Double Layer DVD drive- Upcoming

I just discovered this site and I think its great to have discussion like this.
I am planning to buy a laptop for my sister, a college student.
When I reviewed the forums I found out that the 64bit CPU are the way to go so it wise to wait a little longer for newer models.
Also found out that double layer DVD drive are coming. But I was wondering if there are double layer DVD/ DVDR/DVDRW drive coming in the market fot laptops. WOuld it be durable and have a long life ?

 

For the drive you have to wait a while. The process of burning Dual Layer DVD is a lot tougher than single Layer, and I cannot say anything about its reliability. And for the 64bit CPU, those came out around last year for the workstation system, not for the mainstream. Now it does, but there is no Operating System to very take advantage of it yet. Yes, Windows XP and Linux work on it. But, there have been no evidence of major speed improvement yet. And there is no off the shelf software that work in 64bit yet either. Personally, I'll wait another year for those to gain solid ground, before I spend lots of money on the notebook like that. Desktop is a whole difference story.

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are you sure? i read on pc mag or pcworld or itnews or osmething that some drives can go duel layer with just firmware upgrade.. basically if burns the first layer then it goes on and does the second so it shouldn't be that difficult.. maybe time consuming tho

 

I'm not saying, it's not available. And I have mention the firmware hack before. But, that's not the point. The point is the DL(Dual Layer) Technology is very new to the consumer DVD burner, and I would not say you can burn DVD DL disk reliably. Yes, you can burn the first layer first then the second, but, can you say for sure that while burning the first layer, the laser on the DVD burner wouldn't effect the second layer, and not even a little bit. Just like you burn a CD and it will play on some system, but not the other, this is especially true when burning at very high speed. Burning a CD or DVD isn't entirely have to do with what burner you use, but with what media(brand) you use as well.
DVD is a very sensitive media, due to it's high capacity(density), and one little mistake on power to DVD laser can slip can burn the second layer and you can toss that disc goodbye, That's why I would rather wait a while longer, and let other people be my lab rats[ ]
<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by airwick

 

Dual Layer is currently available by Sony (DRU-700A). I believe another manufacturer is also close to releasing a DL drive. The Sony model IS currently available BUT only in an internal, full-size format. I did find a couple of sites taking preorders for the external version, which is what I'm waiting for.

 

Thanks Freeman, Big Calhoun, Airwick for your helpful views...

It came to me the idea of Internal versus External...

If one is going to buy he double layer DVD drive, would it be wise to buy the external? It is a fact that External drives costs much much higher. What are the advantage of external over internal?

Aside from portability, does it have a longer burning "life"?;
Is it more secure in burning data?
Please elaborate on the pros and cons of external vs internal...[ ][ ][ ]

 

My previous inquiry may be alittle off-track.

But as they say... One question leads to one answer and even more questions.

Thanks for your input[ ]

 

I dunno, I don't really see it as pro vs con, more of what fits into my situation. I travel, use alot of files in various formats, scan most paper files into Word documents and sometimes have to share data. It's easier for me to have the convience of being able to burn a DVD from any location I may happen to be at. On the other hand, if I travelled less but still handled the same volume of files, I'd go with an internal model because portability wouldn't be as much of a factor.

BTW, the DL Sony drive is available @ Best Buy for $199.

 

I have assumptions on internal vs external (not that technically familiar with them so assumptions only)

1. External drives have slower transfer rate because they have longer cables.
2. Internal drives can not be upgraded in your laptop because it is built-in.
3. External drives is more portable because it can act as a back-up unit in case you want to burn from different computers.

What I am not certain is if their "burning" life are the same. It appears that since external are more bulky, there components are bigger and more resistant to wear and tear as compared to the smaller components of internal drive.[?][?][?]

 

1. My understanding of the transfer speeds has to do with the format that is used. Typically, you'll see drives offered for IDE/ATA, SCSI, and external models using FireWire, USB, and PC-Card interfaces. Each of these formats have different speeds at which they transfer data. SCSI is much faster than IDE...IDE and SCSI deliver better performance than a USB connection. The cable length could make some difference, but it really depends on the interface. For external models, USB 2.0 and PC-Card interfaces are a pretty safe way to go. FireWire is also good but it seems to only be used in cameras and a small number of other multimedia devices. I'm pretty sure somone can elaborate better on the bandwith of the different interfaces than I can.

