PC World: "Good-Bye CD-RW, Hello DVD"

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,116138,pg,1,RSS,RSS,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,116138,pg,1,RSS,RSS,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div>"Every computer system needs an optical drive: Without one, there'd be no way to install Microsoft Windows (or any other software, for that matter). But CD burners are so yesterday. DVD burners are hot--and may be all you really need when you're buying a new PC, or upgrading an old one. Everyone, from computing neophytes to savvy enthusiasts, talks about burning DVDs. According to a recent study by IDC, 11 million households will likely buy a DVD burner for their PC in the next 18 months. That's nearly twice the number of households IDC estimated would gravitate towards DVD in a similar study released just nine months earlier.<br /><br />What accounts for the unexpected surge in interest? Well, for one thing, DVD remains a golden technology in the consumer electronics world. Sales of prerecorded DVDs continue to blast through records. And nearly 70 million DVD players are already in living rooms, dens, and bedrooms across America, with sales this year running ahead of what they were last year."<br /><br />Still don't have a DVD burner? This article explains why you'll have one soon. ;-)

[c38b2]

I don't think the article was convincing. It was essentially a "why not?" articly rather than a "why".

[Filip Norrgard]

And this sounds like a good idea to speculate why the DVD burners and burnable discs aren't all standardized! Is the minus format worse than the plus format?

And poor computer newbies getting tricked on bad DVD burners... :cry:

[Andy Manea]

I had to buy new DVD+Rs today and noticed that the DVD-Rs are sold cheaper by some brands. I wonder why that is.
I am still deciding on which laptop to buy next (it will have to be really soon) but I know for sure I need a DVD burner in it. It would be cool to have a dual format burner (I saw a Toschiba laptop today that had one) but if that's not possible I will have to look for a + burner, so it can be compatible with the other laptops in the family. Grrrr, I HATE those format wars!!!

[Andy Manea]

"But CD burners are so yesterday. DVD burners are hot--and may be all you really need when you're buying a new PC, or upgrading an old one.

Like, like - sooo yesterday!!! Like OMG, like... Whaaatever!

CDs are here to stay, and CD burners are here to stay, or who would like to waste a 4.7 GB DVD on 20 MB worth of data! But don't most DVD burners burn CDs anyway?

[Jason Dunn]

CDs are here to stay, and CD burners are here to stay, or who would like to waste a 4.7 GB DVD on 20 MB worth of data! But don't most DVD burners burn CDs anyway?

I think you're misunderstanding the article - she was saying that DVD burners can do everything that CD burners can do, and more, so DVD burners are the way to go. Around here though DVD burners cost about twice as much as a CD burner, so I won't switch over to using them by default just yet in every system I build...

[piperpilot]

Well I have both a CD burner and a DVD burner (+ format) on my spiffy new desktop, so I have both sides covered. In fact, right now I am converting a DVD to play on my iPAQ in anticipation of a business trip tomorrow. Nice. :D

[dean_shan]

I have a DVD-R and a CD-RW drives in my computer. I don't think CD-R will die for a while.

[Andy Manea]

CDs are here to stay, and CD burners are here to stay, or who would like to waste a 4.7 GB DVD on 20 MB worth of data! But don't most DVD burners burn CDs anyway?

I think you're misunderstanding the article - she was saying that DVD burners can do everything that CD burners can do, and more, so DVD burners are the way to go. Around here though DVD burners cost about twice as much as a CD burner, so I won't switch over to using them by default just yet in every system I build...

Oooops! Completely misunderstood that! :oops:

[Jonathon Watkins]

Grrrr, I HATE those format wars!!!

Yup, that's why I went with a triple format. I usually burn + disk, as it is apparently the more reliable/resilient format.

[Andy Manea]

Grrrr, I HATE those format wars!!!

Yup, that's why I went with a triple format. I usually burn + disk, as it is apparently the more reliable/resilient format.
That's the first time I hear about a triple format. Do you mean DVD+-R AND DVD-RAM?

[Jonathon Watkins]

Grrrr, I HATE those format wars!!!

Yup, that's why I went with a triple format. I usually burn + disk, as it is apparently the more reliable/resilient format.
That's the first time I hear about a triple format. Do you mean DVD+-R AND DVD-RAM?

Yup, bang on. I have a LG 4040B x4 DVD +, -R and RAM burner. Great device! I'm format-proof! 8) (Until Blue laser DVDs come out :wink: ).