[NBLUG/talk] Experience with Artec DVD+/-RW drive?

[Bob Blick]

> Has anybody tried to use a Artec 12x DVD+/-RW (model VOM-12E48X I
> think) under linux?  (Or can anybody provide a recommendation of others
> that will?)

I'm pretty much sold on Liteon drives, I've installed and used 5 of them
and they work great. Also their DVD+-RW drives support dual-layer media,
although currently blanks are overpriced eventually they'll become
commonplace. Newegg.com always has a good price and delivery from them is
fast and easy.

Ritek blanks are very good and a good value as well.

The choice of whether to use + or - media is one I still haven't got a
handle on and only have my limited experience to guide me. Compatibility
with old drives and especially old DVD players really varies. Pretty much
I've settled on DVD-R and DVD+RW, not DVD+R or DVD-RW. The brand of blanks
(see previous Ritek comment) makes a difference too.

My old Apex DVD player will not play any DVD I've burned but new ones read
them all.

> I'm thinking of upgrading my main box to FC2 and throwing one of those
> in it, but I'm fairly new at using CDRWs as well as
> playing/ripping/reading/burning DVD's under linux.  Can anybody give me
> a hint what packages I'll need (cdrecord and ????)

K3b is a pretty good frontend. I've never ripped DVDs but I expect you'll
need libdvdcss just as you would for a player to work.

Cheerful regards,

Bob