What CD/DVD drive should I go with

[AbominableJinx]

I am about ready to order my new system, and I have no idea what cd dvd drive to go with. I am ordering a system from Monarch, and they dont have NEC, which I wanted. I dont know whether to go with a combo drive such as one of these below, or get two seperate drives?

Samsung SM-352NENB 2MB Cache

Lite-On 16x DVD 48x CD-ROM

 

[joecool]

pioneer 108

 

[Gerbil333]

I have the Lite-On 48x24x48x16x CD/DVD combo drive, and it works great. If you decide to go with the Lite-On, then Newegg offers a better deal: Lite On 52x32x52x16 combo drive -- $42 shipped
Edit: The forums are screwed up and I can't get the link to work. Search Newegg.com for "N82E16827106932"

BTW, are you aware that 8x dual layer DVD burners are only $20 more? As everyone is recommending, the Pioneer 108 would be the best optical drive you could get. I'm personally going to get a NEC ND-3500A 16x DVD burner because I only want a single drive, and the Pioneer is limited to 32x CD burning...I'll still want to burn a lot of CD-R's, and the NEC can do 48x.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Pioneer DVD burner.

 

[AbominableJinx]

I would get the Pioneer, but there again, Monarch doesnt have that one either. They have Liteon, Asus, Plextor (I think the plexe's they have are only CD rewriters), LG,MSI, Sony, (which I wouldnt ever own again) Ben-Q, and samsung.

Is this one the same as yours Gerbil? <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductdesc.asp?description=27-106-932&amp;depa=0">http://www.newegg.com/app/v......106-932&amp;depa=0</a>">http://www.newegg.com/app/view...=27-106-932&amp;depa=0</a>
I am not familiar with the dual layer drives. I am so confused with all these. If I get the Liteon combo drive, would the Pioneer be compatible with it if I purchased it later on? Or would that be the same type of drive as the Liteon?

By the way, Monarch is building my system in case you guys are wondering why I dont get the parts from new egg. Unfortunatly, they dont quite have every component like New egg does. And I cant build anything,

 

[Gerbil333]

Originally posted by: AbominableJinx
I would get the Pioneer, but there again, Monarch doesnt have that one either. They have Liteon, Asus, Plextor (I think the plexe's they have are only CD rewriters), LG,MSI, Sony, (which I wouldnt ever own again) Ben-Q, and samsung.

Is this one the same as yours Gerbil? <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductdesc.asp?description=27-106-932&amp;depa=0">http://www.newegg.com/app/v......106-932&amp;depa=0</a>">http://www.newegg.com/app/view...=27-106-932&amp;depa=0</a>
I am not familiar with the dual layer drives. I am so confused with all these. If I get the Liteon combo drive, would the Pioneer be compatible with it if I purchased it later on? Or would that be the same type of drive as the Liteon?

That link is for the drive I recommened (the 52x32x52x16 CD/DVD combo version). I have the 48x24x48x16x model, and apparently Newegg no longer sells it.

Any IDE drives will "be compatible"...as long as you have an open slot and connector (an average motherboard will offer 2 IDE ports, each allowing for 2 drives).

The drives you're looking at don't burn DVD's. They read CD's, burn CD-R's/RW's, and read DVD's. The Pioneer 108 and NEC ND-3500A, among other drives, are DVD burners. Any DVD drive should be able to read a dual layer disc, but only the new DVD burners can burn dual layer DVD's. However, dual layer media is very expensive and rare right now, so it's a moot point.

 

[AbominableJinx]

Ok I understand now, thanks Well, as long as it will read some of my older cd-rom games Like Baldurs Gate1, and some others, and copy music cd's, thats all I need. I did want two seperate drives, but I guess they arent really necesary right? I think I asked this before, but want to make sure. If I copy, for instance, a music cd with this Liteon Combo, you just copy it onto the hard drive, then burn it correct? Would that be slower than having a seperate burner or would it make any diference?

 

[joeisabigdork]

Two separate drives aren't 'necessary'. Personally, I am about to purchase a normal cheap quality DVD drive, most likely the lite-on you suggested in the beginning of the post. The reason is because I don't like the fact that if I want to burn something, I'll have to put it on the hard drive FIRST then burn it on the CD, practically doubling the time it takes to burn.

