Reliable CD-RW

[RLT65]

I know that speed sells CD-RW drives, but after going through 2 drives, NEC , plextor in less than 2 years, I want a reliable one. Any suggestions on one that works for the long haul?

RT

[Mr.Goodbytes]

Well, HP's don't yet have a BURN-Proof type of technology that I know of yet, and I hate what they've done to their software, but they sell a drive that sure can take a lickin'. And as far as the software goes, I've ditched using the software that comes with burners altogether. An older 8100 series HP of mine has gone through nearly 1000 discs (with few errors) and is still going. This Sony I've got has been treating me well too.

[jan15]

I've had good luck with a Philips. I've had it for over 2 years and burned hundreds of cd's. There've been maybe 2 in all that time that didn't work and I had to do them over. I notice the metal case is always cool to the touch, and it makes less sound than most other drives I've used. I just ordered another one (Philips again, a refurbished unit this time) not because the old one's worn out, but because they're so much faster now, and so cheap. And Philips gives a one year warranty even for a rebuilt unit, whereas all the others I looked at were 3 months.

[Richard_Cranium72]

I've had 5 HP's and have 3 on order, one Phillips 8x4x32 one No-Name, and now a Pacific Digital 12x10x32(still in the box)

All have served me well, I don't care for the Nero 5.5 software but do like Nero 5.0

My favorite is Adaptec EZ creator which some here don't like..

I guess that's why they make Chevy's AND Fords:)

DrVette

[Scorpio69]

Scorpio has left the building

[RayH]

I actually think that reliablity is a hit or miss proposition. With the same units, some people will swear by and some people will swear at.

The units are so inexpensive these days, that they can't afford to put too much money in testing. It's just cheaper to send a new unit along to the few that don't work!

[Axel]

If you plan to make a whole lot of copies - especially of the same thing - then I recommend that you buy a CD-duplicator machine and save the unit in your PC for original burns -

like is mentioned above - these things have gotten very inexpensive - lots of light plastic parts holding a precision laser device on track to make burns in mass-produced plastic disks - what do you expect?

Here's another way to look at it - if bought in bulk, and on sale - you can drive the price of one CD-r down to about 30 cents each - so what if you trash 3 out of every 100? nothing to waste your time worrying about - right? but please recycle the used ones....

[Scorpio69]

Scorpio has left the building.

[wing7788]

True enough, I have used wasted CDRs as real glass coasters while drinking (non-alcoholic..) during computer sessions. With the bad CDRs accumulated thru the years, it now has become much taller than the glass I use for drinking.