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DVD Upgrade

Enhance your computer with a DVD drive or DVD burner

A DVD upgrade could be just what your computer needs to be complete. DVD technology has gotten less expensive, but more impressive every year. DVD's can now hold more information then they did when they first came out, and they are more reliable too.

DVD technology may be new and advanced, but I assure you it is just as easy as old CD-R technology. In fact, with the DVD burning software that comes with many DVD burners, you can create your own DVD's containing any movies you want.

So if you own a DVD player that can play these burned DVD's (most can) then you will be able to watch it on your TV.

Types of DVD Upgrades

Standard DVD Drive - A standard DVD drive plays DVD movies and most likely burned DVD's (sometimes even DVD-RW's). Read your drives manual for more.

DVD Burner - A DVD burner upgrade has become a cheap and effective way to backup and store data files. DVD burners have dropped so low in price, that they now are almost just as cheap as a regular CD burner. So basically you just need to decide which one you want. In my opinion, a DVD burner is the way to go.



Not only is the price about the same as a regular CD burner, but every DVD burner I have ever used also burns regular CD's. So you get both for the price of one. It's a no brainer.

DVD Drives

A standard DVD drive should read fast and support all formats. If you are wondering how many formats there are, look below at the types of DVD recordable formats.

There are a lot, but don't worry, I have recommended a DVD drive below that is capable of reading all of those formats. Anyways, since competition is fierce, basically all DVD drives are capable of reading all formats.

Install a DVD Drive or Burner

Did you purchase a DVD upgrade, but you need help installing it? Then check out my DVD upgrade installation guide. I will take you step by step through the installation process and I will give you some useful techniques and help with the software part of the DVD upgrade.

DVD Recordable Disc Formats

There are many types of DVD recordable formats. The format you want to use requires a DVD burner that supports it. So make sure you find out whether the DVD upgrade burner can record in that format before your buy one.

In my opinion all of the formats are great and it really doesn't matter what you decide to use, unless it is necessary to use another format. Let's look at the different types of formats below.



  • DVD -R: This is the standard DVD format and has a storage capacity of 4.7GB.
  • DVD+R: Holds 4.38 GB and is another format that competes with the DVD-R format.
  • DVD+R D ual L ayer: Has two layers on each side instead of one. Each layer holds 4.38 GB, so a single sided DVD+R DL disc storage is 8.76 GB.
  • DVD-R D ual L ayer: Has two layers on each side instead of one. Each layer holds 4.7 GB, so a single sided DVD-R DL disc storage would be 9.4 GB. Usually the DVD movies you buy or rent are burned on discs like these.
  • DVD-RW: Holds 4.7 GB just like DVD-R, but these discs can be erased and rewritten to again and again.
  • DVD+RW: And this format hold's 4.38 GB just like the DVD+R format, but it to can be erased and rewritten to over and over.

DVD burning software

To burn DVD's, you need good software that allows you complete control over your DVD movies or just your important data. What you want is an easy to use interface, good quality software that wont conflict with your DVD burner and supports DVD-R and RW formats.



Most DVD burners out there come with DVD burning software, but if yours does not then I suggest you use Nero DVD burning software from Ahead.



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