Inexpensive DVD Burners

[awdark]

Recently I have been seeing lots of inexpensive dual format dvd burners, mostly generic, such as bti or highquality or some really generic sounding name. I have also been seeing a dual format polaroid dvd burner for 130 or so.

Are these dvd burners safe to buy? What is wrong with them, will they just be unreliable or are they just cheap because they are generic

[Synergy]

...Are these dvd burners safe to buy? What is wrong with them, will they just be unreliable or are they just cheap because they are generic

As far as I know, currently there are only the following manufacturers actually design and manufacture dual format DVD burners:

Sony, NEC, Optorite/Sanyo, Pioneer, LG/Hitachi (HLDS), Plextor, Lite-On, and BTC

While there may be other manufacturers not mentioned here, most other brands of dual format DVD burners are based on the OEM models of the above list. Most name brands use the more reputable manufacturers such as NEC, Pioneer as their OEM drives, while no name brands tend to use BTC as their OEM drives. If there is anything negative regarding those no name brands, it'll probably be the lack of tech support and firmware upgrade, not necessarily the burner itself.

Since the price of all brands of dual format burners has dropped significantly, it's much better to get a Pioneer or NEC bare drive for less than $140 from on-line vendors than to buy a no name brand without knowing what drive inside. Just my two cents.

[thxkid]

why should I buy online with that hassle when I can buy at Frys for $129, have 30 days to try it out, a simple return and no hassle if I don't like or better yet get it at sams club with their 6 month return policy, no hassle and no shipping cost!!

[tumbar]

thxkid wrote

why should I buy online with that hassle

Because I don't live in a Metro area with Fry's or Sam's club within 150 miles.

[Vanderlow]

why should I buy online with that hassle

Because after you're 30 day or even 6 month period you're still stuck with a no name. If you do you're research, you'll eliminate you're "tryout period", you'll will have had others done that for you - like in the Pioneer 106, NEC 1300, maybe the new Nutech 81 .... I prefer those to a no name.

You can take a burner back after 5 months to Sams?

[lordsmurf]

why should I buy online with that hassle when I can buy at Frys for $129, have 30 days to try it out, a simple return and no hassle if I don't like or better yet get it at sams club with their 6 month return policy, no hassle and no shipping cost!!

Because we can buy brand name for the same price or less. If the store means that much to you, then be my guest. Shop there. Get lesser quality, pay more, etc.

[handyguy]

Top right corner of the main page always has daily prices on these things. Just click on them you're set.

[Gazorgan]

NEC 1300a for $119.47 delivered. Worked like a champ. Only coasters come from newest DVDDecryptor, which doesn't do buffer underrun correctly ( I can encode and read email while burning at 4.2x with Nero 6.0.19, but if I bring something off the taskbar, DVDDecryptor gives me hard errors and stops).

The best part about dual format, is you can buy what's on sale. Lately it's been Ritek G04 4x -R media for $1.20 each

And, once you burn at 4x, you can't go back to 2x or <groan> 1x

[awdark]

Ok.. So it sounds like these burners are okay overall, but buying online would give you a name brand one at the same price.

I think I will wait for the price of the name brand ones to drop in stores. Consider me paranoid about the internet still