On the PC, the JVC unit could only write a disc at 1x speeds with Corel CD Creator, although it should have been able to handle 2x writing. We'd recommend an Adaptec card for PC-based systems. Macs, of course, come with internal SCSI and long file names as standard features. In fact, ISO 9660 format automatically makes incremental backups, skipping unchanged files when recording multiple sessions. Avoid internal CD-R drives to maximize drive life.
Heat is the issue here.
All external units have a fan. Most internal ones don't get sufficient cooling from the system's fan. For authors who need to record both Mac and PC discs, Toast and a Mac is the best CD-R solution going. Mac discs can also be made bootable with Toast. We use Miramar's MacLAN Connect 6.01 to connect our Windows PCs and Macs.