The big question lately is Sony or Pioneer..

[Hertog_Martin]

So now everyone can say what they think is the best

edit: added 'neither' as an option

oh and ofcourse we like to hear why

[medievil]

Pioneer all the way, 3rd generation drive .
besides I don't see +R/RW lasting..too expensive and not as much support as -R/RW . I've never trusted hacked formats.

[tim_theToolman_taylor]

wow, 3 votes, not exactly scientific. i have the sony, love it. it can record in all formats(except dvd_ram, but who cares), makes it easier for dvd player compatibility, as well as media choices

[BJ_M]

just ordered another pioneer 105 last night from esbuy ...

[Azza]

I think it depends on your application, but I would have to agree that the Pioneer is a proven product, it won't give you any problems.

With regard to which standard

DVD-R is accepted by the DVD consortium, most current player and almost all new players will play this format without problems. I can't see DVD-R being dropped and new players only accepting DVD+R.

DVD-RW is handy to test your burns on the DVD player

DVD+R I cannot see an advantage for this format now that DVD-R can be burnt at 4X (DVD+R is currently 2.4X).

DVD+RW is a very good format for multisession burning, ie backups. DVD-RW takes a little while to finalise each session. Also the new Microsoft Operating Systems support DVD+RW as a drive letter.

I have the Pioneer A05 and it is fantastic. This would be the best drive if your main interest is making DVDs to play on a DVD player.

[arealgijoe]

I plan to get up early and get a pioneer, oops I mean a Cindyne OEM pioneer at the early sales come morning.

Whay not a Sony, There are quite a few reported problems with the Sony for one. Anotherting is none of my Sony DVD palyers will play a +r/+rw disk! all my Sony players, and my Pioneer and panasonics will play dvd-r . I also have a DVD recorder, a panasonic E-30 dvd-r format and I went for it due to the same reasons. I do realize the Sony is both +/- formats but I don't want to deal with the Sony issues.

:P JD

[colday]

I've had the Sony for a few weeks now. I've had not one problem, no coasters, and lots of burning (or reburning).

Having said that I would have to bow to the Pioneer being a better drive. Only from the reports, and their track record, as I've never owned one. And it does look like the -R is a more widely accepted format for DVD video.

And if I was to buy another one today... I would still buy the Sony.

I'm NOT a Sony fan, this is the first (I think) Sony computer component I've had in any of the systems I've built over the years.

I would choose the Sony simply because "I've" had no problems and I like to have the choice of formats. I will use the +RW for backups of data, and the -R/RW for DVD video. My set top takes either, but I will probably stay with the -R/RW anyway.

[jeepers94]

I can't find all these reports on the SONY problems! I had the A03 .It was a piece of junk,3 bad drives in 6 months.I traded it for the A04,it was a hit and miss burner,at best! I now have the Sony dru500a,and it beats the Pioneers by far! As for the compatability,my Pioneer dvd deck plays the + format without any problems.My Sony 5 disc changer also plays the + media.Unless Pioneer GREATLY improves their quality,I will not buy any more products from them.They,as well as Panasonic,used to be the only electronics I bought.Panasonic has been crap for a few years,and Pioneer is going that way fast!

[MrE 15]

i have both drives, and although the sony had initial problems with software support, both drives do exactly as they say on the box.

No problems with either drive here.

Just dont use purple top bulkpaq disks for video on either drives. The film will only play half way through then glitch badly.

[TeeeRex]

I think it's a 50:50 choice at the moment - for me I got the A05 - why ?

1 - It's cheaper than the Sony.
2 - The -R/RW media is cheaper and more available than any + media.

I'm happy because :

1 - All my burns have worked in all my and my friends DVD players. For me compatibility seems high (even on semi-branded DVDR's)

Therfore - why spend more on a more expensive writer and/or more expensive + media when it all works anyway ?

[SonKun]

I got the sony because I realy like sony. Im not realy interested in +r/+rw but its realy great to know that if I get somthing that wont exept -R/-Rw that I can always have a backup.

[koreylaw]

So far I choose the Sony drive as I don't trust Pioneer anymore.
(that's my vote, you can read the story below if you want)

After flashing my A04 to firmware 1.33 and finding out they wiped out compatibility with the cheaper media due to BS reasons of greed, I don't think I will ever buy another Pioneer burner again and for sure won't flash my existing drive again until other folks do it first and have good comments about it. If you were sucker enough (like me) to screw up your burner with 1.33 there is a flash tool now that lets you put it back the way it was or use whatever firmware rev you want at this site.
http://firmwares.co.uk/
From what I have read Pioneer had tried to get the cheap media manufacturers to pay royalties to use their -r/-rw format and when the cheaper companies refused Pioneer released and pushed hard rev. 1.33 that eliminated them from the firmware database and the ability to be used in the Pioneer burners, all of my rewritable disks would not even be recognized by my burner anymore and my cheap -r media also would not work. It still would work with the $5.00 a disk media manufactured by, hmmmmm PIONEER though but not my .75 cent disks.
Sorry to turn this into a gripe session but My pioneer was pretty much dead to me after I flashed it to 1.33 until the blessed hacker that made the flash tool let me have my burner back. I don't trust Pioneer anymore after this. I also bought a Sony and it was crap at first and I came close to returning it until they released their firmware flash that allowed me to use the cheaper media. Unless they pull something bad in one of their next firmware revs, I like the Sony better and have not had any compatibility problems with it. I'm actually surprised Sony has not pulled any weird copy protection crap yet with their dvd burners as they are so heavily involved in the movie and media industry products that people are planning on trying to copy. All I can say is beware of new firmware flashes until you hear good news about them. So far Sony has been nice.

