GSA-4040B Super Multi DVD Writer

[Kingnog]

I just saw the LG "GSA-4040B Super Multi DVD Writer" show up in the 'DVD Writers' pricewatch section (top-right), its $130. Sounds like a good deal, and it does every format...anybody have this, or know if its a good drive or not?
Suggestions appreciated

[rits399]

I have had this drive for about 2 months now. Got it for $180 so $130 is an excellent deal. This drive is pretty solid. The only problem I had was to update the firmware correctly and it was my mistake as I didn't follow the directions properly. I use Nero 6 to burn and Shrink to author. Great drive at that price. I have only tried TDK DVD+R media so far so I don't have experience with any other media. DVDs play in all stand alone players.
Get it!!

[balabas]

Great drive.
Bought mine as OEM (in case you don't need that BHA software crap) at: http://www.mwave.com/mwave/ProdREWRITABLES-LG.hmx for $115.
And drivers for DVD-RAM is on my website: http://www.jhcare.com/drivers

[netsurf]

i just got it about 2 weeks ago. seems a good one, but i am still having problem. not sure if it is my panasonic dvd player or the media or the writer, but both memorex +r and maxell +r can't be read by the panasonic after burnt. they can be read on the comp however. been pulling out hair trying to see what's up with it.

other than that, the drive itself does a good job. i tried nero 6, vso copytodvd, clonedvd/anydvd. all worked good.

[p0rnLiME]

Great Writer!

[urbanlegend]

i just got it about 2 weeks ago. seems a good one, but i am still having problem. not sure if it is my panasonic dvd player or the media or the writer, but both memorex +r and maxell +r can't be read by the panasonic after burnt. they can be read on the comp however. been pulling out hair trying to see what's up with it.

Really? I have this LG 4040B drive and everything I burn on DVD+R is from Maxell or DVD+RW from Verbatim and they all play on my Panasonic RP82 perfectly and same with Panasonic DMR-E50 and Panasonic RV31.

[bluntman72]

Tom's Hardware just did a review of several DVD writers, the 4040 being one of them; it faired very well against the more well-known competition.

[Kingnog]

Thanks, guys! People + reviews seem to be praising this drive, and its only $130 (non-OEM, ive had a bad experience with those...lol)...but one more question. Has anyone tried burning DVD-RAM and DVD-r's with this drive? It seems most people just use the +r, but i need to know how well the -RAM works

[Sam Ontario]

Thanks, guys! People + reviews seem to be praising this drive, and its only $130 (non-OEM, ive had a bad experience with those...lol)...but one more question. Has anyone tried burning DVD-RAM and DVD-r's with this drive? It seems most people just use the +r, but i need to know how well the -RAM works

Forget about the -RAM, if you do not have the Panasonic Exx DVD Recorder. You might just use the -RAM for storing files, not movies. I might be wrong but not a lot of DVD drives can play -RAM disks.

[i am x]

I just saw the LG "GSA-4040B Super Multi DVD Writer" show up in the 'DVD Writers' pricewatch section (top-right), its $130. Sounds like a good deal, and it does every format...anybody have this, or know if its a good drive or not?
Suggestions appreciated

Excellent drive. Buy it. Adn that price is REAL good, even though some lucky dude on the board actually got it for $115.00. I paid $230.00 for it when it first came out. But it's ok, it's made me my money back, plus EXTRA.

[bluntman72]

Has anyone tried burning DVD-RAM and DVD-r's with this drive?

I'm going to use the DVD-RAM disc that came with the 4040 for my Panasonic E80 DVD recorder, not this drive.

I've several -R discs with my 4040, mainly Princos (4x) and one Ritek (also 4x). They playback fine on my "newer" Panasonic RP-91 standalone DVD player, but stutter and break-up on my older Panasonic A120 standalone DVD player - this is the reason why I'm sticking to using +Rs, they work fine on BOTH players.

[Kingnog]

Woohoo! Good news one after another....lol. I was expecting people to say "no! dont buy it! ITs horrible! Read this forum! and that forum! and this and that is bad! ahhh!" which happened to the liteon i was planning ono buying

[bluntman72]

And you wonder why Sony is laying off 20,000 workers. It's because so called "2nd Tier" manufacturers like Samsung and LG (to name a few) are making high quality products and undercutting the "Big Boys" and giving consumers what they want.