2. I think we're confusing different types of drives:

- Internals usually refer to full size drives typically found in desktops.
-Externals usually refer to full size (or larger) drives that typically use USB, PC-Card, or FireWire interfaces; can be used with laptops or desktops, and usually require an external power supply.
- Slimline drives are nothing more than external drives in a smaller form factor. Some of these drives can be hacked into fitting a laptop.
- Modular drives usually refer to drives on laptops that are removable. You can typically insert other devices into the bay such as a floppy drive or numeric keypad...depending on your laptop model.
- Integrated drives usually refer to those built directly into the laptop and are not meant to be removed.

It's really semantics...kind of like the difference between a sub-notebook and an ultra-light.

3. External drives are meant to be portable so they can be used from a variety of machines. Of course, that machine also needs the drivers, hardware, and software to support the machine otherwise it takes a little bite out of the portability factor.

 

Hi, I'm interested in purchasing the HP 420e external DVD writer:

http://www.hp-expo.com/uk/eng/consumer/dvdwriter/q2132a.html

As far as I know, this is the NEC2500A (which has received excellent reviews) that HP have bought and turned into an external drive.

There is a firmware update for the NEC2500A that allows it to write dual layer. Do you think this would work wioth the HP?

 

I totally discourage buy a DL drive unless you REALLY REALLY need it. It only burns at 2.4x (taking about 45 minutes per disk) and you have to burn the whole disk at once to get it to reflect and refract correctly. I would wait (I know, the waiting game isn't very fun) Until the DVD format war Round 2 is over.
Contenders: HD-DVD, Blu-Ray, DL

 

But it will only write at 2.4x for DL disks and will write faster to single layer disks, won't it?

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>and you have to burn the whole disk at once to get it to reflect and refract correctly<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

What do you mean? Are you saying that it is not like DVD-RW? If that is the case, that's fine. In my case, it would only be to copy movies.

 

It will write faster for single layer disks, usually 8x or so. With normal DVD's, you can fill up part of it with data, and then do the rest later. With dual-layer, even if you just want 5GB of data, you have to burn the whole 8.5gb disk.

 

Ok you are confusing me!

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>It will write faster for single layer disks, usually 8x or so.<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

I understand that.

<blockquote id='quote'>quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>With normal DVD's, you can fill up part of it with data, and then do the rest later.<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

Only with DVD+RW or DVD-RW, not with DVD+R or DVD-R. Unless I completely misunderstand the different formats.

<blockquote id='quote'>quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>With dual-layer, even if you just want 5GB of data, you have to burn the whole 8.5gb disk.<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

Are you saying that if you want to write a very small amount of data, say 100MB, it will write to the full 8.5GB and take the same time it takes to write 8.5GB to it (+-1 hour)?

 

RW means that you can erase previous work and write new material on top of it. It functions like a floppy disk or usb drive. DVD+/- R means that you can write on a certain area, and then erase it, but it cannot be written over again. You can add to the disk until it is full, but you cannot replace a file with another.
DL-DVD's cost about ten dollars right now, though that cost may go down. No matter how big or small the file is that you want to put on the Dual-layer DVD, it has to burn the full disk. This is usually not a problem if it is under 4.7 GB, as you would just use a regualar DVD. However, a 5 GB file would waste several dollars' worth of space.
Blu-ray DVD's, backed by sony, Dell, and others (Sony sells dual layer DVD's, but will migrate support to oppose HD-DVD) are not out yet, but promise up to ten gigabytes of space (this will increase to 25 as it reaches its full potential). Blue light's short wavelength and high energy promise to increase both speed and capacity.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Andrew

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Andrew

 

Blu-ray should function the same as a normal DVD writer, except normal DVD players will not be able to read the disk. You need a blue laser to read a Blu-ray disk. The blue wavelength is much shorter, so it has the same effect as writing with a smaller pencil. You are able to fit more in the same space. From what I understand, HD-DVD is backward compatible (can be read in today's drives), but is slower and has little new technology. The increase in capacity is mostly from newer compression algorithms.

