Buying guide for external DVD burner

INTERFACE
External DVD burners connect to your PC differently than internal drives do. While internal burners rely on an IDE or Serial ATA (SATA) interface to connect to your PC, external drives offer USB 2.0 or FireWire connections. Some models (labeled "dual interface") offer both USB and FireWire options.


FORMAT
All new DVD write and rewrite data and video to DVD-R/DVD-RW and DVD+R/DVD+RW formats. DVD-R and DVD+R discs can be written to only once, but they offer high compatibility with drives and set-top DVD players. DVD+RW and DVD-RW discs can be written and erased approximately 1,000 times, but they have compatibility problems with older players, some older drives, and even some current DVD recorders. Most new burners today support both +/- formats. Multiformat drives can also read, write, and rewrite CDs, as well as play DVDs. Some drives can record to DVD-RAM discs, although these models are less common. DVD-RAM discs are used primarily for data storage and backup.


DOUBLE-LAYER SUPPORT
"Double-layer" refers to the technology that allows two recording layers to fit on the single side of a DVD, effectively doubling a disc's storage capacity from 4.7GB to 8.5GB. Though it’s perfect for those who need to archive large amounts of data, double-layer burning currently maxes out at 10x speed. The discs may not play in older stand-alone DVD players, but most new players now support the technology. Also, you'll run across two types of double-layer recording. Most double-layer drives support DVD+R double-layer, but some newer ones also support DVD-R double-layer. Look for drives that support both.


LIGHTSCRIBE AND LABELFLASH
Some external drives support LightScribe or the less-popular Labelflash, technologies that enable you to etch your own label or artwork onto the nondata side of the disc. Write speeds of these drives are often slower, however, and you'll need to use more-expensive LightScribe or Labelflash media.


BLU-RAY
The next generation of DVD uses the Blu-ray format, which delivers high-definition video resolution and dramatically increased storage capabilities: 50GB of data on a single disc (25GB per side). External Blu-ray burners are starting to hit the market, but they are priced far higher than other external DVD drives. We recommend that you wait until the format gains wider acceptance (and lower prices) before buying, unless you have a specific need for that amount of storage (and have a full wallet).

Source: Computer Shopper

Writing speed: For high-volume DVD burning, choose an external DVD burner with a writing speed of 16x.

Interface: Choose an external DVD burner with a USB interface for maximum compatibility. For transferring large files, look for a FireWire interface because it has a higher transfer rate. Just make sure your computer has the appropriate ports for your chosen interface.

Dual layer support: To burn large files like videos or photos, choose an external DVD burner that supports dual layer DVD burning. These discs can burn up to 8.5 GB of data.

Source: PickyGuide