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Which DVD-Recordable Drives?

We've had a couple stories recently about DVD-RW and such. I'm wondering what ones out there people have used, how well they work, what's the support etc etc. I'm also still on my quest to build the ultimate quiet machine, so any comment on the amount of noise the drive generates would be great - I love my Yamaha Drive for burning - but it's a *loud* one.

201 comments

  1. fp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    eff-pee?

  2. Not completely off topic(on quiet cdburner). by SuperguyA1 · · Score: 2, Informative

    I recently got a plextor 16x burner, man that thing is super fast and super quiet.

    --
    "as plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee" - Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz. (One man's humorous is another mans flamebait)
    1. Re:Not completely off topic(on quiet cdburner). by Spooging+Cum-Wanker · · Score: -1
      super!

      super-gay!

      eat my spooge!

      with a cracker!

      I like crackers!

      I like crack!

      but not butt cracks!

      so nasty and full of shit!

      spooge!

      spooge!

      spooge!

      spooge!

      spooge!

      --

      News for turds, shit that splatters!

    2. Re:Not completely off topic(on quiet cdburner). by Ziviyr · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I have to agree here, and the Plextor won't make coasters as readily as the Yamaha will. If that 8 meg buffer empties out on the Yamaha, well.

      --

      Someone set us up the bomb, so shine we are!
    3. Re:Not completely off topic(on quiet cdburner). by Beowulf_Boy · · Score: 1

      I have an HP 9100i, and am extremly happy.
      I've never burnt a coaster (I'm on my second 100 pack, and have tons of iso's)

    4. Re:Not completely off topic(on quiet cdburner). by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      I found this web page: http://www.dvdwriters.co.uk

    5. Re:Not completely off topic(on quiet cdburner). by Esoteric+Moniker · · Score: 1

      This post gets a Score:0 while a post 2 subjects down gets a Score:5, Informative! Um, they both post a URL, oh I get it, the latter post said "It was useful" and that makes a +5 difference, I see.

      PS. "It was useful"
      PSS. "It was useful"
      PSSS. "It was really really useful"
      PSSSS. Do I get karma for this?

      --

      man RTFM
      No manual entry for RTFM.
    6. Re:Not completely off topic(on quiet cdburner). by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I have the 12x SCSI burner, and it too is super quiet.

      (Just the two cents for those of you who eschew IDE.)

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  3. I use the same on as the pros by Spooging+Cum-Wanker · · Score: -1
    love that pr0n!

    I love pirating movies!

    take me to China!

    --

    News for turds, shit that splatters!

  4. Yyyye3e3e3es$s$sss!!! by Spooging+Cum-Wanker · · Score: -1
    You win the fecal-popsicle award!

    go choke on your own shit!

    you've been spooged!

    spooge

    sp00g3!

    nilla wafers go well with fresh squeezed spooge!

    --

    News for turds, shit that splatters!

  5. You Monsters! by atrowe · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    How can you care about something as trivial as DVDs when 50,000 people are dead and our nation is on the brink of war. Is America really that heartless and indifferent? If so, I'm quickly losing what little faith in humanity I had remaining.

    --

    -atrowe: Card-carrying Mensa member. I have no toleranse for stupidity.

    1. Re:You Monsters! by Spooging+Cum-Wanker · · Score: -1
      Hi!

      Have you been spooged lately?

      I know of someone else who has...

      I like to eat dead parrots!

      Kill all parrots!

      Those birds are fuckers!

      w00t!

      spooge?

      sp00g3!

      --

      News for turds, shit that splatters!

    2. Re:You Monsters! by imgaming.com · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Excuse me, but slashdot has a job to do here. Yes, it's a very hard time to go through, but sooner or later, we just have to get back to work. Slashdot gracefully only posted news about the tragedy yesterday, and was the best resource around to deliver people quality links, and great opinions.
      My sympathies go out to the family, friends and co-workers that died in this unfathomable event.

      Amazon.com - Donate to the Red Cross

    3. Re:You Monsters! by schlicker · · Score: -1, Troll

      If you are so damn concerned about this then WHY ARE YOU reading these posts about the DVD-RW instead of following on the links about the attacks on our nation...Maybe some people want to try to get their minds off of it for awhile. I'm not an asshole and I do care about what happened. Being a former Marine myself I want to send those S.O.B's to see Alla myself, but I've read the paper, hit all the news sites and am ready to read about something else right now.

    4. Re:You Monsters! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      UGH, why do I have the feeling I'm feeding the troll??

      The terrorists want everything to change. That is why they did what they did. If you continue on life (which needs to happen, you just can't live life in fear, or morning), you are showing the terrorist they didn't achieve a victory.

    5. Re:You Monsters! by atrowe · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      I don't know why I've been labelled Flamebait for having a bit of compassion and respect for those we have lost, but you're right. Slashdot does have a job to do. Slashdot's own mantra describes their job as "News for Nerds, Stuff That Matters".

      What else matters more than the fact that today should be a day of mourning, and that we are tottering on the brink of a nuclear war. Nothing, my friend. Get your priorities straight.

      --

      -atrowe: Card-carrying Mensa member. I have no toleranse for stupidity.

    6. Re:You Monsters! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Don't take this the wrong way, but...STFU. This isn't your site. If you don't like it, you know what to do.

    7. Re:You Monsters! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      "atrowe: Card-carrying Mensa member. I have no toleranse for stupidity."

      I don't either. Learn how to spell "tolerance" mensa dork boy.

    8. Re:You Monsters! by Curious__George · · Score: 0, Offtopic
      Clearly, this guy is a genius!


      Doesn't reading and responding to threads that have nothing to do with the disaster also show the lack of humanity you claim to abhor? So stop with your flamebaiting posting and go back to under your desk and resume chewing your fingernails. Interrupting normal life as we live it is the whole goal of the terrorism. Congrats on perpetuating their objectives with your brilliant post!


      I am an INTP. I have no tolerance for pompous asses!


      Curious George

      --
      ***General Consultant to the Human Race*** My opinions are free. You get what you pay for.
    9. Re:You Monsters! by atrowe · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Listen buddy, your shiny new DVD burner isn't going to solve our nation's problems. It's also not going to protect you from the hail of nukes that are about to start raining down all over the country. We simply cannot AFFORD to shirk this issue.

      --

      -atrowe: Card-carrying Mensa member. I have no toleranse for stupidity.

    10. Re:You Monsters! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      "toleranse" is the proper British spelling. The Queens English is quite simply the ONLY correct English. You USians have done nothing short of butchering the language.

    11. Re:You Monsters! by Lordrashmi · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      I kinda think that the "tolerance" thing was a joke....

    12. Re:You Monsters! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Wonderful slashcode!

    13. Re:You Monsters! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Get over your paranoia, jackass. Terrorists love mindless robots like you. You are the kind of moron that enables terrorism to succeed in its goal of paralyzing a country. Look into assymetrical warfare, and then come back here and post.

    14. Re:You Monsters! by Epi-man · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      It is called not letting them win, we are attempting to go on with our lives. You know, every day thousands of people die needlessly. People are murdered, raped, robbed, tortured, etc. yet you went on with your life every day until yesterday, you monster!

    15. Re:You Monsters! by aspillai · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      You seem to be loosing it! It definitely is a day of mourning, but life goes on. Do you think we should sit on our sofas watching CNN repeat the same thing over and over again and do nothing? I don't think so. People should try and donate blood, money or whatever to help the victims and definitely carry on with their life. Most likely their life will be in some ways affected by what happened. But to think that a person is a monster or does not have compassion because they refuse to only talk about what happened or "mourn" is foolish. You definitely don't know what you're talking about if you think we're heartless and indifferent because we think about other things.

      And on a side note, how exactly should we mourn? A lot of people mourn in various differnt ways. Maybe he actually is mourning by thinking about DVD burners. I know of people who completely block out death of a loved one and focus on something trivial like baking the perfect chocolate chip cookie. This is their way of dealing with the tragedy!!

    16. Re:You Monsters! by No+One+of+Importance · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I thought the sig looked funny.

    17. Re:You Monsters! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      You got that right, you Brits sure are a bunch of poofter queens!

    18. Re:You Monsters! by asbestos_diaper · · Score: 0

      Learn how to spell, you ignorant stooge.

      --

      Visit me online.

    19. Re:You Monsters! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      adamtrowe trolls:
      How can you care about something as trivial as DVDs when 50,000 people are dead and our nation...

      Last night (the night of the attacks) both the Blockbuster and Hollywood video stores were open when I was driving home at about 10:30 pm, but restraunts normally open had all closed.

      That says to me that quite a number of people cared about such trivial things as DVDs (and quite likely VHS tapes). We actually went out to see a movie (theater was open too). I'm sure many who spend their evenings watching TV rented movies, as the TV stations rehashed the same news over and over and over again, often showing the same 10-15 minutes of actual footage they had, over and over and over...

