Archiving CD's

[Ed_L]

If you use Cd's for archiving purposes, is there a particular type of CD that you use? If there is, why do you choose it over the others?

Ed

[DJ Dubovsky]

Yes, I choose the cheap ones. No, really I do look for deals or rebates but I have discovered that PNY 80 min 700 mb has been pretty reliable and the last case of 50 I got were only $4 after Best Buy and PNY rebates. I notice I don't get very many errors. I've paid more and had bad luck with some well known brands. Also for mere pennies a CD it's a great storage device. We have tried the rewritables but I find that they don't always open through other CD drives so if you take it to a printer say, they may not be able to open the files. And since the regulars are so cheap it really isn't worth the hastle. Just remember to make sure your recorded CD works and you can open the files on it before you erase anything off your hard drive.
DJ

[thomasgeorge]

I use Memorex brand CD's in the 700 mb format as just about all the others I have tried have at some point refused to open, etc., while after a year, no problems with any Memorex stuff. I am eagerly awaiting the reviews concerning the new crop of external DVD burners, as the data storage per single sided disc is reported to be around 4.5 gigs of space. Tom

[chris h]

Ed,
Like DJ I use whatever is going cheap usually Memorex or a brand called Mirror which is common over here. Agreed on CDrW with CD'rs being so cheap whats the point. I'm a bit wary of using discs to capacity I'm happy with half full and have never had any burns fall down on me ever.
To any body who's buying a burner for the first time, hang on to your old CD drive then you can burn on the fly with none of that tiresome disc swapping when your doing straight copies. I use Nero software for burning although if you buy a burner you'll get burning software of some sort in the box.

[Rick]

Thom,

Pioneer makes a DVD Burner (for about $900), and it has gotten tremendous reviews from the magazines that I've read. (of course, it's the ONLY DVD Burner that I'm aware of)

the model is:

DVR-A03

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com


A review that's speaks it's praises is maximumpc.


Rick

[thomasgeorge]

Rick, There have been rumors that HP, Sony etc., are soon to release external firewire/USB DVD burners in the DVD-RAM format which will be in the $500. range. So far, while hinting this is indeed true, the mfg.'s have been silent from an offical stand point. Talk was that by Christmas there were suppost to be some sort of announcements but so far only silence. Tom

[Roger Roberts]

I read an article last week in the newspaper that HP was going to stop making and selling CDRW drives in the near future except for the OEM models for their own computers. They will be concentrating on production and sales of the new DVD Burners that have a much higher profit margin.

[Ed_L]

I'm looking at a flyer from Best Buy. It shows an hp dvd-writer dvd 100i. According to the ad, you can burn DVD's on your PC with this DVD-RW Drive. One DVD will hold 4.7 GB of photos, or 3 hours of video. Price is $599.99, and it will burn both CD's and DVD's.

Ed

[thomasgeorge]

Thats the one that I had heard some talk about. Sounds interesting. For archiving purposes that really sounds like the way to go to prevent getting buried in CD-R discs. Did the flyer give a price on the DVD media? I had heard they would be in the $15.00 range for the single sided ones. Tom

[DJ Dubovsky]

Sounds interesting but I think I will wait until the prices come down in a year or two. Guess til then, I will be burried in CDs.
DJ

[thomasgeorge]

Probably by then there will be something entirely different and cheaper avaliable! I plan on watching the reviews before jumping in---seeing as how I have a propensity to unerringly "shoot my self in the foot" on a dismally consistant basis when buying stuff which is claimed by its makers to be the best thing since sliced white bread and totally essential to maintaining life as we know it. Besides, I'm eyeing a new toy. Just finished a rather neat job and the client was so happy he paid me! With Real money!! The shock almost killed me!!! No Complaints either!!!! Tom

[Ed_L]

Sorry Tom. No price on the writeable DVD's. They don't have them anywhere in the flyer.

Ed