As of today, best DVD burner for the price?

[Dilbert135]

I'm building a computer and I just wanted to know your opinions on the current dvd burners out there. What do you have, what would you like to have.. etc. I'd really like to have a drive that'll burn both -/+ but I don't know if it's cost effective. It'd need to be at least a 4x, I suppose.

So whadda think? Anything shiny come to mind?

[Bob W]

From the positive comments I have heard on this forum my vote today would be the NEC ND-1300A dual format 4x burner for $155.
http://avlogic.com/product.cgi?code=18030059

[jthompson99]

My TDK 440N Dual Burner kicks some serious ass.

[Gurm]

The TDK is either an NEC or a Pioneer, I'm betting on NEC.

TDK makes none of their own engine parts.

At the moment, the NEC is the best bet. It's MUCH cheaper than the Sony dual format, and the hacked firmwares available give you the broadest range of acceptable media.

I can't speak for the Pioneer dual-format yet, it's brand new and ALL these duallies had PROBLEMS when first released. If you want to get right to it when you first build the machine, go with NEC for now.

- Gurm

[Northstar]

The SONY DW-U10A flashed to a DRU-500A, its a steal at £130 (its dropped £15 since i bought mine for £145 a week ago grrrr), ive burnt 15-20 disks with this drive in the week ive had it (+ only) and not had one coaster.

Great drive.


http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3...duct_uid=47733

[Synergy]

Optorite DD0203 is currently sold for US$159, and read the following link on people's comments and questions on this model:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=40&threadid=1098552&FTVAR_MSGDBTABLE=

[jolo]

I'm aobut to purchase one myself as well. I'd like to hear some specifics, rather than emotions on why one would be better to purchase than another. I know there is tendancy for someone to always think that whatever they bought or whatever they know is the best.

From what I have seen, the NEC OEM WITH SHIPPING, costs about $165 for OEM and as low sa about $175 for the retail box.

What is ironic is that the TDK and one of the Cenydyne models are also re-boxed NEC 1300s.

The Optorite DD2003 is not built by Optorite either. I know it is a Sanyo engine built by a company whose name eludes me. There was some controversy about the 8MB of cache, which I guess a new driver fixed and from speaking ot the vendor, the software in there that will burn CDs and store about 1.4GB needs Japanese manufactured CDs to work.

The Sony, in the US, at least is about $235 for the OEM, with shipping of coures. I am sure the SOny is a fine unit, but if I can get one $50 cheaper that will do the job, I'm certainly NOT going to get the SOny.

I don't know prices on this, but I read about the Liteon LDW-401S which burns only at +, but it also is a high speed CR-R burner at 40X and CDRW at 24x.

I think the warantees, support and SOFTWARE is important to look at.
If you do not have a high quality encoder/rippper/player, some of them come with them, some don't. I know that the Optorite drive has this Sanyo software which doubles the amount stored on a CD-R. The certainly is attractive to me, but someone might not care.
If the unit comes with Nero, it can be upgraded for free to Nero 6.0.

The OEM versions might have lower cache and usually come with no software, and many times the OEM version do not allow for support to be from the manufactor. I used to get OEM versions, but know I like retail versions for that reason, usually the software and the support makes up the difference which is usually about $10 or so.

I also believe the right now, since the 8x will be out soon and the technology in this area is changing so fast, that I am going to spend as little as I can on a quality unit.

Also, Please someone esplain to me why the dual format DVD writer is a big deal. The only thing I see is that it allows you the choice of buying the + or - format, whichever media is cheaper at the time. From a functional standpoint, both formats should play with no problem on a stadnalone DVD player or PC. Since I see the price of the single format DVD re-writers dropping, why is the dual format so important, because as far as I know, the have no functional difference ??

[Northstar]

Whatever works for you, reliability and price is obviously important, i dont presume cause a drive is cheap its instantly crap, prices have been plummeting due to the -/+ war (i expect).

As for the dual format being a "big deal" the whole point of it comming out was to get more people into buying a burner so they dont have to worry if the bought the right format or not, as it is i think the war has ended with the dual format, also you have the choice of falling back to the other format if one dosent work for you the other probably will.

You could get a single format drive much cheaper than any dual format if you dont care about which you want, but the prices of dual is so cheap id go dual, most of all reliability and compatability is whats most important and thats where you have to start, the best place for that is other peoples comments on who owns that particular drive your after.

[Dilbert135]

Quick replies. Cool. Now when you all are referring to NEC do you mean the NEC ND-1300A that was mentioned at the top? And as far as firm updates go, where can you find the modified ones?

