How to Install a DVD Drive

Choosing the Right Drive

1. 
   Learn the different formats. There are a variety of confusing formats for DVD drives, including DVD, DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW. These all refer to the different read and write capabilities of the drive. Generally, all new drives these days will be DVD+/-RW or just DVD RW. This indicates that it can read DVDs as well as write to all the types of burnable DVD discs.

   1. Most new drives can write, though you can purchase budget drives that just read DVD discs. These are labeled as DVD-ROM drives.
2. 
   Determine if you want a Blu-Ray drive. Blu-Ray is the newest form of disc storage on the market, and can store significantly more data than a standard DVD drive. Blu-Ray drives allow you to watch Blu-Ray HD movies and read Blu-Ray data discs, and all Blu-Ray drives also read DVDs.

   1. Blu-Ray drives have come down in price significantly, and Blu-Ray burners are now much more affordable.
   2. Even if the Blu-Ray drive does not write (BD-ROM), there's a good chance it will write DVDs.
3. 
   Compare read and write speeds. When looking at different models, it will be useful to compare the read and write speeds. These tell you how long it will take to read and write various forms of media on the drive.

   1. Most new DVD drives will read at 16X, and write at up to 24X. These measurements indicate how much faster the drive is than a 1X drive, and is not a measurement of the actual read or write speed.
4. 
   Decide between internal and external. If you are using a laptop computer, you will likely need to purchase an external drive. If you are using a desktop computer, you can generally choose either, but you will get better read and write performance from an internal drive.

   1. If you decide to purchase an external drive, you can skip down to Part 3 for details on installing the drivers.
5. 
   Choose a quality drive. Look for drives from trusted manufacturers. This will help ensure that your drive lasts a long time, and that you get a solid warranty. Below are a few of the most trusted optical drive manufacturers:

   1. LG
   2. Philips
   3. Plextor
   4. Lite-On
   5. BenQ
   6. Samsung
6. 
   Consider an OEM model. If you have extra SATA cables to install the drive lying around, and you don't mind not having manuals and driver discs, you may want to consider an OEM model. These are typically cheaper than a consumer model, but lack any of the packaged extras.

   1. If you buy an OEM model, you can still find the drivers and documentation for the drive on the manufacturer's website.