      Honestly, other than giving some blood and donating some money, (and perhaps praying, if you believe in that sort of things), there's not a lot that most ordinary folks can do. Dwelling on the loss and no getting back to being productive, occuring on a widespread scale, is only likely to spur the recession that analysists fear.

      Is America really that heartless and indifferent? If so, I'm quickly losing what little faith in humanity I had remaining.

      You're looking in the wrong places at the wrong things. Take a look as the blood donations! Take a look at all the special chuch services. There's plenty of good to be seen. There's also some bad (like a bogus bomb threat someone phoned to the building where my girlfriend works). How you perceive consumerism here on slashdot is up to you....

    20. Re:You Monsters! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't want to lose karma, so I'm posting anonymously.

      Your comments would have had relevance yesterday.
      However, the President said that today would be business as usual - we're trying to get back up to speed as quickly as possible to deny the terrorists as much satisfaction as possible.
      This is also a way of dealing with the loss - forging forward in defiance and solidarity. It gives purpose in the face of shock and disbelief.

      Yesterday was an amazing display of compassion. Even the crapflooding was reduced.
      Today has been filled with compassion (please note the Red Cross donation link in a previous news story).
      Make no mistake, we are still mourning. But stopping everything is exactly what terror wants.

    21. Re:You Monsters! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, we must not let these godless terrorists win! The trolls must go on!

    22. Re:You Monsters! by esper_child · · Score: 3, Insightful

      uhm, don't know if you noticed this or not, but we spent a whole day covering that. To stop what we are doing to cover it more would be giving victory to the terrorists, we need to keep going. If we stop all that we do just because something horrorable happened then we loose, also covering this trivial stuff keeps peoples minds off of the atrocities that happened yesterday, and that is a good thing. Keeping the peoples minds off of the horrorable events will help the depression that we all feel towards the cowards that caused them.
      In a way slashdot is providing a service to the american public and the rest of the world by simply carrying on with what they do. Do not say this is trivial, do not say this is monstorous, do however say that this is the right thing for them to be doing. By doing this we are helping to fight off the evil that tried to demoralize and destroy the american people. Sometimes the most appropriate action is to not take action at all, to instead just go about your business. I think they are doing a good job at what they are supposed to do. Also, remember that this site doesn't just cater to the Americans, that it caters to the rest of the world as well, and i seriously doubt that they want to hear as much about the death and destruction as we will be hearing in the next couple days. Also, what you should be doing is saying prayers, giving blood, and donating money if you that that will help, complaining things online does nothing. Bitching will get you nowhere, only actions will.

  6. Dual layer by Sabalon · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The linked-to article mentions 9.6 GB - isn't that dual layer, and don't all the current DVD-R drives coming out now just support single layer (4.8GB)?

    So, when will be see dual-layer DVD-R's - the MPAA's true nightmare. Or even better, the quad layered DVD's that the spec originally had in it for 17+GB!!! :)

    1. Re:Dual layer by gmplague · · Score: 3, Informative

      Double-sided discs. (4.8 + 4.8 = 9.6)

      --
      __________________________________________
      Take comfort in your ignorance.
      Grandmaster Plague
    2. Re:Dual layer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      IIRC The 17+GB Discs were 2 sides of dual layers. Not single-sided quad-layered.

    3. Re:Dual layer by Malc · · Score: 1

      Dual layer discs have less than 9.6GB per side. Sorry, I can't remember the number off-hand. I think one of the limitations of dual layering is that you don't get double 4.8GB.

    4. Re:Dual layer by Telek · · Score: 3, Informative

      the "quad layer" was really a double sided dual layer disk for 17.1GB if I remember correctly.

      --

      If God gave us curiosity
    5. Re:Dual layer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      The discs referred to in the article have been "hacked" with a hole puncher. Users will now be sued by the RIAA, MPAA, and the producer of the disc, because doubling the capacity steals their revenues.

    6. Re:Dual layer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Careful d00d, I heard if you make a disk double-sided it spins backwards and gets trapped dust all over your drive.

      (Did anyone else buy the custom puncher that puts a nice square hole at just the right spot? Even as a kid I was a geek!)

    7. Re:Dual layer by Sabalon · · Score: 2

      I though I remember in the original specs something about 4 layers per disk and 4 different laser frequencies or colors or something like that, which made me think that when pushed to it's max, DVD's could hold the 4 layers on one side...could put all the episodes of some of the failed TV shows on one DVD.

      Automan on one DVD :)

    8. Re:Dual layer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      You were a dumb ass. The smart kids felt no need to buy the new square punch when the ordinary hole punch (or scissors in a pinch) had always worked fine. You probably bought pirate warez in exchange for your lunch money too.

    9. Re:Dual layer by guuyuk · · Score: 1
      Ah yes, the infamous flippy floppy... I remember it well! I still have a box of some 5 1/4 disks from an old TRS-80 Model III that I punched to double the capacity. This, of course, was back when a box of 10 5 1/4 floppies single-sided floppies cost $25.00.

      --
      We're sorry, the phone number you have reached is imaginary. Please rotate your phone 90 degrees and try your call again
    10. Re:Dual layer by jx100 · · Score: 2, Informative

      It's 8.4 GB.

  7. umm by fjordboy · · Score: 0

    With me, it is whichever one is cheapest. I don't care how long i have to wait. Actually...i don't even care about a rewritable dvd drive...i still need the plain old drive that actually plays dvds. so..anyone who is upgrading, rather than throwing that drive out, give it to me. :)

  8. Jesus by egg+troll · · Score: -1

    Why don't people bother researching these things on ePinions and google? Its not that hard.

    --

    C - A language that combines the speed of assembly with the ease of use of assembly.
  9. oh jesus by n3r0.m4dski11z · · Score: -1

    god shutup. im not from the usa. sure you might go to war but i dont really care. even if my country is dragged into it you ppl will just nuke them and be done with it anyways. I for one am glad that at least some place in the media i can go to get actual news. you have 60+ channels and thousands of websites devoted to 24/7 coverage of this disaster. dont read /. and go watch tv.

    --
    -
  10. The attack was designed to paralyze the US economy by Archfeld · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    and throw our society into a tailspin. Pardon me for not giving in. It does not mean I feel any less for the victims, several of which were personal friends, but I'll NOT GIVE the SOB's the satisfaction. I am at work today, a huge list of projects some of which were driven from the WTC sit in front of me and I find it hard to care. A little triviality is the medicine I need now.

    --
    errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?
  11. www.dvdwriters.co.uk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    This web site is good for news on DVD recording
    technology:

    http://www.dvdwriters.co.uk

  12. Slightly offtopic by halftrack · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Is DVD+RW going to be the next DVD-burning standard? (That's what I've heard) Isn't it the only standard wich will burn DVD's that can be played in a DVD-movie-player for the TV? Where is DVD-R and DVD-RAM in this?

    --
    Look a monkey!
    1. Re:Slightly offtopic by Namarrgon · · Score: 5, Informative

      Here is a lot of good info about DVD+RW.

      From what it says there, DVD+RW is both cheaper and more compatible than DVD-RW, for about the same capacity. DVD+RW uses a slightly different technique that reduces gaps between data to give compatibility with the "vast majority" of existing DVD players. It is also apparently more flexible in burning compatible discs, 7x faster to close the session, and allows erasing of individual sections, rather than just the whole disc.

      HP are shipping their first dvd100i DVD+RW drive this month for US$599. DVD+RW media will reportedly sell for about US$16 (compared to the US$24 I've seen for DVD-RW media). Philips have announced their standalone DVD+RW unit, and will ship the bare drive in October.

      Apparently, initial units will only support DVD+RW/DVD-ROM/CD-R/CD-RW/CD-ROM, but DVD+R (analogous to DVD-R, but apparently also cheaper/more compatible) is promised shortly via a firmware upgrade. DVD-R media support may also be available.

      FWIW, my own experiences with DVD-R are mixed; 2 of the 4 DVD players and DVD-ROM drives I've tried DVD-R discs with would not recognise the discs at all. I plan to get a dvd100i as soon as they're available :-)

      --
      Why would anyone engrave "Elbereth"?
  13. too busy wanking! by Spooging+Cum-Wanker · · Score: -1
    duh!

    I thought you were aware of these things!

    yeah!

    w00t!

    spooge!

    go0o0o0o0o0gl3?

    spooge!

    The walrus was Paul!

    But I am he as you are we and we are all spooged!

    I like my pr0n DVD's!

    oh well, back to downloading pr0n!

    posting anonymously to preserve my precious karma.

    I belong to

    --

    News for turds, shit that splatters!

  14. h00t and h0ll3r! by Spooging+Cum-Wanker · · Score: -1
    yeah!

    w00t!

    spooge!

    go0o0o0o0o0gl3?

    spooge!

    The walrus was Paul!

    But I am he as you are we and we are all spooged!

