DVD-RAM has a significantly different physical structure than other DVD media - it is this difference which makes it reliable, durable and capable of upto 100,000 re-writes - but it is also the reason why it is largely incompatible with many existing DVD players and DVD-ROM drives. Thus to use DVD-RAMs inside your PC you need to ensure you have a RAM compatible drive. Assuming you do not have one already (and many PC suppliers do supply compatible drives without stating it) there are two options:
- Purchase a DVD burner which reads and/or writes to DVD-RAM
- Purchase a DVD-ROM drive capable of reading DVD-RAMs
Either solution will enable you to use the DVD-RAM to DVD-R conversion guide as you only need to extract the data from the DVD-RAM disk and do not need to write.
Buying A DVD-RAM Capable PC DVD Burner
DVD-RAM reading and/or writing support can be found in all new DVD burners from LG, Panasonic, Pioneer and Toshiba. Other manufacturers - Iomega, Samsung, ASUS - also have support for DVD-RAM in some models. NEC and Liteon are rumoured to be adding DVD-RAM support from 2006.
DVDRW drives can normally be purchased without software or drivers (these are called OEM drives) and are cheaper accordingly. As no installation software is required for optical drives many people prefer OEM drives to 'packaged' drives.
Some examples of current DVD burners (May 2005) that support DVD-RAM are:
- Internal DVDRW drives for Desktop PCs (Half Height drives):
- ASUS DRW-1608P (the earlier DRW-1604P also supports DVD-RAM)
- LG 4163 Super Multi Format burner (all previous LG DVD burners support DVD-RAM)*
- Panasonic SW-9585 Super Multi Format burner
- Pioneer A09 and 109 (the earlier A08, 108, A07 and 107 models also support DVD-RAM)
- Samsung SH-W08
- Toshiba SD-R5372 (all earlier Toshiba models also support DVD-RAM)
- External DVDRW drives (for any PC):
- LG 5163 Super Multi Format burner (External Drive)
- DVDRW drives for Notebook/Laptop PCs (Slimline drives):
- Toshiba SD-R6472 (all earlier Toshiba models also support DVD-RAM)
* See Note 5 below.
Buying A DVD-RAM Capable DVD-ROM Drive
If you already have a DVD burner which doesn't support DVD-RAM you may want a cheaper option than to purchase a new burner. The ideal solution is a RAM compatible DVD-ROM drive - these cost in the region of £15. DVD-RAM support in DVD-ROM drives is found in all new LG, Panasonic and Toshiba drives. It can also be found in some Samsung drives. Note that Pioneer DVD-ROMs do not currently support DVD-RAM (even though their burners do).
Some examples of current (May 2005) DVD-ROMs that support DVD-RAM are:
- Internal DVD-ROM drives for Desktop PCs (Half Height drives):
- LG GDR-8163B
- Panasonic SR-8589-B (all earlier Panasonic drives also support DVD-RAM)
- Samsung TS-H352
- Toshiba SD-M1912 (or any earlier model, e.g. SD-M1712/SD-M1612/M1711)
- DVD-ROM drives for Notebook/Laptop PCs (Slimline drives):
- LG GDR-8083N (all earlier LG drives also support DVD-RAM)
- Toshiba SD-C2732 (all earlier Toshiba drives also support DVD-RAM)
Buying A New PC (Ensuring RAM Compatibility)
If your about to purchase a new PC then ensure you get a DVD-RAM compatible drive. Normally if a PC is marketed with 'Super Multi Format' or 'All format' drives then it will support DVD-RAM read and write. Labels such as 'dual format' or 'multi format' may or may not mean the PC has DVD-RAM read support. In such cases your best bet is to specifically ask for DVD-RAM compatibility. Thankfully the popularity of Panasonic/Toshiba DVD recorders has meant this is a well known issue these days!
If your planning on buying a new laptop PC then the options for customising are normally more limited. As you'd expect Toshiba and Panasonic laptops are all DVD-RAM compatible. Others all depend what OEM drive the producer is buying at that time. As with Desktop PC purchase always ask first.
Some Good Places To Buy
Needless to say there are hundreds of online stores and everyone has there own recommendations - but for the ease of the inexperienced the following are suppliers of RAM compatible optical drives:
www.ebuyer.co.uk
www.dabs.com/uk
www.simply.co.uk
Why not post a request on AV Forums asking for the latest recommendations.
Notes
1) It goes without saying that the above models will change over time. This guide is updated periodically but will, inevitably, not keep up. Accordingly I strongly suggest that you call into www.avforums.com or another suitable forum prior to making a purchase – to ensure your getting the best available.
2) For those opting to use DVD-RAM disks in caddies you should note that most drives will NOT accept caddied media - not normally a problem as you can remove the disks from the caddies. There are one or two drives (all Panasonic) that DO accept caddied media – for details of these goto www.panasonic.com
3) Before buying check that your current hardware isn’t already DVD-RAM compatible – Panasonic, Toshiba, LG and Hitachi are all large OEM suppliers and there is a very good chance you could already be compatible without realizing it.
4) Windows XP supports DVD-RAM by default so you should not need a specific DVD-RAM driver. Should you be using an older version of Windows though you will need a suitable driver. Normally this will be supplied with the drive you buy but, if not, consult the download page.
5) Some users have experience trouble using the latest Panasonic DVD recorders (the 2004 Ex5 series and later), Panasonic 3x DVD-RAM discs and the LG Super Multi Format DVD burners. The problem is linked with the Panasonic recorder putting a CPRM label on the disc that the drive then corrupts. If your looking for a RAM compatible drive and you have a new Panasonic DVD recorder then it is recommended you avoid the LG DVDRW. Instead opt for a drive that can read, but not write to, DVD-RAMs (i.e. Toshiba, Pioneer or a DVD-ROM drive).
6) Before buying a DVDRW or DVD-ROM drive check the producer's website to ensure it is DVD-RAM compatible:
www.lge.co.uk
www.samsung.co.uk
www.toshiba.com/tai-new/
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