjects went out of business and I thought I was screwed out of my $100 rebate, I called compusa and the sent me the check. >>
ROB,
I am afraid that I have to agree with MaDHaVoK
. I an still waiting on my manufacturer's rebate from last August for my $ 50 rebate for a QPS drives.I have called several times and CompUSA and the rebate center says that the dispersement has been delayed by the manufacturer. Corporate CompUSA says, the rebate center will fix it (but does not) and the manufacturer does not answer the phone.
My local CompUSA will honor the rebate, if the valid claim is denied but if it is "delayed" nothing happens.
Buyer beware on QPS rebate!
kevin
CUSA rebates are indeed a SCAM & as discussed earlier - DVD-R is not the way to go ---- get a DVD-RW.
So what can I do with this drive? I.e., Can I burn DVD disks that will play in my Television DVD Player? Or only stuff for my computer?
Anybody know a good site where I can read abotu the differences between DVD-R and DVD+R, I don't know what the difference is?
Anybody know where I can find the buring software (I know its illegal) that allows me to copy DVD movies from places like BlockBuster?
Anybody know a good site where I can read abotu the differences between DVD-R and DVD+R, I don't know what the difference is?
Anybody know where I can find the buring software (I know its illegal) that allows me to copy DVD movies from places like BlockBuster?
<< CUSA rebates are indeed a SCAM & as discussed earlier - DVD-R is not the way to go ---- get a DVD-RW. >>
Why? DVD-RW are NOT compatible with most players. DVD-R are very compatible. And DVD-R blanks are less than $3.
If you want data storage only (not video/vob), DVD-RAM may be the best alternative.
<< So what can I do with this drive? I.e., Can I burn DVD disks that will play in my Television DVD Player? Or only stuff for my computer?
Anybody know a good site where I can read abotu the differences between DVD-R and DVD+R, I don't know what the difference is?
Anybody know where I can find the buring software (I know its illegal) that allows me to copy DVD movies from places like BlockBuster? >>
The main use of this drive is to make DVD-R movie disks that play in DVD players. You use a capturing program to capture video, edit with another program, then author the DVD (with menus) with another program. Ulead DVD Movie Factory is cheap and does all of these functions well. I would recommend agains DVDit or MyDVD which come bundled with most drives.
You can "rip" commercial DVDs, but I don't think it is worth the time. Just buy the DVD for $10 or so and have the real copy! Even making backups of DVDs you own for personal use is illegal.
Most people use these for authoring home movies to DVD or archiving old shows, VHS, laserdiscs that are not available commercially.
Check out dvdrhelp.com, avforum.com, and dv.com for some info.
DVD+ is a more expensive format that does offer some advantages. But the dominating format currently is DVD-R. It is the most compatible, the chepest media, and has the most manufacturers supporting it.
With the new blue light laser burners coming out later this year from Sony and others to follow, packing 30GBs on a CD, I'd imagine DVD writer prices are going to be as cheap as CD burners soon.
This is a 1X DVD-R drive which translates into an hour for a burn. The 4X's will take 15mins for a burn and will probably be this price within the year so unless you are in a big hurry to burn your moviecam footage on DVD you might want to wait a while.
You can't copy rented DVDs 1 to 1 like you can CDs. One reason is the macrovision copy protection as well as other copy protection like serial numbers on the physical disc themselves that the player reads and matches with the serial within the files on the DVD. Then, a rented DVD is as large as 17GBs while blank DVDs are only 4.7GBs, one reason you can't make copies of retail DVDs. What you can do with some movies is rip out the menus and credits, and the different camera angles and the interviews and whatever else is extra on the DVD and then you might be able to fit the movie onto a blank DVD, but after all that time and effort, then factor in the cost of the burner itself and the cost of the blank DVD and the cost of the movie rented, you end up spending more money than buying the movie for $17.00. That's assuming that you don't make any mistakes. This unit doesn't have DVD-RAM to make a test burn on so writting is real time, screw up and you have a $5 to $7 coster.
This may help: vcdhelp.com
This is a 1X DVD-R drive which translates into an hour for a burn. The 4X's will take 15mins for a burn and will probably be this price within the year so unless you are in a big hurry to burn your moviecam footage on DVD you might want to wait a while.
You can't copy rented DVDs 1 to 1 like you can CDs. One reason is the macrovision copy protection as well as other copy protection like serial numbers on the physical disc themselves that the player reads and matches with the serial within the files on the DVD. Then, a rented DVD is as large as 17GBs while blank DVDs are only 4.7GBs, one reason you can't make copies of retail DVDs. What you can do with some movies is rip out the menus and credits, and the different camera angles and the interviews and whatever else is extra on the DVD and then you might be able to fit the movie onto a blank DVD, but after all that time and effort, then factor in the cost of the burner itself and the cost of the blank DVD and the cost of the movie rented, you end up spending more money than buying the movie for $17.00. That's assuming that you don't make any mistakes. This unit doesn't have DVD-RAM to make a test burn on so writting is real time, screw up and you have a $5 to $7 coster.
This may help: vcdhelp.com
<< With the new blue light laser burners coming out later this year from Sony and others to follow, packing 30GBs on a CD, I'd imagine DVD writer prices are going to be as cheap as CD burners soon.
This is a 1X DVD-R drive which translates into an hour for a burn. The 4X's will take 15mins for a burn and will probably be this price within the year so unless you are in a big hurry to burn your moviecam footage on DVD you might want to wait a while.
