Burning DVDs ... It's Easy Using This Samsung!
Written: May 16 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: simple to install and operate, takes a variety of blank media, Lightscribe technology
Cons: some USB issues when this is plugged in with other USB devices
The Bottom Line: This Samsung DVD writer works well for us even if it does have a few quirks.
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| dlstewart's Full Review: Samsung (SES204NAMBN) DVD±RW Dual Layer Burne... |
Once again my job title has taken on new meaning and yet another task has been added. I don’t complain, though, since I love technical jobs no matter how rote. My computer now supports this Samsung External DVD Writer.
Description
There is nothing fancy about the looks of this external DVD writer. It measures 6 1/2” wide x 9” deep x 2” high. Essentially it resembles a black box with the Samsung name and the word WriteMaster on the top of the case. This product comes with the power supply/power cord and USB cable. The machine weights a little over 2 1/2 pounds.
The front of the machine has an open/close button on the right side, beneath the disc tray. There are also lights to indicate the DVD player is operational. The back of the unit has ports for two plugs: the power cord and a USB 2.0 plug. Note: If the computer does not support USB 2.0, then a USB 2.0 Adapter Card needs to be installed for the writer to work at optimal speed.
A holder is provided so that the burner can sit vertically if desired. Note: If the writer is placed in a vertical position, it cannot hold 3.15” discs. When the driver is situated horizontally (like I did), then it will hold both 3.15” and 4.72” discs.
A CD also comes with the equipment. It contains a User’s Manual in many languages as well as the following software: Nero Express 7, InCD5, Nero Vision Express, Nero BackItUp, Nero Showtime, Nero Recode, Nero Lightscribe.
System Requirements are:
Microsoft Windows 2000 (SP4), XP (SP 1.0 or higher), Vista
Pentium 4 (2.85 GHz or above)
512 mb or RAM or greater
USB 2.0 Interface Connector
The User Guide has an excellent section for which types of media and brands to use in the machine. It lists speeds and specifications as well. This writer handles: DVD(minus) R, ROM, R Dual, RAM, RW … DVD(plus) R, R Dual, RW … CD (minus) R, RW. The writer also supports playback for various disc types. Reading and recording speed is between 12x and 48x, depending upon the type of media used. Overall write speed is 20x. The Samsung also has a cache buffer of 2 mb.
Our Experiences
Our company enjoys the convenience of this portable external DVD writer. Before it came into my possession, one of the sales/marketing people had the drive connected to a laptop and used it to burn DVDs of company product that was being used in the field so that potential customers could see the product being used in real-life situations.
Now this Samsung DVD writer is connected to my desktop PC. It is so simple to install and operate. Just plug the power cord into the power supply, and the USB cable into the back of the writer. Then plug the power cord into an outlet and the USB cable into the computer. If you need further instructions a handy User Guide is on a CD. The CD also contains software needed to burn DVDs.
I have the Nero software installed on my computer (easy to do … just follow the installation prompts). My latest “job hat” is to burn copies of DVDs that have been filmed of our products in action. I have the master DVDs, and as they are needed for promotional or sales campaigns, I burn them. This DVD writer is only used for small jobs. If we need hundreds of DVDs (say for a tradeshow) then we use an outside source to duplicate the DVDs in bulk.
This is a simple machine to use. I place the master DVD in the tower of my computer, and blank DVD media in the Samsung DVD writer. The Nero software offers a selection where one can copy a DVD. I select the drive number where the master is located (in my case Drive D) and the copy destination (in my case Drive E). Then I follow the prompts to begin the copying process. A meter appears to inform how long the copy will take to finish. And in every case the time shown is wrong. So don’t rely on the meter for accurate information.
When the master is done being copied, the DVD tray slides open in my computer tower. A few minutes later, once the copy is finished, the DVD tray in the Samsung writer slides open. I can tell that the DVD copy has been made by flipping the DVD over. If you compare a blank DVD to one that has been copied, you will see the etching on the copy to indicate material has been transferred to the DVD.
We have had great luck using this Samsung writer on both R and RW discs. The discs have been played in a variety of machines and work well. The video quality is excellent.
A great feature of this DVD writer is that it can handle Lightscribe technology. In case you are not familiar with Lightscribe, it is an optical disc recording technology that allows one to create laser-etched labels on the disc (instead of using stick-on labels). The writer actually engraves the discs with a label. In order to use the Lightscribe technology, special discs have to be purchased. The process also takes longer than simply copying/burning a disc.
The one noticeable downside to this machine is that it has some USB issues. When this writer is plugged into the USB port, for some reason my computer will not recognize any other USB devices that are plugged into the computer. The computer won’t even “see” a USB flashdrive. In order to use other USB devices, I have to unplug the DVD writer and reboot the computer. In case you are wondering, my computer is running Windows XP.
Purchasing
This Samsung writer sells at BestBuy.com for about $110.00.
Summary
Our company is very pleased with this Samsung External DVD Writer. It is easy to install and use, and comes with all the necessary software to burn discs. The quality of video is excellent, and we have had no trouble with any of the discs we have burned using this machine.
I hope you found this review useful.
Enjoy the day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Please read my other reviews:
Phillips Portable DVD Player with Screen
LiteOn DVD Recorder and Player
Logitech MX400 Laser Mouse
Logitech V200 Notebook Mouse
Logitech S510 Cordless Keyboard and Mouse
Acer 19” Wide Screen LCD Monitor
ViewSonic 19” LCD Monitor
Altec Lansing Speakers
Copyright 2008 Dawn L. Stewart
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 110.00
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