Question about new DVD-burner

[Videonator]

Hi!

I have some old HP Omnibook X3 notebook with Toshiba 2502 dvd burner installed. Since it died and i need new one, i found that NEC AD-7543A Labelflash SlimLine would be best option for me atm, cause i dont want to spend too much on this - main thing is that it works, so that i can reinstall windows which also have some problems, but cant access or fix them without running original win dvd (which i obviously cant without working dvd unit ).

Now what i wonder is....whether this NEC burner will fit exactly and also if its front plate is replacable (because this toshiba has somehow curved front plate to fit to notebook lines, while at least from pics it looks like NEC has even surface)? Otherwise i would swap frontplates (if possible?).

I guess thats all for now...if anyone knows more about this...and/or about some possible problems that may occur while installing, please let me know.

Thank You in advance for your time and help!

Nick.

[Krispy Kritter]

Have you tried pricing a replacement HP drive? http://h20141.www2.hp.com/hpparts/default.asp?cc=US&lang=EN

[oldandinthe way]

IMHO an NEC drive is a step down from a Toshiba. Look at availability of drives from TSST under Toshiba and Samsung Labels.

HP could have had a custom front panel made, which would be more likely to fit a drive from the same OEM.

Consider an External Drive with USB or Firewire interface, if it will meet your needs. Then you will have something left when you scrap the notebook.

[redwudz]

I had to replace the DVD ROM drive on my HP Pavilion laptop last year. Lowest price was $140US. And it's not even a burner. It also took 2 hours to disassemble, then install and re-asemble the laptop by removing about 30 tiny screws and unplugging several wire harnesses. Not for the faint of heart.

But HP did have the complete service manual available or I never would have tackled it. Some laptop drives are part of a plug-in module, so easy to change. Others, like mine, the replacement is a major project.

[Videonator]

Thank You all for your thoughs and help.

My comments follow...

Krispy Kritter - I tried looking at replacement drive, but the only one i found was for $116.35 and i dont even know whether it would fit or not - but i am almost sure that this one was one of the cheapest drives for HP notebooks (but still almost twice the price of nec drive).

oldandinthe way - Step down from Toshiba or not...I still believe that any WORKING drive is better than dead Toshiba,right? Also...this toshiba burned at 8x...while nec does it at 24x, and also had other modern "solutions" like i.e. labelflash (which i doubt i'll use anyway, but still...), more cache, better reading and burning,etc. I agree that drive from same OEM is more likely to fit exactly or at least to maybe offer front panel replacement, but...dont know...like i said...all i need is working drive, as cheap as possible...and nec was&still is the most affordable solution. I thought of external drives too...but they are way too expensive for my needs, and also...as far as i saw...notebook doesnt support boot from usb (doesnt have firewire), so i wouldnt be able to boot from that drive (which is something i urgently need to repair windows installation or to reinstall them).

redwudz - You got the point...$140 (or more) for lowest priced drive. And not even a burner??? Huhhhhhh... I dont worry about disassemling and stuff...cause i already had it appart for some 2 or 3 times...was tricky for the 1st time...but now...its like a routine...i could easily open notebook repair centre.. )


Finally...let me say that i already ordered this NEC drive yesterday...was that a good solution or not...i guess i'll soon see...i believe it will fit....i mean it should fit...and if that front panel will make problems...i'll just tear it off....hahaha...just kidding....i hope that wont be necessary. Oh...and almost forgot...drive costs $73...so for 24x burner...against that old 8x dead horse...and against those original drives or external ones starting at $116, $140 or much more...i believe most of us would agree this is best solution to keep this notebook going for maybe a year or two more (on overclocked steroids offcourse,hahahaha).

Ok..thats it...thanks again to everyone...and...will get back to you as soon as i get it and hopefully install without too much hussle too.

Have a nice day/night,

Nick.

[oldandinthe way]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151132

Samsung Drive - $54.99
(TSST Product)

In my opinion far superior to Optiarc (NEC)

[noki]

""http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151132 "

good unit. installed in my Compaq to replace a non-burner 6 months ago. not a custom fit, but at least it is black! I usually go for NEC burners (for desktops) but the one for laptops costed a bit more than I wanted to pay.

would buy the Samsung unit again if needed.

[Videonator]

Hi

First of all...i am sad that i dont live in US...cause looking at such low prices at newegg (to bad they dont ship to EU)...hmmmmm...lucky you is all i can say.

Secondly...I agree that after looking at both, samsung's and nec optiarc's specs...i noticed that samsung is maybe slightly better in access times and also burns dvd+r dl at 6x (nec does it at 4x), while all other characteristics are almost identical...so i believe there's no real difference in them...some prefer sony....some samsung....so...its like good old ati/nvidia "war"...some would say pick ati...while the others prefer nvidia... ))

Anyway..I admit that if was in usa...i would pick samsung too...but not because 6x dvd-r dl burning nor for few ms better access times (at least on paper - check below what someone said of that samsung drive, made me smile...hahaha..but i guess the real truth is somewhere between), but because of lower price ($54.99 samsung vs. $62.99 sony). Just for info...here its totally opposite...sony is around $73 and samsung around $80.


So here is what someone said for that samsung drive on newegg...

Pros: This drive writes about every format, including DVD-RAM (I haven't verified that). Burns fast and true. No problem with reads.
Cons: Audio ripping and DVD playing dreadful. When I rip CD's it crawls! When I tried watching a DVD on the embedded DVD player (PC doesn't need to be powered on to watch), video and sound stuttered.
Other Thoughts: For data operations, this drive is great. For audio, it's the pits. I'm not sure if this was a defective unit or what. I ended up buying the NEC/Sony Optiarc drive which works fine.


Funny huh...he said he ended with sony optiarc... Not that this proves anything...but i just used this as an example...like i said....like ati / nvidia stuff...hahahah....so at the end of a day...at least for me...and for this case...price matters....and where i live...nec is more affordable...and with almost identical specs as samsung...thats all i needed to know. Also...my main concern about whether any of them (sony or samsung) will fit exactly to my notebook or not, wasnt answered....so...so once more i believe its better to spend less money for sony (in europe - in usa its the opposite, i agree with you guys - us residents should buy samsung), than to i.e. buy samsung and it wont fit...or...to calm down all sony AND samsung fans...i can always use money back guarantee and swap the sony for samsung later if i wish...or return sony and get something totally else...or... ))


Ok...talk to you soon...meanwhile...peace with you all....enjoy and best wishes!

Nick.

[Videonator]

Short update in 3 steps...

1. Received the burner, installed it and it's working GREAT! Finally i also managed to fix my OS problems! Yeahhhh!

2. Like I predicted, frontplate didnt fit exactly (drive could be fitted into the slot, but tray door couldnt open - or at least very hard, because of a frontplate), but since it also wasnt "compatible" with old one, it couldnt be swapped. BUT...i saw, that all that kinda "holds" this new plate were those 4 corners (because in old drive they were more "rounded", while NEC has more "sharp" edges, which made them to lock/interfiere with notebooks chasis when opened/closed). So i just rounded them myself with extra smooth sandpaper....and voila...it opens like crazy now And it also looks like it was made like that in the factory.

3. Finally, I am VERY VERY Happy with everything!! At last my problems with dvd drive are gone...so until next time...thanks again everyone!

Greetings,


Nick.