<![CDATA[Gizmodo: disc drives]]> http://tags.gizmodo.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/gizmodo.com.png <![CDATA[Gizmodo: disc drives]]> http://gizmodo.com/tag/discdrives http://gizmodo.com/tag/discdrives <![CDATA[BenQ BW1000 Blu-ray Writer]]> BenQ just unveiled its BW1000, a Blu-ray writer that is also able to read and write the ancient optical disc formats, CD and DVD. The drive will be available in both internal and external models judging from photos, with the external model potentially doubling as a mirror given its high glossiness.

As far as burning speeds go, it may be a little on the slow side for some people, with the BD-R only burning at 2x; CDs, on the other hand, burn at a respectable 32x. While compatible with just about every optical disc format known to man, including the elusive DVD +/- support, there's still no price set or a release date for the BW1000. Given how much it does, and the fact that it supports Blu-ray, one would be well-advised to prepare to spend more than a few dollars.

[at-a-Glance] BenQ Blu-ray writer 'BW1000' [AVING]

]]> http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=168002&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Samsung SH-B022 Blu-Ray Burner Reviewed (Verdict: You Might Want to Wait a Bit)]]> We re already over three months into 2006, the year that high definition and next generation DVDs are set to make their big splash. The gang over at The Register got their hands on Samsung s SH-B022, the company s Blu-Ray disc burner and gave it a thorough testing. The overall impression of the drive appears positive, but it s not without its faults. For starters, the drive uses an IDE interface, a technology that Intel will drop support for with its South Bridge chipset. A single 12.7GB file took 25 minutes to burn, which translates to whole disc burning clocking in at around an hour. The drive also didn t burn any other type of media, such as CDs or regular DVDs. Then there s the price: It s not official, but Register estimates that it will cost $800-$900. So if you ve got the money to spend on a drive that produces discs that only it and a handful of other drives can read, jump right in. You may just want to hold out a bit longer to wait for the price to drop and for the Blu-Ray technology to gain more of a foothold in the marketplace.

Samsung SH-B022 Blu-ray Disc writer [The Register]

giz_textad.gif Blu-ray buying guide [Amazon]

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