Looking For Advice. I'm hoping to get some advice about a DVD burner

[wtsinnc]

Hello. I'm hoping to get some advice about a pending DVD burner purchase. I currently have two burners, an LG GSA-4166B and an LG GSA-H42N. The 4166B, which has been mostly used over the past 2+ years for rippping to the hard drive and playing finished discs , is dieing a slow death and I am looking to replace it within a month. What I want is a burner that is the very best reader I can get for under $40.00 delivered, and I place accuracy over speed. The burner must be IDE and be capable of handling RAM discs. My primary media is Verbatim -R and an occasional Verbatim +R DL. Finally, I plan to keep the GSA-H42N as my primary burner. Although I have used LG, I am open to any brand/model as long as it meets the above requirements. Many thanks in advance for your advice.

[budz]

SAMSUNG S202G

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151151

PIONEER 112D or newest model 115D, not sure if the 115D has DVD-RAM capability. i know the 112D has DVD-RAM but I think you'll have to crossflash it with hacked firmware to enable that feature. i'm not sure about the 115D but check out the PIONEER FORUM at Cdfreaks.com for more information on PIONEER's latest model.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129007

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129017

[bevills1]

I agree with budz Pioneer recommendation. I have a Pioneer 107D and 111D cross flashed to 111L to gain auto bit setting for SL +R media, and neither has ever failed to read any discs tried. I chose the 111D because it was the only burner rated above average reading in CDFreaks reviews and was best over all burn quality in reviews IMO.

[wtsinnc]

Many thanks for the posts and information guys; it is appreciated. I placed an order today for the Samsung burner, choosing it over the Pioneer models mainly due to the fact that it is factory set for RAM discs.

[classfour]

With drives falling to just above $30, always a hard choice. Within the past 2 years, I haven't regretted a single purchase - from Plextor to Sony, including a couple of Samsung drives. In over 4 years of DVD burning, not a single drive failure.

[lordsmurf]

I've been forced to select new drives from a list that did not include Pioneer recently. Both burners are Sony-badged Samsungs. I've had another Samsung-branded Samsung for about a year.

They cooperate pretty well. Almost as good as the Pioneer.

The drives I replaced were all LG OEM drives. Those non-retail LG drives really suck. I'm so pissed at this last one that I might take it outside and beat it with a sledge hammer, just for fun. The LG retail drives are fine. I didn't pick up on this finer point until it was too late, was caught off-guard for once.

I'd have picked at least one LiteOn, but the price was too much over the Sony, and I couldn't justify the costs.