    I like my pr0n DVD's!

    oh well, back to downloading pr0n!

    posting anonymously to preserve my precious karma.

    I belong to MENSA!

    yeah!

    w00t!

    spooge!

    go0o0o0o0o0gl3?

    spooge!

    The walrus was Paul!

    But I am he as you are we and we are all spooged!

    I like my pr0n DVD's!

    oh well, back to downloading pr0n!

    posting anonymously to preserve my precious karma.

    I belong to MENSA!

    yeah!

    w00t!

    spooge!

    go0o0o0o0o0gl3?

    spooge!

    The walrus was Paul!

    But I am he as you are we and we are all spooged!

    I like my pr0n DVD's!

    oh well, back to downloading pr0n!

    posting anonymously to preserve my precious karma.

    I belong to MENSA!

    --

    News for turds, shit that splatters!

  15. 50k dead? Uhh,... NOT by ebbv · · Score: -1, Troll


    get your figures straight, at most 50k people *worked* at the WTC.. the place was not full when the bombing occurred, nor did everyone in the building die.

    have you ever heard of the notion that living in the past leads to tripping over the future?

    btw, everyone in mensa is as dumb as a brick. it's a group for idiots to tell each other their intelligent.
    ...dave

    --

    Think different? I'd be happy if most people would just think...
  16. I recommend... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Troll

    the AWTEC Pleraziba 6313D.

    Supported by windooze and linux.

    I have no clues about the *BSD support, though.

    The large windooze software bundle is cool, too.

    It makes rarely any noticable noise.

    1. Re:I recommend... by fobbman · · Score: 2

      WTF? Unless I'm missing something, this thing doesn't exist. Don't mod up an AC unless you can verify his facts.

  17. FIRST POST BEEYOTCH!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    fp!! who's yo daddy!

  18. about the noisy yamaha drives... by jrsmith · · Score: 1

    recently purchased the 16x scsi (i believe 2100S is the model #) and i agree, it is extremely noisy. i sometimes fear the cds will literally be torn apart by the vibration, but they haven't so far, and it's quite fast. i haven't had the first buffer underrun or any other burning error.. well except for when i tried to burn at 16x on cd's only made to handle 8x.

    1. Re:about the noisy yamaha drives... by madowl · · Score: 2, Informative

      I had a friend who purchased a yamaha drive that was noisy when burning. He took it back to the store and got a new one which did not have this problem. It seems that there was a batch of drives that had this problem.

    2. Re:about the noisy yamaha drives... by jrsmith · · Score: 1

      yeah, had i checked the reviews on the drive before purchasing i would have seen that they (or at least the first batch as you mentioned) had this problem. i thought of returning it, but since i invariably have mp3s or movies or tv playing, it doesn't bother me enough to ship it back to CA..

    3. Re:about the noisy yamaha drives... by hellstorm · · Score: 1

      I have the 2100S too, purchased it last saturday, and i haven't managed to overburn with it, my previous recorder was a 6x teac, and i had no problems burning 712MB on a 700MB samsung CDs, the yamaha denies to overburn :(. Somebody else with this problem?

      --
      --------------------------------------------------
      Programming is good for health
    4. Re:about the noisy yamaha drives... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Noisy only when burning? What kind of noise?

      I have a 2100S and it sounds the same whether it's burning or reading, which isn't much at all. It only gets noisy when it spins up to the full 40x speed, which makes it vibrate quite a bit.

  19. brit wanker! - fix your teeth! by Spooging+Cum-Wanker · · Score: -1
    have you been spooged?

    yeah!

    w00t!

    spooge!

    go0o0o0o0o0gl3?

    spooge!

    The walrus was Paul!

    But I am he as you are we and we are all spooged!

    I like my pr0n DVD's!

    oh well, back to downloading pr0n!

    posting anonymously to preserve my precious karma.

    I belong to MENSA!

    --

    News for turds, shit that splatters!

  20. it is because you are a retard! by Spooging+Cum-Wanker · · Score: -1
    duh!

    you really need to masturbate more often!

    wanking liberates your soul!

    spooge!

    --

    News for turds, shit that splatters!

  21. I Am YOUR FATHER! by Spooging+Cum-Wanker · · Score: -1
    join the dark side!

    asdkjfa;vlnt3y5!!!!

    spooge!

    --

    News for turds, shit that splatters!

    1. Re:I Am YOUR FATHER! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      You're related to me?? SWEET!

      SPOOGE!

  22. I think its DVD-R by ZxCv · · Score: 3, Insightful

    IIRC, it's actually DVD-R that can be played in regular DVD movie players. As far as I've seen, the new Mac G4's that have the SuperDrive, which is specifically touted as being able to make DVDs which work in the movie players, is a DVD-R/CD-RW combo drive. Maybe DVD-RW can also be played in DVD movie players, but I am fairly sure it is the DVD-R drives which are mainly being promoted as DVD player compatible...

    --

    Perl - $Just @when->$you ${thought} s/yn/tax/ &couldn\'t %get $worse;
    1. Re:I think its DVD-R by jhealy1024 · · Score: 5, Informative

      DVD-R and DVD-RW can be played in set-top boxes, though not all of the older boxes will play home-burned DVDs. For a good matrix of what media play in which drives, check:

      http://www.proh.com/DVD_and_CD_compatibility_chart .shtml

  23. Re:Mensans and Their Intelligence by Glasswire · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    btw, everyone in mensa is as dumb as a brick. it's a group for idiots to tell each other their intelligent.
    I believe you meant to say "...to tell each other they're intelligent". Sorry, I don't know any way to parse what you said into something meaningful. And I didn't need to be a Mensan to point that out.

  24. Destroy Islam. Kill Muslim Pigs. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    Our "Todo" list:
    1. Kill all Arabs.
    2. Kill all Towel Heads.
    3. Kill all Muslims.
    4. Kill all Mohammedans..
    5. Kill all Camel Jockeys.
    6. Nuke their countries to an ash heap.
    7. Nuke them again.
    8. Destroy all Islam.

    I spit on the Koran and I piss on Mohammed.

    1. Re:Destroy Islam. Kill Muslim Pigs. by No+One+of+Importance · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      An Anonymous Coward ranting about Anonymous Cowards.

  25. Re:50k dead? Uhh,... NOT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Perhaps they know the difference between they're and their?

  26. I'm a Monster, baby, Creature with the Atom Brain. by JabberWokky · · Score: 4, Funny
    How can you care about something as trivial as DVDs when 50,000 people are dead and our nation is on the brink of war.

    Horrible aren't we? I also took a shower this morning and just now went and made some iced tea.

    --
    Evan

    --
    "$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
  27. MAEYBE I DON"T SPAELL EVARY SINGAL WORD RITE by ebbv · · Score: -1, Offtopic


    people who post just to point out typo(e)s (your preferrence) == retarded.
    ...dave

    --

    Think different? I'd be happy if most people would just think...
    1. Re:MAEYBE I DON"T SPAELL EVARY SINGAL WORD RITE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Unless you point out in your sig you are a mensa member

    2. Re:MAEYBE I DON"T SPAELL EVARY SINGAL WORD RITE by Malc · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      You spelt "their" perfectly correctly. But, your sentence didn't make sense ;) Don't be so touchy: I saw something on the BBC's web site the other day that indicates poor spelling is one of the things that annoys people most in email - thus, don't let people correcting you get to you as they're always going to be there and you'll feel better if you don't get bent out of shape every time.

      Somebody sent this to me recently:

      Eye halve a spelling chequer
      It came with my pea sea
      It plainly marquees four my revue
      Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
      Eye strike a key and type a word
      And weight four it two say
      Weather eye am wrong oar write
      It shows me strait a weigh.

      As soon as a mist ache is maid
      It nose bee fore two long
      And eye can put the error rite
      Its rare lea ever wrong.

      Eye have run this poem threw it
      I am shore your pleased two no
      Its letter perfect awl the weigh
      My chequer tolled me sew.

  28. *BSD is dying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    *BSD is dying

    Yet nother crippling bombshell hit th beleaguered *BSD community when last month IDC confirmed that *BSD accounts for less than a fraction of 1 percent of ll servers. Coming on the heels of the latest Netcraft survey which plainly states that *BSD has lost more market share, this news serves to reinforce what we've known all along. *BSD is collapsing in complete disarray, as further exemplified by failing dead last in the recent Sys Admin comprehensive networking test.

    You don't need to be a Kreskin to predict *BSD's future. The hand writing is on the wall: *BSD faces a bleak future. In fact there won't be any future at all for *BSD because *BSD is dying. Things are looking very bad for *BSD. As many of us are already aware, *BSD continues to lose market share. Red ink flows like a river of blood. FreeBSD is the most endangered of them all.

    Let's keep to the facts and look at the numbers.

