DvD Writer


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AMediaLuz

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Dec 3, 2008
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Hihi, does anyone know where I can purchase (and what brands/prices are available) for DvD writers which does not need PCs to run? For home use, not those commercial ones.
 

No, not to transfer from the videocam recorder to dvd.

Ya, more of a dvd duplicator - you know those where you have to duplicate like a dvd or vcd for each of the 20 uncle and auntie who appears in your videocam during Chinese New Year?
 

No, not to transfer from the videocam recorder to dvd.

Ya, more of a dvd duplicator - you know those where you have to duplicate like a dvd or vcd for each of the 20 uncle and auntie who appears in your videocam during Chinese New Year?
haha ..... :bsmilie::sweatsm:

i usually solve the problem by burning one and give to one of my nephews to burn one for every uncles and aunties .... coz this uncle very low-tech :sweat:
 

No, not to transfer from the videocam recorder to dvd.

Ya, more of a dvd duplicator - you know those where you have to duplicate like a dvd or vcd for each of the 20 uncle and auntie who appears in your videocam during Chinese New Year?

few ways...

1) send to shops to duplicate
2) buy a duplicator from Sim Lim Square, a number of them there... but quite pricey.
3) since you have to burn the initial copy, just burn the initial copy as an iso. then you just use the iso to burn every copy. don't have to drag and drop files after that.
 

few ways...

1) send to shops to duplicate
2) buy a duplicator from Sim Lim Square, a number of them there... but quite pricey.
3) since you have to burn the initial copy, just burn the initial copy as an iso. then you just use the iso to burn every copy. don't have to drag and drop files after that.

Thanks! Will see how much is it to send to shops to duplicate v how much to get a duplicator. ;)
 

Thanks! Will see how much is it to send to shops to duplicate v how much to get a duplicator. ;)

a 1 to 1 duplicator is about 300-500... a 1 to 2 or 1 to 4 or more is alot lot more expensive. and you still have to change disc 1 by 1.

send to shop to dupe varies from 5 to 20 depending on the job done, and labelling.
 

a 1 to 1 duplicator is about 300-500... a 1 to 2 or 1 to 4 or more is alot lot more expensive. and you still have to change disc 1 by 1.

send to shop to dupe varies from 5 to 20 depending on the job done, and labelling.

Oh. Thanks for the info. :cool:
May be still cheaper getting a 1 to 1 duplicator assuming that it's around $10 a copy, and that I duplicate 20 per chinese new year and the machine last me 2 years.
;p
 

Oh. Thanks for the info. :cool:
May be still cheaper getting a 1 to 1 duplicator assuming that it's around $10 a copy, and that I duplicate 20 per chinese new year and the machine last me 2 years.
;p

well, if you have a PC with a burner, you just have to key in 20 and start the burning process, and it just self ejects and u take out the burnt disc and put the new disc in...
 

Oh. Thanks for the info. :cool:
May be still cheaper getting a 1 to 1 duplicator assuming that it's around $10 a copy, and that I duplicate 20 per chinese new year and the machine last me 2 years.
;p

If you are going to get just a 1 to 1 duplicator and pay so much for one... I would rather suggest you use the DVD recorder in your PC to do the duplication.

What are your worries about using the PC for this? Power consumption or copy error when you also use the PC for other task at the same time? I can still do other work on my PC and downloading stuff on my PC and still have no problem copying the CD in the background at the same time. (I use a Core2 Duo with 3gig ram) Doing a copy at 8X copy speed which is about 6mins per disc (higher spin rate is not good if you want good copies without problems consistently)
 

If you are going to get just a 1 to 1 duplicator and pay so much for one... I would rather suggest you use the DVD recorder in your PC to do the duplication.

What are your worries about using the PC for this? Power consumption or copy error when you also use the PC for other task at the same time? I can still do other work on my PC and downloading stuff on my PC and still have no problem copying the CD in the background at the same time. (I use a Core2 Duo with 3gig ram) Doing a copy at 8X copy speed which is about 6mins per disc (higher spin rate is not good if you want good copies without problems consistently)

Oh, didn't realise that a DVD recorder in PC is alot cheaper. If that's the case, then I would get a DVD recorder.

If the prices are about the same, then I would get a 1 to 1 duplicator ... then my parents can do it themselves while I continue my quests in the World of Warcraft...;p
 

Oh, didn't realise that a DVD recorder in PC is alot cheaper. If that's the case, then I would get a DVD recorder.

If the prices are about the same, then I would get a 1 to 1 duplicator ... then my parents can do it themselves while I continue my quests in the World of Warcraft...;p

a sata dvd recorder is only less than 100 bucks, some better ones are abit more...

if you intend to get 2 dvd writer, better get 2 sata ones instead of 2 ide ones. cos most of the mobos only give 1 ide, and if you daisy chain them, the dvds will not burn on the fly.

best is still to create iso then burn.
 

