USB DVD drive?

[houseoftang]

Anyone have a good recommendation on a USB DVD drive?  I've got one of those Asus eee computers for doom use, and figure I ought to be able to watch DVDs on it, too, and maybe even write some DVDs. 

Durability would be the main criteria, and power use after that (unless the difference is so small as to be negligable, I'm figuring run the thing off a dynamo or solar panel, or at least charge a battery that way).

I don't even know what to look for in a drive like that.

[not710]

A good option is to get an external drive enclosure that supports USB.  The enclosure would handle any standard 5.25" SATA DVD drive, re-writable, or Blu-Ray, then would connect to your eee via USB.  Syba and Vantec make decent enclosures, and should run you $25 to $45.  Then get any quality internal DVD that meets your watching/burning needs.

[houseoftang]

A good option is to get an external drive enclosure that supports USB.  The enclosure would handle any standard 5.25" SATA DVD drive, re-writable, or Blu-Ray, then would connect to your eee via USB.  Syba and Vantec make decent enclosures, and should run you $25 to $45.  Then get any quality internal DVD that meets your watching/burning needs.

Didn't know they have those.  That's a much better option.  I've got an internal drive already from a busted laptop, and can probably get as many more as I'd like.  Thanks!

[houseoftang]

So I see the Syba is cheaper.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817801052
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817392021

Any reason why the Vantec is better than the Syba?

[not710]

Nope, no specific reason.  The Syba should do you fine.  Post back here with your results.  Have you decided on a DVD drive/burner?

[houseoftang]

Have you decided on a DVD drive/burner?

For now, whatever I can find.  I'm sure someone I know has one kicking around that they'll give me.  Durability is now much less of an issue, because over time I'll be able to accumulate plenty of these.

Looks like the SATA is for desktops?  I was kind of hoping to throw a laptop drive in there, save some power.  Got an old Thinkpad with a busted screen and hard drive.  But desktop drives are plentiful.

I'm not really as interested in burning DVDs as I am in reading them (and CD-R's), mostly to keep folks sane while things are falling apart, and for culture for the kids.  The CD-R's would be a good way to keep information (though I've got some thumb drives I picked up a while ago that are perhaps more durable in the long run).

[freeyourmind]

Yea the enclosures are typically made to house a standard sized desktop drive. The SATA connection is standard for new drives, but you can also get IDE enclosures that will house older drives. An IDE cable is the wide cable with like 30 pins or whatever.

[houseoftang]

I see that the Syba one I linked to isn't branded Syba.  Is that normal?

It's branded "Connectland".  Does any of that matter?

[houseoftang]

Just got the Syba today.  It takes laptop drives, and you need 2 USB ports for it, one for power and the other for data.  Or so it seems.  Neither of the drives I had handy work with it.  So I'm going to buy one on Ebay or elsewhere. 

I'm figuring I want a dual-layer DVD burner.  I've seen them for like $30 on Ebay.  Any other criteria I need to know about?  Have the standards changed?  I know there was DVD+R and DVD-R for a while.  Any special brands to be on the lookout for?

[bhowle]

I have an Asus Eee PC (net book) and recently got an HP dvd1170e, external CD/DVD drive from Mal-Wart for around $ 75.00 and it works just fine.  The HP CD/DVD drive has a separate wall wart for a power supply.  I'd been warned that the Asus netbook doesn't have enough juice to power a CD drive from2 usb ports.

The Eee Pc is a good machine as configured running Win XP, but I've had problems with the mouse pad and keyboard.

-bob

[cult]

I've got a USB powered Samsung DVD burner that has served me very well. $75.