Hello, I was just wondering if an external usb dvd burner would work on any usb port. I know i have at least 1.0, i was looking on google, and couldn't find the answer. I know its simple, but im real new to dvd burning. (I've been making VCDs for years and im sick of KVCDs!) Thank you
You must have USB 2.0 External drives cost more. Make sure it is a quality external drive like a Plextor 716 external. Some of those other brands can be a pain in the butt for dvd backups. Another option is buy an internal dvd-rw drive-something that has UDMA 4 for the transfer mode?. Then slip it into an external enclosure and hook it up via USB 2.0 Newegg.com has some great prices for drives and enclosures. Moderator Creaky goes the external route that way.I think he places Lite-ons in his enclosures? Send him a PM.
Thanks for the replay man, so i guess i cant get an external one cause I do not have usb2? I was going to get an internal one but today i took a look in my computer to see how i would install it and it didnt seem hard, but there was a ribbon wire thing and i dont know how to take it off. Can somebody help me out here? Thanks again
You may be able to use a usb 2.0 card into an empty pci slot? Internal is definitely the way to go,if you have space. Adding an internal drive can be pretty simple. Or you can swap out an old cd-rom/cd-rw drive? Dvd-rw drives can burn cds as well,you really don't need a cd-rw drive/just swap it out for a dvd-rw drive. Just a few basic things you need to know: Always disconnect phone line,power and ground yourself before touching anything in the tower. Static electricity is a major issue. Make sure you use 80 wire/40 pin ribbon-cable. Older pcs may have 40 wire/40 pin. Some burners come with their own IDE flat ribbon which will be 80 wire/40 pin.Unless you get an OEM drive. Ribbons can come in 2 connectors or 3-which you'll have a connector about 6 inches from one end. I believe blue to mobo/black to drive-with the middle connector close to the drive connector. You'll need an extra power connector,which most pcs should have. You need to know how your pc is configured. This means: Main harddrive is primary master. Everything else will be primary slave or cable select/ secondary master/secondary slave or cable select. Pins in the back of drives determine master/slave/and cable select.Most drives show a picture on the back of them. Some brands of pcs may recommend cable select instead of slave.Or vice versa. Let us know what route you take: Replacing a drive or adding a drive?
saugmon, Thank you so much man, I never knew i can put a usb port in a pci slot, i really want an external one becuase im not a hardware guy at all. this is the one i want to buy, Lite-On USB 2.0 External 8x DVD±RW DVD/CD Burner Drive. your advice would be nice man. Thank You
I'm not much of a hardware guy either,but I know enough to get around. External drives: I don't know much about them as far as best model#,best bang for the buck.