I have a Lite-On 8x Dual layer DVD+R burner and it works great, but I'm rather disappointed that less than a month after buying it there's 12x and 16x burners out there. =X

 

[ScrapSilicon]

If I copy, for instance, a music cd with this Liteon Combo, you just copy it onto the hard drive, then burn it correct?

correct..it will create an image

Would that be slower than having a seperate burner or would it make any diference?

not much difference..screw that ....what a crudup on teh linkage..http://www.monarchcomputer.com...tegory_Code=cdrw-combo

 

[Gerbil333]

Originally posted by: AbominableJinx
Ok I understand now, thanks Well, as long as it will read some of my older cd-rom games Like Baldurs Gate1, and some others, and copy music cd's, thats all I need. I did want two seperate drives, but I guess they arent really necesary right? I think I asked this before, but want to make sure. If I copy, for instance, a music cd with this Liteon Combo, you just copy it onto the hard drive, then burn it correct? Would that be slower than having a seperate burner or would it make any diference?

Right, you'd either use Nero or some other burning software to clone the music CD (it would copy it to the hd for you and then burn it), or you'd rip the music CD to your hard drive in MP3/OGG/WMA/other format and then burn it. The second method would be a huge waste of time and sound quality though.

 

[AbominableJinx]

I am a man of many questions here, sorry. I have heard of this nero software. I hear some burners wont read that software. Will the liteon read it ok? And does it come with it? Also, would the sound quality be better if I had a seperate drive? If I copyed a cd onto a hard drive, wouldnt that go into mp3 format? Or is that where the nero comes in, and avoids doing that? Hope this made sence?

 

[Gerbil333]

I've never had trouble with Nero.

No, the sound quality would be the same. CD's/DVD's = digital. The data will be the same on all drives.

If I copyed a cd onto a hard drive, wouldnt that go into mp3 format?

Not if you copy the CD. Copying/Cloning involves reading the disc and recording it exactly the way the bits are written. Turning a music CD into MP3 format adds another step: The bits are read and then converted and compressed into the MP3 format. Compression loses quality, as data must be omitted. Burning MP3's back into an audio CD requires the computer to re-encode the files to the standard audio format. That's quite a waste of time. If you want to have MP3's of the CD on your computer, rip the CD. If you want to copy the CD, copy it, but don't rip it to MP3 format. If you want MP3's and a copy of the CD, then do both...copy the disc, then rip it (it doesn't matter which one you do first of course).

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Gerbil333
I have the Lite-On 48x24x48x16x CD/DVD combo drive, and it works great. If you decide to go with the Lite-On, then Newegg offers a better deal: Lite On 52x32x52x16 combo drive -- $42 shipped
Edit: The forums are screwed up and I can't get the link to work. Search Newegg.com for "N82E16827106932"

I got my dad that 52x combo drive earlier this year...sucker is LOUD. All the drives in my home are Lite-on, and that is the only one that really makes noise. Luckily, it only makes noise for a short time because it burns so quick

I've heard that the 48x combo drive is somewhat quieter...that's what I want to go with for my secondary drive (my old DVD-ROM crapped out and the main drive is a Lite-on DVD burner, so I've been using the Lite-on CD-ROM drive that came with my computer as the secondary for copies and whatnot...I want another 16x DVD-ROM, and having an extra CD burner just in case seems like a good idea).

Edit: Gerbil333 is right tho, for $20 more you have have the NEC 2510a dual-layer DVD/CD burner, or even the Pioneer or an NEC 3500 for a tad bit more. Good investments all around

 

[AbominableJinx]

Many thanks Gerbil! I will go with the Liteon then. Probably will get a dvd burner later on, since this system will break the bank.

Thanks again!

 

[AbominableJinx]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Gerbil333
I have the Lite-On 48x24x48x16x CD/DVD combo drive, and it works great. If you decide to go with the Lite-On, then Newegg offers a better deal: Lite On 52x32x52x16 combo drive -- $42 shipped
Edit: The forums are screwed up and I can't get the link to work. Search Newegg.com for "N82E16827106932"

I got my dad that 52x combo drive earlier this year...sucker is LOUD. All the drives in my home are Lite-on, and that is the only one that really makes noise. Luckily, it only makes noise for a short time because it burns so quick

Yeah from the reviews I read at newegg, they are noisy as hell. As long as it stops after a burn I guess would be ok. Does it make noise when it isnt burning? lol.

