For all you BenQ fanboys

[VinnySem]

This from Doom9:

BenQ continues the tradition with paid firmware upgrades to add DVD-R/W functionality.

I don't know about anyone else, but I expect free firmware upgrades if I own the hardware. Keep your $69 waffle iron, I'll stick to NEC/Pioneer.

[hech54]

But what if I don't own a BenQ?....OR an NEC/Pioneer?
If you were to look REALLY hard.....you just might find someone who cares less than I do.
Have you two set a date yet?

[andkiich]

AH! And welcome the Sunday morning hate parade!!

[VinnySem]

But what if I don't own a BenQ?....OR an NEC/Pioneer?
If you were to look REALLY hard.....you just might find someone who cares less than I do.
Have you two set a date yet?

If I want any lip from you, I'll go get your mom out of the gimpchest in the basement. And yes, we have set a date, SON.

[Vanderlow]

Actually it will be the BenQ that at 8x will outperform the NEC/Pioneer in write quality and with bitsetting its not much of an issue having minus capability.

[VinnySem]

Actually it will be the BenQ that at 8x will outperform the NEC/Pioneer in write quality and with bitsetting its not much of an issue having minus capability.

AFAIK, the NEC supports bitsetting. Where do you get your info on write quality? Both cdfreaks and cdr-info gave the NEC drive very high marks.

[normando]

I have the BenQ you are referring to and it has worked flawlessly burning 4X RicohJPN +R discs at 8X. BestBuy was selling these discs (Memorex 4X +R) in 50 packs for $50 without any mailin rebates.

This drive also rips DVDs faster than the Pioneer DVR105 w/rip restriction removed and the Plextor 708A after holding the eject button down until 3 flashes trick. 24X CDR burning is very nice.

I picked this drive up for $69 after rebate from OfficeMax. The firmware upgrade is only $10. I don't see the point in the upgrade however... why burn -R discs at 4X when you could burn +R discs at 8X?

[dmagic1]

I don't know about anyone else, but I expect free firmware upgrades if I own the hardware. Keep your $69 waffle iron, I'll stick to NEC/Pioneer.

If your going to start a totally useless topic, can you at least do it about current news. That is very, very old news. I own both the NEC 2500 and the BenQ 800. My BenQ is my burner of choice right now. Not that the NEC isnt a good burner. I'm burning more DVD+R now because of the great deals that stores have been having lately. For DVD+R the BenQ wins hands down. Write quality, speed(8x on 4x media) and bitsetting. If NEC ever has a bitsetting firmware maybe my NEC would get more use but I really dont think so.

I really wish ppl would stop with this, "my burner is better than yours" mentality.

[dmagic1]

Actually it will be the BenQ that at 8x will outperform the NEC/Pioneer in write quality and with bitsetting its not much of an issue having minus capability.

AFAIK, the NEC supports bitsetting. Where do you get your info on write quality? Both cdfreaks and cdr-info gave the NEC drive very high marks.

No, the two most recent NEC drives do not support bitsetting. The 1300 only supported it after a hacked firmware. The 2500 still doesn't support it.

[hech54]

I don't know about anyone else, but I expect free firmware upgrades if I own the hardware. Keep your $69 waffle iron, I'll stick to NEC/Pioneer.

My Dearest Pioneer A06,
I know this may sound forward of me…..and I hardly even know you…but I love you.
Please hear me out. I know that your friends tell you that it would never work out. You being a
simple box made of of metal, plastic and wires….and me constantly pretending to be someone with
something other than a high school mentality….but I KNOW we could be happy together.
Don’t you remember that night after the under 21 dance party when I drove you and your 5 friends home in my slammed 1985 4 door Cavalier….you kept looking at me from the back seat through the rear view mirror…..I KNOW YOU DID!!!
That letter your mom said you were sending me arrived yesterday. That’s funny because I was sitting in the bushes outside your house…I saw you walk in…and your mom said you weren’t home every time I called. I guess she didn’t see you come home.
Anyway…this guy who sent the letter sure has a funny name….District Attorney. I don’t understand….I never ordered a restrainer(?) for you….just these roses.

See Ya’ soon?

All My Love....
Fanboy

[Vanderlow]

C't magazine scans of burns. Here's where I get the 8x burn qualities. Highest possible score is 100.

http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=13405&start=0

[VinnySem]

Look, my whole point is that I don't particularly like the idea of having to PAY for firmware upgrades unless they provide some significant upgrade in features, like doubling burn speed for both formats or even turning a single format drive into a dual.

[triphop]

Then don't pay for it!!

You cannot expect a company to supply upgrades to a product for free. What you can expect are fixes to defects and bugs for free - thats support.

Hay-soos!

[hech54]

What you bought was a 4x burner. You also bought it because it was a 4x burner and you paid your hard earned money for that 4x burner. NOWHERE on the box or anywhere in the paperwork did it say that Pioneer would supply free firmware upgrades when they became available.
As far as I know there is no firmware upgrade for my 4x drive to increase it's speed OR to enable bit setting....and I would NEVER expect or demand it.

[jaxxboss]

Look, my whole point is that I don't particularly like the idea of having to PAY for firmware upgrades unless they provide some significant upgrade in features, like doubling burn speed for both formats or even turning a single format drive into a dual.

Vinny, it has already been pointed out to you that the $10.00 was a ONE TIME fee to add -R to the writer. Get a grip man.
Look at it this way, make believe the writer is a dual -R / +R and the cost of it is $79.00. All firmware upgrades are free other that this and u can blame the -R camp for imposing the fee and not BenQ.
Pretty fricking good deal. Now be off with you before a house drops on you.

