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Eug · Jun 26, 2002, 11:54 AM

It supports DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD-R as well as CD recordable formats. It burns both DVD-R and DVD-RAM at 2X.

See <a href="http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/dvd_recorder/dvd_burner.asp" target="_blank">here</a>.

Maybe around Xmas time I'll buy one of these to replace my DVD-RAM/-R drive (which burns both at 1X), and move my current drive to work.

Jun 26, 2002, 12:29 PM

By the way, I think Apple would do well to support these drives with their software by Xmas if in fact they do get released by October.

I wonder what the contract with Pioneer is though. Or maybe Pioneer has a 4X DVD-R burner up their sleeve for fall, to compete with Sanyo's announced 4X drive???

Evangellydonut · Jun 26, 2002, 01:44 PM

Panasonic always had a 1x multi-drive...don't think much of those. This looks okay, but with DVR-104 now at US$259 and will be lower by the time Panasonic hits the market, i doubt Panasonic will be too great of a choice...

As for 4x DVD-R, kinda remind me of the CD-R situation, where the drives appear faster than the media. Currently, DVD2.0 DVD-R media are $4.50 cheapest, for 2x burning, I don't want to know the price for 4x media when it first comes out...I'm happy to stick to 1x DVD burning for the time being, since those media only cost $1.29 each, and I need to burn over 100 DVDs. (100 DVD = 430GB approximately, for $130, it's definitely cheaper than HDs)

Jun 26, 2002, 01:55 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Evangellydonut:
Panasonic always had a 1x multi-drive...don't think much of those. This looks okay, but with DVR-104 now at US$259 and will be lower by the time Panasonic hits the market, i doubt Panasonic will be too great of a choice...

As for 4x DVD-R, kinda remind me of the CD-R situation, where the drives appear faster than the media. Currently, DVD2.0 DVD-R media are $4.50 cheapest, for 2x burning, I don't want to know the price for 4x media when it first comes out...I'm happy to stick to 1x DVD burning for the time being, since those media only cost $1.29 each, and I need to burn over 100 DVDs. (100 DVD = 430GB approximately, for $130, it's definitely cheaper than HDs)<hr /></blockquote>I use the 1X DVD-R DVD-RAM burner from Panasonic. Works great on my Mac and my PC. To me, DVD-RW is OK, but DVD-RAM is more useful for data purposes. It's great to have full OS level HFS+ read/write capability with OS X on a removable 4.7 GB drive. With the new Panasonic drive we have the best of both worlds, with 2X DVD-RAM too. If the OEM Panasonic drive can be had for $35 more than the Pioneer drive, I think it's definitely worth it and may be preferred over the DVR-104. If the Panasonic drive is >$50 more, I'd probably still get it, but the average Joe would have to think twice.

By the way, fairly reliable generic 2X ($3) media is now available, if one is to believe online reports. I can't verify if this is true however, since I don't have a 2X DVD-R burner.

Evangellydonut · Jun 26, 2002, 02:54 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by <Eug>:
I use the 1X DVD-R DVD-RAM burner from Panasonic. Works great on my Mac and my PC. To me, DVD-RW is OK, but DVD-RAM is more useful for data purposes. It's great to have full OS level HFS+ read/write capability with OS X on a removable 4.7 GB drive. With the new Panasonic drive we have the best of both worlds, with 2X DVD-RAM too. If the OEM Panasonic drive can be had for $35 more than the Pioneer drive, I think it's definitely worth it and may be preferred over the DVR-104. If the Panasonic drive is >$50 more, I'd probably still get it, but the average Joe would have to think twice.

By the way, fairly reliable generic 2X ($3) media is now available, if one is to believe online reports. I can't verify if this is true however, since I don't have a 2X DVD-R burner.<hr /></blockquote>You are right, DVD-RAM is more useful for general data purposes...The only thing I have against it is that it's not too compatible with other generic DVD drives. I'm more willing to put up with a $1.29 coaster out of every 10-20 burns, and use $.15 CDR for small back-up purposes...My solution isn't for everyone, but works for me ^_^;

As for 2x media, they may be "avilable", but it's not yet in the channels for high volume sale. Looking at the 10 cheapest places to get 1x media, nobody had them for under $4...But 4x burner will push things down significantly I think...2x media probably will be at $2 each by the end of this year, at least i hope

Paul S · Jun 27, 2002, 08:43 AM

<a href="http://www.shop4tech.com" target="_blank">www.shop4tech.com</a> has 2X DVD media at $34.99 for a 25-pack spindle. That's $1.40 a disc. I have burned 10 or so in the last 2 weeks from my 25-pack and not a single problem. I have a G4 933 with the Pioneer 104 SuperDrive. I have paid attention to burn times and it is certainly 2x. A full DVD (2:14) in DVD Studio Pro 1.5 burned in just under 30 minutes. Their DVD-Rs have a plain surface so labels work really nice on them.

They have DVD-RW media (v1.1) for $3.00 each in a 5 pack ($14.99) and it works great with Toast 5.1.3. Free shipping on both DVD-R and DVD-RW packages and no tax in most states (except CA).

Jun 27, 2002, 03:57 PM

Yeah, sub $4 2X media is becoming much more common, and you can get it in large volumes too.

$1.40 2X media isn't common though... yet.

Eug · Jun 28, 2002, 02:11 PM

<a href="http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.asp?RelatedID=2477" target="_blank">CDRInfo claims the drive will do 3X DVD-R.</a>

[ 06-28-2002, 03:12 PM: Message edited by: Eug ]