which of these dvd burners is the best one to get?

[jbmagic]

which of these dvd burners is the best one to get?

1) BenQ DW1640 16x DVD±RW

2) Plextor PX-740A 16x DVD±RW

3) Sony DRU-810A 16x DVD±RW

or is there something better you guys recommend?


also is it best to get a seperate dvd rom player to play cd and dvd?

thanks

[redwudz]

IMO, it's helpful to have a separate DVD-ROM for use when backing up videos. Then you don't have to shuffle discs around when using a program like DVDShrink.

Some DVD-ROMs or DVD-RWs don't read or write CDs as fast as a CD-ROM or CD-RW, but it's usually not worth having a separate CD unit just to gain a little CD speed. That might be different if you did a lot of CD backups or burns.

As far as the DVD burners, I like the Sony units for price and the Pioneers' for compatibility with more media. But I'm sure others have their own preferences. I also have a BENQ 1640 that works fine for me.

[Bodysurf]

which of these dvd burners is the best one to get?

1) BenQ DW1640 16x DVD±RW

2) Plextor PX-740A 16x DVD±RW

3) Sony DRU-810A 16x DVD±RW

Of those, price being the same, I'd probably get the BenQ.

or is there something better you guys recommend?

Yes, the Pioneer DVR-A10. But, most people aren't going to notice a huge difference between the available burners as far as features and price. The discriminating user may.

also is it best to get a seperate dvd rom player to play cd and dvd?

When DVD-ROM drives cost $40.00 and burners were $300, then I would have unquestionably said "Yes".

Now with great burners being ~$50.00, I think it's silly to have a seperate DVD-ROM drive for ripping for 99% of people. The latest burners, provided you choose right, aren't riplocked, rip CDDA accurately with EAC, and are just a few bucks more than a DVD-ROM drive. Getting a burner instead of those people is the smartest move. The very few people that might do better with a dedicated DVD-ROM drive are those that might need RPC-1 functionality that are harder to find on the latest DVD burners.

IMO, it's helpful to have a separate DVD-ROM for use when... Then you don't have to shuffle discs around...

To RedWudz, I agree that it's helpful to have a seperate drive, but I submit to him, it's vastly more useful in the vast majority of cases (and very little more money) that that seperate drive is a DVD burner instead of a DVD-ROM drive.

[Sabro]

I haven't tried the others, but I think after my results with the BenQ I will be staying with the Bens for many years to come.

Sabro

[henry_nettles]

which of these dvd burners is the best one to get?

1) BenQ DW1640 16x DVD±RW

2) Plextor PX-740A 16x DVD±RW

3) Sony DRU-810A 16x DVD±RW

or is there something better you guys recommend?


also is it best to get a seperate dvd rom player to play cd and dvd?

thanks

This was a trick question, right?

Very naughty of you.

To those not in the know, all 3 of these are the SAME drive, just rebadged and (slightly) different firmware.

[budz]

Yes, dvd burners are cheap these days about the same price for a dvdrom. But some dvd burners are not good readers especially if you run across a disc that is scratched. The BENQ 1640 supposedly is a good fast reader but I've had some discs that were scratched that could not be read by it. Although it could be read by my TOSHIBA & LITEON dvdroms & PLEXTOR 708A dvd burner.

I use a dvdrom in all of my computers as well as the computers that I build for others. If the dvd burner can not read a disc then at least one has the option of using the dvdrom. Just my 2 cents! I have just about every brand of dvd burner except a LG & SAMSUNG.

The BENQ 1640 in my opinion is the best burner on the market today. Look at the PLEXTOR 740A & SONY 810A those are rebadged BENQ 1640 drives.

[jbmagic]

what the point of rebadged?

the plextor 740a and sony 810a are more expensive than the benq 1640.

if it wasnt for your guys help, i would of thought they were 3 different dvd burners

i guess the Benq 1640 is the way to go. and the price is great on it.

i just hope i get no wear and tear using the BenQ 1640 as a dvd and cd reader too than getting a seperate dvd rom.