[ehlarson]

Sony for me. It has a nice 8MB write buffer, while the Pioneer only has a 2MB write buffer. I also like the fact that DVD+R supports burn-proof operation in sequential mode, while DVD-R does not.

[ItsMe]

Although I currently own a DVD+R(W) drive my next drive will be one that supports both DVD+R(W) and DVD-R(W).

In my opinion its not important if DVD+R(W) is not supported by the DVD forum as it has proven itself to be at least a compatible as DVD-R(W). The only way this could change would be if manufacturers write firmware in ther set top boxes that check for DVD+R(W) media and refuse to play it. I don't see manufacturers shooting themselves in the foot though. What is important at the end of the day is if the disk plays in the machines you want it to play in.

Also media prices for DVD+R(W) drives has dropped nearer to the same level as DVD-R(W) media. Its only a matter of time...

If I were buying now I would go for the best of both worlds and get the Sony for sure.

[Hertog_Martin]

whats sequential mode? and when is it used?

[Greg12]

I have a DRU500A and I can say nothing but good things about it.

It has no copy protection measures in it. I've burned movies from Sony Tristar pictures.


Sony has actually stated it's not putting copy protection measures, especially in it's VAIO media centers, while Microsoft is loading them with copy meausres.

[Hertog_Martin]

i made my decision.. sony it is

[musher70]

the choice is clear, SONY is the winner....hahahah

all sony ever knows how to make is junk....
ive also have been of victim of the big boys..
all the subliminal advertising, stuff is very cool
once you buy it,take it home lasts a little while,
then and only then, you find out how ripped off
you have gotten...like the super sony BETAMAX
then they had some great vhs decks, not so great
anymore,cant forget those trinitron tv's, i get some
damn r'n'b station in my tuner there,shouldve got
the longer warranty,whats this their 3rd stage burner?
why did they go to -r anyway?makes one wonder...
now here's a real isssue,why can't one buy a -r burner
at bestbuy or circuitcity anymore?big boys use their
almighty power to squeeze out the little guy..

OOPS i forgot to mention,cendyne drive is just a
pioneer,only 150 bucks,why give sony all ur hard
earned money anyway???

[mysterio1]

It all comes down to economics I paid OVER $110 less then for my AO5 then what the Sony would have cost me, and havent had any problems at all, having a 32X16X8X cd burner with it doesnt hurt either.

[gimp]

For me its the Pioneer A05 for simple reason pioneer started it all their dvd players are the best so far with svcd,,vcd,,dvd-r.

BESIDES I DON"T BUY NOTHING WITH SONY ON IT!!!!!!!!!

I boycott them!!!

[Nas]

Pioneer of course.
Simple, big name asks for more money and gives you less support.
From previous experience.

[sangMan]

I'm happy my Sony..
I never buy anything from Sony (TV, DVD..., etc)
but this burner rocks!
I like to have both format, +RW disc, I find it's much better and faster then -RW for storing data..

And I never have any problem with it yet!

[donpedro]

I have Sony. It works. No problems.

What I like is that I have options. -R for movies (cheap media and compatability). +RW for backup of my data and test video (faster). +R.. good to have it just in case that I would like to burn DVD (home video) for somebody that can't play -R. And who knows.... maybe one day +R media will be cheaper

[Craig Tucker]

Pioneer of course.
Simple, big name asks for more money and gives you less support.
From previous experience.

And Pioneer isn't a big name ?

[petec]

Well I was going back and forth on which one to buy. I decided last
week after reading a number of threads here and reading this thread
regarding Sony PS2 read problems to purchase a Pioneer.

http://pub94.ezboard.com/fgameconsolerepairforumfrm3.showMessage?topicID=97.topic

I have owned products made by both companies and generally have
not had any major problems.

But having to have to purchase certain brands of media in order to burn
a DVD is not really what I had in mind when purchasing the Sony. Did notice that the LG series DVD burner which also will write to the four DVD formats is due out any day now and will be priced competatively.

[Peka]

Hmmm, not many votes happening yet....

I vote for the Sony coz I have one and haven't had any issues. I make DVD's (sporting events) for sale, and since I'd rather not pay someone with a DVD(Authoring) drive sh!tloads of $$$ to make copies for me, this drive lets me gives me peace of mind - if I sell a DVD to someone and it doesn't work in their player, the other format probly will.

Love my Sony!!

[Kennyshin]

Pioneer DVR-A05 for me. There's just NO Sony drive in South Korea.

[Bondiablo]

Sony, Pioneer, Philips, Panasonic, DVD-R/W, DVD+R/W, DVD-RAM... screw em all. I'm waiting until there's one clear winner in the set top DVD recorders. Until then I'll stick with my VCR, DVD player and making VCDs on my computer.

[arealgijoe]

:P 8)
I have a panasonic E-30 DVD recorder; GREAT!

I have a Terapin VCD recorder; UGLY but very good.

I have a Pacific digital DVD-R/ram burnner, great for making DVD copies of DVDs recorded on Panasonic E-30.

I took the plunge, not disappointed either.
Its kinda like having children, if you wait till the time is right, it will never happen.

J E

[Bondiablo]

Its kinda like having children, if you wait till the time is right, it will never happen.

yeah, tell that to the people who adopted a betamax.