IDE or SATA?

mamazaac

I need a new DVD RW drive for my pc and have looked at ebuyer's website where I see that they have either IDE or SATA ones for roughly the same sort of price. Please can someone explain the difference to me as I am not sure what I need? Also some mention the word 'lightscribe', so if this can also be explained to me I would appreciate it.

Many thanks in advance for any help.

DatabaseError

lightscribe is a method of etching the disk surface, looks pretty, takes a long time and you have to buy special disks, pen is quicker and easier
ide vs sata....all depends on your motherboard (in your pc) modern boards are likely to have sata ports +1 ide, older boards exclusively ide.
easiest way to tell is (without taking the machine apart) in vista..
right click my computer>properties>device manager open the disk drives box, if the device name is .......ATA Device then SATA

cookie_monster_8

IDE and SATA are different types of connections. They connect the DVD RW to you computers motherboard.

SATA is faster than IDE and so if possible you would want that however it depends on you computer. You need to check whether you computer has IDE or SATA connections.

Lightscribe is a technoloy that uses the laser that reads/writes the disc to print labels directly onto a cd. Note however they must be special lightscribe discs.

Lightscribe: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LightScribe
IDE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT_Attachment
SATA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sata

vyseyboy

IDE = older standard, long thin connectors, often with ribbon-stlye cabling, although sometimes with round cabling.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT_Attachment

SATA = new standard, smaller plug/socket connectivity, almost always 1cm wide thin smooth cabling.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

You need to find out what connectors your current PC has. If you have an old DVDRW drive that you're replacing, best is to find out what connectivity this uses (take it out and have a look at the back.) and replace it with the same type.

Lightscribe = a gimmicky technology for using the same laser that writes data to the disc to "burn" a label or images onto the other side of the disc. Look's OK, but the special discs required for labelling are expensive and the process itself takes ages. You can use any old discs for simple burning with a lightscribe drive too, so don't let lightsribe put you off, but unless you plan to use it, I wouldn't go out of your way to get it either.

mamazaac

tonyhague wrote: »

ide vs sata....all depends on your motherboard (in your pc) modern boards are likely to have sata ports +1 ide, older boards exclusively ide.
easiest way to tell is (without taking the machine apart) in vista..
right click my computer>properties>device manager open the disk drives box, if the device name is .......ATA Device then SATA

Thank you for your reply, I have XP not Vista but have done roughly the same thing. Disk drives box gives several items starting Generic USB, then CF Reader USB, CF Reader USB, SD Reader USB, SM Reader USB then 2 others ST3160812AS and ST332082 0AS USB Device.

Further down there is another expandable item entitled IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers which when expanded mention several different IDE channels. Can't see SATA anywhere - does this mean I definitely don't have facility for SATA please?

Jakg

Seeing as you'll have to have a look inside your PC to install it anyway, it's probably a good idea to take the side of your PC and look for something like the purple things below in there:



They could be any colour, though.

mamazaac

Jakg wrote: »

Seeing as you'll have to have a look inside your PC to install it anyway, it's probably a good idea to take the side of your PC and look for something like the purple things below in there:



They could be any colour, though.

Thanks, if those are there does that mean I have SATA?

poppy_f1

get a nw external dvd drive, much easier to deal with

isofa

mamazaac wrote: »

Thanks, if those are there does that mean I have SATA?

Yes, and the IDE connections are wide usually black with many pin connectors in, as others say above with wide grey ribbon cables connecting the drives from these.

mamazaac

Last year I posted asking for advice on how to tell whether I have IDE or SATA as I need to buy a new dvd-rw drive for my pc.

It was suggested that I take the side off to see whether I could see what I have, and some photos were provided as you will see. However, I'm afraid I am very untechnically minded and still cannot tell what I have.

I have taken some photos of the inside of my pc and wondered whether there is anyone who can either advise me on how to post the photos on this thread so that someone may be able to tell me what I have (I have tried copy/paste from my pics but it doesn't work) or if this is not possible would be prepared to pm me with their email address so that I can send them an attachment of the photos for advice that way?

Many thanks in advance for any help.

gaz_jones

If you upload the pictures to a hosting site such as photobucket then post the link up here everyone will be able to see them.

http://www.gshop.com.au/images/ide_133_cable.jpg That is what a IDE cable normally looks like (If you haven't taken the side off your pc before expect it to be thick with dust LOL)