Need new burner advice for new computer

[Jonathan]

I'm in the process of building a new, super fast Core 2 Duo system and I'm finding that dvd burners have really changed since the last time I bought.

I need a new burner for dvd-r's and cd's. Can someone please recommmend a good way to go.

I read in another thread that the Pioneer was the way to go, but would be very grateful for some advice.

btw, what happened to Plextor? They were top dog at one time???

[zoobie]

this will get you started...i think
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters.php?&orderby=Rating

[budz]

Plextor, Benq, Pioneer, LG, Liteon, Samsung, BTC and Emprex all have their own forums at Cdfreaks.com. Check them out and see what pros and cons each brand has which could help you choose what brand to purchase.

I have no problems with the Benq 1650 or Pioneer 111D which I crossflashed to 111L. If you want Dvd-ram & bitsetting to dvd-rom for dvd+r media capabilities you can crossflash the Pioneer 111D to 111L. The Benq 1650 drive you'll be able to use QSUITE 2.1 which is a tool used to tweak your burns depending on the brand of dvd media you use. It remembers the write strategy for known/unknown media id.

I like the Benq drives because you can flash the drives back and forth with older/newer firmware to suit your needs. Some firmwares work better than others depending on what brand of dvd media you're using. All of my Benq 1640's & 1650's drives all have different firmware.

[Jonathan]

Thanks for the help!!

[ROF]

At this point in the game I'd say brand doesn't really make a difference. Personally I buy the cheapest drive that fits mine or my customers preferences for options unless they specify brand. DVD burning is pretty much 16x/8x standard for SL and dual layer respectively across all name brands. Most of these drives are under $50 with some gems approaching $20. If I had to choose a preference for myself I like NEC and Lite-On. Both consistently provide a quality experience. Most of their drives are really quiet and produce quality burns on a wide range of media. I have gotten DOA drives from all the major manufacturers so don't think a lemon can be avoided by paying a few bucks more.

What does all that mean? Get a drive that fits your needs not mine. Read some reviews and make the purchase from a supplier that will exchange your device if it arrives in unsatisfactory condition and offers it at the lowest price.