I got fooled by BenQ dvd writer , so pl beware before buying

[virendra]

Last week I purchased BenQ dvd writer DW1600. I purchased this plainly because they claimed that this writer supports DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW
both without any problem.But in reality it is just fake. It does not do that, it supported only DVD+R/RW and the service department of BenQ is just horrible. They do not know what to do now and do not even have guts to accept that the drive does not support DVD-R/RW

I never expected that a company like BenQ does this type of cheating and to my surprise when I checked on BenQ website where they have a forum available for posting your comments , I found soo many users fooled like me and complaining about the same problem and BenQ not bothered to attend their problems.

SO BEWARE ABOUT BENQ PRODUCTS

[waheed]

virendra, go back to the store and get a full refund.

The company has broken the law by providing false description about the product. This falls under the Trades Description Act and by law, you are entitled to a full refund. Contact your local Trading Standards Authority for the further steps you can take.

[Bob W]

You could turn your 1600 writer into a 1620 with this firmware update http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?download_id=1864

I believe the 1620 supports both formats and is dual layer plus is a 16X drive.

[scottie78]

I know the horse has bolted to a degree, but I had a look in the DVD Writers section to your left, and got the following:



The lines through DVD-R and DVD-RW mean that this player doesn't pla them. It just goes to show that a bit of research can help you out enormously. As mentioned by someone else, I would get a refund and then scour your local stores or online and see what models are available, then check them out here and see what they can and can't do before purchasing.

[hech54]

I did a Yahoo search and everything I see says it is a + unit only. As stated above.... ONE Yahoo hit says that a firmware upgrade will enable it to use -R.

http://benq-eu.com/News/index.cfm?year=2004&id=615

http://www.ciol.com/content/news/NewProducts/2004/104090801.asp

[pchan]

I bought a BenQ DW822A and with a promised that it was upgradable to DL on Sept 30th. Now, instead of a firmware upgrade, the drive needs to be flashed to DL when needed and flashed back when +/-RW is needed.

[smearbrick1]

What? That just sounds hokey. Are you sure your interpretation of the firmware upgrade is entirely accurate?

[Vanderlow]

virendra - You need to do the conversion 1600@1620 and then go on and apply the latest firmware. There was not any postings on BenQ forum dealing with DW1600 not doing -, except yours.

On the DW822 the one flash should handle + and DL and then if you want to write to - you'll have to flash again.

You seems to want to bash BenQ first without having to do your homework.

[hech54]

You seem to want to bash BenQ first without having to do your homework.

You should have started AND stopped there...

[pchan]

Me not doing my homework ...

Check this out ....

http://support.benq.com/front/BenqMain.asp?MenuHead=128&ShowType=program&FileURL=servi...otId=undefined

Take a look at B3JCX.

[hech54]

Release Reason:

1. Support DVD+R DL writing (support DVD-R/RW writing by firmware switch)

Notice: Please read the attached PDF file and make sure you are fully understood the contents before start to use this firmware flash tool!

When you initially bought the drive:
http://www.benq.com/storage/storage_dvdrw_dw822a.html
......you happily purchased a DVD5(non dual layer) burner. The firmware is a free gift from BenQ. The initial specs say NOTHING about DL burning NOR did they say that it will be provided to you once the technology allows.

[pchan]

There is a print on the box.
"Double-Layer Upgradeable!"
Check BenQ.com for firmware availability.
The sales guy told me firmware will be available on September 30th 2004.

[BJ_M]

and you believed him ?

[tag]

I still have the DW822A box. There's a pretty good-sized, bright yellow label on it which reads:

Double-layer firmware upgradeable!
Available on 9/30/04 at BenQ.com


...yes, the "D" in "double" really is that large.

[pchan]

and you believed him ?

I don't LIE.

Edit.
Sorry BJ_M.
@hech54, I got it.

[hech54]

The sales guy

OK...NOW we are getting somewhere. I know that "guy"...he's a liar....and he had absolutely NO idea about the functionality of the firmware....because the sticker tells him nothing about the functionality of the firmware either.

[Dr_Layne]

deleted

[Vanderlow]

The DW822A was promised dual layer. My only point on the DW822A is I don't think you have to reflash it if you do + and DL only if you do +,DL, and then you want to do -. There's another firmware that will do + and - and no DL. I think there trying to work on an all in one firmware, whether they will get there remains to be seen.

[hech54]

Don't get me wrong...what BenQ did was not the best thing they could do for customer relations OR good press....but the drives do function exactly as "they" initially described. The end result(firmware upgrade) was just not up to par with most other manufacturers DL functionality. I really DO feel sorry for you guys.
Look at the bright side...DL media is still damn expensive and -R media is just as cheap and easy to find as +R media....and vise versa.

[virendra]

Now further to my original post yesterday I must add the recent happenings.

BenQ has put a new firmware dated 30/09/2004 for download to upgrade the drive from DW 1600 to DW1620. I downloaded that and it ran well and after a re-boot I put a DVD-R media (princo make) and with Nero I tried to burmn a video file 4.2 GB and to my surprise it started without a single error message. It took 14 minutes to burn the file completely. Well, the speed of burning is not a isse here at all. Whatever speed i got I was more than happy that my problem got solved that it was not accepting a DVD-R/RW media.

