Pioneer 109 sees MCC03RG20 as 4x media on fw 1.09

[lordsmurf]

This is more of a notice than a rant. I guess the media is too new, and the drive is too new, just have to allow for an update to fix this. New tech is so wonderful ... nothing works 100% correctly.

MCC03RG20 is new 16x DVD-R media.
The Pioneer 109 is the new 16x SL, 6x DL drive

[-jsl-]

It has bad media support in general and the amount of supported media at 16x is pathetic. Ricoh, Prodisc, Ritek, Infomedia, Daxon and many other 16x media are also only supported at 4x. Some 16x media like Maxell, Philips and Mitsubishi (+R) seem to actually have been added to the firmware but only at 12x max speed. Only TDK, CMC, Sony and TY are supported at 16x speed according to user reports and the official list of supported media.

So if you want good media support buy a different drive, like a BenQ DW1620.

[steve2713]

Should have gotten a NEC :P

[budz]

-jsl- wrote

So if you want good media support buy a different drive, like a BenQ DW1620.

[Gen-An]

Lordsmurf, where did you get MCC03RG20????

[lordsmurf]

MCC03RG20 was from Best Buy. Verbatim 16x DVD-R in a 25-pack.

If I wanted pathetic software support, and no DVD-R DL, I'd have bought the BenQ drive. BenQ never has been, and probably never will be a quality hardware company. They are about as good as CMC or Princo, in terms of "quality".

The NEC 2520 is also too new to see correct media speeds. No help there. NEC firmware has always sucked, and always needed hackers to make it worthwhile. No surprise here either.

Like I said, just a notice to everybody. With both drive and media brand new, this is no surprise. Since most people were not around in 2001, they have no clue how common something like this has been in the technology in years past. I remember 4x being the same way.

[budz]

If I wanted pathetic software support, and no DVD-R DL, I'd have bought the BenQ drive. BenQ never has been, and probably never will be a quality hardware company. They are about as good as CMC or Princo, in terms of "quality".

how do you know based your experience with the BENQ 1620 when you don't even own one let alone make those assumptions. but then again this is a forum and we're all entitled to our own opinions.

[lordsmurf]

I have used BenQ enough in the past. You don't have to own everything in order to test them out. I only own things I like. The other crap goes back to the store. Or belongs to others that made mistakes.

[Ma_Jie]

If I wanted pathetic software support, and no DVD-R DL, I'd have bought the BenQ drive. BenQ never has been, and probably never will be a quality hardware company. They are about as good as CMC or Princo, in terms of "quality".

Define "software support." All I know is I've burned DVD-Rs with DVD Decrypter repeatedly and had zero problrms.

Moreover, I've burned more than a dozen DVD-R discs WITHOUT a single coaster.

I haven't tested the DL capability, but at this stage, who really cares? Would you really fork out the cash for a bunch of DL DVD-Rs?

- Ma Jie

[lordsmurf]

The world is bigger than people that "backup" everything.

[budz]

I have used BenQ enough in the past. You don't have to own everything in order to test them out.

ok then it's based on past benq products then.....the benq product in mind that we're talking about is the benq 1620 drive......in my opinion i can understand you've experienced a past benq product but i don't think it's fair to say the drive is not good when you don't own one or tested one out...... shakes my head to think someone of your status here at videohelp can come to a conclusion on the benq 1620 when you haven't even tested one out....i am not dissing you in anyway shape or form but i don't understand how you can make a comment on a drive you don't own or even tested out.....

[lordsmurf]

I have access to a BenQ 1620 drive. Horrible POS.
Unlike other people here, I reserve comments for products I have used, owned, or have received output from. Easy as that. I also pass along information from people I work with (and none of them are dummies either).

[budz]

I have access to a BenQ 1620 drive. Horrible POS.
Unlike other people here, I reserve comments for products I have used, owned, or have received output from. Easy as that. I also pass along information from people I work with (and none of them are dummies either).

really now so what firmware are you using? what worked best or worse with your access to a BENQ 1620? what media did you use? i would like that information so perhaps i could help you be able to use that drive to its optimum performance.

[lordsmurf]

Should it be important again in the future, I'll be sure to get back to you on this.

[-jsl-]

If I wanted pathetic software support, and no DVD-R DL, I'd have bought the BenQ drive. BenQ never has been, and probably never will be a quality hardware company. They are about as good as CMC or Princo, in terms of "quality".

The "pathetic software support" is nonsense. Seeing another comment from you it looks like you've missed the fact that you usually need to update the software for being able to use a new DVD writer. BenQ DW1620 works fine with every common burning application, Recordnow, Nero, DVD decrypter and more. If your "friend" (or whoever used the DW1620) didn't get it to work it was a user error or problem with his/her system.

DVD-R DL is basically vapour-ware at the moment. The specs are not even finished and media will at best show up in Q2. On the other hand DVD+R DL is already available and working very good so having support for DVD-R DL is not important imo.

Regardless what you think about the BenQ brand the BenQ DW1620 is known to produce among the best burn quality on the market with among the best media support. Add to that full bitsetting support, fast burn times, great official firmware support, tools for media quality scanning and more and calling it the Princo of burners only shows that you have no idea what you're talking about.

Like I said, just a notice to everybody. With both drive and media brand new, this is no surprise. Since most people were not around in 2001, they have no clue how common something like this has been in the technology in years past. I remember 4x being the same way.

Most if not all available 16x media including MCC 16x DVD-R is already supported by the BenQ DW1620 as you can see for example here so that the media is too new is a bad excuse. The truth is that Pioneer rushed the 109 to the market without having the time to add decent media support.

[lordsmurf]

That's fine. People love BenQ, CMC, DVD-Lab, Princo, CinemaCraft, Panasonic .... to me ... all shit. Does not perform anywhere near my expectations of having BOTH quality and ease of use.

This is the THIRD time since 2001 that I've experience media lag, in terms of rock-solid burner support (new burner, new media). Just have to give it time.

The point of this post was to just mention 109 cannot see the media sold on the same shelf (right next to the burner!) in stores, as well as mention the new media itself (MCC03RG20 in USA). It's strayed too much, too many threadjackers with off-topic comments right from the start.