Can I buy an USB DVD Drive to burn DVDs if so which one?

Sami_Bee

I have a netbook so no drives of any kind but I want to burn totally legal copies of my DVDs (mainly so I can let my son chop n change his own discs without worrying about the way he throws them around with his grubby mits ) and make dvds of home videos of the kids.
So what do I need, just an external drive or some special software too?

TIA

Shrimply

Don't know if this helps but I use one of these

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136214

If you don't have a spare internal drive kicking around this one should do

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/145450

It's not quite as neat a solution as an external DVD drive, but it is more practical. And a useful piece of kit to own anyway.

basmic

Or spend an extra £3.60, and do the job properly while saving on clutter: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/189915

kwikbreaks

There are models which are bus powered using two USB ports so they don't need a big power brick. They tend to be more expensive and slower but they are a better match for a netbook.

Example rather than a recommendation..
http://www.dabs.com/products/best-value-8x-slimline-external-usb-dvd-rw-5KTN.html

Eric_Pisch

got one of these for my netbook, no brick, its ace, more than fast enough

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/166578

JasX

yeah they're not that expensive.

eg http://www.ebuyer.com/product/165701

as for software depends what format it needs to be burnt from/to and whether copy protection is involved.

jaydeeuk1

Sami_Bee wrote: »

I have a netbook so no drives of any kind but I want to burn totally legal copies of my DVDs

TIA

Legally, you can't do that

Sami_Bee

Eric_Pisch wrote: »

got one of these for my netbook, no brick, its ace, more than fast enough

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/166578

ooh that looks pretty



so is it the DVD±RW in the name that means it will copy a dvd? (I sound like a stereotypical clueless girl don't I )

Sami_Bee

JasX wrote: »

yeah they're not that expensive.

eg http://www.ebuyer.com/product/165701

as for software depends what format it needs to be burnt from/to and whether copy protection is involved.

the software bit, err I dunno I want to copy normal dvds and be able to play them on a normal travel player

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

Legally, you can't do that

really? I thought it was the same as CDs where as long as I own the original disc and only I have the copy it's ok?

Darksun

Sami_Bee wrote: »

the software bit, err I dunno I want to copy normal dvds and be able to play them on a normal travel player


really? I thought it was the same as CDs where as long as I own the original disc and only I have the copy it's ok?

Actually, in a strict legal sense you're not permitted to copy CDs that you own either, although the BPI have stated none of their members will take legal action against people copying CDs they own for their personal use, and any attempt would hopefully get laughed out of court anyway.

The only thing you are legally allowed to make backup copies of is Software, and even then you're not allowed to bypass any copy protection technology to do so.

In terms of software, I used to use Deepburner, although the free version doesn't allow Disk to Disk copies, you need the Pro version for that. Otherwise, I've always found Nero pretty good.