[mike one]

this is what i'm planning on buying tonight:

15" 1.5 G4
512 2 sticks
128 VRAM
5400 RPM
COMBO drive
backlit keyboard
EDU-$2,209.00 +tx

slight chance of getting this instead:

15 1.33
256
64 VRAM
5400 RPM
COMBO
backlit keyboard
EDU-$1,974.00 +tx

$235 gets 170MHz, 64 vram, 256 RAM.
-----

I just can't see for me the superdrive being a valuable option for an extra $200. i don't burn that many CDs as it is, and I do all my routine backup, and big file storage to 2 external Firewire drives (120+20GB). The only thing i would do with a DVDr drive is backup my DVD collection, which you can't do for most DVDs anyway as they exceed 4.7GB in size.

with dual layer DVD-r technology on the horizon, i'm thinking it would be better to buy an external drive down the road. DVD backup is attractive for a lot of things, like backing up music or photos, but right now my Hard drives are doing that job perfectly.

should i get the super drive?
I have the money but would really rather not spend it.

hey, thanks in advance for any thoughts, on this lame, lame thread. =)

[JHromadka]

There are no lame threads, just lame users.

I went for the SuperDrive for my arriving-any-minute AlBook 15" just for the fact that I may want to make DVDs for things like backup etc. My retiring TiBook didn't even have a CD-R, much less Superdrive, so I couldn't judge usage based on past experience.

[Michel_80]

What if you get a digital video camera later on?

[SEkker]

I have been pleasantly surprised at how often I use my superdrive for 'legitimate' work, plus it's great for home use like making slide shows in iMovie and for home movies.

The capacity of CDs is just limited, and the extra size of the DVD-Rs is very helpful in archiving.

And adding a superdrive is very expensive after the fact.

[dodo_nutter]

i just ordered a 15" 1.5GHz, 512RAM, 128VRAM, 5400, etc with a combo, mainly because i save £120 but also because i have an iMac here with a superdrive that i have never used...my dads only used it once and that was because the pictures he wanted didnt fit on 1 cd. Why buy something you wont use? im buying for uni and i dont see when a dvd burner would be useful.

tom

[siflippant]

Originally posted by dodo_nutter:
Why buy something you wont use? im buying for uni and i dont see when a dvd burner would be useful.

tom

always handy for emergency back ups, or back ups in general...

[Dr.Michael]

I did not lose any thought on a superdrive.

[justinf77]

I'd get it, as it is becoming much easier to take movie files of your own and burn them to a DVD. Whether they be family home movies or episodes of Family Guy, it is nice to just pop in a DVD and have whatever video files you burned available for viewing.

[romeosc]

Originally posted by Dr.Michael:
I did not lose any thought on a superdrive.

I don't have a super drive in any of my PBs, I have an old Yikes G4, that I added an 8x Pioneer DVD burner, and use it ot burn after transfering from the PBs.

Works great, frees the PBs for use while "old Faithful" is used to connect to legacy scanner, Zip, Jazz, Inkjet printer, etc. I normally use "sneakernet" 20Gb VCT harddrive to transfer large files to burn and airport to transfer small files.


The 8X burner was $89!

[mrmister]

"And adding a superdrive is very expensive after the fact."

Well, no, it isn't--they're incredibly cheap, so long as you don't need a portable burner.

That's the real question--do you need a *portable* DVD burner, or will you be doing all your DVD burning one location?

[f1000]

I rarely burn CD's and have never had to use a SuperDrive (even though I have one).

Bluetooth and AirPort, on the otherhand, are REALLY handy.

[Graymalkin]

I'd leave out the SD if you don't see yourself using it. At some point down the road you find yourself wanting for one, that $200 could go into a really nice external burner. I got the SD on my Powerbook because I wasn't intending to buy an external hard drive for backups right then and I'm going to pick up a DV camcorder eventually so I know I'll have a use for it. I use it for large backups, giving files to people, and burning photo and audio CDs. In a couple months or a year when you decide a DVD-R will be useful you could probably find an 8x or a dual layer capable burner for that money. The drive in the Powerbook won't get any new capabilities (unless you apply the firmware hack to Rev.A SDs to make them 2x burners).

[Michel_80]

One question, are there any external firewire burners that are bus powered?

Another thing to consider is the iDVD compatability.

[Buck_W]

Originally posted by Michel_80:
One question, are there any external firewire burners that are bus powered?

Another thing to consider is the iDVD compatability.

I just bought an external 8x burner by LaCie for use with my 15" TiBook: http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?id=10113

I use iDVD with it with no problems whatsoever. Check out this thread: http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...xternal+burner

[mike one]

hey all,

i really really appreciate all your posts.
read and thought about all of 'em.

if i was getting the 12" i could justify the cost, but as it stands i'm spending way more than i 'should.'
i expect to use this comp for at least 2.5 years, like my current ibook 600 that i'm banging away on now.

i think the $200 is better spent on the 1.5 GHz + 64MB of vram, neither of which i need, but both of which i'll be happy i got, 2 years down the road. ahh if only i didn't have to pay the bloody 8.75% IL sales tax, the super drive would be a no brainer.

thanks again lads and lasses,
about to order the book,
go on vacation for 1 week,
and hopefully come home to a delivery slip in my mailbox.

as opposed as i am to external hardware, think the superdrive is one of those things i'll think about a little longer, get an external one when i'm ready for it.

[mike one]

the deal is done!!!
woo hoo!

[PeteWK]

I'm doing the old flip-flop on this one now. A couple of weeks ago I stated the superdrive wasn't worth the extra scratch because the drives couldn't reliably burn past 1X. Now that the newer, faster drives are out, I'd go with getting one. It will certainly help with resale value three years down the road when every single computer sold has one and people look at the combo drives like we do the CD-rom drives now.

PeteWK

[Squozen]

I downgraded my Superdrive to a Combo and spent the money I saved on getting a faster 80Gb drive. I figure if I need to burn a DVD (the desire hasn't arrived yet; I bought the machine in September) I can always get a Superdrive in my G5 desktop when I buy it for Christmas.

[MilkmanDan]

Short answer: yes.

Long answer: yes.

Just crazy dude.