Cheapest 2x DVD-R's for A03?

[videoguy79]

I recently won a new Pioneer DVR-A03 drive on eBay for less than $200, and am aware that the drive is very picky about which media it will write at 2x to. After searching the forums, I'm left with a lot of conflicting answers as to what media works best. I'm looking for the cheapest 4.7GB DVD-R's that WILL burn at 2x on the A03 (with or without a firmware update) If anybody can give URL's to products or suggestions, I'd be grateful, since I would like to buy some discs before my drive arrives next week!

[Faustus]

Best 2x disk out there are apple disk. About 5 dollars each. Right now I'm having decent luck with the VErbatium 2x disk at Microcenter in 10 packs for about $30.

Start somewhere around there and then work your way down in cheapness until you find what works for you... personally I usualy use 1x.

[apinkel]

I've used the verbatim 2x media (BB had a 15 pack spindle for $42 with a $7 rebate) on my DVR-103. I've burned 8 of them so far without any problem.

I've also used two different brands of plain-label 1x media without any problems.

Al

[BJ_M]

i tried some SmartDisk dvd-r in the pioneer 104 and found out they are 2x burning ... which smartdisk doesnt indicate anywhere ..

they also seem so far to work really good ..

since they are 14$ for a 5 pack -- not a bad deal .

otherwise i use only apple disks

[thegman45]

I have the A04 - I have used Memorex and esbuy.com generic brand - no coasters yet

[videoguy79]

I have the A04 - I have used Memorex and esbuy.com generic brand - no coasters yet

It's funny that you mentioned those esbuy.com discs.....because I ntoiced that they look exactly the same (on the label side) as Pioneer's single-disc DVD-R's (in red package), minus the Pioneer logo. Did these discs burn at 2x in your A04? If so, I have to wonder if they aren't made by the same manufacturer, since I doubt that Pioneer makes their own media.

In response to everybody else's suggestions: thanks! The only frustrating thing is the fact that I'm now wondering if I should have picked up an HP100i 2.4x DVD+RW drive for $149 instead...it was $50 less, had buffer-underun protection, good CDA extraction, faster writing time for both CD and DVD, but it only supports +RW . The 2.4x +RW media is actually cheaper than some of these 2x-compatible DVD-R's! The fact that the HP drive has received bad reviews (esp. in the hardware section) and cannot write to WORM discs scared me away. And I have to wonder about the future of +RW if it's not supported by the DVD consortium. What do you guys think....did I make a better choice by going with the Pioneer? (BTW, I will be using the drive mostly for DVD-Video).

[BJ_M]

pioneer is very very good to me

but i want the new A05 soon

[medievil]

Personally I have an A03 and love it. I feel I've become quite adept and Mpeg conversion. All My movies I've backed up so far Look every bit as good as the originals and are under 3gb. So i use 1x media (Cheapest I can find) the burn time is equivalent to a full @x write (About 30 minutes for a 2.8gb burn)

Personaly I just don't see the +r/+rw format lasting, Compatibility is much lower with it from what I've read, and the Media is still Very expensive when compared with the -r/-rw format. Plus with the new Standardized $x writing format, the +r/+rw's will loose any speed advantage.

[apinkel]

My dvr-103 works great for me. The only thing I'd like to have is a 4x DVD burner. Other than that the cd write speed, the compatibility, the stability, etc. has been great.

As for the - vs. + formats... I say don't worry about it. Contrary to what everyone says this is not like the Beta/vhs thing because either format will play in any recent player. You can second guess yourself till your blind. By the time the thing washes out DVD writers will be $50 each and you can just go buy whatever is the fastest and most compatible. Till then you've got a writer that works with available and cheap media.

Al