The LiteOn EZ-Dub USB 2.0 16X DVD burner is one of the nicest priced external DVD burners we have seen. The EZ-Dub will read and write on all popular formats (DVD +/-R/RW,DL, CD-R/RW) for under $120 (in most places we checked it was under $100).
The beauty of the EZ-Dub is its performance for the price (bang for the buck). External DVD writers are great for computer users who may not have the courage to open up their computer and install an internal unit. They are also great because they can be moved from one system to another.
If there is one thing we don't like much about the EZ-Dub it is that it has "gimmick buttons." In our digital photography articles we often write about gimmick buttons. These are buttons that are found on hardware devices to give the appearance of ease of use, but in reality they are software driven and don't really work the way the user would expect.
We are not saying that just because a device has gimmick buttons that the item should be avoided. Especially with hardware like this that is a great deal. It is just important they realize that once you get the device home, you will likely never use the buttons.
The EZ-Dub appears to have one-touch functionality. With the touch of a button you can copy a disk or backup your important files. In reality, when you push the button, it opens the software that allows you to perform these actions and the software is not necessarily "one-touch" functional.
In general, it is the same as placing a shortcut to a program on your desktop, but instead of having to click on the icon, you can press the "gimmick button" instead.
Whether the button is on a scanner, a digital camera dock, an all-in-one printer or on a mouse, the software that makes the button work typically gets glitchy after a while and stops working, opens the wrong program or causes some other kind of problem. We cannot say that this is the case with the EZ-Dub, but we prefer to use the software shortcuts instead of the buttons.
"Gimmick buttons" aside, you will be hard pressed to find a better deal on an external DVD burner. Best of all, you don't even have to use the buttons. If you don't install the included software and you have Windows XP, this device will usually work just fine with your current burning software.
It comes with a copy of Nero Express which is all you really need for DVD burning and disk duplication.
| Castellini on Computers Rating (1-5 mics) |
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Recommended Market: |
Anyone who needs an external DVD burner.
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Approximate cost: |
$99-$120
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Company and Web Site: |
LiteOn
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