    OpenBSD leader Theo states that there are 7000 users of OpenBSD. How many users of NetBSD are there? Let's see. The number of OpenBSD versus NetBSD posts on Usenet is roughly in ratio of 5 to 1. Therefore there are about 7000/5 = 1400 NetBSD users. BSD/OS posts on Usenet are about half of the volume of NetBSD posts. Therefore there are about 700 users of BSD/OS. A recent article put FreeBSD at about 80 percent of the *BSD market. Therefore there are (7000+1400+700)*4 = 36400 FreeBSD users. This is consistent with the number of FreeBSD Usenet posts.

    Due to the troubles of Walnut Creek, abysmal sales and so on, FreeBSD went out of business and was taken over by BSDI who sell another troubled OS. Now BSDI is also dead, its corpse turned over to yet another charnel house.

    All major surveys show that *BSD has steadily declined in market share. *BSD is very sick nd its long term survival prospects are very dim. If *BSD is to survive at all it will be among OS hobbyist dabblers. *BSD continues to decay. Nothing short of a miracle could save it at this point in time. For ll practical purposes, *BSD is dead.

    *BS is dying

    1. Re:*BSD is dying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Keep posting Haydur. You're going to be living next to an empty crater soon.

  29. This may seem obvious but.. by Sir_Real · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Will these drives allow dvd ripping analogous to the cd ripping we're seeing now. Will people be able to rent a dvd, and copy it?

    1. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by SuiteSisterMary · · Score: 5, Informative

      No, not as such, because the DVD ring that stores the CSS key is zeroed out on blank DVDs. That having been said, you could, in theory, run a DVD through DeCSS then burn the unencrypted video to the disc, but there are DVD players out there that won't play unencrypted video.

      --
      Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
    2. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by (void*) · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Which goes to show that the DVD Consortium thinks about YOUR copyrights. They are allowed to use CSS to scramble their disks for their "copyright protection", but someone who wants to protect their own creation must pay up and join in their cartel. Why?

    3. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by Telek · · Score: 3, Informative

      Hey, I usually live in Mississauga too, perhaps I know you =P.

      Are you sure that there are players that won't play unencrypted DVDs? Because I have a pack here of unencrypted DVDs, and they seem to work fine in all DVD players around here. (Mind you, I am in France right now). However I'd assume that any video that's not copyright or protected (i.e. broadcasted TV, or perhaps commercials or music videos or those "how to use your super duper vacuum!" VHS tapes that you get, I'm sure they don't need to be encrypted. ?

      --

      If God gave us curiosity
    4. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by Molf · · Score: 4, Interesting

      "there are DVD players out there that won't play unencrypted video"
      Are you serious? What about all of the *legal* films (and other multimedia whatevers) which are on unencrypted DVDs? I personally own an unencrypted DVD - it came with Diablo 2 and contains all the cinematic sequences, plus a lot of other stuff. Are there companies that make DVD players which *intentionally* won't play my DVD, simply because they can't distinguish it from one that *might* be pirated? What happens when people start burning home video to DVD, without encrypting it? Tough luck? If this is true, and especially if the players are not advertised as having this `feature' (which must surely be illegal, as it would be unable to play a disc conforming to the DVD standard), I fail to see how the manufacturers would justify it. The purpose may be reasonable, but taking away a person's right to use something they legally own is most definitely not.
      Wait a minute, that argument seems vaguely familiar...

    5. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by halftrack · · Score: 0
      Why?

      Because if it were open grandma' Jones could rip the StarTrek movie to all her grandchilds for Christmas. (Wich she - by the way - now can do.)

      --
      Look a monkey!
    6. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by athakur999 · · Score: 1

      We can already rent DVDs and copy them. It's called DeCSS/VOBDEC/etc.

      As far as comparing "DVD ripping" to "cd ripping", they're completely different things. DVDs use a normal ISO9660 file system, and the movie is stored as encrypted files.

      "DVD ripping" is just copying the file and decrypting it. A 1x DVD-ROM from way back can rip DVDs.

      --
      "People that quote themselves in their signatures bother me" - athakur999
    7. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe it's the same reason everyone had to pay up before being able to use RSA to protect their secrets? Some protection schemes are owned by companies and have to be licensed instead of being in the public domain for anyone to use.

    8. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by thetechweenie · · Score: 1

      Can you suggest any site, that have DVD ripping instructions? The only ones I have found are for DivX, and seem quite tedious. I'ld like to ripp some, so that when I fly out to AR I can watch a few Sopranos. Then again, who knows if the airlines will even be flying then...

      --


      Um, this is my sig.
    9. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by Malc · · Score: 1

      " there are DVD players out there that won't play unencrypted video."

      Aren't unencrypted discs officially region 0, or something like thar? I find it hard to believe that players would have this limitation.

    10. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by AvatarADV · · Score: 1

      Really? We release a good percentage of our discs without CSS encryption, and haven't had any reports of player problems. Either this is a REALLY tiny minority of players, or it's just not true.

    11. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by MTO · · Score: 1

      I am not sure of the details, but I have some region-free discs (which I suspect are hong-kong knock-offs) that won't play in my toshiba but will play in my Apex. A sales-rep at FutureShop claimed that to be region free they had to be unencrypted, but I don't trust people paid minimum wage + commision to have a clue. My understanding was that no region really meant "all regions".

    12. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by athakur999 · · Score: 1

      If you have a big enough hard drive on the laptop (I'm assuming), there's no need to compress the file with DivX to watch it. Just rip it to your hard drive and use a software player like PowerDVD to play the decrypted .vob files.

      This is what I do with Netflix rentals. As soon as I get a DVD I rip them to my hard drive and send the DVD back. Then I watch it when I want to. If I like it, I'll compress it with DivX, otherwise I'll just delete the .vob files.

      From ripping I use SmartRipper. I've used CladDVD in the past which is also good.

      --
      "People that quote themselves in their signatures bother me" - athakur999
    13. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by Malc · · Score: 3, Informative

      I believe that in the early days, some Hollywood discs actually went out without CSS, or were region free. Of course, they keep quiet about them to protect the sales of more expensive versions in other markets. The DVD FAQ has lots and lots of good info.

      I too have had experiences with FutureShop reps: I tried to buy a multi-DVD player/changer and told them that I needed one that supports CD-Rs... they told me that they only had one that handled CD-Rs, and it just happened to be the most expensive one there. After getting it home, I found that it didn't support CD-R's at all. Wankers! One of the few reasons I use FutureShop is their good returns policy ;)

    14. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      AIUI, region coding isn't directly based on CSS, though you can't license the CSS patents without agreeing to prevent your customers from viewing out-of-region discs. A region-free disc is set to region zero, which all players will accept. A region-free player runs in a mode that doesn't enforce region coding (though the executable content on some discs checks the player's current region code and refuses to continue, which has made players whose "region" can be changed more popular).

    15. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by sacrilicious · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I think we should promote the usage of open systems - like linux boxes - for widespread playing and processing of media, in liu of "industry standard" dvd/pvr/cd/etc devices. Such promotion would help competition, and bring prices down... but more importantly, hardware manufacturers will be more reluctant to make stealth changes to hardware if there is a large user base of open standard systems that will take notice and be alienated. Example: if it is true that there are dvd players that will only play encrypted media, it may be only a matter of time until all dvd players are like that.

      --
      - First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then ???, then profit.
    16. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by Beatlebum · · Score: 5, Informative

      Horse-shite. Another /.er with an elevated opinion of what he actually knows.

      1) There are 2 DVD standards

      a) DVD for authoring
      b) DVD for general use.

      2) DVD for authoring DVD-Rs can only be burned on drives that support this standard. Currently the cheapest of these drives is still $5k+

      3) DVD for general use does not support encryption or region coding.

      4) 99% of standalone DVD players built in the last 18 months support DVD or General Use DVD-Rs.

      5) It is completely possible to copy a commercial (DVD authoring std) to a DVD-R for general use, however, it must be decrypted first. It must also fit onto a 4.7G DVD-R disk, 75% of commercial DVDs will not fit. I have verified that it is possible to produce a perfect digital copy of a commercial disk.

      6) There is a lot of misinformation floating around re: DVD-RW & DVD+RW. Both standards work well withe existing h/w. There is not much to choose between them.

      7) I have the Pioneer A03 IDE DVD-RW drive. It's an excellent piece of h/w and can be purchased for $650. I have used it for burning home movies (boy, is that a long process!) and for data backup.

      8) DVD-R media can be had for $8. DVD-RW for $21. Checkout www.meritline.com if you don't believe me.

    17. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by Dwonis · · Score: 2
      DVDs use a normal ISO9660 file system, and the movie is stored as encrypted files.

      Nope, they use a normal UDF filesystem, but otherwise, you're correct.

    18. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by njdj · · Score: 1

      It must also fit onto a 4.7G DVD-R disk, 75% of commercial DVDs will not fit.

      What you're saying is that 75% of commercial DVDs can't be copied onto the DVD media that 99% of us will use, right?

    19. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by Abwh · · Score: 1

      Basically, yes....