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<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by marcog

 

probably about 99% should be able to read it. Make sure to close the disk to make it more compatible.

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what you are referring to is called, multi-session. as long as your reader support it, then it should be fine.
The problem is when you say erase, it's not very erase the file, because once the session is closed, there is nothing you can do about it, unless you scratch the disc [ ] technically, the new session make a mark on the new session for the Operating System to signify the file isn't there, and there for you don't gain space for that either. Also you can use some utility to read only specific session, and therefore can still read the file which marked deleted in other session. also, everytime you close/open a session, there is a process called, lead in/lead out, which cost you about 10MB of space. If possible, I will not use multi-session.

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by marcog

 

But it is still usefull if you only want to burn small files to a CD. In that case you can you use the CD almost like a re-writeable for a period of time, until you run out of space.

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HP nx7010 DU259A: Pentium-M 1.6GHz, 2x256MB RAM, 60GB 7200RPM HDD, 64MB Radeon 9200, 15.4" WXGA, XP Pro.

 

What can you say about the speeds written in the CD's. There are 1x,4x , High speed, Ultra high speed?

Is there a way to burn a high speed CD in a 1X drive?

The same with DVD's... do they apply?

 

CD burning goes all the way up to 56x, but that is rare. My desktop burns a cd in a minute and a half at 48x. Dvd's burn 1,2,4,8, and 12x, while Dual-layer DVD's currently burn at 2.4x. You cannot burn higher than what your drive says, but in some cases you can burn higher than the media says.

GPU cooling (100°C->75°C)* Inspiron 8600 * 1.8ghz Pentium M * 128 MB Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo (337/242 -> 400/300) * 2x256 MB DDR2700 SDRAM * Aquamark 3: 24058 * 3DMark'03: 3404 * 3DMark'01 SE: 13120

 

Oh, sorry, I meant you can't burn at the high speed, but you can still burn at the lower speed. The speeds specified on the media are the maximum, anything below that will work. Those high-speed disks will work on any drive.

~Just found this out: Dell has a notebook dual-layer DVD drive for sale. It's expensive, but worth a look.

GPU cooling (100°C->75°C)* Inspiron 8600 * 1.8ghz Pentium M * 128 MB Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo (337/242 -> 400/300) * 2x256 MB DDR2700 SDRAM * Aquamark 3: 24058 * 3DMark'03: 3404 * 3DMark'01 SE: 13120

 

So I cant really burn a High speed media in a "lower speed" drive. Its a pity, there are high speed media on sale at times and rarely the lower speed.

 

I am hesitant to use the high speed CD's coz it says on the label "for use on high speed drive only". My drive is labelled 1x- 4x . So having said what you said, I can use the high speed CD???

I tried it but it makes an error and won't proceed.

 

Guess it doesn't work. Is this in your laptop or desktop? Desktop cd burners are really cheap now, like $30.

GPU cooling (100°C->75°C)* Inspiron 8600 * 1.8ghz Pentium M * 128 MB Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo (337/242 -> 400/300) * 2x256 MB DDR2700 SDRAM * Aquamark 3: 24058 * 3DMark'03: 3404 * 3DMark'01 SE: 13120

 

It's a desktop. I guess I will have to upgrade. But not for now. I am waiting how the dual layer or other technology comes out. Eventually when something new comes, the previous drops down their price.

 

The format wars are not going to be over for a long time. There are already multiple formats of blu-ray disks, HD-DVD's and DL-DVD's. There are dual-layer blu-rays, and even violet-ray disks are on the horizon. It takes deep pockets to come out of that market alive, it's extremely easy to make the wrong choice.

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It would be so nice if there was just one "do it all" format that could become the industry standard. It seems like there is a new choice every few months. Oh well, thats technology for you [ ].

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Fujitsu S6210: 1.6Ghz PM ~ 768MB RAM ~ 60GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
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I agree. At least technology has decided to agree on one thing - USB!

And we're lucky that all Cds and DVDs are the same size, otherwise we would never a thing such as a dual format reader/burner. [ ]

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HP nx7010 DU259A: Pentium-M 1.6GHz, 2x256MB RAM, 60GB 7200RPM HDD, 64MB Radeon 9200, 15.4" WXGA, XP Pro.