Needing to buy one but have been out of the market and not really following it closely enough to make sure that I know what I'm getting.

With that being said, what do I need to be looking for? I know that there are different formats (+/- R, +/- RW)....

I'll mainly be using this as a way to back up our server here at the office but, I'm sure I'll also be utilizing it to make totally legal backup copies of the DVD's that I own.

What do you guys suggest? What media do I need to use to burn video DVDs? Will one type record data and the other movies? Both?

Thanks guys...

RP

 

Here's a great site for computer hardware reviews. They just so happen to have one on DVD Burners. Here's a link:

http://www.tomshardware.com/storage/20031027/index.html

Remeber though, that hardware is changing rapidly in the computer industry and what's good today can be obsolete tomorrow.

 

Lite On makes great CD and DVD burners. Always loved them. often rebadged under other brands.

Get oen that is + and -, often +/-.

8x would be great because that is a lot of data and it takes a long time to burn.

Black Friday will have opportunity for $80-90 4x writers.

 

Thanks fellers...

I'll check out the tomshardware site later this evening. Can anyone, in a nutshell, explain what I need to copy DVD movies. And, again, I'll only be creating 'back up copies' of DVDs that I already own. (oh yeah, I know you need software to make that work... I'll buy legal copies of that too... LOL!)

 

Any drive should come with some software to burn DVD's. Just need the media and I cannot help on that front.

 

Does it matter what type of DVDs that I use to burn data? Movies?

I mean, do I need to buy a spindle of +R or -R... does it matter?

RP

 

It definately matters.

I'm too lazy to look it up for you but check around techtv.com

 

I'd recommend Plextor, Pioneer, or Lite-On. Lite-On is probably the cheaper of the three, but still very good.

Plextor is the ***** to the walls best one out of them

Oh and I recommend http://www.newegg.com to buy it from.

 

Thanks Joe. Your effort means the world to me and has been duly noted.

 

I have a plextor dvd burner that I just recently got. Spent countless hours looking around at all the dvd copy programs, the easiest I found were these 2. AnyDVD and CloneDVD. Basically AnyDVD strips off the copyright junk and then you can copy the entire DVD with CloneDVD, it's that simple, nothing to edit or anything and you have an exact copy of the DVD. I've made about 10 so far with it and it works great. I use Memorex DVD-R's.

 

I think I'm going to go a different route with this but, I still may get one for home....

The DVD was going to be used to backup the network here at the office but, I think a tape drive is going to be more suitable for what I need.

Any insight on tape drives? I'm thinking 10/20gb... I don't need a full image of that drive... just certain folders backedup .

 

tape drives and cartridges are a good bit more expensive, but probably more reliable.

I honestly do not know what a good brand to look at for tapes is now. Its been a real long time since I looked at that technology.

But my instinct would be to check out Seagate.

Travan drive:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...tby=14&order=1

Cartridges:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...ription=travan

Interestingly enough, the 40GB carts are cheaper than the 20GBs...


FYI everyone, newegg.com is having a one-day sale. Check it out

 

I'm not sure if this has been posted cause I was too lazy to read all the posts.

There is a difference in the + and -, and from what I've researched the + discs will not play in as many players as the - discs, so when you are making legal copies of your DVD's use -.

As for the software, you can download DVDXCopy from the internet using Kazaa or BearShare or whatever else you might have, and it will make exact copies of your movies including bonus features and everything, but often takes 2 discs if it is a long movie or has lots of bonus features.

I just recently downloaded some software a freind has been using and he gets great movies on to one disc. He downloaded these programs:
DVD Decrypter
DVD2One
Nero

I have a little tutorial on how to make DVD's using these programs and I can send it to you if you email me. I haven't gotten around to reading it so I don't know how difficult it is.

You can download those programs listed above from their own site I believe, and then find come cracks online using download software or i know crackheaven.com has some of the registration codes.

 

Thanks Hosracn & Johngs...

I think I'm going to take this conversation full circle with this one...

What about going with a USB Hard Drive for backup? Surely they make software that will **AUTOMATICALLY** back up set files and such...



Here's what I have guys...

Basically it's a file server for our office. I'm not running any applications off of the server... just files. Presently, I have over 5 gigs of data that needs to be backed up on, at least, a weekly basis (preferably daily). This file server is our life line. If it goes down, we're up chit creek without any kind of paddle.

The 5 gigs of data will continue to grow. It's taken two and a half years to get that much data but, it will eventually grow.

With that being said...

Isn't a tape drive my best bet?


Opinions?


RP