Looking for advice on CD burners
 

I'm probably going to buy a CD burner, and I'm looking for some advice on brands, features, etc. I want a 2 tray (or more) component unit, not one to hook up to a computer. I don't think I need all the bells and whistles, but if there are any features that people think are really worth it, please let me know.
Any info would be greatly appreciated - thanks!

DON'T get a Yamaha... I've had 2 of them burn out on me over the years.

-k
###

Re: Looking for advice on CD burners
 

Just so you know the CD decks your talking about are for Audio only and you MUST use the much more expensive audio CDR's instead of the cheaper regular CDR's which are the same thing without the copy protection! Also you can ONLY make a first generation copy of audio CD's as well. A computer CDRW drive lets you do FAR, FAR more for FAR, FAR less money! You can make mullti-generation copies, backup data, music, photos, backup software programs etc... You can easily create your own greatest hits CD's by taking single songs from various CD's to create a single CD! You can use CDRW discs that can be erased and reused 1000 times over etc...

I would think hard about the choices involved in each CD burner type! Now the new CDRW computer drives have burn-proof so even slow computers don't have to worry about buffer-underrun which used to ruin CDR's and relegate them to drink coasters!

Yeah, I know the computer CD burners are cheaper and more versatile. In fact, I got one for Christmas but I returned it because my 5 year old computer didn't meet the specified requirements on the box. I will definitely get one with my next computer (which I will hopefully get within the next 6-12 months), but I wanted to do make some CD's for music for my wedding reception at the end of April. So, if I can get one relatively cheap (I saw a Koss at Best Buy for $230), I thought I'd pick one up.
Anyone else - comments, suggestions, etc.?

"I saw a Koss at Best Buy for $230"

Spend another $100 and you can get an entire new computer with a CD-RW drive built in.

beat me to it.

Should've kept the CD-RW. I've got a Lite-on 24X10X40 installed in my 200mhz Dell that I got in '97 and it works great. Also have a Plextor 8x installed in the kids' 166mhz Packard-Bell and it works fine also.

jr

One thing to think about when you buy one of those expensive stand alone units. The burn lasers are only rated for so many hours of use. If you plan on making alot of cd's they are not very cost effective. Check how many burn hours its rated for and compare costs.

I just got a new burner from compusa for 59 bucks. Its a 24x write, 10x rewrite, 40x read hi-val. Reg 99, onsale for 89 with a 30 dollar rebate. I had a sony external for about a year and it started failing on almost every cd I tried to burn.

-K