Pick a Driver With All the Rewrite Moves
Novice PC buyers face a difficult choice: whether to get a CD-ROM drive, a DVD drive or a CD-RW drive that reads and writes CD-ROMs.
For me, it’s an easy decision. I’d get a CD-RW, which stands for compact disc rewritable. All three drives can read computer CD-ROMs, used primarily to install new software, and all three can play audio CDs. But the CD-RW is the only one that can create personalized CD-ROMs and audio CDs.
My CD-RW drive is indispensable. To begin with, it’s a great way to back up data files from the hard drive. In addition to backing up data, a CD-RW drive can be used to make copies of audio CDs, software installation discs and data CDs. It’s always a good idea to have a backup copy of important installation discs, just in case the original gets lost, stolen or damaged. Likewise, it’s nice to have backups of your favorite musical CDs.
Lest you think I’m advocating a life of crime, copyright laws specifically permit making copies of your own software and music for archival purposes. It’s also OK to make a copy of a music CD to listen to in the car or while jogging, as long as you don’t give or sell the copy or the original CD to someone else.
So what about that DVD player that comes on many new PCs? It certainly seems like a good idea. After all, DVDs can store several gigabytes of information and can be used to play the same movies designed for DVD players that connect to a television. But the software industry hasn’t gotten behind the format. Aside from a handful of games and a few PC encyclopedias, there are hardly any programs available for DVD.
As for watching movies, it seems like a good idea, but have you ever watched a full-length movie on a PC screen? Just because it can be done doesn’t mean you’re going to like doing it. Given a choice, I’d much rather lounge in front of my living room TV than watch a movie on my PC with its 17-inch screen and small speakers.
A DVD player does make sense for a laptop because you can use it to view movies on airplanes and in hotel rooms or show them to your kids in the back seat on long car trips. Just be sure you bring along an extra battery if you plan to watch movies and get any work done on a coast-to-coast flight.
If you really want a DVD player on your PC and also want a CD-RW drive, you do have some options. Most desktop PCs have room for both, and if you’re ordering a PC you can ask for both drives. Hewlett-Packard’s Dimension 4100 PC, for example, starts at $949 with a built-in DVD drive; for an additional $199, you can add an internal CD-RW drive. Another option is to purchase an external CD-RW drive that connects via the USB port.
Toshiba has a new hybrid device for people who want it both ways. The $229 Toshiba SD-R1002 CD-RW/DVD ROM may not provide you with the best of both worlds, but it does allow you to access DVDs and create CD-ROM discs.
It took me about half an hour to install a dual-purpose drive in my desktop PC, though installation of an internal drive might take you longer and be a bit frustrating if you’re not familiar with the innards of your PC. The drive does an excellent job playing DVD movies and running standard CDs, but it’s a bit slower than I prefer when it comes to writing CDs.
That’s because it writes CDs at “4x,” which means it’s four times faster than the first-generation CD-RW drives. At that speed, it takes about 18 minutes to copy a full CD. For about the same price, you can get an 8x or even a 12x internal CD-RW drive. So if you already have a DVD drive, I’d pass on the Toshiba hybrid and opt for a faster CD-RW drive, such as the 12x PlexWriter 12/10/32 ($249) from Plextor.
However, if your PC has a regular CD-ROM drive, this device might be a worthwhile upgrade. If you are upgrading, try to keep your existing CD-ROM drive and install the Toshiba as a second drive. Having two drives makes it a lot easier and faster to copy CDs and provides a backup in case one drive fails.
*
Technology reports by Lawrence J. Magid can be heard between 2 and 3 p.m. weekdays on the KNX-AM (1070) Technology Hour.
