OK, I trust you guys, and I'm a novice when it comes to PC hardware, so here goes:

I own a 2 or 3 year old Dell desktop (4600 or somesuch). It has 1 GB RAM (a lot at the time), 160 GB HD, P4 3.2, blah blah.

Since DVD burners were still relatively new at the time (a $300 upgrade when I ordered!), I opted for a DVD-ROM bay and a CD-RW bay.

I want to buy/install a DVD-burner so that I can transfer movies from a camcorder to DVD, and also to make a mix DVD of audio (mp3, I guess) that I can put on shuffle at work to provide ambience and background noise. Also make file/HD backups, I guess.

Any general advice on

1. brands of DVD burners that are better or worse than the others
2. places to buy them (eg Best Buy vs internet)
3. which bay to put it in
4. noobie mistakes to avoid, e.g. don't touch the 3rd rail on the subway tracks ...

I'm moderately anxious about opening up my PC for the first time. Should I just med up and do it? Should I give my PC to somebody local and say, "here, install a DVD-burner"?

Thanks in advance!

They're all pretty decent these days; you could get one from Newegg for <$40, including software. I have an NEC in my machine. Just make sure you get a PATA (ATA/100, /66, or /133) drive, not a SATA one.

Replacing the drive should be dead simple.'

Here's one.

Cool! One of my teenage patients told me to go to Newegg.com.

Thanks for the link!

If you've got an open bay, stick it in there. I suspect that your current drive is on the second IDE channel as a master, so you'll need to set the new one as a slave--which is very easy.

Okay, now you're just making stuff up. Are you taking foreign language courses?

All the Dell computers ive had are usually set up on cable select so you dont even have to mess with the jumpers.

Basically, it shows how to install drives in your user manual. Its a pretty straight forward operation.

or if you are REALLY wiery about opening up your PC, you could get an external USB 2.0 DVD drive...

Just get a name-brand one from Newegg and wash down a couple Xanax with an Old Dominion IPA.

Oh, and go ahead and grab that third rail with both hands good and tight.

Really, it'll be no problem. And if you do get stuck, don't hesitate to call Ken any time day or night on his cell.

Roger dodger!

I installed a Lite On LH-20A1H DVDRW. If I can do it anyone can. I did as Ken mentioned and set one to master the other to slave, it's a piece of cake.