I need (Budget) CD-RW buying advice

[snake]

I need a CD-RW drive. I got in on the Staples deal for the Philips 8x4x32 PCRW804, but I'm not sure how good it is. I may just E-Bay it and get something else. Anybody used this one or heard anything about it? I will use it mostly for backing up files, storing digital photos, and some music copying. Any CD-RW buying advice or links to any good information would be appreciated. Two specific questions: 1)Can anyone explain to me what burn proof is and how important it is? For the uses I described above, how often should I expect errors without the burn proof technology? I'm on a tight budget. 2) I only have one drive bay so I will have to replace my existing CD drive. How hard is it to copy CDs to your hard drive and then back onto a CD-R so that it will play on my normal CD player (not MP3)? Thanks in advance for any CD-RW help anyone can point me to.

[Jeffbx]

I have a Sony drive that's the same speed as yours, with no burn proof, and I'm perfectly happy with it. The only time I've burned coasters is when I've tried to burn certain copy-protected CDs (for archival purposes, you understand). I even use the much-hated Adaptec EZ-CD Creator software, and I have no complaints.

Copying a music CD is simple with one drive - you can either copy the tracks as .wav files (takes about 600-700 MB per CD) or rip them as MP3s (about 50MB per CD) onto your hard drive, and then burn them back as a music CD. The burning software you use should handle the conversion to a music CD.

The price of blank CDs has not gone up as some people had predicted, so I don't think you should worry too much about burn-proof. Install the burner, use it for a while & see what you think.