Advantages: ummmmm
Disadvantages: Doesn't work very well, slow, intermitently recognises disks, poor back up service, need I go on?

...I ordered my Freecom DVD Recorder LS USB 2.0 after my CD/DVD drive packed up on my 15 month old HP Desktop. I wanted it mainly to load CD ROM and burn DVD's from movies already converted to DVD format on my hard drive. Being that my PC had no disk drive I relied upon this external drive to load the bundled DVD burning software (Roxio 9). This took several days and many attempts. Then I tried burning my first DVD. After taking 3 hours to do a task that previously took about 30 minutes, this recorder produced a disc that no dvd player in my home recognised (and I have 4). I found the user interface very unfriendly and it simply didn't work. Needles to say, I'll be getting a refund!... Read review

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Advantages: Hard Working and reliable. Can be moved from PC to PC
Disadvantages: Desk space needed because it's external.

...I've owned my external Freecom CD RW for some time now, and it has given me excellent service, even though I have "hammered" it, burning DVD after DVD of years of stockpiled home video footage. Time after time, I have had great results with just one unsuccessful burn, but that was a faulty disk -which happens sometimes. When I first went in search of a DVD Re-writer, I was very tempted by getting an internal one to save desk-space and they were cheaper. But after some consideration I opted for the external because we have two computers and a laptop and it's just a question of plugging it in to the USB port of any machine I want to work with. Because it also plays DVD movies, it makes it really handy when I am having that long week-end staying at relatives and there's nothing to watch on TV. I can simply plug it into my laptop... Read review

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Advantages: Really easy set up, lightweight, good software provided
Disadvantages: Not found any

...... Read review

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Advantages: Can be moved from PC to PC, lighweight, robust, reliable, fast
Disadvantages: None so far...

...Rewriter that most computers have these days).*** With both drive bays taken up on my PC, I decided on an external DVD Writer drive. Although more expensive than internal drive, it could easily be connected to my lap top should I wish to take my masterpieces and inflict them on people who didn't own DVD players. I jest of course! In PC world, there were several external DVD drives on the shelves, but having had an external CD writer by Freecom which had been extremely reliable, I opted for the High Speed (USB2) Classic DVD+/-RW Double Layer model. It was the most expensive at just over £120 at the time (much cheaper now, see below), but the best available. The Hardware: In the box was a black DVD RW which was slim and lightweight (it was also available in white), the USB connector cable, the power transformer/cable (PSU- power supply unit... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to Install on XP literally plug and play
Disadvantages: Marginally slower than an internal

...means that it can be connected with little fuss. There is in theory a difference in the speed due to this but I hav'nt noticed since it takes time to burn to disc anyway especially to DVD. Another disadvantage is that with the introduction of dual layer devices this single layer version is already yesterdays technology. For anyone thinking of buying a drive like this I would recomment the Freecom as a good reliable drive which is easy to use. There are cheaper drives out there some with dual layer but in this case its better the devil you know. P.S. I am Assumining that it supports USB 2 since there is no mention of it in the packaging I can't be sure. But on the system it is classed as a Hi speed device which usually indicates USB 2. I also see no indication of you being able to use it as a DVD ram drive.... Read review

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Advantages: Small footprint, USB connectivity, good capacity, quiet
Disadvantages: All the above completely let down by the units reliability

...Please take a few seconds to rate this at the end - it helps me know if its meaningful or not and I can improve accordingly Ok... Its big...its black...it hums quietly in the corner. Oh..and its made by Freecom - a manufacturer I previously thought was pretty reliable (I have their dual layer portable DVD re-writer as well). This drive is billed as being rugged and portable - after all that is the whole point of external portable drives, isnt it? When I got the unit, it was twice as big in capacity as the HDD in my tower PC, so I immediately throught - backup. It didnt come with any back-up soft ware though, which I think is a glaring omission. No matter, I thought, I will back up my photos (10,000+), music (14,000 tracks), etc into folders I create myself. Connection simply means attaching the power cable to a free socket... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Funky looking, Fast, easy installation
Disadvantages: you have to pay £5 to update the firmware to support - disk writting format.

...I have wanted a DVD writer for a long time but I didn’t bother for two main reasons, 1. my computer warrantee would have been made invalid as it was under a year old and 2. I could not stretch the £300 price tag, but now the price has lowered to a decent price. I went all out and went hunting for a DVD writer for the main reason to make backups of my playstation2 games. I first brought a Freecom 8x DVD writer and although it was bundles with so much the drive it self was poor. After I installed the drive it was causing my computer from loading and when you eject the tray and look inside the drive it looks cheaply manufactured compared to the Philips drive and my previous drive so I boxed it up and took it back to PCWorld and went to Currys next door and saw this and for £80 I gave it a try and since no problems have occurred and I haven... Read review

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Advantages: The software supplied, and the good instructions
Disadvantages: The speed

...This is an amazing DVD+RW/CD-RW drive at an amzing price. I bought this a few weeks ago off ebay for just £64.99, and for a DVD writer than is an amazing price. You can purchase this from cnet.com or compuvest.com for $93, The DW 7801 TE unites 6 functions in one device, it burns DVD+RW, DVD+r, CD-R AND CD-RW, and reads DVD-ROM and CD-ROM media. With this drive you can conveniently save your video, photo, and music files, with up to 4.7Gb on onw DVD+RW or DVD+R (replaces up to 7 CD-R). The huge capacity ood a DVD enables you to save your video and audio data in perfect original digital quality, and the accompanying software programs allow you not only to burn your data perfectly, you can also convert your video data to MPEG format, edit them, and play DVD's, DVD-R and DVD+RW on your computer with first class quality. This product... Read review

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Advantages: Loads, price, loads of songs on one CD, portable, one of a kind
Disadvantages: None

...on planes. Batteries are included. There is an AC adapter, a manual which is in English, but it is not hard to work out how the player works, stick in the CD and press play. Included also is one blank 8cm mini CD-R. The CD-Rs: As I have mentioned their price is around £1, they come in their own Jewel case. It is not necessary to but the freecom CDs as the player supports 8cm audio CDs, 8cm CD-Roms, 8com CD-Rs and 8cm CD-RW. You can store 185mb of music on one CD which works out at around 210 minutes of top quality music of 128bitrate. I got the CDs from dabs.com aswell. The Look: Well it looks pretty cool, quite a simple design but it is a see through blue colour on the top and has a black bottom. Well thats about it all I can say is go out and but as the sound quality of these CDs is amazing and the price is good... Read review

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Advantages: Fast, burnproof, easy to install, comes with Nero software
Disadvantages: Relatively expensive

...Well it had to happen didn't it. The only component left over from my old machine has been replaced, and has gone to component heaven (not really, it's actually in the wanted ads, but hey I wanted to wax lyrical), to be replaced by this veritable speed demon. My old cd-writer was a 24 x 2 x 2, Freecom badged Philips drive that took over 36 minutes to burn a full cd, so I decided it was time to upgrade and after much wandering around PC World (I know, I know I'm sorry but they were offering nine months interest free if you spent £200) I chose the TDK Cyclone 12 x 10 x 32 Burnproof Internal IDE drive. I paid (or will be) £179 for the retail pack which comes with the drive (obviously), Nero Burning Rom software, TDK mix master software, cables, marker pen, one cdr and one cdrw. Installation is very easy, just a matter of sliding... Read review

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