Windows 7 - 24 X DVD Burner

I was shopping for a new burner, when I noticed that LG has a model that is supposed to write at 24X. As far as I know, there is no media available that fast...is there? If not, what is the point in these faster drives?

IMO its more of a sales thing but what most people dont still know is you should burn at the lowest speed, if you burn at a higher speed its has a higher chace of failing the burn.

Yep! Faster speeds = much higher chances of multiple cupholders being created! The faster it writes, the higher chance for a sector to be skipped/written wrong, and all it takes is a single bit of data in the wrong spot to ruin the CD - I always make it a point to write at 2x or 4x speed even though I can do 5 times that, slow and steady wins the race in cd/dvd/bluray burning!

Yes, I do understand that the tortoise wins the race, but I'm wondering if a faster burner makes it possible to speed the tortoise up some?

Another vote for slow and steady burning. Also I always choose verify.

Personally I would avoid the LG and go for a drive that has the NEC controller as opposed to those that have the mediatek controller (Which is on most of the newer drives now)

The Sony Optiarc and the pioneer drives up to 217 (218 was the first to use the mediatek) have the NEC controllers.

Basically the difference is that the NEC controllers allow for a better/reliable burn at a higher speeds.

And there are several brands of media rated to burn @ x24 DVD+R, DVD-R

I have been trying to avoid LG, not because of any controller issue...though that is good to know, but because I really dislike the loud clack that the one that I do have makes when opening the tray.
Where does one find such media?

TBH, I really don't know. I've always had great success with Sony Optical 16x media across several burners with a 12x/x16 setting for both DVD movies, videos, OS discs etc, so I've never felt compelled to look for alternative media.

I just went on a hunt for 24x and the results were non-existent. I'm starting to think I might have imagined it, or confused it with something else.

My apologies for the confusion...

This is strange. I ordered a Sony Optiarc from Amazon a couple of days ago, but decided to cancel the order a couple of hours later, because I realized that I got mixed up and ordered one with the NEC controller, instead of the Mediatek controller as you recommended, but it would not even begin to let me, it said that it was already being processed for shipping and couldn't be canceled or changed.

Since I had not received anything from them via email about the sale...even an acknowledgement that the order was placed, I just went back to my Amazon account, and it doesn't list the order at all.

I usually make copies of the receipts, but somehow I failed to do so this time, so I have nothing to so for proof of it if needed. I say if needed, because so far there has not been a draft on my account for the sale, so for all practical purposes it doesn't seem to exist. It was only for $28, so there isn't a lot involved, but every dollar counts. If something doesn't happen in a week or so, I'll just go shopping again.

Actually, if you re-read my post, it was a drive with a NEC controller I recommended, so you did order the right one

However, it is a little disconcerting that your order 'disappeared'

That's pretty poor form on Amazons behalf. I'd definitely keep an eye on your bank records, especially if no drive appears.