 

[Gerbil333]

Originally posted by: AbominableJinx

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Gerbil333
I have the Lite-On 48x24x48x16x CD/DVD combo drive, and it works great. If you decide to go with the Lite-On, then Newegg offers a better deal: Lite On 52x32x52x16 combo drive -- $42 shipped
Edit: The forums are screwed up and I can't get the link to work. Search Newegg.com for "N82E16827106932"

I got my dad that 52x combo drive earlier this year...sucker is LOUD. All the drives in my home are Lite-on, and that is the only one that really makes noise. Luckily, it only makes noise for a short time because it burns so quick

Yeah from the reviews I read at newegg, they are noisy as hell. As long as it stops after a burn I guess would be ok. Does it make noise when it isnt burning? lol.

Oh, I forgot about that Yea, all my Lite Ons are loud. I've gotten used to it. hehe.

 

[AbominableJinx]

Lol I wonder, since I am getting an Antec performance plus case, with the door shut it will quiet it down any? Or can a case door be shut while it is running? Will that overheat it?

 

[Gerbil333]

The case door won't help much with noise, and no, it won't overheat the driveto have the door shut.

I have two Chieftec Dragon towers, which are Antec clones (click the link in my sig for pics...ignore the specs, they haven't been updated in a long time). Shutting the door hardly changes the loudness of the Lite-On drives. They're slightly quieter, but it's more like the tone changes rather than the loudneses. I could record it in action tomorrow if you want. I'm going to have to get off the computer in a few minutes.

 

[AbominableJinx]

Yeah would like to hear it. Haha it must be loud if it could be recorded

Those are nice looking systems Gerbil. That blue and green light on that case is neat. Is that tower about 20 inches high? The one I want to get is the Antec Performance plus, which is 20 inches. But am still debating on the sonata. The only reason I dont want the sonata is the smaller PSU in it. The Performance plus has a 430. Kinda leery about geting a 380w with a amd64 3400 and a geforce 6800 GT

 

[Gerbil333]

Originally posted by: AbominableJinx
Yeah would like to hear it. Haha it must be loud if it could be recorded

Those are nice looking systems Gerbil. That blue and green light on that case is neat. Is that tower about 20 inches high? The one I want to get is the Antec Performance plus, which is 20 inches. But am still debating on the sonata. The only reason I dont want the sonata is the smaller PSU in it. The Performance plus has a 430. Kinda leery about geting a 380w with a amd64 3400 and a geforce 6800 GT

I built an A64 3000+ rig in an Antec Sonata last month for a friend. The Sonata was very quiet, and the sideways drive bays were great. I really enjoyed working with it! I considered replacing my own case with a Sonata, but I don't want to give up the side panel window, and I'd rather not mod one in.

 

[AbominableJinx]

That chieftec dragon looks pretty nice Gerbil. I dont blame you about not wanting to change it cause the panel, looks too cool that way! Looks like the same height as the Antec Performance Plus. Man I just cant decide on the case. I like the sonata, but am worried the psu it comes with wont be enough power for the 64 3400+ &amp; 6800 GT. I read a post on here today, and some say the power is more than enough, and others say its not enough. And I cant afford to go another 70 to 100 bucks on a bigger psu if I buy the sonata.

 

[htmlmasterdave]

I vote for the Liteon 16x DVD drive, I've had two and they work perfectly

 

[Gerbil333]

Originally posted by: AbominableJinx
That chieftec dragon looks pretty nice Gerbil. I dont blame you about not wanting to change it cause the panel, looks too cool that way! Looks like the same height as the Antec Performance Plus. Man I just cant decide on the case. I like the sonata, but am worried the psu it comes with wont be enough power for the 64 3400+ &amp; 6800 GT. I read a post on here today, and some say the power is more than enough, and others say its not enough. And I cant afford to go another 70 to 100 bucks on a bigger psu if I buy the sonata.

I forgot to mention that I didn't use the stock Antec TruePower 380W PSU in the Sonata. I needed a PSU for another computer anyway, so I bought an Antec True 431W to power the A64 3000+ instead.

I bet the 380W will work, but if it doesn't, you could sell it for about $50 here in the FS forums.

I recorded my Lite On drive. My free webspace won't let me upload MP3's though. If you'd like to hear it, I can e-mail the file to you. Just PM me with your address, or e-mail me (see profile). The audio clip is about 1 minute long, and about 1mb.

 

[AbominableJinx]

Hey Gerbil. I sent you a message. Thanks.

So if the power is enough, would it mess up the motherboard and graphics card?

 

[Gerbil333]

It shouldn't mess up the board. The components wouldn't get enough power and you'd be able to tell because:

-It may not boot
-It won't be stable