What litescribe dvd writer to buy ?

[CW1]

Hi,
Want to buy a litescribe (lightscribe) dvd writer for a Xmas present, for someone who's fed up using sticky labels so just wants it for the labelling facility.
Would need to be an external drive. Any recommendations ? Don't know what difference IDE or SATA makes, it's a bog standard desktop PC.
Thanks

[ChuckFickens]

if its an external the IDE or SATA makes no difference as it will come in a caddy to enable it to be pluged into a USB port.

But why does it need to be an external drive?

Can they not replace the existing drive with the new one if you get an internal? much neater and more reliable fast burning.

all CD drives are much on a par now so they is not a lot to choose between them.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_?url=s earch-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=lightscribe+d rive&x=0&y=0x=0&y=0

[ACtheTROLL]

pentel do a wonderful range of coloured permanent markers

[CW1]

I did look at Amazon but they were either internal drives (bit fiddly to fit for a virtual technophobe ! And I wouldn't know whether IDE or SATA) or the reviews were old or not very flattering re the quality of the label. Hence I came here hoping for some personal experience. But thanks !

[ChuckFickens]

we have a lot of lightscribe enabled drives at work, ranging from as cheap as we could get to some fairly expensive "brand name" ones in the high end workstations.

I can not see any appreciable difference in the performance for burning or "scribing" the label.... But..... We do only ever use them for fairly bold text labels, which is what they want it for.

Replacing an internal CD drive is something anybody who can change a plug can do.... it really is that easy. you have nothing "computer wise" to do, it's a physical change only, pretty much unplug one plug the other in.

The difference between IDE and SATA visually is so massive that telling the difference isn't hard at all, take the side/top of computer and look at the back of the drive.


Ide will look like

http://www.cablesdirect.com/prodimages/IDEHD-1 _LR.jpg

and SATA

http://attachments.techguy.org/attachments/116 416d1190839928/sata.jpg

[rojash]

Frankly, after spending 20 minutes writing a label thats only readable in a really good light, I doubt they'll thank you. I'm with Accybaby on this one