[Woody]

Looking to pick up a Pioneer DVR-A03 for $399 and put it in my G4 450. Would it make sense to wait for a plus drive to come out? If so, why?
Thanks in advance!

[NeoMac]

IMO, there is no reason to wait. CD-RW are a great example of why not to wait. Honestly, have you ever seen anyone use the 'W' (re-writable) in CD-RW? I've never seen it. Because, a single CD-RW disk costs a couple bucks. Everyone just uses the $0.30 cent CD-R disks instead. Hell, they're cheaper than 3.5" diskettes!

Likewise, DVD-RW or DVD+RW, the W discs cost a fortune. Meanwhile, the DVD-R disc is quickly reaching the $5 range and will probably also be as cheap as CD-R in the next year.

UNLESS, there is something that you do that really requires that 'W'.

[tr]

i totally agree with NeoMac, go for the the DVR-A03. at $399, it's a steal (and $50 less than what I paid!

i just put one in my G4 450 Sawtooth, and it works like a charm. i hope the DVD-R format wins in this format war. it's had about a year head start over DVD+RW, and only now have DVD+RW drives started to become readily available in the market.. also, +RW media is a bit more expensive (and harder to come by) compared to -R media. I know that Sony and Philips are pushing the +RW (which is pretty good support, money-wise), but i think that the format that will win will be the one that more consumers are buying...the average consumer won't be interested in the technical specs of the drives (and i'm sure people selling the drives in [insert nationwide computer store name here] won't get the specs right anyway). what it will boil down to for consumers is 1) if i record on this, can i play it back on my DVD player? 2) is the media cheap?

all that said, i've got my fingers crossed for DVD-R...not only because i think it's a good format, but because i just bought my drive, and i don't want it to be obsolete in a month!

tr