DVD Burner Needed

SickBeast

Lifer
Jul 21, 2000
14,377
19
81
They're both around the same price. What about the LG and BenQ drives? I need something to burn DVD-DL, preferrably at 8X/16X.
 

SickBeast

Lifer
Jul 21, 2000
14,377
19
81
The Pioneer burns DL at higher speeds (8X/8X). Why would I go with the BenQ when both are the same price? ($50CDN).
 

hclarkjr

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,375
0
0
to me pioneer drives are ok, but the benq is a better drive than it. i owned a pioneer 109 before the benq and it, the benq blew it away easily.
 

Nick5324

Diamond Member
Aug 19, 2001
3,267
0
0
I didn't read the review, but i recently saw some computer magazine gave the Pioneer 110 a 6/10. Surprising considering how good the past few drives have been. The BenQ or the NEC, I like the NEC b/c it has lots of people working on firmware revisions, but the BenQ seems to be an AT cult favorite.
 

n7

Elite Member
Jan 4, 2004
21,281
4
81
Originally posted by: SickBeast
Originally posted by: n7
BenQ DW1640 FTW!

What's so good about it!? The Pioneer 110 supports faster dual layer burning FTW!

Sure, but how many will actually burn without failure?
http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2533&p=9



Oh, & another thing:

Where exactly are you finding DVD-R DL discs?
Most people use DVD+R DL dics, since they actually exist...

If you really need a drive that burns a nonexistant media, DVD-R DL, then great.
But the BenQ does DVD+R DL media @ 8x, just like all the other drives.




edit: i just noticed that dash R double layer media has finally come out, my bad.

That being said, using DVD+R DL & bitsetting to DVD-ROM is just as good as, & likely more compatible with DVD players as DVD-R DL
 

SickBeast

Lifer
Jul 21, 2000
14,377
19
81
Originally posted by: n7
Originally posted by: SickBeast
Originally posted by: n7
BenQ DW1640 FTW!

What's so good about it!? The Pioneer 110 supports faster dual layer burning FTW!

Sure, but how many will actually burn without failure?
http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2533&p=9



Oh, & another thing:

Where exactly are you finding DVD-R DL discs?
Most people use DVD+R DL dics, since they actually exist...

If you really need a drive that burns a nonexistant media, DVD-R DL, then great.
But the BenQ does DVD+R DL media @ 8x, just like all the other drives.




edit: i just noticed that dash R double layer media has finally come out, my bad.

That being said, using DVD+R DL & bitsetting to DVD-ROM is just as good as, & likely more compatible with DVD players as DVD-R DL

With the newer firmware those problems are gone.

I can get DVD-DLs for under $3CDN a shot.

Shouldn't the -R dics be more compatible? In my experience, the +Rs have far worse compatability.
 

n7

Elite Member
Jan 4, 2004
21,281
4
81
Where are you getting DVD-R DLs for under $3/disc Cdn?

Also, to simply explain what bitsetting does the way i understand:

It allows you set the +R disc being burned to be read as a DVD-ROM, which means that older players that normally cannot read a burned disc will theoretically be fooled into playing the burned disc then, which would give you the best potentital compatibility.

That is one of the benefits of that BenQ drive, & the + format in general.



All this being said, the most important thing regarding DVD burning is the media quality anyway, since with any decent drive, the media is the most important thing.
So yeah, if you so badly want that Pioneer...get it! :p
 

Auric

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 1999
9,591
2
71
I like teh DVD-RAM so have preferred Hitachi-LG. Now that some of the smaller manufacturers are beginning to offer multi-format in cheaper models 'twould seem short-sighted not to opt for it, especially if you may use it in a set-top recorder or camera or just want to make easy reliable backups of your data. So I would certainly consider the likes of the 4550 but with the caveat that NEC's have been known to be noisier so would have to do read up on current models.
 

SickBeast

Lifer
Jul 21, 2000
14,377
19
81
Well, I got the Pioneer. :)

I'm buring DVD-DL at only 2X when the Ritek disc is rated at 4X. :thumbsdown:

I'm gonna try new firmware.

n7, the DVD-DL discs are everywhere. It's the Riteks I saw at Filtech Computer in Toronto.
 

n7

Elite Member
Jan 4, 2004
21,281
4
81
MediaCodeSpeedEdit

Very kewl app that allows one to modify their own firmware, & set new burn speeds for individual medias, remove the riplock most burners have, etc :D

You may want to check it out SickBeast, although personally, since burning slower is generally a good thing, i wouldn't bother forcing a faster speed, even if you can.
 

Markbnj

Elite Member <br>Moderator Emeritus
Moderator
Sep 16, 2005
15,682
14
81
www.markbetz.net
I have the NEC 3540, and am very happy with it. I burned a couple of disks for the first time the other day, the largest being a 2.6 gig ISO image, which burned in 6 minutes. I thought that was pretty good performance. It handles dual layer as well.