      4.75G is basically a single layer one sided disc... most DVD's out there these days are actually double layer... most movies are between 5G and 7.5G depending on extra tracks, etc...

      BUT... You might select what audio/video streams you want to copy, reduce the total size and fit it in a DVD-R most of the time... but it would loose the authoring made on the original DVD (menu's and all that)... and you will need an authoring tool to make a simple menu for you stripped down mpeg-2 file.

      Haven't seen a free authoring tool yet... they either run from cheap/simple to expen$ive/full authoring.

      I've only used a trial version of dvdit, quite simple to use though...

      --
      Gerry -- #include "ea!.h"
    20. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by Airline_Sickness_Bag · · Score: 1

      I've never had any problems with any ADV DVD (And I have quite a few). I can't say the same about Bandai or Pioneer, though.

      -asb

    21. Re:This may seem obvious but.. by (void*) · · Score: 2

      Trade secrets are not patents. Since these guys did not seek patent protection for their CSS encryption, they can't make this argument.

  30. you took a shower? by Spooging+Cum-Wanker · · Score: -1
    YOU BASTARD!

    How dare you bathe!

    Death is too good for you!

    --

    News for turds, shit that splatters!

  31. You mean loud as in ...? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    As loud as a plane hitting a building, or just a bit quieter than that?

    1. Re:You mean loud as in ...? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      As long as were doing comedy here;

      Towel for head-----$5
      767;fully fueled---$5,000,000
      World trade center-$1.5Billion
      Sound it makes hitting the ground(to towel-headed wankers in middle east)--priceless
      (apologies in advanced to all victims and families:of course I posted anan.)

    2. Re:You mean loud as in ...? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Hey, but that just wasn't funny. Your delivery was terrible, and what's worse, you apologised at the end of it, completely ruining the joke.

    3. Re:You mean loud as in ...? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I agree, he totally flubbed that. Tastless humor takes conviction, you can't be wishy washy!

      But what I want to know, is did the terrorists use Linux?

    4. Re:You mean loud as in ...? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, they used a hijacked airliner.

    5. Re:You mean loud as in ...? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're wrong - they actually used eight hijacked airliners.

    6. Re:You mean loud as in ...? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      One .. eight .. what's the bloody difference guv'nor? They still make a bloody loud bang when you 'it 'em into a skyscraper, or a pentagon. Cor' blimey! Down the apples and pears! I'm off to bone my dog!

  32. You beat me to it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    I was just going to ask does the sound of your DVD really compare to the sound of a 767 smacking into a building or the sound of a 100 story building collapsing.

    1. Re:You beat me to it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Ha, damn. Never mind .. You can have the next story then. "But is a Linux penguin made of lego falling apart as satisfying as watching a 100 storey building collapse?" or something.

  33. Re:You Monsters! Mensa Dork by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    toleranse was not found in the Cambridge International Dictionary of English.

    The word you are trying to find does not appear in any of our dictionaries.
    Please check that you have spelled the word correctly.
    Search for a different spelling or word by clicking here.

    Suggest that the missing word is included in our dictionaries by clicking here.

    Cambridge University Press 2000
    Cambridge University Press
    Edinburgh Building
    Shaftesbury Road
    Cambridge CB2 2RU
    Tel: +44 (0)1223 312393
    Fax: +44 (0)1223 315052

  34. Re:Destroy Islam. Have a WANK. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Have a WANK.

  35. Re:I'm a Monster, baby, Creature with the Atom Bra by Grog6 · · Score: 1

    hell, I not only took a shower, I actually listened to an illegally downloaded mp3.
    Not to mention the illegal recording of three copyrighted TV channels YESTERDAY. (for shame!)

    --
    Truth isn't Truth - Guliani
  36. ON TOPIC by firewort · · Score: 5, Informative

    There are two widely used mechanisms for consumer priced DVD recording drives.

    There is the Pioneer DRV-103/A03 unit that is used in the G4 Power Macintosh computers.

    It is a DVD-R / DVD-RW /CD-RW/CD-R drive.

    It writes and rewrites DVD and CD media, and it's DVD movies are playable in set top box DVD players.

    The other prevalent drive is a Panasonic unit that is DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, CD (no CD recording, just playback.)

    Plextor, Yamaha and others are largely reselling these mechanisms.

    Expect to pay about 500-1000 dollars US for one of these units. These are DVD General drives, and cannot be used as Masters for DVD reproduction use. The DVD Authoring drives are SCSI, cost upwards of $5000, and the only one I know if is a Pioneer unit. (Doesn't mean there aren't others, but I haven't done my homework to find them.)

    God bless America, and may her enemies cower in fear.

    --

    1. Re:ON TOPIC by Jeffrey+Baker · · Score: 3, Informative

      If you really want to master for reproduction on the cheap, you just want to "burn" your DVD to a DLT tape and send it off to the duplicator. They have all the expensive gear and you don't need to buy it. Used DLT drives are not expensive.

    2. Re:ON TOPIC by nbvb · · Score: 1

      So _THIS_ is why Adaptec (Roxio) Toast includes recording to DLT........

      Aha!

      --nbvb

  37. DVD+RW by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    the DVD+RW drives coming out soon will likely be the best balance of compatibility and flexibility, since the drives burn discs usable in almost all standard DVD players, not to mention CDR and CD-RW discs. Also, from what i understand, the upgradable firmware will allow for when future capacity increases.

  38. good site for information by Villain · · Score: 3, Informative

    This article at cdmediaworld has good reviews as well as links to other sites with reviews.

    1. Re:good site for information by ekrout · · Score: 2

      Here's a great site with info on how to make a *really* quiet computer. ;-)

      --

      If you celebrate Xmas, befriend me (538
  39. Shoeboy is dying by Spooging+Cum-Wanker · · Score: -1
    Shoeboy is dying

    Yet another crippling bombshell hit the beleaguered Shoeboy community when last month IDC confirmed that Shoeboy accounts for less than a fraction of 1 percent of all servers. Coming on the heels of the latest Netcraft survey which plainly states that Shoeboy has lost more market share, this news serves to reinforce what we've known all along. Shoeboy is collapsing in complete disarray, as further exemplified by failing dead last in the recent Sys Admin comprehensive networking test.

    You don't need to be a Kreskin to predict Shoeboy's future. The hand writing is on the wall: Shoeboy faces a bleak future. In fact there won't be any future at all for Shoeboy because Shoeboy is dying. Things are looking very bad for Shoeboy. As many of us are already aware, Shoeboy continues to lose market share. Red ink flows like a river of blood. FreeShoeboy is the most endangered of them all.

    Let's keep to the facts and look at the numbers.

    OpenShoeboy leader Hemos states that there are 7000 users of OpenShoeboy. How many users of NetShoeboy are there? Let's see. The number of OpenShoeboy versus NetShoeboy posts on Fagnet is roughly in ratio of 5 to 1. Therefore there are about 7000/5 = 1400 NetShoeboy users. Shoeboy/OS posts on Fagnet are about half of the volume of NetShoeboy posts. Therefore there are about 700 users of Shoeboy/OS. A recent article put FreeShoeboy at about 80 percent of the Shoeboy market. Therefore there are (7000+1400+700)*4 = 36400 FreeShoeboy users. This is consistent with the number of FreeShoeboy Fagnet posts.

    Due to the troubles of Walnut Creek, abysmal sales and so on, FreeShoeboy went out of business and was taken over by ShoeboyI who sell another troubled OS. Now ShoeboyI is also dead, its corpse turned over to yet another charnel house.

    All major surveys show that Shoeboy has steadily declined in market share. Shoeboy is very sick and its long term survival prospects are very dim. If Shoeboy is to survive at all it will be among OS hobbyist dabblers. Shoeboy continues to decay. Nothing short of a miracle could save it at this point in time. For all practical purposes, Shoeboy is dead.

    Shoeboy is dying

    --

    News for turds, shit that splatters!

    1. Re:Shoeboy is dying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Shoeboy?!!! That's sooooo oldskool, why not "signal11 is dying?!!!"

  40. Compatability not much of an issue. by davco9200 · · Score: 5, Informative
    People have likened this latest round of DVD-RW and DVD+RW to the beta v. VHS wars, but a crucial distinction is the fact that both drives will read each other's wares.

    Check out

    http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#4.3 for a nice compatability grid.

    Because of that, I would go for price or bundled software.

    1. Re:Compatability not much of an issue. by MikeBabcock · · Score: 2

      As another poster posted, I'd go for capabilities and longevity instead; probably CD+RW.

      --
      - Michael T. Babcock (Yes, I blog)
  41. heres quite by geekoid · · Score: 4, Funny

    What ever you get, make it an external scsi, and then put the drive 6 meters away,in a closet.

