Notebook DVD-RW drive. Internal or external???

[skuba]

I have a Dell Inspiron 8100 Notebook, and I am interested in buying a DVD burner.
The notebook's USD is 1.1, so I have to go with an External firewire drive or an Internal.

The internal benefit is of course the convinience of being inside the notebook, but the disadvantage is that most models write only in 1x or 2x speeed.

So, I have also been considering getting an external drive. Which I could get a 4x or 8x speed drive.

Maybe you can help me. I have some questions.

- How is the performance of a firewire dvd burner? Is it as fast as let's say a desktop DVD burner?
- Do you recommend any brand/model for a firewire dvd burner?
- Should I go with the internal?
- What about compatibility with DVD players?

Hope hearing from you guys.

Thanks a lot,

 

[SickBeast]

Well, firewire tops out at around 5MB/second, which is right around 4X DVD speed AFAIK. I'm almost positive that you can get internal laptop drives at that speed, but aren't they all proprietary? You would probably have to go straight through Dell and pay through the nose for one.

The third option that you haven't realized is to buy a desktop DVD burner, install it in an external case, and then use it via firewire. Don't even try to go USS as 1.1 is waaaay to slow.

I would go external, with a 4X drive.

PS: "Are you for skuba??" 😀

 

[skuba]

firewire tops out at around 5MB/second, which is right around 4X DVD

So, you mean that using a 8x speed wound't do any better? So they make it 8x but it will only run 8x if used with USB 2.0?

I'm almost positive that you can get internal laptop drives at that speed, but aren't they all proprietary?

It seems that Toshiba makes compatible drives. I guess there are some generic brands too.

The third option that you haven't realized is to buy a desktop DVD burner, install it in an external case, and then use it via firewire. Don't even try to go USS as 1.1 is waaaay to slow.

I REALLY like that option. What kind of case is that? Is it a full computer case? How is it powered?
Any examples?

Thanks a lot

 

[AristoV300]

They make external cases that will hold regular 3.5" hard drives or optical drives. They have there own power supply that plugs into a wall socket.

 

[skuba]

So, I will be able to control the drives via firewire, I guess. Right?

Cool!

You mean 5.25, instead of 3.5", right? for dvd, cd, hard drives....

Do you think I will actually be able to duplicate DVD on the fly using also my internal DVD-rom?

I might get a dual bay and add another hard drive too, so I can have space to rip and copy the DVDs.

Thanks

 

[skuba]

mannn! So many options.

Well I can get a external firewire bay and a 8x desktop DVD burner, all for less than $100 , like $60 for the burner and $40 for the bay.
The only disdvantage is the bulkiness of the external bay.


Or I can get an external burner like you said $99 and a pcmicia USB2.0 card $30 moreless.
Advantage, it's almost like having USB2.0 built in.
Is the performance the same?

What to do???!!!!

 

[skuba]

So, would you go with an external DVD USB2.0 and a pcmcia USB 2.0 card or a external firewire bay with an Desktop DVD burner?

Thanks

 

[SickBeast]

Which drive has the thinner profile?

I personally prefer FireWire over USB2.0, but I suppose it would still be useful to have it. The performance is about the same (400mbps FireWire vs. 480mbps USB2.0), but FireWire has a few advantages. It can provide more power to a device, and there's something about the way the controller chip works that makes it better.

In any event, the $100 for the drive bay plus burner sounds like a great deal. It's useful cuz you can upgrade your burner later on also, and you can always port it over to your desktop computer.

You *should* be able to copy on the fly at 4X, or 2X at the very least. I'm pretty sure 8X would be a physical impossibility tho.

 

[skuba]

It can provide more power to a device, and there's something about the way the controller chip works that makes it better

More power and better how?

You *should* be able to copy on the fly at 4X, or 2X at the very least. I'm pretty sure 8X would be a physical impossibility tho.

You think 8x speed would be impossible because of the firewire connection?
When do you say on the fly, what do you mean? Because I can't just duplicate a DVD, I guess that's what on the fly would mean. If I could just duplicate, without having to rip anf then copy.

Thanks