re: burning/on-the-fly

[Golly]

OK - I'm basically finally going for an IDE burner. This thursday hopefully i will be buying. But i need to know which is the best of the following 2 drives:
LITE-ON LTR 24102B CDR/W 24x10x40x SMARTBURN INTERNAL v PLEXTOR'S VERY OWN 24X DRIVE.

I am gonna be backing up most things from mp3, avi, div-x, apps etc. Using more than likely a combination of clone & nero (possibly fireburner). Now the following should be influences on my decision to buy:

1. I can get the lite-on burner for £92.87 (http://www.gb.buy.com/stores/product.asp?STR=21&sku=230137796&DeptId=10645) using the discount voucher £20 off £40 (http://www.gb.buy.com/promo/coupon.asp?couponid=B8A9AF2894F14363AB14638CC8059A 06) including free next day delivery. Compare this to the Plex 24x for £165 (http://www.gb.buy.com/stores/product.asp?STR=21&sku=230137796&DeptId=10645) including £6 delivery charge.
2. The lite-on drive isn't able to write below speeds of 8x - also my existing memorex discs are only 16x max anyway. Am i likely to need to burn anything at 1x (ie some versions of discjuggler) or more likely 2x/4x?
3. On the subject i like discs to be clear underneath for authenticity but i have heard multi-coloured verbatim 80 min 24x are excellent. Am i going down the right path to burn as quickly (& reliably) as possible?
Discs on SVP are 58p each which seems ok to me.

Anyways - whichever drive you guys help me buy - i am extremely keen to burn on-the-fly. Only problem is i don't know how to do it? Clone will be my most used software. Does the reader on top need to be of any specification? How are both drives linked? What are recommended readers - i have heard TEAC/TDK are excellent - but don't know which models to go for?

Many thanks for your help in advance

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