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"Dual Layer DVD Writer Advice"

One online store I buy from has a shipping offer this week and as I need some blank DVDs I also want a new Dual layer drive considering how cheap the drives actually are. The two models I am interesed in are the NEC 3500, and the Pioneer 108. Now the NEC is £50 and the Pioneer £60. So I was wondering if any one has any comments on either of them? I think that with the NEC it didnt recognise a certain make of DL(Dual Layer) disc, but I think that was with the old 2500 not the 3500.

The difference in performance is nothing as the 3500 and 108 are the same speeds for everything, apart from the 3500 does 48x CD and the 108 does 32x. I have been burning at 16x with my current Sony drive as the discs being burnt at 24x which is the max on the Sony were being corrupted. So to be honest CD speed is not important as a nice reliable drive that works with all the media etc.

Thats because the film may not be right on the beginning of the layer. If you take a DVD and put it in DVD Shrink you can see that a film that is about 90-100 mins can be put onto a SL disc with out any compression. When I first got my DVD writer I tried out my copy of The Fast And The Furious and could fit that onto a SL disc without compression, well just the film and the 5.1 sound track. If the film is 2 hours long then you wouldnt be able to. If you look at DVDRs available on the Internet you see alot of them use Untouched video and rip out as much as possible with sound and extras.

DL will allow you to keep all the extras, menus etc, plus longer films like Lord Of The Rings wont need compressing.

Ah! I don't watch 90 minute films! That'll be why then.

(For reference, 90 minutes == hollywood action trash)