Difference between CD and DVD drive

Question

According to the Device Manager, I have two CD/DVD drives; one is a SAMSUNG CDR-RW SW-248F and the other is simply a SAMSUNG CD-ROM SC-148C. They are the default ones that came with my Dimension 2400. This worries me greatly because I am planning on getting the game Project Snowblind and it comes on a DVD. Question: Will these drives support a DVD? Am I even asking in the right place?

Skybird · Answer

The SAMSUNG SC-148C CD-ROM Drive is capable of read CD media.
The SAMSUNG SW-248 CD-R/RW Drive is capable of Reading and writing
CD Media. Neither of these drives is capable of reading DVD media.
User's Guides are here ...........

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/storage/P50170/en/index.htm

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/storage/49ctv/en/index.htm

To use DVD Media, you will need to replace your CD-ROM with a DVD-ROM.
A DVD-ROM can be purchased for $20-$30.

Skybird · Answer

Your system will accept any standard IDE/EIDE DVD-ROM drive. The one you
mention may be a Samsung Model SD-616, which is the one I have in my system.
Some others to consider are here .........

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Manufactory=&PropertyCodeValue=365%3A7747&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&description=&MinPrice=&MaxPrice=&SubCategory=55&Submit=Property

Pika132 · Answer

Well, it's by Samsung. See for yourself: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3754&item=5207448596&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW Message Edited by Pika132 on 06-12-2005 11:53 AM

Pika132 · Answer

What kind, exactly, should I get? I found an auction on eBay for a DVD Master 16E Model SD-616. Is that compatible with my Dimension 2400?

Skybird · Answer

That is the drive that is in my system presently. It has performed well
for the past 4 years. It appears to come without a DVD Decoder. If you
will want to view DVD movies you will have to consider DVD Decoder software
(about $10 OEM).

crossman1 · Answer

Just a suggestion, but if you're going to go to the trouble of replacing one of the existing drives, throw a little extra coin at it and get a DVD burner.  If you don't, you'll eventually wish that you had. Message Edited by crossman1 on 06-12-2005 09:52 PM

Pika132 · Answer

@crossman1 wrote:

Just a suggestion, but if you're going to go to the trouble of replacing one of the existing drives, throw a little extra coin at it and get a DVD burner. If you don't, you'll eventually wish that you had.

Message Edited by crossman1 on 06-12-2005 09:52 PM

Why would I wish that?

crossman1 · Answer

Just the added flexibility that a DVD burner provides.

superconductor6 · Answer

===

Why would I wish that?

===

Well, floppies got obsolete because it lacked space. ZIPs didn't boom because of CDRs and RWs. Now they created DVDRs and RWs, because basically the experts believed that CDs can't contain much data.

Go figure. :smileyvery-happy:

Storage, Drives & Media

Difference between CD and DVD drive

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