Which DVD RW?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Grumps
  • Start date Start date
G

Grumps

I've been looking on CDRLabs.com (is this a good review/test site?) to find
a replacement for my Sony/LiteOn drive which isn't burning properly.
I've looked at a few drives and I'm in a quandary with the Sony DRU-810A.
The review says it's based on a BenQ drive, but the review text seems to
suggest that the Sony burns more reliably than the BenQ. Why would this be?
Do Sony test and ship only the better drives?

I'm also tempted by the lesser (in terms of speed) NEC 3540.

Anyone got comments on the Pioneer series?
 
I've been looking on CDRLabs.com (is this a good review/test site?) to find
a replacement for my Sony/LiteOn drive which isn't burning properly.
Click to expand...

Join the club. I have 100 coasters from a Sony/LiteOn - burns that
were bad initially and burns that went bad after 6-12 months. And this
happened with a variety of different media. We finally took it back
and traded it for an NEC 3540.
I've looked at a few drives and I'm in a quandary with the Sony DRU-810A.
Click to expand...

Sony will likely not support it. Check with them.
The review says it's based on a BenQ drive, but the review text seems to
suggest that the Sony burns more reliably than the BenQ.
Click to expand...

Don't believe it.

You need to visit CDFreaks for their comments about the BenQ 1640.
Why would this be?
Do Sony test and ship only the better drives?
Click to expand...

Sony puts its own firmware in the OEM drive - that's why you see the
Sony name on your computer. But Sony will not support OEM drives and
the OEM won't support Sony rebrands for obvious reasons.

The Sony f/w is not better than the original OEM f/w.
I'm also tempted by the lesser (in terms of speed) NEC 3540.
Click to expand...

What "lesser in speed"?

The NEC 3540 was touted by CDFreaks as an excellent unit and then the
BenQ 1640 came along as a credible competitor. Serious DVD freaks have
at least one of each.
Anyone got comments on the Pioneer series?
Click to expand...

They allegedly make the best DVDRs but I believe you will find that
the NEC 3540 and the BenQ 1640 are touted as the best burners. And I
am not talking about rebranding like Sony. If you want an NEC or a
BenQ, then buy an NEC or a BenQ.

I favor the NEC 3540 because it has a large well-established base of
users and very well written hack firmware (I am running 1.W5 and plan
to burn 1.W7 soon). The BenQ uses external configuration software
which is an excellent idea because you don't risk buggering the drive
with a bad f/w burn.

If you rip DVDs then you want to defeat Riplock, which is what 1.W5
does. Now Decrypter rips at near 16x max as it should. I have not seen
any rip tests for the BenQ.

It's always best to burn at one step lower speed. So if you want to
burn 16x discs, use 12x. The time difference is nominal and it will
prevent coasters.

Also it is important to match the media with the drive - and that's at
the MID level, not the brand level. To discover what media work best
with a given drive you have to read the comments on forums like
CDFreaks.

I have had reasonable performance with Verbatim 16x DVD -R discs. My
son uses Taiyo Yuden 16x DVD -R with his NEC 3540 and has had
excellent performance - but his discs cost 75 cents and my Verbatim
16x DVD -R discs cost 42 cents (from Sam's Club). Since I use
Decrypter Verify I can afford to toss out an occasional coaster.

You can get either the NEC 3540 or the BenQ 1640 at Directron or
Newegg for $40. Check the warranty terms for each vendor. I shop at
Directron in person here in Houston (it's not far from where I live)
and I know several people there - most of them are computer nuts so
they know what they are talking about. They always treat me right.
They took back that Sony after almost a year of use. I doubt that
Newegg would have done that.






--

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable
one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore
all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
-- George Bernard Shaw
 
Bob said:
What "lesser in speed"?
Click to expand...

The CDRLabs test showed the Sony drive to be faster at everything compared
with the 3540. Then again, maybe it produces coasters faster too :)

I'm seriously tempted by the Benq1640 or NEC3540, but have one more test to
run on my old Sony.
 
I have two computers that each have an NEC burner in them and they've
yet to make a coaster using primarily Ritek media. The hack firmware
makes them compatible with almost everything.

The NEC burners are a little slow on the initial read and a little
noisier than other drives, so I use a quick access quiet DVD-ROM-only
drive in each of those computers.

All the best!

Tim
 
I have two computers that each have an NEC burner
Click to expand...

Which models?


--

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable
one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore
all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
-- George Bernard Shaw
 
The CDRLabs test showed the Sony drive to be faster at everything compared
with the 3540. Then again, maybe it produces coasters faster too :)

I'm seriously tempted by the Benq1640 or NEC3540, but have one more test to
run on my old Sony.
Click to expand...

They are always selling the NEC for something like $38 or so at Newegg
on and off sales. It might be that price again.

Ive got the slightly older NEC and its fine. I did get a BENQ too
recently cause it was free after rebate at old compusa. Another killer
deal that was alive for I think 2 days. Havent installed it yet
though.

Someone posted something about the Malaysian version of the BenQ being
better and the made in china one being "problematic" whatever that
means. Less reliable? I dont know. But when I checked all the ones at
Compusa - they were sold in HI VAL boxes and I think I/O magic boxes
too said Made In China on them.

Mine has a BENQ sticker on the drive though with the model number on
it too so you can tell its a benq.
 
I did get a BENQ too
Click to expand...

What model?

Earlier BenQ models were plagued with problems. It's only the 1640
that has redeemed BenQ.


--

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable
one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore
all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
-- George Bernard Shaw
 
What model?

Earlier BenQ models were plagued with problems. It's only the 1640
that has redeemed BenQ.
Click to expand...

DW1640 the one everyone claims is good. Not sure about this Made in
xxxx issue. First time Ive heard it was from a guy who posted it
claiming he read it at the Video Help site.
 
Grumps said:
The CDRLabs test showed the Sony drive to be faster at everything
compared with the 3540. Then again, maybe it produces coasters faster
too :)
I'm seriously tempted by the Benq1640 or NEC3540, but have one more
test to run on my old Sony.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all of the comments.
It just so happens that our IT dept had about a dozen NEC3540s. Now they
have one less :)
 
It just so happens that our IT dept had about a dozen NEC3540s. Now they
have one less :)
Click to expand...

If you like fast reads of video DVDs, get LD1.W7 (I am using 1.W5 - I
do not know if 1.W7 has been thoroughly tested).

http://club.cdfreaks.com/forumdisplay.php?f=86


--

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable
one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore
all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
-- George Bernard Shaw
 
Back
Top