[nextlife1]

Is the LG GSA-404B as good as any of the other all-format drives? For example, the Iomega Super DVD? Should I just go by prive? I want one that is maximally compatible with the DVD-R and DVD-RAM from a Panasonic DMR-E100HS.

nextlife1

[smellycanine]

The Iomega drive is the same as the LG. from what others have said, and you pay more to get the Iomega software, and support. LG support is sketchy. The DVD-RAM drivers are not posted on their website, for example.

[fabiohcruz]

Very Good driver!

[schenckgw]

I just bought a GSA-4040B from AccuraVision for $137.90 (shipped) and I have problems. I bought PioData (Pioneer) 4x DVD-R from the same company and I can only get 2X out of them. I thought maybe installing the new firmware (A301) would fix this, but it didn't.
As far as I know, there is no "media compatibility chart" for the LG drives and the support at LG looks to be non-existent.
I bought this drive primarily on the advice from Tom's Hardware Guide. But I started surfing the web for my speed problem and found some bad stuff. This drive got a pretty bad review at www.CDFreaks.com. Check out: http://www.cdfreaks.com/article/126.
The thing that really pisses me off is that the drive doesn't recognize Memorex 1x-4x CD-RW (white) as re-writable! It thinks it's a CD-ROM! My old Lite-On 12101B had no problem with these disks at all. Now I have a bunch of CD-RW's that are no good to me. I bought some HP high-speed CD-RW's and they write at 12x (max) and not the LG advertized 16x. To get 16x, you have to have "Ultra-speed CD-RW".
The DVD+RW's work fine at 2.4x, using Optodisc 2.4x DVD+RW's.

I don't recommend buying this drive. I think I'll return it, eat the 15% re-stocking fee and postage. Then I'll spend the extra $70.00 and buy a Plextor PX-708A !

[Kingnog]

he thing that really pisses me off is that the drive doesn't recognize Memorex 1x-4x CD-RW (white) as re-writable! It thinks it's a CD-ROM!

Guess what: MEMOREX = AHHH! DIE!!!

I got the drive, its awesome...

[smellycanine]

Looks like the IOmega super drive has volume control, and a headphone jack on the front that you do not get with the LG, maybe it is different than the LG their hotburn software does not list the GSA 4040B as a compatible drive..

[Colindale]

!!!! I don't recommend buying this drive. I think I'll return it, eat the 15% re-stocking fee and postage. Then I'll spend the extra $70.00 and buy a Plextor PX-708A !!!!

I am sorry you appear to have problems with the LG 4040b, it's strange that
many others find this LG DVD drive excellent.
I suggest you continue to use your LiteON for CD'R burning, I bought my LG
to burn DVD's, the fact it is supposed to write CD's is a bonus as far as I am concerned.
Having backed up over 30 DVD's @ 4x on cheap Princo's, all of which play DVD-R and DVD+RW perfectly on my $99 DVD player I bought from a Supermarket here in Australia.
All I can suggest to owners of DVD players with older DVD standalone's, is
it's more likely your DVD-R's and DVD+RW will work better on recently manufactured "Players", as technology is moving at a rate of Knot's.

Great DVD Burner, LG 4040B 10/10

Your Plextor will cost you far more, and so will your DVD+R media, which is the only type you can write to at 8x.

[Kingnog]

This IS a great drive, my only problem with it is that it reports higher writing speeds in nero...like, my 10x cdrw's can be burned at 12x, but they dont work right. But thats prolly a problem with nero [/code]

[Kingnog]

!!! I don't recommend buying this drive. I think I'll return it, eat the 15% re-stocking fee and postage. Then I'll spend the extra $70.00 and buy a Plextor PX-708A !!!!

Waste of money, I say...and waste of a perfectly good drive, too!

[hech54]

I just bought my LG GSA-4040B a few days ago....LOVE this thing. Now I have to use up all of my 1-2.5x media and buy some 4x to get it a little faster.
The software package sucks though...still haven't got the DVD "Ram Driver" software to work. I use DVDDecrypter, Tempgenc DVD Author and DVD Shrink anyway...who needs that fancy stuff.