Suggestions for a new, low priced DVD-ROM drive...

[i am x]

I've had the same DVD-ROM drive for about 5 years, and it has served me VERY well. The model number is JLMS-XJ-HD166S. It's a "no name"brand", but has done well for many years. As a matter of fact, it stills works perfectly. I'm at the point where I want to upgrade to a new [low] priced DVD-ROM drive and put the one I have now in an older computer. I'm not interested in a Blu-Ray drive YET, so I want to spend no more than 30 or 40 bux on a DVD-ROM drive that does what I need. I know that they have come down extremely low in price nowdays. I'm looking for one that has the following specifications at the price I stated:

1. Many firmware updates written and provided online

2. Does well with recognzing and ripping "retail" DVDs for backup purposes

3. Recognizes a WIDE variety of blanks (Taiyo Yuden, Optodisc, Ritek/Ridata, Verbatim, etc.....all the well known brands)

4. 40 bux or under

[usually_quiet]

If we are talking US$, then you could get a good internal DVD burner not just a DVD-ROM from an online retailer for less than that price. External drives and those bought at a brick-and-mortar-store may cost more.

The models available can change rapidly, so it's possible that very few here will have what is currently for sale and be able to offer you a specific recommendation. From what I have read in the forums though, Lite-On, LG, and Pioneer brands seem to be the ones people here favor.

I would suggest that you go to NewEgg.com or other online retailer and look at their offerings, read the customer reviews and then come back to this site and check the DVD Writers List to see if additional information can be found on the models that interest you.

Happy shopping.

[MOVIEGEEK]

JLMS=Lite-On
It's hard to find DVD-ROM's nowadays because people stoped buying them when cheap DVD writers came out,there are many DVD writers for $40USD.

[SmokieStover]

Ditto the previous remarks about DVD ROM drives.

I have two Lite-On DVD burners:

LH-16W1P, good reader and excellent burner, 4 firmware updates since I bought it at WalMart in 2006, probably don't sell it anymore; and

LH-20A1P, good reader, excellent burner, quieter than the 16W1P, one firmware update since I bought it for $35 at Circuit City, January, 2008.

[jagabo]

~US$15-20:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010100055+1036507747&name=DVD-ROM+Drive

[budz]

For $30.00 - $40.00 you're better off buying a dvd burner these days. A good reader w/out riplock and fast reading would be a PATA PIONEER 115 dvd burner. The PATA SAMSUNG & LITEON dvd burners are good as well but I think for both of those brands you can use MEDIA CODE SPEED EDIT to have even faster read speeds. The PIONEER 115 can also use MEDIA CODE SPEED EDIT for that purpose too.

The LITEON drives can be a bit loud like a airplane taking off. I have one of LITEON's 18x dvd burners which I use for basically ripping discs. But then again I have over 20 something different brands/models of dvd burners that I use.

PIONEER 115 at Newegg, $29.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129018

Check out the PIONEER 115 review at CdFreaks.com.