But after the burning was complete I tried to play it in the same drive. It played well then I put it into another LG make combo drive and it played well. I was more than happy. Then I took it to my set top DVD player of Samsung make to test and to my surprise my DVD player did not recognise or accept the disk and started giving No Disk message.

I again put the disk in BenQ to see and add to my surprise even the parent drive where the disk was written also refused to accept the disk.

ONE MORE MIRACLE FROM BenQ

Today I am replacing my drive with Sony DA 540A

No more NIGHTMARES from BenQ hence forth

[Bob W]

Now further to my original post yesterday I must add the recent happenings.

BenQ has put a new firmware dated 30/09/2004 for download to upgrade the drive from DW 1600 to DW1620. I downloaded that and it ran well and after a re-boot I put a DVD-R media (princo make) and with Nero I tried to burmn a video file 4.2 GB and to my surprise it started without a single error message. It took 14 minutes to burn the file completely. Well, the speed of burning is not a isse here at all. Whatever speed i got I was more than happy that my problem got solved that it was not accepting a DVD-R/RW media.

But after the burning was complete I tried to play it in the same drive. It played well then I put it into another LG make combo drive and it played well. I was more than happy. Then I took it to my set top DVD player of Samsung make to test and to my surprise my DVD player did not recognise or accept the disk and started giving No Disk message.

I again put the disk in BenQ to see and add to my surprise even the parent drive where the disk was written also refused to accept the disk.

ONE MORE MIRACLE FROM BenQ

Today I am replacing my drive with Sony DA 540A

No more NIGHTMARES from BenQ hence forth

You need to put all the DVD files into a "VIDEO_TS" (all uppercase) folder then burn that folder. Many players will not play a discs unless it's done this way.

[-jsl-]

BenQ has put a new firmware dated 30/09/2004 for download to upgrade the drive from DW 1600 to DW1620. I downloaded that and it ran well and after a re-boot I put a DVD-R media (princo make) and with Nero I tried to burmn a video file 4.2 GB and to my surprise it started without a single error message.

Yeah if the drive didn't burn a crap Princo disc compatible it must be a really bad writer
The DW1600 to DW1620 firmware was BTW released over a month ago. Anyway, good luck with your Sony drive, I'm sure you'll need it.

[hech54]

My LG4040B loves Princos. I use the white topped 4x(burn at 2x on my LG) for non-essential backups. I've gone through at least 50 with no bad burns yet...and my old ones are still showing no signs of crapping out.
I still have two spindles of Riteks handy...I'm not THAT stupid..

[Scottie]

I had the same troubles with a BenQ DVD writer I took it back for a full refund, what a pile of crap, I got another LG, works great.

No help from the Tech people at all.

[dmagic1]

@virendra

Your drive is now a Benq 1620. There are new firmware updates(B7K9) that improves DVD-R writing. I have the same drive(1600@1620), and DVD-R quality has increase dramatically. Give that firmware a try.
You should really use better quality DVD-R before you lable a burner as bad. Hopefully your cheap Princos will do better with the new firmware.

[dmagic1]

Today I am replacing my drive with Sony DA 540A

No more NIGHTMARES from BenQ hence forth

Incase you didn't know, you will be getting a Lite-On made 12x DVD+R 8x DVD-R drive with that Sony. Its also not dual layer.

[ccbadd]

I have to say one thing. I really don't think you did your homework before buying the Benq OR Sony drive. If you had, you would not be trying to burn cheap Princo media on the Benq and I really doubt that the Sony will be much better with -R/RW media. They both seem to favor +R/RW media with the Benq producing very good, if not the best, results.

[virendra]

i have installed sony dru 540a and burnt couple of dvds (samsung +rw and princo-r) and all are working fine

[Vanderlow]

I agree you didn't seem to do you're homework and you seem so out of touch that I wonder about your motives. Anyone who buys a BenQ should be using, mainly, + media. You also converted the 1600 to 1620 after posting crappy conclusions, but then failed to upgrade to the latest firmware "k". If anyone wants real opinions form people who know what they're doing, go to cdfreaks BenQ forum and just look at the scans (some of the best, even some - are very good). BenQs will also likely get more CD-DVD Speed disk quality features like 4x/8x scanning and Pi reporting in the very near future.

[69Dartman]

My 1600 at 1620 does OK with SOME minus media now, it hardly wrote any after the initial 1620 upgrade that were OK. The latest firmeware is a big improvemement and each one seems to get better. The drive does very nice with plus and is a PCAV writer so it is usually faster then most other 16x drives out now. It has written a DL disk with great quality that works and it is a very good dvd reader/ripper. It also OC's some 8x media to 12 or 16 including some of the minus media.
It also does bitsetting out of the box with out any hacked firmwares. The drive is not perfect but I'm happy with it so far and I think it will keep getting better as they improve each new firmware. If you want the best burns stick with plus media of good quality for now, or try minus from their recommended media list to see which your drive likes. I never counted on the minus being perfect, I just wanted my promised working upgrade and they delivered it and continue to improve it.