    You said nothing about convinent...;)

    Actually putting it in an external case may make it less audible.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    1. Re:heres quite by Ryan+Amos · · Score: 1

      External SCSI cases are loud. I've owned a number of them and finally just ended up putting them interna because the noise was so bad. Most of the noise comes from the fans used to cool the power supply of the external case. Also, a lot of higher-end CD-RWs/DVD-RWs have their own fans, which generally are not the quiet ones. I have an old 4x SCSI CD-R that is noisy as hell, I can't put it in my server (which is in my room) because it's too loud at night. The closet idea might work, however.. as long as you don't overstep the distance limitations of SCSI (I forget what they are offhand.) In that case, there's always FireWire.... :)

    2. Re:heres quite by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      lvd scsi can go 12 meters (that's meters not feet)

  42. Too many sand niggers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I hate Arabs. I say nuke them to hell.

    1. Re:Too many sand niggers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      What have "sand niggers" got to do with DVD drives? Can you play or record DVDs on them? No. So shut up and stay on topic. I don't want to hear any more of this "sand nigger" stuff from you until they become compatible with DVD standards.

    2. Re:Too many sand niggers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Proof that this is the apocalypse:

      http://wtcstuff.tripod.com/The_Face_of_GOD.JPG
      http://httpd.chello.nl/~m.vandeven11/face2.jpg

      Both the face of god and the wicked outline of the devil with a scythe, casting a wave of punishment to the wicked sinners.

    3. Re:Too many sand niggers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Couldn't access the first link dude.

      Damn that was fast work -- you've scooped the Weekly World News.

    4. Re:Too many sand niggers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So, Satan is a fat little fucker with a hook for a hand and little flipper feet?

  43. I've played DVD-RW in my Pioneer DVD by BLKMGK · · Score: 3, Informative

    These were burned on the A03 Pioneer writer. They were 4gig DVD and both DVD-R and RW played fine. My player is also a Pioneer unit but was more than a year old. We were surprised that it worked but both being Pioneer may have had somehting to do with it (shrug).

    --
    Build it, Drive it, Improve it! Hybridz.org
  44. Only one I've used by musiholic · · Score: 1
    is the Mac Superdrive... I think someone(s) else has already pointed out that it is the drive made by Pioneer.

    I haven't done much with it, as the computer it is in is not mine and I only got to use it for a day (so very sad).

    --
    One Can Never Own Enough Musical Instruments...
  45. No problems here. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have the Yamaha 16X/10X burner and I've never had a problem burning at 16X (SCSI) even under heavy processing loads.

  46. Linux Support? by Great_Jehovah · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Do any of the DVD-R drives work under Linux just for archiving data? It would be nice to make video DVD's but I would just like to use them to make backups.

    1. Re:Linux Support? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you just wish to archive data, a DVD-RAM drive is probably what you are looking for.

      Linux does support these natively, and certain models can identify themselves as a generic SCSI removable drive, so any OS can use them.

      The wonderful thing about DVD-RAM is that it does appear as a volume. You can format the disks with any filesystem, mount it, un-mount it and treat it like a (slow) hard disk. With DVD-R, unless I
      am very much mistaken, you will have to piss about with cdrecord and 5GB ISO images.
      The drives themselves are also quite inexpensive.

      Finally, modern DVD drives *can* read DVD-RAM cartridges. There are two types, fixed (I) and removable (II). You can take the disk out of removable carts and Windows can read them from DVD drives (you may need to install Nero for Windows 2000 to read UDF ones, I suspect linux Just Works).

      If in the future DVD-RAM drives become rare and mine dies, I fully expect to be able to break open the fixed carts and read the data with a DVD ROM drive. Try that with a proprietary format!

      (There is also a lot of corporate investment in this format, you can get automated DVD-RAM libraries, so it looks like it has a fairly good future)

  47. max pc by RestiffBard · · Score: 3, Informative

    the sept. ish of max pc has a pretty interesting and informative article on the new formats and drives coming down the pike for dvd recording. I don't believe it's online at maximum pc but its on the newsstands and max pc is a pretty great mag. its their dream machine issue.

    --
    - /* dead coders leave no comments */
  48. Making Yamaha drives quiet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I had a really noisy Yamaha burner as well. This was a bit of a problem for me as I have wrapped all of his hard-drives (and lined all of his cases) with rubber matting, underclocked all CPU's and removed all fans in an effort to make my "server room" (home office) quiet.
    With all machines totally, truly silent (except for one with a really old hard-drive) the Yamaha sounded like a damn airplane!
    Luckily I had an empty bay underneath so I just took the bottom of the drive housing off, unplugged the original fan and put a much quieter case fan under it, pointing up at the only chip which got hot.
    It still makes some noise while it's actually burning, but at least it's no worse than a normal CD drive. That factory fan is the culprit!

    1. Re:Making Yamaha drives quiet by Howie · · Score: 2

      Me too!

      My Yamaha CRW-8424 has a horrible little 25mm fan in it that makes more noise than the rest of my PC together (partly thanks to QuietPC). I'm just waiting for Papst to actually have stock of their funky temperature sensitive quiet fans in 25mm... Apart from that, and no CD-TEXT support, it's a great little drive though.

      --
      "don't fall into the fallacy of believing that Perl can solve social problems. Maybe Perl 6 can, but that's a ways off"
  49. Touche by No+One+of+Importance · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I don't want to hear any more of this "sand nigger" stuff from you until they become compatible with DVD standards.

    1. Re:Touche by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, that may be so, but also I don't want to hear any more of this "sand nigger" stuff from you until they become compatible with DVD standards.

  50. Standalone with computer connectivity by .@. · · Score: 2

    Personally, I intend to buy this standalone unit, which not only records DVD-R, but also has DVD-RAM functionality, and can be connected to a computer for use as well. I watch most of my DVDs in the living room, and most of what I want to record is either on TV, or available from other equipment that is part of my A/V, not my office, setup.

    --
    .@.
  51. Nice Troll! by egg+troll · · Score: -1

    Right, as a seargent-major in the troll army I hearby award you with a bronze star for your troll. The Mensa bit was truly inspired! GOOD WORK SOLDIER!!

    --

    C - A language that combines the speed of assembly with the ease of use of assembly.
  52. We're on the brink of war,and you talk about DVDS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    What the shmick!?!?

  53. Writable DVD by JBob-S · · Score: 5, Informative

    Back when DVD-ROMs were first developed, pleas to include "linking areas," also called "run-in" on magnetic media, were ignored. This meant that there would be no space to write bits to allow the data clock to be recovered. This is not a problem with a continuously written disc, as the "earlier" data can be used.

    However, with most technologies, the start of writing can vary hundreds of bits from its nominal location. This means that if you write sector 1, and later write sector 2 on its tail, there is no way to align the data clock to the data in time to read the data of sector 2, since the first bits are used to recover the clock.

    DVD-RAM addressed this problem by introducing a new format. There are small embossed address headers to mark where each sector might be, and a small written run-in for each recorded sector. This media is highly susceptible to scratches, since the embossed headers are easily obscured by dust or a scratch. Also, having the embossed headers means that these discs are INCOMPATIBLE with DVD-ROM drives.

    DVD-RAM discs also use land/groove recording. This means changes to the servo mechanism just to follow the track. A DVD-ROM drive must add in special reader circuitry to handle the data coding, different block architecture (ROMs use blocks of 16 sectors), different servos for land/groove structure, etc. DVD-RAM is endorsed by the DVD Forum, so is the "official" format.

    DVD-RW is also endorsed by the DVD Forum, but for video use. Its intended application for reliable use is to not put data in the first block where you first start writing (it becomes your run-in). The "link point" where writing begins and ends occurs about 1.5 sectors into the 16 sector block. This means that the first 1.5 sectors, while readable, have unrelated data to what you just recorded! Also, some amount of the beginning of what you did write will be unreadable because the data clock needs to be recovered, and the words synchronized to a sync mark. Realistically, the first two sectors will be trashed in any sector that contains a link point. These sectors are recoverable by ECC, but it severely reduces the amount of recovery that can be done on your real data!

    DVD-RW uses a shallow, low frequency, wobbled groove with some high frequency "ticks" (occurring at a low frequency) to gain some positional accuracy. These ticks are extremely susceptible to dirt, etc.

    Overall, DVD-RW is best used as a re-usable DVD-R.

    DVD+RW uses a shallow wobbled groove. However, this wobble is a continuous high frequency, and uses phase modulation to contain address information. The link point is a few bytes from the end of the sector, meaning that only a few bytes are sacrificed to the ECC gods (instead of 4K in the case of DVD-RW), and sufficient data exists to act as the run-in for the newly written sector.

    The logical layout of DVD+RW is identical to the logical layout of DVD-ROMs. Any drive that conforms to the DVD-ROM standards will read a DVD+RW disc. Unfortunately, some manufacturers took shortcuts (like assuming a low reflectivity disc is a dual layer disc, rather than reading the proper parameter from the media).

    The design characteristics of DVD+RW are such that it works well for randomly written data, and is compatible with DVD-ROM drives.

