What to Look For in CD-RW Drives
Jun 05 '00 (Updated Jul 05 '00)
CD-RW drives are the thing to buy nowadays. Your friends all tell you they're great, and that they are the most useful computer peripheral on the face of the planet. I'm here to tell you why that is, and give you pointers on buying one.
Why Buy:
CD-RW drives provide an easy method for backups on 650 MB CD-RW discs. They can also burn CD-Rs, which can be used to make music CDs, movies, etc.
What are CD-R and CD-RWs?
CD-Rs are burned once, and then, like any other CD-ROM, the contents cannot be can be overwritten or changed. (ROM stands for Read Only Memory.)They can be read in nearly all CD-ROM and CD-Audio drives. This means you can make mixes on CD to take in your car, or a copy of your home video to give Aunt Edna.
CD-RWs can be written over hundreds of times, with erasures, additions, etc. However, they can only be read by other CD-RW and a few newer CD-ROM drives (and more recently, a limited few audio players support them.) This is because they are less reflective than CD-Rs. They also tend to be slower to make than CD-Rs. Their lack of universal compatibility and slower write/read speeds make them more suited for backup purposes.
What kind of drive should I get?
There are several factors to consider:
Speed: CD-RW drives use the following format: Write x Rewrite x Read. This means that a 8x4x32 drive will burn CD-Rs at 8x (1200 kb/sec, over 1 MB/sec), burn CD-RWs at 4x (600 kb/sec), and read CDs at up to 32x. You should look for write speeds of at least 8x, as this means it will take about 10 minutes to burn a full CD. More speed (they make up to 12x as of this writing,) is optional, it's a matter of preference if you want to pay for faster speeds.
Internal or External: Inside the computer, or outside the computer. External should be USB, or SCSI if you want, though SCSI is an option if you already have a SCSI card (if you don't, don't bother with external SCSI, as it is a pain to install the card.)
Internal can be IDE, which connects like a regular hard drive or CD-ROM drive, or SCSI. IDE is easier to set up, but SCSI produces fewer failed burns due to buffer underrun, meaning you can go do other things on your PC while the CDs burn.
Buffer size
2-4 MB is about normal these days. The buffer is the only thing between your PC and a bad burn. If you want to do a lot of other stuff on your PC while burning CD's, a big buffer is a must. Also, it's important to note that the faster the drive is, the bigger buffer you'll need. A 8x CD-RW drive with a 4 MB buffer will have the same buffer time as a 4x with a 2 MB buffer.
Final notes:
The final decision should be based on your needs and preferences. Are you tech-savvy and want a fast, reliable burn, no matter the cost? Then a 10x or faster SCSI drive may be the way to go. Want an easier-to-setup drive and can't spend a fortune? Reliable 8x4x32 drives are getting cheaper as 10x and 12x drives are introduced. For example, the Plextor PlexWriter 8x4x32 drive is a solid IDE performer.
Overall, go shopping for a drive. Keep in mind your needs and your budget, and you should come out with a CD-RW drive perfectly suiting your needs.
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