DVD-R Drive, Looking to replace dying CD-RW Options

[sphoid]

Well after archiving my entire cd collection i think my plextor is about on its last leg and its getting time to replace it. My liteon dvd-rom passed on earlier this year from similar abuse so i am considering killing multiple birds with one stone and getting a dvd-r drive. I know that now is probably not the greatest time to buy one but my logic is i have uses for it now, plus i would have to buy a CD-R and a separate dvd-rom drive anyway so cost is really a moot point.

In my limited research into these drives a month or so ago, i had my eye on either a pioneer or a toshiba drive. I found i could get them OEM for around $180. I was interested in the sony drive that could do both dvd+/-R but its a bit expensive, and i really dont see the point in buying a DVD+R drive since i have only seen one standalone dvd player model that supported it.

Obviously accurate ripping would be a nice feature but im resigned to the fact i may have to get a seperate drive for archiving. Does anyone have any suggestions about what are the higher quality drives out there right now? Also ive secured myself a copy of dvd-x-copy and i was wondering if people have been having good experiences with this software. Thanks.

[Neo Neko]

I just recently bought the Sony one. I have burned many DVD+R and +RW and they have worked on every DVD player I have tried. Save 1. The notorious Samsung 709. The Marix hater. The thing was a $179 POS. DVD+RW is more compatable with set top DVD players than DVD-RW but not by much. And DVD-R is more compatable with set top DVD than DVD+R but not by much. In the end the discs you write on either one will play the same places. Noteable exceptions are older PS2s that will not read DVD+R/RW and the Xbox that is just well......... lets say it is just testy no matter what. Or so I hear. I was going to get the Plextor DVD+R. But for 50 bucks more I could get the Sony and be sure that whichever format survives I am covered. DVD+R is the superior format IMHO. But I just felt better with a little "BetaMax" insurance.

[AtaqueEG]

You should try to get a Dual drive (+/-). Right now you would believe that you do not need a + drive. But let me tell you that I have been monitoring the format wars for some time (I am about to buy my own), and even though - is the preferred format at the time, I think + will win in the long run. It has all the big money behind it (HP, Dell, Microsoft) so I think there's no question about it.
But, still, right now - media is cheaper, more available and more compatible, so you should go with a dual drive. And you never know, if, in the last minute, some big company starts supporting it.
Buy a dual drive, it is more expensive, alright, but in the long run, it wiil be worth it.

I recommend the NEC1300A (go to pricewatch.com)