Dvd CDr CDrw All in One Combo Burner?, Part 2

I guess I don't get out very much because a handful of Infopackets Readers informed me today that there are indeed DVD Records which also burn CD-R and CD-R/W discs.

Chris J. wrote in and told me about his Sony DVD-Burner, model DRU500A. This drive was a popular pick among many other Gazette Readers:

" I have a Sony DRU500A DVD – CD Burner. It writes in DVD+RW (2.4x), DVD-RW (2.0x) & CD-RW (10x) and reads in DVD+R (2.4x), DVD-R (4x), CD-R (24x) and CD-Rom (32x) formats. It retails for $350, but I’ve seen it as low as $315 on the Internet. So far it’s working great. "

Rob R. also wrote in and told me about his Pioneer 104 drive he purchased, and gave a few pointers to newbie would-be DVD-Burner purchasers, such as myself:

" Dennis: Let me start by saying thanks for your dedication to a great newsletter. Keep up the good work and good things will happen! I purchased my Prioneer DVD DVD Recorder / CD-R / CD-RW drive 4 months ago for $280 USD [DVD Read - Max 8,100 KBps CD Read - Max 3,600 KBps DVD Write - Max 2,700 KBps (2x DVD-R) CD Write - Max 1,200 KBps (8x CD-R)].

Cost of media can vary, largely depending on the manufacturer. Generic purple true 2x media has dropped from $2.90 US to $1.60 or so. I've used their generic disc's that are only $1.00 each with mixed results. All Disc's will work in a computer, however, some DVD players will not read the 'cheapies'.

I tell people if they are interested in purchasing a set top player and have a burner: make sure you take a demo Disc with you to play at the brick and mortar store where you wish to purchase the DVD player. This will ensure compatibility. The standards right now similar to where CD burners were in the mid 90's. I'm not sure who will win the battle between -R and +R, but my thoughts are that whoever makes their standard more playable in set top's, they will emerge as the winner. "

Side note: I always like getting emails from readers that start out in a friendly manner. Take Rob's email (above) for instance -- it starts out, "Hello my Friend". Reading stuff like that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Thinking of buying a DVD-Burner?

There are lots of makes and models out there.

If you're thinking about buying one of these babies, be sure to do some research on the net. My advice is to stick with a brand-name burner, like Sony or Pioneer. You can start your bargain hunting by using Google and type in "DVD Burner review" (or something similar). Research various features and manufacturers -- write them down if necessary and compare at a later time before making your final decision.