Need information about CD-DVD hardware. I am going to purchase low end quality CD-DVD hardware to complete my computer build. I want to play CD-DVD's. I want to burn CD-DVD's. I want to play re-written CD-DVD's. Possible?
     What do I look for: CD-DVD ROM R/RW+/-?????????????.Brand recomendations helpful to. Although I'm kind of partial to LG products.
                                                                              Thanks
                                                                               ME

Try looking at this web site, they generally have good prices on a wide variety of products.
http://www.frys.com/

If you want to burn DVD's and CD's, you will probably have to buy two separate drives. You can get drives that will burn CD's and read CD's and DVD's, but I don't know of any that will burn both.

I'm not sure where dlwolff0 got the idea that you can't find a drive to burn both CDs and DVDs.  I've had one for several years and am about to replace it only because of the low prices on much faster drives these days.  I've always had very good luck with LiteOn drives.  We also have a LiteOn dual DVD/VCR player and recorder (both modes) that we like very much - and the price was spectacular (lower US $100 range).  Every once in a while someone seems to get a real zinger from them, but that can happen with any company, and their overall customer satisfaction is quite high.  This weekend NewEgg has a special (US$30.99) on a LiteOn 16x DVD burner that will do the following:
    *  8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL
    *  6X DVD-RW 24X CD-RW
    *  2 MB Cache

Further down their page today they also show a slightly different model that will also do the same read/write jobs with speeds as above, with an apparent ongoing price of US $28.99.

The one thing I'd strongly recommend you do with LiteOn drives is read the list of CDs and DVDs they've certified for their drives.  If it ain't on the list, it ain't-a-gonna work, most likely.  I'm partial to Ritek discs anyway, and generally LiteOn likes them too, so I'm a happy camper.  (That was the brand they packed as a "starter" disc with the drive.)  If you haven't heard of LiteOn, it's only because the name isn't stamped on the front of many OEM drives made by LiteOn that have been put in prebuilt computers over the years.  They've been around a while, and are very good at what they do.

If for some reason you don't want the LiteOn, there are other good drives that have similar specs for similar prices (or not much more) on NewEgg.

C.R.

     Thanks,dlwolffo and crso1. I'll take all information into consideration. I'm looking at some information that's talking about speeds of 52/32/52. Do you think this is possible with low end equipment? Also, I understand that these numbers in this order indicate specific actions in this order. Plus, purchaseing a drive that has,"NEW TECHOLOGY", to avoid buffer runs. Any input about any of this is greatly appreaciated.

                                                                                    WB

"I'm looking at some information that's talking about speeds of 52/32/52. Do you think this is possible with low end equipment?"

You're looking only at CD drives with those numbers.  Look at the specs I put in my earlier message where it spells out exactly what each speed is, and whether it's the +R or -R format.  The numbers you are talking about -  52/32/52  - mean that particular CD drive reads and writes at 52x and does re-writable discs at 32x.  New?  Not hardly.  A nearly 4 year old drive in my wife's computer is Memorex drive rated at 52/24/52 - and it works quite nicely at or near those speeds.  But who wants just a CD drive anymore, anyway?  I couldn't even find one on NewEgg - just DVD drives that will also burn CDs.  Even my nearly 3 year old LightOn drive will do the following:

Write
DVD+/-R      4x
DVD+RW     4x
DVD-RW       2x
CD-R            40x
CD-RW         24x

Read (note: combo CD/DVD drives don't tend to read CDs as fast as CD-only drives)
DVD      12x
CD       40x

You can obviously get much better performance than that as noted in my first reply.  As for "buffer overrun," any decent drive will be able to deal with that potential issue, and they've been dealing with it for a number of years.  Check reviews - if there are substantial problems, you'll see it show up there with poor reviews.

You started by saying you wanted "to purchase low end quality CD-DVD."  My suggestion is to go to NewEgg (or any other decent outlet or store), sort by price if the site provides that feature, look at the lower end drives, compare specs, and read the reviews.  Like everyone, you ultimately have to make a choice.  Again - read the reviews, not just choose a brand.  You'll see excellent reviews by loads of folks on one model by a manufacturer, and poor reviews by a large number of folks on a different model from the same manufacturer.  Ford?  Chrysler?  GM?  Toyota?  Nissan?  etc.  All make deluxe models, as well as rather basic models.  It largely boils down to the same type of homework you'd do (hopefully) buying a car: what do you want it to do for you, how fast, what kind of mileage, what price range, and what kinds of reviews do the various models have?  Sort the list down, choose one, then go buy it.  Best wishes with your purchase.

C.R.

     Thanks, dlwolffo and crs01. Now I can start shopping. I knew how to shop, I just didn't know how to decipher the spec.'s on the hardware. Thanks again, just one more question on this subject, then I'll quit beating this horse. Does the spec's on the ,Disc, have to match the speed spec's on the hardware?
                                                                       Thanks again
                                                                         WB

just to throw my two penny worth in here; I can only echo what has already been said. I don't know where you are, but the best value in UK at the moment are Lite-On, Panasonic and Sony drives - all around £24 (roughly $46).

I too have had several of these drives and have been very pleased particularly with Lite-On and LG.

MUST echo again, though: do find out (from the packaging or the website) what each amnufacturer recommends by way of discs. I could have saved myself hours of head scratching sme time ago if i had had the sense to do that. IF IT AIN'T LISTED IT WON'T WORK !

Pip

If you can still find a BenQ1650 where you live then get it. We can all argue about the best drive but the BenQ1650 is inexpensive and certainly up there with the best.