Oh, didn't realise that a DVD recorder in PC is alot cheaper. If that's the case, then I would get a DVD recorder.

If the prices are about the same, then I would get a 1 to 1 duplicator ... then my parents can do it themselves while I continue my quests in the World of Warcraft...;p

that's about the size of it heheh.... a typical DVD writer for a PC is cheap but please don't try to get the cheapest hehe... something in the $60 to 80 will get you a pretty good one. I kinda like Sony and Samsung which I have gotten quite a few for myself and install for friends without any problems.

Keep the spin rate to 6X and you will have a good copy. Higher speed are dicey at times. And yes... I agree... GO FOR SATA DVD drives only.
 

that's about the size of it heheh.... a typical DVD writer for a PC is cheap but please don't try to get the cheapest hehe... something in the $60 to 80 will get you a pretty good one. I kinda like Sony and Samsung which I have gotten quite a few for myself and install for friends without any problems.

Keep the spin rate to 6X and you will have a good copy. Higher speed are dicey at times. And yes... I agree... GO FOR SATA DVD drives only.

Oh, the $60- $80 one is internal one right? Am thinking of getting external because I am not really the type who knows how to open up an PC and install things...:embrass:
 

a sata dvd recorder is only less than 100 bucks, some better ones are abit more...

if you intend to get 2 dvd writer, better get 2 sata ones instead of 2 ide ones. cos most of the mobos only give 1 ide, and if you daisy chain them, the dvds will not burn on the fly.

best is still to create iso then burn.

How does getting 2 dvd writers work? As in you can put the original copy in one, and a blank copy in another so that they read and write at the same time?
 

How does getting 2 dvd writers work? As in you can put the original copy in one, and a blank copy in another so that they read and write at the same time?

I think Del_that's what he meant you can do but he also suggesting that you make a ISO file and use that off your HDD as the data point which will feed that ISO data to the DVD drive to write your DVD disc. In other words to just buy one. Why power up two DVD drives when you can just power one and read the data off your hdd instead.

Now if you are looking to buy any external DVD writer, I don't know what the rest here might suggest but for me... I say buy one that lets you link up to your PC via eSATA. It is alot faster then USB 2.0. so in that sense data flow from PC to the DVD writer is smooth and the DVD don't need to be in any wait-state for it to keep writing. Sometime this unsmooth and slower throughput to an external writer can result in error copies. In most situation a USB 2.0 would be fine. In fact there are DVD writer that actually come with both....which is always a good thing in case you need to use that external DVD writer on another PC and it only have USB points and no eSATA. The thing is you need to see if your PC has any eSATA output socket if not you will have to get it too. Since youa re not familiar with opening up your own PC that might be a problem unless you have friends or bring your system down to the shop to let them fix it up for it. It is an easy job but to a newbie it still look intimidating. In that case just use the UBS connector instead. But buy a DVD writer which has both eSATA and USB 2.0 on it...Makes it abit more "future proofing" if you are getting a new PC in a year's time and it might have eSATA built on it as standard fixture.

The next thing is...do you know what is an ISO file? heheh... most s/w that comes with your DVD writer will have that capability to make that ISO file format for yout. It is basically taking all the photos or whatever you want to be written to a blank DVD disc and mirror all those files and "zip" them to form one file. Example of a typical filename is "MyWeddingDVD.iso".

"Iso" is a universal format that most DVD writing s/w will recognize it as a template to make 1 or more quantity of CD or DVD discs of the same copy. Look at ISO like a casting mold if you will. But you want to make it simpler....you can still record without making a ISO file. Just gather all your files in your PC and then add them using the DVD writer's s/w at the preparation stages...then when you ready to copy...just select the recoding speed (8X) and then select how many copies you want to make and then press record. After each copy, simple follow the instructions on the screen and remove and add a new blank DVD to recorder another copy. I am sure you know how to do that part right? No need to waste money buying a duplicating machines lah... how often will you use it? Once a year? Problem is...anything that is electronical and mechanical if you don't use it for a long time..it might just not work...again. Ever.

But also make sure you understand when I say you can do other things while it writes a disc but you also must know how CPU intensive your other program is running too.. If it uses a lot of the HDD to access data or need your CPU to number crunch large things or your game demand like tons of CPU and GPU power and ram..etc..then you are not going to be happy with the DVD writing heheh... and you might have more error discs then you make perfect copies. That is the drawback. You have to balance your resources....even if you own the more powerful PC rig in the world.
 

for me, i normally make a iso then copy to a hdd i dun use. and never on the OS drive or drive i am doing encoding...

cos i wanna make it the smoothest ride for it. imagine you are running programs on the hdd and the drive is seeking for info and its also giving info to the disc for duplicating, even if the buffer is alot, it might not have the best output.
 

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