# Looking To Buy An External DVD Burner

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-to-buy-an-external-dvd-burner/449630>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [May 17, 2008, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-to-buy-an-external-dvd-burner/449630 "2008-05-17T03:20:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-to-buy-an-external-dvd-burner/449630/1 "2008-05-17T03:20:49Z")

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My computers have no room for an internal DVD burner. So I need an external DVD burner. I use Windows XP.

Whatsayyou is a good, quality external DVD burner (accessible via USB) for creating DVD data disks and the occasional video?

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**Author:** ![Engineer\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9fc29f/32.png) [@Engineer\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engineer_Dude)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-to-buy-an-external-dvd-burner/449630/2 "2008-05-17T04:29:06Z")

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I _basically_ own this external burner - the Lite-On DX-20A4H…

> **[LITE-ON USB 2.0 External 20X DVD±R DVD Drive w/ LightScribe Model DX-20A4H-06...](https://www.newegg.com/lite-on-model-dx-20a4h-06-dvd-burner/p/N82E16827106251)**
>
> Buy LITE-ON USB 2.0 External 20X DVD±R DVD Drive w/ LightScribe Model DX-20A4H-06 LightScribe Support with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

…except I bought the DH-20A4P - the internal version without lightscribe, and hooked it up inside a 5.25" USB enclosure that I bought. So far it’s done a few CDs, a few single layer burned DVD movies, and a few dozen burned double layer DVD movies without any hiccups.

You might also consider the latest external Pioneer DVD burner if Best Buy puts it on sale. They’re usually around $120 which is way too expensive but worth considering if on sale for $60 or $70.

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**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2008, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-to-buy-an-external-dvd-burner/449630/3 "2008-05-18T06:21:07Z")

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I’ve got a La Cie Writemaster.  
It works fine.