WHERE IS THE SONY DRIVE?!

[NightWing]

Just for giggle. Has anyone order from Buy.com and receive their order?

[Mr Zippy]

rhegedus dabs.com did not loan my cash, it is illegal in the UK for a company to take your money before they have the goods to post to you, and Nov 15 to Jan 15 is two months.

Neil

[NightWing]

This may be a Circut City ploy but in the Sunday ad list the DRU500A but in small print no ranchecks and the word "closeout".

Been wondering about the shortage and the info on the DRU500AX being released. I know its the same drive just updated firmware but wonder what all of these places lisiting the drive as backorder will do now.

[NightWing]

Just saw that Computer4sure site had over 300 in stock tonight! Hope this means that the flood gates have been blown of there hinges!

[caulnguyen]

I saw one DRU500UL in circuit this afternoon. I am waiting for Dell to ship me my DRX500UL. I got a good deal from them $375 no tax, free shipping (regular price $429) but I have to wait since Dec4. Hopefully, it is coming soon.

CN

[NightWing]

This may explain things.

Buy.com has drop the page covering the internal DRU500A and only have the External box one.

Computers4sure have gone down to zero again on stock but are now showing the DRU500AX also out of stock.

This and the "closeout" from CircuitCity and the release of the DRU500AX next month I asume the A model is about to go the way of the Dodo.

[jeepers94]

The C.City add is misleading.The so-called clearance price is the msrp for the drive.The "new" model is the results of Sony pulling these back,and repackaging them as 4X drives and tweaking the read speed.The tweak is to be released in a new firmware to current owners.The 4X was added with the "f"firmware. So,to put it plainly,it is not really a "NEW" drive.It is just a marketing ploy!

[NightWing]

I agree. Its the same drive just new firmware. Like the 48x24x48x is the same as the new 52x24x52x just upgraded firmware.

[Jinwoo]

I've got mine from BestBuy for $349 US in last November. I think I took last one. I have not seen one since. At that time the store manager told me that he got a lot of returnes because of some software incompatibilty.

Nero 5.5.10 has problem but if you use Nero 5.5.9.17, you should be fine (that is what I am using)

The Drive works fine with many softwares I use. I have burned close to 100 cheap media.

I use Princo DVD-R DVDpro ($.60 per blank, Burns at 1X)
and DVDon DVD+RW ($2.00 per blank, burns at 2.4X)

Never had a coaster.

Since I have 1.0f firmware I cannot wait till try 4X media.

I recomend this drive to anyone.

[nick66]

Yeehaa! dell.com just shipped mine yesterday for 281.66. I ordered the thing on oct. 3, 02. So now i will take mine back to bestbuy that i bought last week for 340.98.

TOUCHDOWN RAIDERS!!!!!

[heretic422]

Fry's Electronics in Las Vegas, (I know...it's far for some folks...) literally has about 50 on the shelf as of this morning, 1/23/03. They're $350. You might be able to try Ouptost.com as they are affiliated with Fry's, maybe owned by... Not the price others have gotten from Dell, etc., but if you don't want to wait...

I love my Sony and so far has burned everything successfully from Accu to Memorex to Verbatim to Maxell in all formats, +&-. For cost, you can't beat the Accu -R for about 88 cents in a 25-pack from Meritline.com

Good luck!

[FanisD]

It almost seems like Sony wants everyone to forget this drive. Circuit City has it listed as "closeout" and the fabled $50 rebate is disappearing from the web. Seriously, some of the sites that had the rebate up just a few days ago no longer have it ( I downloaded a PDF of it, email me if you want it.) and it is still unconfirmed if it actually is real (looks real to me.) Now everyone is talking about the DRU500AX which to me sounds like the same drive w/ upgraded firmware and new packaging. Anyone know when this product is to be released? Why would Sony do this considering the fact that you can d/l the firmware upgrade? Is there something Sony is trying to hide about this DRU500A drive?

Oh, as far as finding it Heretic422 suggested Outpost.com(Fry's) at http://shop3.outpost.com/product/3543264

BestBuy.com seems to have it in stock. I attempted to order for in-store pickup in Delaware(no sales tax, heehee) as the site indicated availability at that particular store but then they emailed me and said it wasn't in stock! %#&@~'s said they had it! Now they say they MAY be able to ship it. D'oh!

Beforehand I had checked Best Buy Store, Circuit City, Office Depot, Staples, and CompUSA...all out. My advise is call around first, then try the websites.

[HyperYagami]

Why would Sony do this considering the fact that you can d/l the firmware upgrade?

No one seems to realize that 500A is marketed as a 2.4x DVD+R drive.

So Sony has 2 options
1) Keep the 500A on shelves and keep telling people on the web or whatever and say "download this firmware and upgrade to 4x", or
2) Make a new 500AX model# and market it as 4x DVD+R.

What do you think? A pretty much no-brainer from marketing's and support's point of view.
1) Sounds better.
2) Firmware upgrade by user = support nightmare.
3) Having 1 model# with multiple specs drives both consumers and support nuts.

[FanisD]

1) Keep the 500A on shelves and keep telling people on the web or whatever and say "download this firmware and upgrade to 4x", or

Well they are definitely not staying on the shelves. Good point, though. From a marketing standpoint the 4X sounds better but they are selling the 500A's no problem. When you consider the expense of repackaging and updating just the firmware (as far as I understand) why not go for broke and develop a new (better) drive? I mean how much do you think a DVDR/RW drive will cost in 6-12 months from now? How much faster will they be? I paid $200+ for a CD-RW drive in mid '99 that was 8X 4X 32X which was near top of the line. Now you can get one for $20 that's at least 32X write.