You can't copy rented DVDs 1 to 1 like you can CDs. One reason is the macrovision copy protection as well as other copy protection like serial numbers on the physical disc themselves that the player reads and matches with the serial within the files on the DVD. Then, a rented DVD is as large as 17GBs while blank DVDs are only 4.7GBs, one reason you can't make copies of retail DVDs. What you can do with some movies is rip out the menus and credits, and the different camera angles and the interviews and whatever else is extra on the DVD and then you might be able to fit the movie onto a blank DVD, but after all that time and effort, then factor in the cost of the burner itself and the cost of the blank DVD and the cost of the movie rented, you end up spending more money than buying the movie for $17.00. That's assuming that you don't make any mistakes. This unit doesn't have DVD-RAM to make a test burn on so writting is real time, screw up and you have a $5 to $7 coster.
This may help: vcdhelp.com >>
You don't have to really worry about screwing up. After you have ripped and editted the dvd it isn't that hard to test it with powerdvd. You can just point powerdvd to the directory and play the movie. If it works then you can burn it.
Ripping and editting a dvd is simple. Go to Link to find easy guide for it.
Jim
That is not a true statement - DVD-RW is the most compatible - check the latest MAXIMUM PC and various net forums.
quote:::
Why? DVD-RW are NOT compatible with most players. DVD-R are very compatible. And DVD-R blanks are less than $3.
If you want data storage only (not video/vob), DVD-RAM may be the best alternative
just in reply to compusa rebates being a scam..............I bought a maxtor 40 gig hd to get a palm m100 for free after rebates. After 4 months of waiting I finally called compusa and they gave me a website to check my rebate status. The website had no record of it. I emailed customer service about it and they told me to contact their rebate department by phone. To make a long story short, after about 8 total hours on hold, 4 different customer service reps, 1 supervisor, and another 3 months, I finally got my money. By the way, I provided them with photocopy proof of my purchase, upc's, and rebate form and they still gave me the run around for that long. I recently bought a belkin wireless router and pcmcia wireless laptop card and sent in for the rebate and to no suprise, their web-based rebate tracking has no record of my rebate submission. I think the people working in the rebate dept. get bonuses for the number of rebates they can throw out each month. Compusa= SUCK.
Although this looked pretty interesting, I think I will wait until the speeds pick up!
CD-ROM Read Speed: 24 X
CD-ROM Rewrite Speed: 12 X
CD-ROM Write Speed: 12 X
DVD-ROM Read Speed: 6 X
DVD Write Speed: 2 X
Looks like a slow drive to me. I'd prefer a faster CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD-ROM! The DVD Write Speed, although may seem slow, is not the same as CD-RW speeds. Meaning 2X DVD Write is much faster than 2X CD Write!
I wonder if the DVD media has come down yet?
CD-ROM Read Speed: 24 X
CD-ROM Rewrite Speed: 12 X
CD-ROM Write Speed: 12 X
DVD-ROM Read Speed: 6 X
DVD Write Speed: 2 X
Looks like a slow drive to me. I'd prefer a faster CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD-ROM! The DVD Write Speed, although may seem slow, is not the same as CD-RW speeds. Meaning 2X DVD Write is much faster than 2X CD Write!
I wonder if the DVD media has come down yet?
DrPizza
Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
One thing I found worrying is the lifetime of the 4X laser diode - only 4000 hours. I wonder what the 2X lifetime is?
I'm not positive, but I believe the 4x burners are approximately 5MB per second.
5MB/sec * 60sec/min *60min/hour *4000 hrs = 72000000MB.
or a little over 70,000GB. That's like filling 700 100GB hard drives. Or, if you copy movies, that's 16000 hours worth of movies.
Or, if you watch movies 16 hours a day, that's 1000 days worth of movies.
Still worried??
Even if I'm off by a LOT, 4000 hours is still equal to running your burner 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for 2 years. If you're burning *that* much, I'm sure you'll upgrade to a 16x burner that'll be out by then, and sell yours with 3500 hours of use on Ebay.
I'm not positive, but I believe the 4x burners are approximately 5MB per second.
5MB/sec * 60sec/min *60min/hour *4000 hrs = 72000000MB.
or a little over 70,000GB. That's like filling 700 100GB hard drives. Or, if you copy movies, that's 16000 hours worth of movies.
Or, if you watch movies 16 hours a day, that's 1000 days worth of movies.
Still worried??
Even if I'm off by a LOT, 4000 hours is still equal to running your burner 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for 2 years. If you're burning *that* much, I'm sure you'll upgrade to a 16x burner that'll be out by then, and sell yours with 3500 hours of use on Ebay.
I bet you were one of those kids that didn't do too well in school but knew lots of useless info, am I right DrPizza?
DrPizza
Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Nah, I was one of those kids with straight A's and a 4.0 in college. But... most of the stuff I learned there was useless info too!
<< Even making backups of DVDs you own for personal use is illegal. >>
Since when can I not make backups of DVDs (or CDs, games, and other digital media)? I thought it has always been perfectly legal to make one backup copy of stuff like this in case anything happens to the original. Either way, I don't imagine anyone busting into my home and arresting me for making backups of movies I own. This can actually come in handy by copying my movies to CD-R (using DivX) so I can watch them on my non-DVD laptop
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