CD/DVD help !

Question

Hey guys,   Need some help...I just purchased an Inspiron 6000 2months ago with a 24x Combo DVD/CD-RW which I believe ONLY burns CD's, not DVD's...   Well, I purchased a mini-DVD handycam from Sony and I would like to be able to burn our video which are on a 8 cm mini-DVD disc to a regular size DVD recording device, but I do not think my computer can do that...   Question is:   A.)  Can I send my computer back to Dell and have them replace the basic DVD/CD-RW player with a device that will burn BOTH CD's and DVD's ?  Or can I send it to someone else to have it installed (and would it be cheaper)?   B.)  If I sent my computer to Dell for the upgrade, how much would it cost and would I be responsible for shipping costs? I thought since it is still well within warranty...   C.)  How do I send the computer in for the upgrade ?  Do I contact Dell to get some sort of confirmation number or simply put a note in the box letting them know my specific request ?  What ?   Thanks for your help out there...

bacillus · Answer

the internal optical drive is very simple to remove and install.

you can get an oem dvd burner drive like the NEC 6650 from newegg.com or zipzoomfly.com and install it yourself. the external contours may not exactly match the one you buy from dell but it will work just as well and be cheaper!

FSU92grad · Answer

Thanks again for the input...If you were I, would you prefer an external DVD burner (with a usb connection) or would you opt for the internal drive like the NEC 6650...The external drive sounds like it would be easier and wouldn't effect the appearance of the computer as opposed to an internal drive...

Thoughts ?

bacillus · Answer

an external case containing a good quality dvd burner will be more robust than an internal drive. a firewire interface would be preferable to an usb2 one but both types would suffice.

marctronixx · Answer

your player plays dual layer dvds since commercial dvds are multiple layer...   your dvd player may not play certain TYPES of disks such as dvd ram or +r/rw. only way is to look at the manual of if you dont have the manual search for the drive online and read the specs.   you can certainly install a dvd rw drive yourself.  as mentioned, new egg ships quick and is cheap!

FSU92grad · Answer

Dual layer burner or single layer ?  I have a Sony DVD player for my TV and I am not sure it takes or will read dual-layer DVD recordings...Do you have any experience with this ?   I know the advantage to dual-layer burners obviously you can put more data on the DVD, but the actual 'burn' time may be slower than a single layer AND again, I am not sure that regular DVD players out there can read a dual-layer recorded device...

FSU92grad · Answer

Yes, I know...But doesn't it look funky ? You know, installing a non-Dell internal DVD RW drive..Everyone here in the chatroom said that the external contours wouldn't match very well and I kinda like the look of my inspiron 6000...Are there any non-Dell internal DVD burners that fit as close to the original ?

Thoughts ?

FSU92grad · Answer

Bacillus, When I asked if the NEC 6500 was compatible with my Dell computer, I meant to ask if it would fit or is it one size fits all ?

bacillus · Answer

some folk here have switched their optical drives and used the faceplate from the old drive and transferred it on to their new DVD burner.

This may be possible with certain drives but certainly not all.

FSU92grad · Answer

Bacillus,

Thanks again...I know you have mentioned this probably already but is the NEC 6500 compatible with my Inspiron 6000? What, if any, tools would I need to install this device to my computer and can a novice like myself put it in?

If I do this, does this also void my warranties with Dell ? I have a 3-year service contract with them...

Thanks again for all of you help..

marctronixx · Answer

pretty much all slimline dvd drives will fit laptops that use slimline drives. again, i use new egg as an example since i have done a ton of purchases with them...

they have front and back views of the drive you are looking for so you can tell. what you can do is get the measurements from your own drive and look on the website and read the measurements for the aftermarket drive.

as far as tools, you should not need anything but a philips screwdriver. slimline drives use the IDE/ATAPI interface.

you can also remove the faceplate off your aftermarket drive and replace it with your OEM dell plate.. thats exactly what i have done and the drive looks OEM..

bacillus · Answer

My 6000 came with a NEC 6500 preinstalled.

Slimline optical drives come in a standardised factor form so most should fit any laptop. On certain dell models i.e. 700m, Dell has replaced the external casing with one of their own specification although the internal guts remain the same.

Storage, Drives & Media

CD/DVD help !

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