Sony, TDK, Pioneer burners incompatible with everything?

[BobK]

I've been using a Sony DRU500ax for almost a year. It has problems and I'm trying to replace it. Everything I've burned on the Sony will play on every DVD player I've tried.

Now I've tried (and returned) a TDK 4X burner- nothing would play the first disk I burned. I got a Pioneer A06U- the disks burned on the Pioneer will play on all 2 of my 3 DVD players (they play on the 2 Sony's- they don't play on the Pioneer DVD player!).

Finally I tried a Sony DRU530. First problem is that it comes with RecordNow 6.0- Easy CD/DVD Creator must be uninstalled before RecordNow can be installed. Then when the disks are burned they can't be read by my Liteon DVD ROM- if it's a TDK disk it says the disk is blank (it's not). With Riteks it says the file format can't be read by Windows. I went back to RecordNow 4.6 and burned a disk- same problem.

I finally did an internet search looking for another DRU500- what's up with those prices? The DRU530 was $189 ($219 minus a $30 rebate)- all the DRU500s that come up in a search are still over $300!

Anybody have any idea what the problem is with the new burners? Anybody know why the DRU500 is still twice as much as the DRU 530?

[Pop's]

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[BobK]

I'm pretty sure it's not the media. I've been using Ritek and some TDK with my 500AX. I tried both in the new 530 and also in the TDK and the Pioneer.

In the 530 I tried burning with Nero, RecordNow 4.6 and RecordNow 6.0. With the TKD I tried burning with RecordNow 4.6- I didn't try the Roxio that was included because I think Roxio's DVD video is garbage and I wouldn't keep a drive that worked only with it anyway.

I have taken the 530 out and plan to return it this week. I put the Pioneer back in and tried burning with RecordNow 4.6- that seems to be working (although it will only burn my Riteks at 1X).

I'd have probably tried a 510A but I haven't seen any in stores- just online. And with the problems I'm having with the 3 new drives so far I don't want to get something online and then have to return it. At least I can get a refund in 5 minutes at Best Buy.

And I just found my receipt for the 500AX- it's 2 weeks short of a year old so I'm calling Sony today to see about warranty repair.

I'd still like to know what the problem is, and I'm really curious as to why the 510 and the 530 are so much cheaper than the older 500.

Thanks.