Buying a new DVD Writer

[LighthouseJ]

Well, my DRU-500A is acting up discussed here (https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=248976), talking to some Sony guy said to replace the firmware which sounds like a copout to get me off the line. I got some money of which I can buy a new DVD writer and I'm thinking I'll just shelve this 500A and get a new and faster one. I need some help in selecting a new one.

My requirements are that it has to be IDE because my 500A is in a USB/Firewire enclosure that only accepts IDE drives and I'm not even halfway through a 100-disc spool of DVD-R's so I need something to write in that format. I'd like a dual layer drive too so I can potentially get dual layer media.

I found the NEC ND-3520A on this site through searching the list. Can anyone volunteer another unit that might compete or exceed the capabilities of this NEC unit? Thanks in advance.

[HatchetMan]

Pioneer 109 will be a good choice when it is made available (right now 108 still a good option). NEC always a good choice. Stay away from Plextor, they don't like external enclosures, unless it's their own.

[Toaster]

Before you retire your old recorder, you might want to update to the newest available firmware. Firmware upgrades are not cop-outs.. it does (usually) improve the drive, it will add supported media codes, improved writing strategy's, etc... Whatever problem you are having with your old recorder may be due to media quality fluctuation and it may be solved with a firmware upgrade.

To upgrade your firmware is a free option, only takes a few minutes (less than a few mins actually- more like 1 min) and is harmless. I'd try it before giving up

NOW: There is nothing wrong with buying a new drive. Some of the best options are PIONEER, NEC and BENQ... those are the drives everyone is talking about. I wouldn't count out LITEON either. And remember these things get cheaper and cheaper and cheaper. So the drive you pay $100 for today will be cheaper and better tomorrow. I paid $349.99 for my first Pioneer A03 2x -R only recorder, and now 16x dual layer/format recorders are everywhere for about $60

As hatchetman pointed out, the Pioneer 109 is around the corner, and retailers are going to lower the price on current 108 drives to move stock. A small wait might be a good choice

GOOD LUCK.

[LighthouseJ]

I mean copout in the sense to get me off the phone, but it's no big deal. The problem is I don't have a desktop, this is a laptop and the external enclosure this drive is using doesn't make the drive available to the system until it's "ready" and it's not reaching that point yet. I went to a local place to get a Pioneer A08/108 but they didn't have any, so I purchased a DRU-710A to try it out. I will not give up on the 500 though, I'll try to fix it and if I have 3 DVD recorders, then so be it.

[LighthouseJ]

I just plugged the 710 into the enclosure and astonishingly, it's doing the same thing. I'm angry at the enclosure now. I plugged the 500 into my hard drive enclosure (IDE too, but smaller to fit just a hard drive) and the drive is found and works, so all I need is to fix the enclosure or get a new one, a much cheaper decision.