I'm looking into buying a DVD burner drive for my pc, but I'm a little confused as to what all the different types are.

For example, what does this little lot mean?......

 

CD-ROM....... I know that one

CD-R........... ?

CD-RW......... ?

DVD-ROM..... I know this one

DVD-R.......... ?

DVD-RW........ ?

DVD+RW........ ?

DVD+R.......... ?

DVD+R DL ..... ?

 

All the +'s and -'s confuse me.

 

TIA

R - Recordable

RW - rewritable (use more than once delete then re-wright)

+ and - ?? compatability issues in earlier home dvd models.

 

Buy a pioneer 109 by far the most popular choice I think they are about £60

Yup, as paulbrem said, just to add DL = dual layer, meaning you can burn twice the amount to the DVD.

 

There are (or have been) some compatability issues with + and - DVDs on stand-alone players. Some won't read one type, but will read the other. My Sony player will only read + DVDs for example. Not really too much of an issue anymore as most recorders do both and blank media is so cheap these days.

 

HTH

Thanks chaps, much appreciated. :duffer:

i got an NEC 3500A for mine, i think you can get them for about £40 now, I bought it because it was popular at the time (the new 3520 model is out now, similar price i think) and I was suitably impressed with it.

as above the nec is the most reliable

they also last 3 times as long as the pioneers

i have them in multiple sequences, and regardless of the cost

the nec's are more durable;)