    In short, DVD-RAM only works if the reader was deliberately designed to read it. DVD-RW is readable by properly designed ROM readers, but is a very fragile format. Finally, DVD+RW is readable in properly designed ROM readers, and has the most robust inherent design.

    Standards that describe these DVD formats are available from ECMA.

    Disclaimer: I work for HP, and used to work in their DVD group. Opinions expressed here are mine, not HPs.

  54. Re:We're on the brink of war,and you talk about DV by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Shut up, motherfucker.

  55. Ha! sucker! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    He just wrote that he's a member of a society for telling each other how bright they are...

    Now I am writing that I am King of the World! Bow down and tremble before my fearsome power!! AHAHAHAHAA! GRABOULOUS!

  56. 10k so what it's called natural selection! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Trolling for Allah!!

  57. "With me, it is whichever one is cheapest" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait
    Thants what your dad said when he picked up your mom at th local bar!!

    Thank you

  58. loud drives by bee-yotch · · Score: 1

    I've got two creative drives, one which is a dvd (not a dvd burner). And both are really loud. I'd recommend staying away from creative for low noise drives. I don't have a creative dvd burner though so who knows, maybe they've got them quieter now, I doubt it though.

    1. Re:loud drives by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My creative 52x CD-ROM is also really, really, really loud, to the point where I worry that the disc is unbalanced and the drive and/or disc will be damaged. Spin-up and down times are quite long, as well. I often use my (much slower) CD burner for normal CD use because of this.

  59. Too busy laughing at CNN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Thank you!

    Trolling for Allah

  60. This calls for the goatse.cx theme song! by Trollerball · · Score: -1, Troll
    The GOATSE.CX theme song! -

    Sung to the tune of the Village People song "Macho Man". Italicized parentetical statements should be spoken in between sung parts od the chorus "Goatse" should be pronounced "goatsay" or "goatseh". Ready? Here we go.

    Ev'ryone you know has seen that goatse-goatse man,
    Stretchin' out his anus as wide as he can!
    Prolapsin' that rectum, go man go!
    Showin the whole world his giant butt hole!

    Ev'rybody wants to meet the goatse-goatse man,
    He's been grossin' out web surfers from Maine to Pakistan!
    You can see his picture on goatse dot c-x,
    But who can say they've met him in the flesh?

    Hey, Hey, Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!

    Goatse-goatse man!
    (Doesn't that hurt?)
    I want to meet the goatse man!
    Goatse-goatse man!
    (What's the biggest object you ever fit in there?)
    Where are you goatse man?!?!
    (four-to-the-three-to-the-two-to-the-one-and...)
    Goatse-goatse man!
    (Can I have your autograph?)
    I want to meet the goatse man!
    Goatse-goatse man!
    (So, what are some of your other hobbies?)
    WHERE ARE YOU GOATSE MAN?!?!

    Lyrics are freely distributable under the GPL, the Goatse Public License.

  61. Hmm ... by egg+troll · · Score: -1

    You have no friends, do you?

    --

    C - A language that combines the speed of assembly with the ease of use of assembly.
  62. 50K !? I wish..I was gonna kill 50k but I got higH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait
    Trolling For Allah!!

  63. Non-conforming players (was Re:This may seem...) by pastie · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...which must surely be illegal, as it would be unable to play a disc conforming to the DVD standard

    Sorry, but there is no way that players not conforming to the standard are `illegal' in the sense of the law. If they were, then there would be many manufacturers of early DVD players who would be being sued by consumers for non-100%-conforming players, which wouldn't play their discs properly.

    Hmmm, consortium-based standards.
  64. Just your mother 2-ice a week by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Shes a hot piece of ass!!

    1. Re:Just your mother 2-ice a week by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You ought to be careful, son, you could get bits of shit on your cock doing that.

  65. If they were planning to crash by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Then they used Windoze!!

    thank you

    1. Re:If they were planning to crash by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Haw haw, yes - windows of offices!

  66. See me by Frank+White · · Score: -1, Troll

    Only me, the underboss of this holocaust, truly yours, Frank White.

    --

    Custer's Revenge: The greatest video

    1. Re:See me by vaj · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      shame on the nigga who try to run game on a nigga

    2. Re:See me by vaj · · Score: 1

      Item! That person with the name Anonymous Coward says not nice things!

    3. Re:See me by Frank+White · · Score: 0

      Vaj took the loot, escaped in the coupe, break bread with the kids, Peniro Sheek loops.

      --

      Custer's Revenge: The greatest video

  67. Fiiirst POST! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    I am so great I am so great ---
    FIRST POST FIRST POST
    first post da nu nu nu .. in yo faces!!!

    1. Re:Fiiirst POST! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The really funny thing is that you didn't get it.

      I know that we really souldn't feed the trolls, but I felt that the above had to be said.

  68. What? What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    My dick smells like your mom!

  69. No prob, she eats it up like chocolate! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Leaves me clean, like new!

    She's one kinky ho!

    1. Re:No prob, she eats it up like chocolate! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, son, she sounds like a fine lady. Mind if I have a go one night?

  70. Re:We're on the brink of war,and you talk about DV by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Kill Arabs. Kll Wogs. Kill the Muslims.

  71. STFU you fucking Jew by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    You and your slut mother suck Ass!!

    Trolling for Allah

    1. Re:STFU you fucking Jew by vaj · · Score: 1

      allah my nut sack

    2. Re:STFU you fucking Jew by Frank+White · · Score: 0

      Who us? Yeah, Poppa and Puff close like Starsky and Hutch.

      --

      Custer's Revenge: The greatest video

  72. dvd by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    i have two of the pioneer dvd r/rw they work great. no problems or underruns. I have burned around 90 dvd's between them. The Media is very expensive around $20 for a 4.7 gig disk which is too small for most movies and not worth the cost

  73. Re:Non-conforming players (was Re:This may seem... by Molf · · Score: 1

    Sorry, I understand; I didn't state myself well. I really meant that it would presumably be in violation of trading standard to sell a device which purports to follow one standard, but instead acts in a way which breaks part of it - much as people have suggested that the recent copy-protected CDs should not be labelled as CDs, because they do not conform to the standard. I hope that clears it up (of course, I still could be way off. Ah well).

  74. Re:We're on the brink of war,and you talk about DV by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Good sir, if you would be so kind, could you tell me, please, what is a Wog? I know not of this word in my English language.

  75. Hey Hemos by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Please let us know what components you finally decide on. Your opinion is highly valued, and I think everyone would like a quieter computer.

  76. Good for you! by egg+troll · · Score: -1

    My mom weighs 300+ pounds and while I love her, I wouldn't call her the most attractive person. I'm sure she enjoys the attention. Thanks for helping her out!!

    --

    C - A language that combines the speed of assembly with the ease of use of assembly.
    1. Re:Good for you! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh. Must've been your sister then. I don't recall sticking my knob into a deformed whale.

  77. I wouldn't recommend any proprietary storageFormat by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The ownership of the dvd format may decide to hold our data hostage! I won't buy a dvd recorder until I can use it with 100%gnu/linux.

  78. Re:What? Hmm? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    May I be so forward as to ask it for a kiss?

  79. Buy a mac by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you want a quiet machine it is well known in the mac community that macs are much quieter than a pc. Macs Rule!

    1. Re:Buy a mac by FatBoy+Titties · · Score: 1

      Thats because they're so slow and crappy they don't need fans.

      I have 4 case fans just for the sake of it as well as a DVD(rom) and CD-RW drive and I say who cares if your box sounds like a small air-conditioner.

      --
      F4+80y +1++135
      FatBoy Titties - (aren't I l33+ ;-) )
  80. dvd rw whats up , we've been using them for a year by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't have the model number , but we have been using the Panasonic scsi unit that write/rewrites to 5.2Gb two sided discs for over a year now in our 911 center and have not had any troubles and these puppies get hammered 24/7-365 .

    They are used in tandem and the platform is unfortunately Win-NT , which crashes alot , but the drives are great !

    I am very happy with them , but they are not readily available as we had to wait over a month to order a spare , thankfully we have not had to use it :)

    We use memorex media and have re-writen to them more than twenty times now .....

    I would have used my regular nic' but am at work and can't remember my password , so on I go .....

    We will not forget this faceless act of cowardism!!!!!

  81. Good site for DVD player compatibility by Polo · · Score: 3, Informative

    a good site is:

    vcdhelp.com

    which is generally for VCD's, which will only play on "compatible" dvd players.

    However, they have lots of background information, including a huge section on DVD players with compatibility information - showing which will play DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD+RW. Also sections on all kinds of other issues. I believe they have the domain dvdhelp.com, but there's not much to it.

    They also have a huge, well documented and well organized Links section to other information.

    1. Re:Good site for DVD player compatibility by humphreybogus · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Other good sites with compatibility information are from Lifeclips.com and YesVideo.com, services which will transfer your videos from other formats (Hi-8, VHS, etc.) to DVD, along with automatic scene detection, chapters, menus, etc.