[Bodysurf]

Yes, dvd burners are cheap these days about the same price for a dvdrom. But some dvd burners are not good readers especially if you run across a disc that is scratched. The BENQ 1640 supposedly is a good fast reader but I've had some discs that were scratched that could not be read by it. Although it could be read by my TOSHIBA & LITEON dvdroms & PLEXTOR 708A dvd burner.

I've had scratched CDROMs that I couldn't read in with my LiteOn DVD ROM drive that could be read by my 52X LiteOn CDRW drive. And I've had scratched CDROMs that could be read by my Pioneer DVR-A09 that couldn't be read by my 52X LiteOn CDRW. And I've had scratched CDROMs that couldn't be read by either the Pioneer DVR-A09 or the 52X LiteOn CDRW that could by my LiteOn DVD-ROM drive.

What I've found is certain drives read certain scratched up discs better and I don't know why certain ones read in better with certain drives.

I use a dvdrom in all of my computers as well as the computers that I build for others. If the dvd burner can not read a disc then at least one has the option of using the dvdrom. Just my 2 cents! I have just about every brand of dvd burner except a LG & SAMSUNG.

I used to do the exact same thing until the price differential between the two became insignificant.

I know one thing -- when I have two burners in my system and if one of them takes a crap, I still burn with the other one and get a replacement at my leisure. However, when I have one DVD-ROM drive and one burner, if the burner takes a dump, I ain't burning until I go and grab another one!

There are certainly reasons why people do what you do and reasons why I advocate what I do.

[budz]

Yes, dvd burners are cheap these days about the same price for a dvdrom. But some dvd burners are not good readers especially if you run across a disc that is scratched. The BENQ 1640 supposedly is a good fast reader but I've had some discs that were scratched that could not be read by it. Although it could be read by my TOSHIBA & LITEON dvdroms & PLEXTOR 708A dvd burner.

I've had scratched CDROMs that I couldn't read in with my LiteOn DVD ROM drive that could be read by my 52X LiteOn CDRW drive. And I've had scratched CDROMs that could be read by my Pioneer DVR-A09 that couldn't be read by my 52X LiteOn CDRW. And I've had scratched CDROMs that couldn't be read by either the Pioneer DVR-A09 or the 52X LiteOn CDRW that could by my LiteOn DVD-ROM drive.

What I've found is certain drives read certain scratched up discs better and I don't know why certain ones read in better with certain drives.

I use a dvdrom in all of my computers as well as the computers that I build for others. If the dvd burner can not read a disc then at least one has the option of using the dvdrom. Just my 2 cents! I have just about every brand of dvd burner except a LG & SAMSUNG.

I used to do the exact same thing until the price differential between the two became insignificant.

I know one thing -- when I have two burners in my system and if one of them takes a crap, I still burn with the other one and get a replacement at my leisure. However, when I have one DVD-ROM drive and one burner, if the burner takes a dump, I ain't burning until I go and grab another one!

There are certainly reasons why people do what you do and reasons why I advocate what I do.

That's why in one of my computers I have a PLEXTOR 708A, BENQ 1620, TOSHIBA 1612 dvdrom, & LITEON 411 dvd burner. Then in another computer I have a TOSHIBA 1612 dvdrom, PIONEER 107D dvd burner & BENQ 1640 dvd burner. And in another computer I have a BENQ 1620 dvd burner & LITEON 166s dvdrom. So if any of my dvd burners crap out on me I have other computers to use. I bought all of my TOSHIBA 1612 DVDROM's & one LITEON 166s DVDROM from EBAY!

[handyguy]

"what the point of rebadged? "

No need to maintain manufacturing facilities.

[garryheather]

I wouldn't rule out the Pioneer's so quickly. I use them exclusively and have done sice the A04 - I've never had one go wrong yet and Pioneer update the firmware on a regular basis.

[Bob Harris]

I also vote for the BenQ.