I am on Windows XP and have Kodak EasyShare on my PC. I want to transfer all of my photos to CD. Can you advise me on choice of a remote burner drive, i.e. make, model number and price, preferably not expensive as I am a hard-up old pensioner!
External vs. Internal CD Burners
Sure, I’ll be happy to recommend a few different CD burners for you. The first consideration is whether to invest in an internal or external CD drive. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. An internal drive is nice because it’s built right into your system which means less clutter on the desktop while an external drive can be used on this current computer as well as on future computers should you later replace your current system. Internal CD drives are quite easy to install despite the fact that you must open up the computer case, so don’t be afraid of going that route if it makes sense for your situation.
CD/DVD Burner
The next consideration is whether to get a CD burner, DVD burner, or combo burner. I recommend getting a CD/DVD combo burner as this will give you the ability to play and create DVDs as well as CDs. DVD drives store so much more data and can also be used as a backup utility. While Blu-ray/CD/DVD combo drives are also available, Blu-ray is probably overkill for your purposes.
Suggested CD Burners
Prices vary based on features and ease of use. For example, the Sony DVDirect External CD-RW Drive is really cool in that you can connect your digital camera directly to the drive and burn your photos to disc without a computer but it’s pricey at about $200 (and that’s on sale). On the other hand, an internal Sony CD/DVD combo burner can be had for less than $65.
CD/DVD burners have come a long way since their introduction and just about any drive from a leading manufacturer such as Sony, Phillips, Pioneer, or LG should serve you well, even when choosing a budget model.
To help you decide, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I want to install a drive or am I willing to live with an external device?
- Does my computer have an expansion slot for an internal drive (many users simply replace their old CD drives)
- Does my computer have a free USB port for an external drive?
- Do I want DVD burning capabilities?
Once you have an idea about the basic type, such as external combo drive, then start looking at the offerings of manufacturers that you trust and watching the Sunday newspaper for sales. If you need help installing an internal drive, we can walk you through that too.
CD Burning Software
Whichever drive you choose will most likely come with some sort of CD burning software. Windows has basic burning capabilities as well.
Celeste Stewart | May 15th, 2009
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