Samsung WriteMaster SE-W164C - dual-layer external DVD burner

Add Samsung to the list of companies making affordable dual-layer external DVD burners. The company's $199 WriteMaster SE-W164C offers 16X single-layer recording (dual-layer at 5x), DVD+/-R and DVD-RW compatibility, and can be set up either vertically or horizontally to save on desktop real estate.

[Napoleon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I wish $199 was "affordable" for me. It's a $60 OEM drive in a $50 external enclosure with some software. Big whoop!

[Napoleon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

(from the site link:)
* Grooved front door design for Safety from disc crash
Disc crash occurs in high speed reading/writing when user insulted crashed disc, and the number of these cases are increasing. Samsung's External DVD writer has front door groove so that can protect users from injure caused by disc crash. It also reduces noise prevents dust coming in to the drive.
--
What the hell? I'm constantly getting insulted by crashing discs. This is the perfect product for me!

[Russ @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Is anyone else annoyed by the bulky powerpacks things like this use? There's already 4 of them behind my PC - speakers, printer, PDA, router, cable modem.. Can't someone come up with a standard, and create one box with several leads coming out of it. Come to think of it.. I don't even like the fact that I've got another power cable behind my PC. Can we supe-up the power the USB provides?

[quahogian @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

u can rig it up yourself...drive and enclosure for about $80 S&H included. This kind of products are for consumers that can't do crap on their own at all or for some reason are extremely reluctant to.

[Samuel McConnell @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Tell me I'm not the only one who thought that looked like a Nintendo Revolution.

[hobgoblin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

#3, there allready is a standard that can carry the power these things need. its called firewire.

yep, that firewire. it can carry 12v of current vs usb's 5v.

only thing is that you need all 6 "pins" to actualy be in place for that to work. no problem on a desktop system but from what i have picked up only apple ship laptops that use all 6 pins as default, the rest of them mostly ship them in a 4 pin config. therefor no power from the laptops own power system...

[James R Grinter @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Affordable dual-layer burners are all well and good, but when are dual-layer discs going to be affordable too?