Ultrabay Slim Multi-Burner

[csv96]

Don't remember if this was mentioned before, but the Ultrabay Slim Multi-Burner manual (including specs) is online:

http://www-306.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-55208

Write Speeds (max)
DVD-R 2X
DVD-RW 2X
DVD-RAM 2X
DVD+R Read only
DVD+RW Read only
CD-R 16X
CD-RW 4X
High Speed CD-RW 8X

Read Speeds (max)
DVD-ROM (single layer) 8X
DVD-ROM (dual layer) 6X
DVD-R (4.7 GB) 4X
DVD-RW (4.7 GB) 4X
DVD-RAM (4.7/9.4 GB) 2X
DVD-RAM (2.6 GB) 1X
CD-ROM 24X
CD-R 24X
CD-RW 12X
CD-DA (DAE) 20X

[akerman]

too bad it isn't dual.. all the other laptop dvd-rw drives I've seen, have been dual - so not a strong competing point for IBM here.

[cynic]

too bad it isn't dual.. all the other laptop dvd-rw drives I've seen, have been dual - so not a strong competing point for IBM here.

They're kind of limited to the only drive thin enough to fit the T which is made by Panasonic. If there were others available, I could see this as an objectionable complaint.

[Conmee]

too bad it isn't dual.. all the other laptop dvd-rw drives I've seen, have been dual - so not a strong competing point for IBM here.

Akerman,

I'm not sure where you shop or have been looking, but none of the Tier 1 (largest) notebook manufacturers offer "dual" DVD writers (and they are certainly not standard issue), if by "dual" you mean they support the DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW standards.

Check HP (both Compaq Presario and HP Pavilion models), Dell (Inspiron, Latitude, and Poweredge Mobile Workstation models), and Apple. These companies sell DVD+R/RW only drives in their mobile product lines, while Apple uses the Pioneer Super Drive (DVD-R/RW).

Sure, the Tier 2 manufacturers like Fujitsu and Toshiba offer DVD+-R/RW "dual" combo drives as higher-priced options, generally, but those drives haven't made it mainstream just yet with the biggest manufacturers. I'm sure if someone checks, Gateway, Sager, PowerComputer, and a bunch of smaller/niche manufacturers offer the dual drives as well. But that's not who IBM, HPQ, and Dell compete with at the business/corporate level.

And quite frankly, there's little advantage to having a dual drive. DVD-R/RW is still more backward compatible as a standard than DVD+R/RW, works in more legacy equipment, and reads DVD-RAM (v. the DVD+R/RW only drives), all of which are important attributes to large companies who still have older hardware and who have made investments in DVD-RAM in the past for archival purposes. In addition, the DVD-R media tends to be less expensive. So there's really no compelling business value to a "dual" drive for most companies, and therefore, it hasn't been a limiting factor in ThinkPad sales at Fortune 500 companies. The biggest hurdle, as has always been the case, remains price.

Anyhow, maybe some knowledgeable folks can enlighten me on the benefits of a dual format DVD writer... since I've got a Sony external DVD+-R/RW combo drive myself, and even though I can use DVD+R/RW media in it, I have only used DVD-R for home videos and data archive since I've had it, which has been over a year now. Not sure what the DVD+RW has done for me in that time... other than to feel comfortable in the knowledge that I COULD, if I wanted to, use alternate media.



Daniel.