Buying a Xbox

irenealan

Senior member
Mar 11, 2004
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Are all new Xbox that marked assembled after 2004 come with Samsung DVD drive? I am trying to get a Xbox with Samsung drive and wonder how can I tell from it's serial thanks!
 

yukichigai

Diamond Member
Apr 23, 2003
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From what I've gleamed from XBox Scene you really can't tell by serial numbers; you have to open up the thing to find out.
 

edjam

Golden Member
May 3, 2001
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Without appearing dull, and I appreciate it may already be too late, what's so special regarding the Samsung drives?
 

yukichigai

Diamond Member
Apr 23, 2003
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Originally posted by: edjam
Without appearing dull, and I appreciate it may already be too late, what's so special regarding the Samsung drives?
Well I can't check to be sure from work, but I seem to remember that they can read certain types of media which the other drives cannot; I think it was CD-Rs and DVD+Rs. The other two drives can read differing types of DVD and CD media, but Samsung drives have the most compatibility.
 

PCTweaker5

Banned
Jun 5, 2003
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So then you wouldnt need any mods to make it play burnt games due to their charcoal cleaning mechanisms?
 

tigerbait

Diamond Member
Jan 8, 2001
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Samsung offers the best speed and compatibility with CD-Rs and DVD-Rs. They don't work too well with DVD+Rs.

look at this list and hope to get a Samsung. Buy from someone with a good return policy, and just open the box carefully, then look for the holes in the CD tray.


what sucks is that there is now a new Philips drive, Model #: VAD6035/21, that doesn't read DVD-R media without some serious pot tweaking.
 

irenealan

Senior member
Mar 11, 2004
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So if I got the Xbox with two holes on the DVD drive tray then does it mean I got the Samsung drive or it could still be some other type of drive? Thanks.
 

spanky

Lifer
Jun 19, 2001
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i have heard that the new xbox's (the green halo edition ones) come with a new philips drive that is pretty good.
 

zimu

Diamond Member
Jun 15, 2001
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Originally posted by: spanky
i have heard that the new xbox's (the green halo edition ones) come with a new philips drive that is pretty good.

... and you missed the point completely ... :roll:
 

NotoriousJTC

Golden Member
Nov 19, 2000
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Originally posted by: irenealan
So if I got the Xbox with two holes on the DVD drive tray then does it mean I got the Samsung drive or it could still be some other type of drive? Thanks.

2 holes = Samsung


Look
 

spanky

Lifer
Jun 19, 2001
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Originally posted by: zimu
Originally posted by: spanky
i have heard that the new xbox's (the green halo edition ones) come with a new philips drive that is pretty good.

... and you missed the point completely ... :roll:

no, i did not miss the point. becuz rather then struggle to get a samsung (a dvd drive that supposedly reads almost every media thrown at it), it is pretty easy to get an alternative dvd drive that compares very favorably to it. if u fail to comprehend that idea, then i am sorry, i cannot help u.
 

TheSiege

Diamond Member
Jun 5, 2004
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the original is thompson and they suck, phillips is good, and the samsungs are best
look at the second post Here and you can tell which one you have
 

PCTweaker5

Banned
Jun 5, 2003
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Originally posted by: NotoriousJTC
Originally posted by: irenealan
So if I got the Xbox with two holes on the DVD drive tray then does it mean I got the Samsung drive or it could still be some other type of drive? Thanks.

2 holes = Samsung


Look

2 holes where exactly? Inside or on the front plate cover thingy that says XBOX? Oops!
 

irenealan

Senior member
Mar 11, 2004
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I was trying to buying an Xbox with a good drive that's why I post this thread. Anyway after work I picked a Xbox and saw the tray has two holds on the left and right sides of the U shape hold in the center. That's why I want to confirm if it's a Samsung or it could still be some other drive. But based on what you guys said it seems that it is a Samsung. Thanks for everyone's help.

However, I just went to my friends house today and see if her's is also with a Samsung and it is, it has two holes on the tray also. And it's a Halo Green version! Then I compare the serial on the back, it seems that doesn't matter what date it is produced, but rather if the print of the Serial# sticker has skinny font then it's likely a Samsung drive. If it's like a bigger or fatter font then it may not be a Samsung drive. But I don't know how to tell from a Thomson or Phillip.

Anyway Phillips is good but I heard that my friends have Phillips have problem loading some type of CDR. Just my 2 cents...

Hope you guys don't get mad on what I said!
 

PCTweaker5

Banned
Jun 5, 2003
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Nobody has reason to get mad! Glad you got the Samsung drive and I am too I guess. Have a nice day.
 

Nocturnal

Lifer
Jan 8, 2002
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Nope. I bought a XBox Halo SE and mines came with the newer Phillips drive. Not all manufactured in 04 will guarantee you a Samsung. You can always install one yourself.