[dmagic1]

Look, my whole point is that I don't particularly like the idea of having to PAY for firmware upgrades unless they provide some significant upgrade in features, like doubling burn speed for both formats or even turning a single format drive into a dual.

Thats exactly what the $10 was for. The BenQ was a single format burner.

quote by VinnySem
"or even turning a single format drive into a dual".

omg

[Vanderlow]

I don't particularly like the idea that not all + burners have the bitsetting feature.

[VinnySem]

Look, my whole point is that I don't particularly like the idea of having to PAY for firmware upgrades unless they provide some significant upgrade in features, like doubling burn speed for both formats or even turning a single format drive into a dual.

Thats exactly what the $10 was for. The BenQ was a single format burner.

quote by VinnySem
"or even turning a single format drive into a dual".

omg

No, it isn't a single format. It is an 8X+/4X- drive. IMHO, having to pay for 8X-R when it already does 8X+ is bogus.

[dmagic1]

Look, my whole point is that I don't particularly like the idea of having to PAY for firmware upgrades unless they provide some significant upgrade in features, like doubling burn speed for both formats or even turning a single format drive into a dual.

Thats exactly what the $10 was for. The BenQ was a single format burner.

quote by VinnySem
"or even turning a single format drive into a dual".

omg

No, it isn't a single format. It is an 8X+/4X- drive. IMHO, having to pay for 8X-R when it already does 8X+ is bogus.

OMG, please do your research.

The BenQ 800 is sold as a 8x DVD+RW. The $10 firmware update adds the 2.4x DVD-RW format. It can then be upgraded again to 4x DVD-RW at no cost.

You're really making yourself look bad now. You start this topic about a drive that you know nothing about.

[RabidDog]

I agree tho, it should be provided free .. otherwise this a trend other nfrs will follow .. start with low media compat amd then charge for firmware to make it compat with much more cheap media.

[jaxxboss]

dmagic1, isnt Vinny making an ass of himself. LOL. We both know better as we both own this writer and he is trying to tell us. Too frickn funny.

Guess he will go back and check his facts and find out that we are correct and he is wrong(as usual).

Either he wont show his mug back on this thread or he will come back and change his argument to something else.

Then again he can come back and beg for forgiveness and admit he is wrong.

Anyway people, pay no attention to vinny as he has just lost what little credability he had.

[dmagic1]

I think alot of ppl look at that $10 fee the wrong way.

If a person bought the BenQ it was sold as a DVD+RW drive. BenQ, back in the day, made no plans known to the public about trying to support DVD-RW later. All firmware update for DVD+RW are still available, and are still free. If you want a new feature added to the drive(DVD-RW) then you have to pay for that. As I remeber BenQ stated that the $10 went to pay for DVD-R licensing or something.

BenQ didn't have to add this feature. They could have just released a new drive model with these features. Wait, they did! The soon to be out 822 which will come as 8x DVD+RW and 4x DVD-RW standard. But good for 800 owners because they can get the same features with their older 800 with a simple $10 firmware update. Hows that for value.

[VinnySem]

dmagic1, isnt Vinny making an ass of himself. LOL. We both know better as we both own this writer and he is trying to tell us. Too frickn funny.

Guess he will go back and check his facts and find out that we are correct and he is wrong(as usual).

Either he wont show his mug back on this thread or he will come back and change his argument to something else.

Then again he can come back and beg for forgiveness and admit he is wrong.

Anyway people, pay no attention to vinny as he has just lost what little credability he had.

Whatever, man, kiss my ass. I need beg no one's forgiveness. Nor do I look to you for justification of my credibility.

[richdvd]

Look, my whole point is that I don't particularly like the idea of having to PAY for firmware upgrades unless they provide some significant upgrade in features

You obviously don't have a BenQ drive and don't pay for it, so what are you worried about? Doesn't all firmware provide significant upgrades? There must be a reason why we all strive for the latest firmware updates.

[jaxxboss]

Whatever, man, kiss my ass. I need beg no one's forgiveness. Nor do I look to you for justification of my credibility.

See, that is Vinny's way of saying he is sorry and he begs for forgiveness. He is a shy guy, but we know he just found out he is dead WRONG.. AGAIN. HAHAHAHA.

VINNY, u lost, now go away and spread some lame rumors elsewhere about things you know nothing about.

[Vanderlow]

FYI:

The BenQ DW822A is the 1st dual layer capable burner and is $129 at Supermediastore (rating is a 7). It also does + and - also. I assume it also bitsetting capable. They will have it in stock tomorrow 3/25. The price of the firmware upgrade will not be know till next month. It also won't be available (the DVD9 firmware upgrade) till Q3.

http://www.supermediastore.com/benq-dw822a-dual-dvdrw.html

http://www.benq.com/storage/storage_dvdrw_dw822a.html

[dmagic1]

Wow, I hadn't even seen that.

Upgradable to dual layer.

I wish someone could make a 800@822 firmware. Maybe when the 822 is out, someone will.

[RabidDog]

Nice .. or is it called "how to sell existing products while everyone is waiting for true dual layer" ...what is the underlying engine ?? nec phillips?

[Vanderlow]

its the Nexerpia (sp?) Philips chipset which Philips made an announcement about 2-3 weeks ago that current chipsets of theirs are already capable of DL with modification elsewhere in the burner. They are just changing the intensity of the laser by 50% and if you read the specs of the Nexperia it says it can do that. Of course I'm simplying the whole process.

Hell even if (if mind you) the DL firmware wouldn't come through, its worth the price as is. But yeah wait 6 weeks and then BenQ will be the first with a true DL called the DW830A .... assuming there's no delays. And their 2nd generation OPC guidance system which was the underlying reason they got such superior burn scores by C't over several other 8x burners with their DW800A.