I wish this place had a general computer section, I'd love to get feedback on other parts chosen. It's nice to have people around who share what they know and aren't pricks. Thanks guys.

[jolo]

Well said Northstar,

I especially like your point about price not necessarily being related to performance or value. I can give loads of examples of that and why should I, the consumer, need to pay for marketing costs !!

Reliability, support, COMPATIBILITY especially, is essential. I would say look at people on htis forum who have had success with a combination of DVD writer/software and media. Making sure that they all work well consistently.

I'll take reliability and consistency over speed and flash anytime !!

Once about about the dual format Northstar. Isn't only about the cost of the media, but not which format is "better or worse" ?. If you can save $50 getting a single format DVD writer, it does mean you are married to that format of blank DVD, but the unit itself will play both formats, as will other DVD players, so would that not be a very good deal ?

In my opinion, in just lookin at the vendors who are manufactoring DVD writers, it does like like the plus format will be more plentiful.

I still find the dual format DVD writers, DVD writers and the media expensive. For me one of the attractions of the newer liteon is that fact that is burns CDs at 40x. At the price of a CD and the fact that Divx is starting to come more and more on stadnalone DVD players, I figure I'll still be using my CD burner for a long time.

[dobie]

I have a Sony DRU 500A and wouldn't trade it for anything. I burn dvds to share with a number of people, and the flexability in formats was a critical feature due to compatibility issues within dvd players. Mostly wanted the RWs so could re-use disks, but have found the -R to be most compatible in other dvd players. I finally had all my friends get a Sony dvd player, and now we're all compatible.

[jolo]

That is great about your experience with reliability of the Sony.

But, I suspect that it might be the same way for the Pioneer, NEC and a number of other DVD writers.

dobie, I think your observation about -R being more compatible with other DVD players probably is true. I have noticed that with DVDs that I have received from others. That must be the reason so many large vendors are supporting +R .

Shouldn't playing of DVDs not have compatability issues ?

Don't some of you find that the media makes a difference with compatibility and reliability ?

Jon

[jolo]

OOoops, just remembered.

The Optowrite DD0203 is actually made by Accesstek http://mail.accesstek.com.tw. And Accesstek makes it, build around a Sanyo engine and their software HD -BURN, which which doubles the capacity of CDs, is developed by Sanyo.


For myself, I am stuck between the NEC and the Optowrite. That HD-Burn software is very attractive as is the NEC 1300a, because of its price and apparent reliability. That NEC is also the TDK and Cenadyne unit as well.

The negatives about the Optowrite seems to be for those who do not have the latest driver (will use 4MB of caching as well as having limited support for +R formats), and that HD-Burn wants good quality Japanese manufactored CDs to work.

The Sony looks excellent, but the others cost less and seem to have the same reliability. My experience with Sony products as well has been that htey have pretty poor tech support. But that is with other products.

[lingy]

check these prices for nec1300 http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/Components/a2b12c0d0e0x1y0z1p0s0n0m0 i have dru 500s they were dw10a but my first rw was nec they are good for the money and seem to have no playback problems hope this helps

[dengar]

I went with the "pioneers" of burners...I got the A06

[TBoneit]

Optorite DD0203 is currently sold for US$159, and read the following link on people's comments and questions on this model:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=40&threadid=1098552&FTVAR_MSGDBTABLE=

I've sold a couple of these and they do need a firmware update. But then they work good.

I just updated one today that we had sold it was burning +RW Ok, but the Fuji 4X -R wouldn't burn. Updating the firmware made it work fine. simple and easy from www.optorite.com for the firmware. Dang-it, that reminds me I need to update the other one in a new nmachine before the buyer picks it up.

BTW I don't fault drives that need firmware upgrades as long as they are available. I've done my DRU-500a several times to add compatability and speed of burning.

However off topic, I do not have any interest in generic parts such as motherboards where Bios upgrades may or may not be available and hard to find.

And that price is a darned good price! and for a dual format drive that burns CDs at 24X too as well as HD Burn for CDs ( I saw an upgrade for that feature too).

Anyway hope this feedback helps.
Cheers

P.S Not to start a war over format....

I went with the dual format Sony so that I
a. could be sure of compatability with different DVD Players. Mine play both.
b. Be able to buy brand name media on sale. So far it seems the best prices on brand name 4X are +R at the stores near me. I'm using TDK 4X +R that cost $1.37 with tax right now.

To me being able to use whatever is on sale was a important reason to buy dual format.

Edited because originally I said TDK 4X-R instead of Fuji 4X-R. I mention this if anyone read it with thg error.