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Which DVD drive is best?

A

Anavrin

Member
Creative 12x, Sony 12x, or Panasonic 12x?

I'm inclined to go with the Sony personally because they know how to make top quality hardware. But then again, Creative is involved in the computer industry far more than Sony is. But both Sony and Panasonic make nice DVD drives. :\
 
Of the ones you mentioned, none are really great. I don't really know about the Creative, as it's probably made by another company, but Sony and Panasonic aren't the best companies for computer hardware.

The best drives are made by Toshiba or Pioneer.
 
I've had problems with Creative drives. I've used their DVD-ROM and a couple of CD-ROMs. One just died on me after a while and they didn't read CDRs as well as my other drives. This was about a year ago, mebbe they've gotten better.

I don't have much experience with Sony or Panasonic and haven't seen that many reviews, bbut I'd really recommend either Pioneers or Toshibas which seem to be the DVD-ROMS of choice around here. My 4.8x/32x Toshiba has been working flawlessly since the day I got and I installed a Pioneer 6x for my friend around the same time, no problems there either. I just got a 10x/40x SCSI Toshiba and so far it seems pretty good too.
 
Pioneers cost an arm and a leg. :~(

I'll see if I can find any decently priced Toshibas. But if that fails, I'll have to pick one of those three. So which should it be?
 
Actually Sony makes really nice CD-Roms, and CD-RW from me, and my bud's experience. My 8x4x32x Sony SCSI burner frikkin rocks, and my bud has an old 16x Sony CD-ROM that can read anything, no matter how scratched up it is.

So I see no reason why the DVD-ROM would be any different. I like Panasonic products too, but have never heard anyone rave about how great there CL's is. In fact all I've heard is complaints about their drives (noisy, slow, buggy, etc.).

Out of the 3 you posted. I'd go Sony, but if you are willing to try others. I'd recommend Toshiba myself. I've owned a Hitachi 4x, a Pioneer slot load 6x, and I now own a Toshiba 12x, and it is a great drive IMO. It's a flawless CloneCd reader, it's quiet, and never has any problems whatsoever. Oh, and I got it used in a trade. So it's definitely a sturdy unit IMO.

Either way you go.
Good luck. 🙂
 
I've seen those 12x Toshibas for like $60 or so on Pricewatch. Are they hardware or software tho? My friend had a big problem with his software DVD-rom and it was fine when he got a hardware decoding one. Also, can this Toshiba stream to a burner at 12x? or should I just go with the Toshiba 40x CD drive that I know can? Also, is there any reason to have a DVD drive anymore besides movies? That thing w/ making games on the DVD roms died pretty quickly.
 
playmaker:

Most 12x DVDROMS read CDs at 40x or higher. Software decoding quality depends on your CPU and graphics card (less so on the graphics card). I've ran software DVD decoding on a P2-450 w/ an 8mb video card. And as to 'Are they hardware or software tho?' I've never seen DVD-ROMS with hardware built-in. All the ones that come with hardware decoding seem to come with a separate PCI card for DVD decoding. You could buy a Toshiba and buy a separate card for decoding from what I understand.
 


<< Creative 12x, Sony 12x, or Panasonic 12x? >>




<< Are they hardware or software tho? My friend had a big problem with his software DVD-rom and it was fine when he got a hardware decoding one. Also, can this Toshiba stream to a burner at 12x? or should I just go with the Toshiba 40x CD drive that I know can? Also, is there any reason to have a DVD drive anymore besides movies? That thing w/ making games on the DVD roms died pretty quickly. >>


I have a Toshiba 12x/40x and its been flawless for the 5 months I've had it. The DVD software/hardware, all depends on the cpu and video card/DVD decoder, not the drive itself. Anything cely 500 or better should handle DVD's fine even with integrated i810 video. Less than that, post what you have, because it may be a problem. The Toshiba drive feeds my Plextor 12x/10x/32x just fine. DVD is certainly the future still. If for no other reason, its only $20-30 more than a regular CD-ROM drive, and you can watch movies if nothing else. Games may still have a future in DVD although its much more uncertain than it was awhile ago. DVD-RAM's will become more mainstream in the future, and to transfer you will need DVD-ROM to read.
Of the 3 mentioned, CL has been nortorious in the past, but may have cleaned up recently, I'm not sure, Sony is known for excellency in all electronics, I doubt DVD-ROM's are different, and I don't no much about Panasonic.
Good luck 🙂

edit: grammar
 
anyone using a Toshiba dvd x16/48 for on the fly copying &amp; if so will it supply sufficient data to avoid buffer underruns for a x12 burn?
 
Pioneer drives are the best, check out the seek times... Not to mention that the Pioneer is extremely stable and very hi quality....

I have sold pioneer CDROM's and DVD's for a long time, and they have an edge when it comes to stability, many of the old drives i sold are still in use, and they will be for a long time...

Patrick Palm

PC Resources
 


<< anyone using a Toshiba dvd x16/48 for on the fly copying &amp; if so will it supply sufficient data to avoid buffer underruns for a x12 burn? >>


It will be fine


<< Pioneer drives are the best, check out the seek times... Not to mention that the Pioneer is extremely stable and very hi quality....

I have sold pioneer CDROM's and DVD's for a long time, and they have an edge when it comes to stability, many of the old drives i sold are still in use, and they will be for a long time...
 >>


You really can't go wrong with either Pioneer or Toshiba.
 
Can the Toshiba 12/40 copy 12x on the fly? I was told that it could do only 10 but I want to make sure so I dont spend the extra on the 16/48 for nothing. Thanks.
 
TESTS <----go there for tests, Asus 612 (12x DVD) was the only one they tested that can copy audio discs on the fly at 12x. Its a very nice drive.
 
I have worked with the Creative 12X and I can't say I'm that impressed. The drive is somewhat loud, doesn't really seem to be all that fast, although it performed fine and the DVD playback quality is only average. I don't think you'd hurt buying it but I would certainly try something else..

I hear the Toshiba's are pretty much the best DVD-Rom's on the market right now..

Jon
 
I dont like Pioneer drives much myself.
Though they last very long, they're quite bad at reading cheapo CD-R's and scratched/dirty CD ROM's, and get very hot.
If I watch an entire movie on my Pioneer slot in DVD the disc will be extremely hot when it comes out, as will the drive be, same goes for my Pioneer 32x SCSI slot it, which has been replaces by a Plextor 40x.

IMO Asus makes the best all round drives, not great performers, but they'll read anything you throw at them, they're reasonable quiet, high quality, and rather cheap.
In short, great allround drives.
 
I have a Pioneer 10x slot load myself (which is teh subject of another thread, go help me if you could) and aside from the fact that it does not work well in its NEW machine, it performed flawlessly in its old home. Mine never got very hot though, but how hot could it get if the case is always open? 🙂

It has read everything I have put in it, including old CDRs. Just my 2 pence.
 
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