Samsung SE-S204S DVD burner cuts out the hard drive

While it won't let you burn DVDs without a PC altogether, Samsung's new SE-S204S DVD burner will at least cut your hard drive out of the equation, with it simply using your PC as a go-between between your still or video camera and your DVD media of choice. That, Samsung says, should "dramatically" cut down on the time it takes to create a DVD, with the usual pre-mastering, multiplexing and hard-disk buffering no longer needed. That speed is further aided by the drive's 20x DVD+R and DVD-R writing, with it's dual-layer writing lagging only slighlty behind at 16x and 12x for DVD+R and DVD-R, respectively. If that's just the time-saving measure you've been looking for, you should be able to pick one of these up now for $160.

[Via Electronista, image courtesy of CDRLabs]

[David W. @ Nov 19th 2007 6:54PM]

no big deal...sony has something like this...and if I remember correctly you didn't need a computer at all...

oh and we never sold a single one...haha

[AJ in the East Bay @ Nov 19th 2007 9:35PM]

I actually have the Sony, but have hardly used it. I guess the bottom line for me is:

1. I don't have time to monitor a real-time camcorder-to-DVD transfer.

2. I don't want to put unedited video on a DVD anyway.

I can edit my home video on a PC, but I'd rather be doing other things. That is why I'm 30 hours or so behind on my home videos that will probably never be edited.

This is good for those who don't have a DVD camcorder and don't go overboard when videotaping. If I was like that when I first started shooting family videos, I'd probably put the raw video straight to DVD.

[abiade @ Nov 19th 2007 7:25PM]

Helllooooooooooo....wait up and smell the coffee Samsung or change your brand of crack...HD-DVD and Blu-ray are out there now with massive capacity over DVD...This is more than a little itty bitty too late!!!
It's just f%&kn late!!!
Your R&D should know better and transfer this technology to your choice of hi-def format whichever consortium you belong to.

BUT if you are selling this for $99 a pop, maybe you might make some substantial sales.

Take care retards...

[Zaidyn @ Nov 19th 2007 7:37PM]

The average home user isn't going to be burning to HD media, or even own an HD-DVD/Blu-Ray player.

[BigD @ Nov 19th 2007 9:24PM]

This isn't for "average" users, though...this is obviously for babies (check the user in the picture). They have to give some physical media for beginners to cut their teeth on before moving up to larger capacity discs.

[Justin @ Nov 20th 2007 8:18AM]

Not to mention your average user probably isn't using a camera that can handle DVD resolution much less either HD format. But hey, let's not let logic step in the way of a senseless rant!

[abiade @ Nov 19th 2007 7:46PM]

Yeah that "average home user" would not see why they should go out and buy this either, why would they care "being average" about taking less time to burn dvds or bypassing the pc's hard drive.
I dont think your "average folks" would give a damn either smarty!!!

[abiade @ Nov 19th 2007 7:39PM]

No...substantial sales...I take that back. Judging from David W. comment above, I'll say 0 sale and a loss write-off of development and discontinuation costs...ya dig Shamesung?

[David W. @ Nov 19th 2007 7:52PM]

Well but my comment is based off of sales at the one store I worked at...which is in a large college town...which mean basically everyone has computers as is...

This might work in other markets...which I don't know...but I see this being more successful as is then with hd-dvd or blue-ray, mainly because it would probably knock the price up at least $200

[skhawaja @ Nov 19th 2007 7:55PM]

YAWN!

They are just repackaging what they already have for sale - their DVD Recorder/Player - DVD-R150/XAC and R155 - on top of that you can still get DVD recorders with front panel DV Inputs - so this is just some spare parts inventory clearout - they still need you to get the PC in on the act for the transfer (saywha?)

[o29 @ Nov 19th 2007 7:59PM]

"with it's dual-layer writing"

Did someone call?

[David @ Nov 19th 2007 8:49PM]

Wow... the first thought that came to mind when reading the title was "DVD burner cuts out the hand" with that baby's hand.

[Electromodo @ Nov 19th 2007 9:59PM]

"...with the usual pre-mastering, multiplexing and hard-disk buffering no longer needed..."

And editing, cutting off bad scenes, adding titles, etc. is no longer needed too. Hooray to even more boring home video!

I certainly understand more users will be happier with such a lazy device, but I DISAGREE with this idea. I think devices should promote the creativity of users, not opposite. That's why I hate those DVD camcorders, the laziest ones possible.

Remember, in the times of VHS we used to edit video on VHS recorder, without computer, but we were still able to edit it!

/* end of rant */