What to buy: BUSlink or Lite-ON?

[kabanero]

Hi everybody,

I already have HP200i, but I want to buy another drive because:
I am interested in burning DVD+RW disks at 4x because:

1. I do a lot of DVD-VIDEO test burns on +RW disks and
2. I do backup of data on my PC on three +RW disks every week.

This week my local BestBuy has this deal:
BUSlink DVRW412RL DVD+RW/+R drive:
$130 minus $30 mail-in-rebate, final price - $100.
Specs:
4x DVD+R, 4x DVD+RW burn, 12x DVD-ROM read
40x CD-R, 24x CD-RW burn, 40x CD-ROM read.

My local WalMart has this deal:
Lite-ON LDW-411s DVD+-RW/+-R:
$144 (no rebates)
Specs:
4x DVD+R, 4x DVD+RW burn, 12x DVD-ROM read
40x CD-R, 24x CD-RW burn, 40x CD-ROM read
4x DVD-R, 2x DVD-RW burn

Obviously BUSlink looks like a better deal since i am not concerned about minus format.

But what about performance, reliability etc. of these two drives?

And I don't want Sony or Pioneer (to pay additional $150 for the brand name)

Looking for opinions from owners of these drives and others.

Thanks

[Synergy]

FYI, BUSlink is a marketer selling repackaged OEM drives, and based on the specs mentioned, it seems like a rebadged Lite-On LDW-401S.

Actually one of the the best +R/RW single format burners available on the market is the Ricoh MP5240A with bitsetting function, and Aopen is selling the same drive in a retail box for $99.99+$5shipping at newegg.com:

http://www.newegg.com/app/Viewproduct.asp?DEPA=1&submit=manufactory&catalog=5&manufact...open%20DRW4410

While Lite-On's CD burners are excellent values, their DVD burners still need some improvement in their firmware department.

[Vanderlow]

There's also NuTech 061 for $125 +r 8x, +rw 4x and bitsetting capabilities

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=5&manufactory=201...tby=14&order=1

[MOVIEGEEK]

Good luck getting any money from BUSlink they still owe me $20 from March for my LTR-52246S.

[kensig]

Buslink = no support

[defense]

moviegeek wrote:

Good luck getting any money from BUSlink they still owe me $20 from March for my LTR-52246S.

I purchased my Buslink DVDROM from Best Buy which turned out to be a Lite-On 166s. At that time the Drive was listed as $49.99. There was also a tag that said $20 M.I.R. I purchased the drive and to my amazement the clerk handed me TWO rebate receipts. One for a $20 Universal Buslink M.I.R..the other for a Best Buy $20 M.I.R. I didn't realize that until I got home..but I figured it was a mistake and that certainly if I sent in BOTH rebates..one of them would get rejected based on an error caught by Best Buy.

I decided to send out BOTH rebates anyway....and sure enough..about 8 weeks later I got a $20 rebate check from Universal Buslink. I figured...well it's been 8 weeks...I won't get anything from Best Buy..they must of caught it like I figured....but would you believe...two days later there was a check in the mail from Best Buy....yep..the $20 from the drive. I was definitely surprised....I got an incredible DVD ROM which has been ripping at insane speeds from Day 1...for ~$10.

I was in Best Buy a couple of days later for some media....when I looked at the DVD ROMS at that time..there was NO rebate listed for them..and the price went from $49.99 to $59.99. :P

Anyway...UBL did take the maximum time to get me the rebate...it may of even been 12 weeks..whatever the max was...that's when the rebate check came....March= max time wayyy gone..lol....so just keep calling them until you get some type of confirmation that another check has been issued to you.

[pharlap]

i'm using a lit on ldw411s and its performs well just getting cheap media is the problem