LG - 8x External USB Double-Layer DVD±RW/CD-RW Drive - Black

I needed an external CD drive due to the fact that my new laptop did not come with an internal cd disc drive. I am one of those people who still record favorite music on CDs for music enjoyment while on the road (to and from work). I know, I know, old tech - just like my car which is not advanced either, technologically speaking. So, when it was time to make a purchase, I was not looking for anything too elaborate - just an external USB CD drive that would allow me to record purchased music on blank CDs- plain and simple; no fuss. I decided to purchase the LG - 8x External USB Double-Layer DVD±RW/CD-RW Drive - it was in the right price range and seemed to consist of the mere basics of what I needed. I've used it three times, and thus far it works as well as can be expected. Yes, it is a bit slower than that which I am accustomed (high speed internal cd drives of professional work computers), but this product is for recreational use only via the use of a simple, barebones computer. In sum, this product has thus far peformed adequately. If you are looking for a faster, higher speed external CD rewrite drive, then this will probably disappoint.

Recently built my first desktop that DIDN'T include any internal optical drive. With this, and the fact that most higher end laptops don't have optical drives, this was a great purchase when on sale. What's nice is that this is still a "tray" and not a "slot drive," so the media won't move. The USB 2.0 cable is the ONLY cable you need, no additional power connection. Plug and play, works like a charm. I still create DVD videos to share with my family (read: grandparents) but not often enough to warrant an internal drive. Since this can be used with various computers, laptop, desktop, it's a great resource to have laying around. The drive is really small, as somebody who has been into building and upgrading computers for almost 20 years I can't believe this is only powered by ONE USB cable

Very happy with the CD player. It plugs into my ThinkPad laptop and plays my CDs great ! the view is wonderful and the sound is wonderful too ! I have CDs that I need to play for my College Classes and my College tutoring. Also I may need to make a CD to share !! Also I have old music CDs that I can play and down load to my computer then copy onto my phone, also I can create a great music CD with various music on them, and family can play on their computer or in car. Also, many kinds of workouts such as Kettle Bell are on CDs, and the CD player plays them well, with great view and great music, so the workout is great ! I am extremely happy with the CD player and the Best Buy Geek Squad assistance helping me choose the CD player, setting it up and making sure I knew how to use it and was happy with it !!

I recently found out that Apple doesn't offer an extended care warranty on their Superdrive. My friend's Apple drive died just after the 1 year mark and was out of luck - You're just expected to keep buying $100 peripherals every year or so... Having just gotten a good deal on an iMac, I was considering how best to continue optical drive support. The LG - 8x External USB Double-Layer DVD±RW/CD-RW Drive is perfect! Right out of the box, no driver installation is needed. iDVD and iTunes recognized it immediately. I played DVD movies and burned some playlists to audio CDs. It does what it's supposed to, and even with an additional 2-year Geek Squad coverage, I came out paying less than half of what the Apple Superdrive costs... I definitely made the right choice!

This drive is inexpensive but a solid performer. There is really nothing to ding it on except that it is a light-weight external drive. Being an external drive makes it a bit of an awkward thing to deal with if you don't put it on a desk with extra space. My wife and I take my laptop with us on trips and watch movies on it using the drive. We will often lay in bed with the laptop on my legs and play a movie. The drive, then, has no stable platform for it to rest on. This isn't an issue with this drive alone. It is an issue with all external drives. The problem really comes in due to the light-weight nature of the drive. While this is a plus for carrying it from place to place, it makes it even less stable without a desk to put it on. Aside from this (minor) issue, I have absolutely no complaints about this drive.

I was never a fan of LG for drives before, but I found this to be less expensive (was on sale for $24.99 before tax); than other brands like Verbatim, Lenovo, Dell and HP ($10.00 to $40.00 lower). Although more pricier than my initial budget I decided to give it a try based on cost only. To my surprise it was readily recognized when I connected it to my PC. My only concern now is durability and longevity. This portable LG external DVD writer with: 8x DVD and 24x CD write speeds is not bad so far. PROS: Multiformat support - 8x External Double-Layer DVD±RW/CD-RW Drive For DVD+R/R DL/RW, DVD-R/R DL/RW, DVD-RAM, DVD-ROM, DVD-ROM DL, CD-R/RW/ROM and CD-DA media. CON: USB 2.0 only

In all fairness, I just purchased a new Lenovo laptop that was not loaded with extra software, and as was typical with the laptops I was looking at, it did not have a DVD drive built in. When I purchased the external DVD I expected it to play a DVD. I have been unable to to that. There was no problem transferring software files from the drive onto the laptop, but the main reason for the purchase was not achievable. I was told I would have no problem accomplishing my desire. Wrong. Not all of us are streaming all of our movies. There are many times when being able to play a DVD is far easier than streaming (I.e. In the car). I do not use public wifi because my laptop has too much personal info on it and I'm not willing to risk being compromised. All in all, the unit seems rather fragile and it didn't do what I was told it would do. Maybe I was just given bad info by the salesman.

This started out as a great item. It worked well, and then suddenly, my laptop stopped recognizing it. I tried jiggling the connector cord, and that worked pretty well, for a while. However, the socket was loose, and eventually pushed itself all the way into the unit, not making contact with the plug at all. I took it apart and tried to get the socket back to its normal location. I made sure I had it in the correct direction for the contacts,and it tried to come back to life, but the socket would not stay in place. I considered soldering it in place, but the contacts are so tiny that I'm pretty sure solder would just ruin it the rest of the way. If anyone knows of a good substitute for solder that can be used in tiny, almost microscopic applications, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!