      Their compatibility lists are here:
      Lifeclips Compatible DVD Players
      YesVideo Compatible DVD Players

      As far as I know, these companies use standard PC-based DVD burners, but I could be mistaken.

  82. Pioneer A03 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Been using the A03 for about 2 months now. (Windows based video/media office enviroment). The hardware is great, but the bundled software is not so great. Luckly Nero now supports the drive, and it works fine with that. Performance is stabile and it burns normal CD-R just as well as the 4.7GB DVD-R discs. Some DVD authoring software like DVD-It also work with the drive. Not sure how well penguins behave with the drive.

  83. Re:Writable DVD - Slightly OT by FastT · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Who the hell decided to use the abbreviations "DVD-RW" and "DVD+RW" for two significantly different formats? These couldn't be more confusing, especially since there is no clear way to even verbally articulate the difference. Why not "DVD-RW1" and "DVD-RW2"? Hasn't the hardware industry learned the lesson that causing confusion for consumers is detrimental to them?

    --

    The only certainty is entropy.
  84. Stephen King is Dying Posts are Dying! by egg+troll · · Score: -1

    We should all keep in mind this simple truth: Stephen King is Dying Posts are dying.
    You don't need to be Kreskin to predict SKIDPs future. The hand writing is on the wall: SKIDPs faces a bleak future. In fact there won't be any future at all for SKIDPs because SKIDPs is dying. Things are looking very bad for SKIDPs. As many of us are already aware, SKIDPs continues to lose troll share. Mod points no longer flow like a river of blood.

    Troll leader Egg Troll states that there are 7000 goatse.cx trolls on Slashdot. How many trolls of Stephen Kind is Dying are there? Let's see. The number of goatse.cx versus hot grits posts on Slashdot is roughly in ratio of 5 to 1. Therefore there are about 7000/5 = 1400 SKIDPs trolls. ASCII art posts on Slashdot are about half of the volume of SKIDPs posts. Therefore there are about 700 posters of ASCII art.

    A recent article put goatse.cx at about 80 percent of the troll market. Therefore there are (7000+1400+700)*4 = 36400 goatse.cx trolls. This is consistent with the number of goatse.cx Slashdot posts.

    Due to the troubles of Jon Katz, abysmal editor policies and Slashcode, Slashdot went out of business and was taken over by VA Linux whose stock was long troubled. Now VA Linux is also dead, its corpse turned over to another charnel house.

    All major surveys show that SKIDPs have steadily declined in troll share. SKIDPs are very sick and their long term survival prospects are very dim. If SKIDPs is to survive at all it will be among Slashdot trolls, crapflooders, and leet doodz. SKIDPs continue to decay. Nothing short of a miracle could save it at this point in time. For all practical purposes, Stephen King is Dying Posts are dead.

    --

    C - A language that combines the speed of assembly with the ease of use of assembly.
  85. DVD-RAM by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have a Panasonic LF-D291N SCSI2 Drive, it works great and quietly. I was able to obtain LM-HC47U cartridgless DVD-RAM disks for $10 a piece as cheap as and dvd-r disks I have seen. They burn and rewrite great and are way cheaper then DVD-RW and DVD+RW which are supposed to be like $20+ plus the DVD-RAM disks have like 100x the rewritablity that DVD-RW and DVD+RW do, i figure DVD-R will be the most popular and i plan to get a dvd-r drive as soon as they go scsi wish the LF-D311 was SCSI i think it is the best bet does DVD-R and DVD-RAM looks liek DVD-R has best compatibilty and cheapest media and if the cd-r revolution has shown us anything who uses many cd-rw anyway? well i can't wait until media drops a little more in price to compete with cd-r prices

  86. i couldn't resist. by JanusFury · · Score: 0

    You used a mac? Grar!
    I see a lynching coming! :P

    --
    using namespace slashdot;
    troll::post();
  87. Excellent White Paper from Pioneer... by nettdata · · Score: 1

    There is an excellent white paper from Pioneer here. It's in pdf format.

    --



    $0.02 (CDN)
  88. No computer connectivity by Comrade+Pikachu · · Score: 1

    Read the specs carefully. It does not claim that the unit itself can be connected to a computer. It only claims that the DVD-RAM format is compatible with other computer-enabled DVD-RAM drives.

  89. Protocol for DVD-R drives by Adam+J.+Richter · · Score: 2

    Since you worked on one of these drives, do you happen to know where one might find documentation on the SCSI commands used to control them? There is a proprietary version of cdrecord that is supposed to be able to control DVD-R drives, so this implies that there are some additional commands necessary beyond what is normally used to drive a CD-R drive. My hope is that this is documented somewhere on t10.org.

  90. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  91. jesus christ... by Wakko+Warner · · Score: 1

    you're one of the worst trolls ever.

    - A.P.

    --
    "Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
  92. When Plextor starts selling DVD+RW drives... by pointwood · · Score: 2

    ...I'll probably buy one. But not before. Plextor makes some of the best (if not the best) CD burners in the world - I bet they will create killer DVD+RW drives too.

  93. Re:Writable DVD - Slightly OT by pkesel · · Score: 1

    RW1 and RW2 are more meaningful than -RW and +RW? Why don't we call them Jim and Harry? Or Blue and Red? Or Wet and Dry? All you've done is replace one enumerator with another, so you've added nothing. You can just as easily say 'dash RW' or 'plus RW as you can 'RW one' or RW two'. Same number of syllables, same degree of differentiation, same lack of any meaning.

    --
    - Sig this!
  94. Fuck DVD by Rogain · · Score: 1

    If i wanna watch movies: S-VHS. Music: mp3 or CD, large storage: 4mm tape.

    Can a storage format be fascistic? DVD certainly is getting close.

    --
    The current Slashdot moderation system is made by gay communists!
  95. Re:Writable DVD - Slightly OT by FastT · · Score: 2

    Absolutely more meaningful, though of course, not ideal. DVD-RW and DVD+RW are completely arbitrary labels. What about the next format, will it be DVD/RW, or maybe DVD*RW. Why not DVD^RW or DVDln(RW). How the hell do you even pronounce these? If a consumer can't pronounce it, he/she probably won't buy it.

    At least something containing a number is pronouncable, includes a sequence, and indicates an order to how the formats were developed and released.

    --

    The only certainty is entropy.
  96. DVD Info by nudibranchOne · · Score: 2, Insightful

    There is the Pioneer DVR-A03 (same as the drive in the Mac version but newer BIOS) and the Panasonic RAMBO LF-D311.
    Both are great drives. Software with the Panasonic is more versatile, shipping with VOB's INSTANT CD/DVD+ (UDF, VCD, ARCHIVING,BACKUP) vs. Veritos Primo DVD (Prassi).
    Basically the differences in the drives are:
    Pioneer: DVD-RW:
    records DVD-R (Gen'l purpose), DVD-RW (Gen'l purpose), CD-R and CDRW
    US software: Sonic MyDVD for DVD authoring, Veritos (Prassi) Primo DVD for CDR(W) and Cyberlink PowerDVD.
    European software: VOB only.
    Panasonic: DVD-RAM/DVD-R:
    Records DVD-R (Gen'l Purpose) and Rewritable DVD-RAM.
    Software: Either Sonic DVDit Standard or NEODVD (Mediostream) DVD authorizing software, VOB Instant CD/DVD+, and Cyberlink PowerDVD.

    If you need to record CDs, or make VCDs, then the Pioneer DVR-A03 is the one to get, no question.
    If you need system backup, serious video editing, network backup, or if archiving is a priority, then the Panasonic LF-D311 wins. DVD-RAM is a true rewritable media and has built in error correction that DVD-R(W) can't match.

    Best prices I've seen are $618 for the DVR-A03 and $534 for the LF-D311 (both with free shipping). http://www.esbuy.com/dvdram2.html
    (found a 10 pack of DVD-R media there for $60!)
    Both drives are quiet, and are multi-read compliant (exception: The Pioneer does NOT read DVD-RAM)
    DAE is surperb for either drive.
    I'm using both of them and can't find any bad habits about either. If the Panasonic did CDR it would be perfect (have to wait 'till January, I guess).
    I've tried the resulting DVDs made from both the Pioneer and Panasonic machines on Sony (including PS2), Panasonic, Pioneer, and Toshiba DVD home players and all work great with the exception of DVD-RW media, not all players will recognize DVD-RW.

    The DVD+RW from HP and Sony probably won't be available on the market for another 2-4 months.
    Panasonic will be releasing a "Super Drive" in January that does DVD-R, DVD-RAM and CDR(W).
    Pioneer is releasing a table top model in the Fall, the PRV-9000.

    It should be noted, if you have a Mac, your only real choice is the Pioneer DVR-A03 with Roxio's Toast Titanium. At this time, only the DVD-RAM side is supported by the MAC (Software Architech SAI DVD-TUNEup has unreleased beta drivers for the DVD-R side).