Can someone tell me what the big deal is with RW?

[EricaLubarsky]

Why do I need DVD-/+RW when I dont even use my CDRW?

[aexchange]

larger capacity, ability to store more information.

[mavsfanforever]

I used it once initially just to test if it works. Since then I have never realized I actually have that feature.

[SaltwaterChaffy]

I was hit with a virus and had to back up all of my files. Since I'm a college kid with no files of importance, this meant movie files and mp3s. Having a DVD burner saved several dozen hours of burning.

[u2sarajevo]

If you can swing it... get this

read this...

DVD+RW information

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally posted by: u2sarajevo
If you can swing it... get this

read this...

DVD+RW information

A DVD burner that will actually burn a full DVD?!?!

[EricaLubarsky]

So the rumors I hear are that RW media are almost unreadable to most machines for both DVD format and CD.

AND

DVD burners have dropped in price to about 100 bucks, but the media is expensive- more than a dollar a pop many times.

So why not just buy another Hard drive? They are selling for 90c/gig now? Its easy to backup to them too.

[u2sarajevo]

On the contrary... DVD+RW is widely readable. It boasts the ability of being readable by standard home DVD players... (I may or may not use this format for burning rented movies and I may or MAY NOT have ever had a problem having the burned copy be read) unlike CDRW which has always been unreadable by home CD systems(stereo... not computer).

As to whether or not use a hard-drive... I can think of reasons to support going both ways. From the amount of data you want backed up, to whether or not you are going to keep it in an offsite location, to whether you are concerned about loss of data due to environmental changes (magnetism, etc..)...

But you are right, HDD are cheap now days. My father once payed almost 400 bucks for a 10MB hard drive. Of course back then, it took forever to fill up the 10MB.. Now 10GB would be paltry drive space.

[Mavdog]

Have you checked out the thumb drives instead of springing for a DVD writer? If you're saving stuff other than movies, it could be what you need.

"USB flash drives are compact and easy-to-use devices that are similar in use to your computer hard drive. USB flash drives slip into your pocket, conveniently around your neck or on a keychain for ultimate portable storage. USB flash drives finally fulfill the real promise of the digital age: complete freedom and mobility"

They're small and easy to carry around

[u2sarajevo]

Originally posted by: Mavdog
Have you checked out the thumb drives instead of springing for a DVD writer? If you're saving stuff other than movies, it could be what you need.

"USB flash drives are compact and easy-to-use devices that are similar in use to your computer hard drive. USB flash drives slip into your pocket, conveniently around your neck or on a keychain for ultimate portable storage. USB flash drives finally fulfill the real promise of the digital age: complete freedom and mobility"

They're small and easy to carry around

Yet comparatively they are pretty expensive. And the cheaper ones don't even hold as much as a CD-R.

[mary]

Originally posted by: Mavdog
Have you checked out the thumb drives instead of springing for a DVD writer? If you're saving stuff other than movies, it could be what you need.

"USB flash drives are compact and easy-to-use devices that are similar in use to your computer hard drive. USB flash drives slip into your pocket, conveniently around your neck or on a keychain for ultimate portable storage. USB flash drives finally fulfill the real promise of the digital age: complete freedom and mobility"

They're small and easy to carry around

My flash drive has made my life a billion times easier (maybe an exaggeration). It holds 256MB which is more than enough for the data I tote around, and I paid 50 bucks for it at Sam's. I wouldn't use it for backing up, but its ideal if you do lots of work at multiple computer stations.