Need an external DVD+/-RW Recommendation

[schmosef]

Hi Guys,

I have a lot of DVD copying to do for various clients. I have to make several hundred copies of some documentaries that they own the rights to. Also, I have a friend who's wedding is coming up and she wants to make several hundred copies of the video to send with her "thank you" cards.

I need to buy an external DVD+/-RW burner. Either Firewire or SCSI. It should support dual layer and hopefully have support for things like Mount Rainer format.

Any recommendations?

[Chucky Cheese]

...can't go wrong with plextor...can you??

cc

[schmosef]

I don't know, I've had a lot of Plextor drives in the past and I have to say that they've had good models and they've had bad models.

One thing that really helped them was updatable firmware. There was a time when you had to mail order updated firmware chips. During the warranty period, the chips were free and you only had to pay for shipping and handling. But they updated their firmware so often (officially and unofficially) that I remember I had to do three separate mail orders for this one customer.

Is there a specific Plextor model that you recommend? Otherwise, I'll do some research to see what people are saying about their current line up.

[Jammrock]

http://www.plextor.com/english/products/716uf.htm

Fast burning, dual layer, firewire and USB 2.0 support ... can't go wrong. Price is kind of steep, but I've always found it worth it considering the cheap ones die in a couple of years and I have yet to have one of my Plextors die on me yet (I own 3). $200 in NewEgg.com

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Submit=Go&DEPA=0&type=&description=px-716uf&Category=0&minPrice=&maxPrice=&Go.x=0&Go.y=0

Comes in lots of pretty colors, too.

Jammrock

[degrub]

Buy the 712 and save a few bucks. Not much 16x media out there.

[PAugustin]

You can also get a Nec burner, they come cheap and are among the best on the market. You just have to put it in an external box. It will probably be cheaper than the Plextor solution (wich is very good) and be as good. Nec burners don't support Mt Rainer but as far as I can see almost no one does...

[Chucky Cheese]

i am in total agreement with jammrock on the 716uf

i too have had a lot of past products from plextor...and none of them have failed during my ownership

i have 3 708s' now. i can make multiple copies in one burning session of the same iso file...very nice!

cc