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Topic: Computer DVD drive |
Colm Chomicky
From:
Kansas, (Prairie Village)
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Posted 21 Nov 2006 11:59 am |
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My internal DVD drive is shot. It used to read DVDs and CDs.
I thinking of just getting an external DVD drive. Maybe getting one that reads and given that costs are very reasonable might as well write too.
I want to make sure if I get an external drive it can read various DVD formats, especially typical DVD formats used with steel instructional materials. Therefore, if I get an external drive, what media types should I make sure it supports ?
PS. We don't have a DVD player for the home TV except for my kids older X-box, it reads only very limited media types and won't work for various steel instructional materials. Only movies from Blockbuster etc. I'm thinking buying something for the computer is more utilitarian than buying something for the TV.
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 21 Nov 2006 1:55 pm
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Why not just replace the internal drive? Much cheaper. You can buy a DVD/CD burner that will burn both DVD Plus and Minus media so it should be compatible with almost anything.
The only thing is commercial movie DVD's - most are copy protected and many will not play on a PC's DVD player - either internal or external.
Here is one from Newegg. I have two of them - one installed internal and one in a USB connected external housing. They work great and the price is right. I have one connected externally so I can burn two CD's at one time. If I installed both internally I couldn't burn two CD's at a time.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827151133 |
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Gary Shepherd
From:
Fox, Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 22 Nov 2006 9:54 am
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If you've recently installed QuickTime, try removing it first. That thing ALWAYS screws up my CD/DVD drive.
Otherwise, you can replace your drive on eBay for less than $40.
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Gary Shepherd
Carter D-10
www.16tracks.com
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Colm Chomicky
From:
Kansas, (Prairie Village)
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Posted 22 Nov 2006 5:45 pm
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Thanks Jack. Thanks Gary
The old DVD-CD drive is a Samsung. So I assume the one Jack linked to at New Egg will fit inside where the one to be replaced goes. I am not that familiar with these things, if the slot size is fairly standard, etc. Plus I assume for screws and cables just reuse the existing when taking out the old drive
Last time I opened my computer was to put in 500MB of RAM.
I have an older Dell Dimension 4500 w DVD/CD drive (Not reading DVDs and but reading CDs sometimes) and second CD R/W drive (working fine). Pentium 4, 1.8 GHz, Windows XP home edition.
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 23 Nov 2006 2:56 am
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| The drive I referred you to will fit just fine. They are all "standard" size. |
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Jon Moen
From:
Canada
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Posted 23 Nov 2006 6:32 am
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Sometimes the only problem is a dirty lens.
Jon |
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Mike Shefrin
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Posted 23 Nov 2006 7:08 am
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Colm,
Jon may be right. Try cleaning the lens with a CD cleaning disc before you buy anything. It's good to have one anyway. |
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Colm Chomicky
From:
Kansas, (Prairie Village)
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Posted 23 Nov 2006 8:38 am
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Thanks guys,
According to the manufacturer, cleaning is not recommended. There are limitations with this drive in that it is also is read only. The price is right on a new one with write capabilities so I'm just going to upgrade. I'll play around with the old drive see if I can get it to work out of curiousity. I really can't hurt it at this point, given I'm getting a more versatile replacement. (if nothing else works, maybe a small firecraker will blast the lens clean) |
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Gary Shepherd
From:
Fox, Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 23 Nov 2006 9:10 am
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Dual layer DVD/CD drives that write are way cheap nowadays.
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Gary Shepherd
Carter D-10
www.16tracks.com
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Colm Chomicky
From:
Kansas, (Prairie Village)
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Posted 27 Nov 2006 7:54 pm
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Jack, the new DVD R/W drive ought to be here any day now. Once I get it up and running, I'll put together a DVD of some of the Kansas City steel players in action.
Given that there is a choice of different DVD formats, what format is best to burn to for the average home viewer ? |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 28 Nov 2006 2:59 am
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The DVD format is "optional". It mainly depends on what DVD reader you are using. Some will read both formats, some will only read one format. e.g. I have a portable DVD player (with a screen) and it will only read DVD minus media, not DVD plus.
I have both plus and minus DVD blanks on hard and except if I'm making something specifically for the portable player, I don't make any distinction.
Here is something I got one time from the local newspaper on DVD types.
DVD-R and DVD-RW. The first recordable format, allows users to write to a disc only once. The DVD-RW feature allows for re-writes but to play the discs on a standard DVD player or a computer, the disc must be finalized, meaning it can't be recorded to again.
DVD+R and DVD+RW. The most recently developed formats are the +R and +RW. The plus sign indicates the recordings on +R or +RW discs do not have to be finalized before viewing. You can write over what you've recorded or watch an already recorded disc and add more to it later.
DVD-RAM. It's main advantage is being able to keep taping the end of a program while watching the beginning of the same program. DVD-RAM recordings are not viewable on most standard DVD players. But RAM recorders often offer an additional DVD-R feature as a way to share recordings with others.
DVD-ROM. This format covers the discs you buy with movies or shows already recorded on them. They are playable in most every DVD device, but can't be recorded to. DVD-ROM's can also store software and music
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