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Should you buy a CD or DVD burner?
Many Realtors feel they must create their own
CDs or DVDs just to remain competitive. But if you're considering this tech
upgrade, realistically appraise how much demand you'll have for the advanced
style of data storage offered by DVD and CD burners. ("Burning" a CD or
DVD means placing data on them.) In practical terms, it could include your
listings, a promotional video, virtual tours, a backup of your finances
or other functions.
Jeff Gaines, CRB, ePro, and owner of GaineswayRealty says he bought a CD recorder primarily to store financial data, though he also learned to create videos of some listings, which he stores on CDs and gives to potential buyers. But seeking the best of both worlds, Gaines also has used his DVD recorder for business, even though he bought it primarily for entertainment. "On a few occasions, I've taken a listing video on CD and recorded it onto a DVD," Gaines says.
Currently, CD burners have two distinct advantages over DVD burners,
though things change quickly. First and foremost, CD burners cost a lot
less--significantly less. You can find one for around $40. In comparison,
a multi-format DVD drive can easily start out at $200.
Second, CD burners still record data a lot faster. You can record (it's
called "write speed") 650 MB, or almost a full CD-R (they hold about 700
MB), in about 3 1/2 minutes. A CD-RW (a slightly more expensive CD that
can be erased and re-recorded) is a bit slower, but you can still burn
almost a full CD-RW in just under six minutes.
Still, the biggest advantage to buying a DVD drive rests in the incredible amount of memory a DVD holds. Most DVDs can store up to 4.7 GB, though new double-sided DVDs potentially store up to 8.6 GB.
But until the cost of DVD drives drops a bit, many Realtors will opt for a CD-RW burner. If you don't need to store massive amounts of data or you balk at the cost of a DVD writer, consider the CD-RW a cheap and speedy alternative.
Here's a quick high-tech vocabulary lesson if you're ready to shop:
Write speed: The "write speed" tells you how long a DVD or CD
recording will take, and it's expressed as a number followed by "X." For
example, a 52X CD-RW records information 52 times faster than the first
CD-R drive, which transferred data at about 3.6 MB per second.
Read speed: A computer "reads" a CD or DVD when transferring data from the CD or DVD to its hard drive, which is what happens when you install new software. The read speed indicates how fast a drive reads a disc, and a faster read speed means less time waiting for programs to load. A 24X/10X/40X CD-RW drive, for example, can read 6 MB per second.
Rewrite speed: "Rewrite speed" is similar to "write speed" but it refers specifically to CD-RWS, DVD+RWS and DVD-RWS that allow you to record and then rerecord information, much like a blank tape in a video recorder. Rewrite speed is generally slower than "write speed." With a 24X/10X/40X CD-RW drive, for example, you can write to a CD-RW at 1.5 MB per second; with a 2.4X/2.4X/8X DVD+RW drive, you can write to a DVD+RW at 3.3 MB per second. You must also buy certified, high-speed CD-RWs for use in CD-RW drives rated at 4X or faster.
DVD-RW/CD-RW Combo Drives: Most rewritable DVD drives can burn CD-R and CD-RW discs (DVD-RAM and DVD-R drives cannot) but they're slow. Pioneer's DVR-A04 DVD-RW drive writes CD-Rs at just 8X, for example, while Sony's DRU-510A dual-format model writes at up to 24X. That's almost the difference between driving 25 miles per hour compared to 50 miles per hour-the typical CD-RW drives records at 52X.
To compare products, visit Cnet.com for help choosing your drive.
Have questions? Call the Tech Helpline for advice. Gaines says the Tech
Helpline expert he talked to about recorders "guided me in the right direction
and was absolutely wonderful."
Copyright 2004 FAR