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Thread ID: 64022 2005-11-30 09:04:00 Which DVD RW to buy? What media is best? Billy T (70) Press F1
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408977 2005-11-30 09:04:00 Having decided to buy a DVD RW, and I may not be alone in this, I now need some serious advice from those with experience as to which brands are OK, which to avoid, which have the best ability to read a range of DVDs from different sources etc.

Advice on dual-layer would also be good. When I'm in doubt I usually opt for a big name like Sony, but who knows if they even make their own DVD RW, or if their models are rebranded by others and sold cheaper??

As for which format to choose, that is a closed book to me and I am sure to many other late adopters.

Cheers

Billy 8-{) :confused:
Billy T (70)
408978 2005-11-30 09:12:00 Hi

Well I bought the Asus DRW1608P as recommended by PC World a few months ago and it is working fine. As an aside it is actually a Pioneers drive and can be flashed with firmware for Pioneer drive giving it a bit more functionality (such as automatic bitsetting for DVD+R).

It is a dual layer burner and on Pricespy at the moment it can be picked up for around $78.

Hope this helps.
Tukapa (62)
408979 2005-11-30 09:12:00 Drives
Gigabyte and LG make good DVD Writers -- avoid Lite On -- for some strange reason their optical drives have really gone off the boil, unusual considering they used to be widely considered to have made the best CD-Writers when that was a new/emerging technology. Samsung drives are pretty reasonable as well from the customer feedback I've had.

Media
Use Imation or Verbatim -- I have gone through hundreds of these without any problems -- cheapo brands like Princo & Ritek (in my experience) aren't worth using even with the few cents per disc saving you make -- the cheaper brands are more prone to errors, data degradation over time and are also more susceptible to disc rot as has been noted in several articles I've read recently on the issue of DVD media longevity.
Chemical Ali (118)
408980 2005-11-30 09:16:00 I'm using the ASUS 1604P and 1608P. Both are dual layers.

Just a bit different in speeds. BUT, never had a prob with either. I think the 1604P does -, the 1608P does + and - dual layer. (according to Nero Infotool). And yup, as Tukapa said, the 1608P is a rebadged Pioneer 109.

And use Nero most of the time.

I havent actually tried blank dl dvd's yet. Only 4.7 GB ones. I've only used the Laser DVD blanks, cheap but work ok here, no prob at all.
Speedy Gonzales (78)
408981 2005-11-30 09:17:00 Advice on dual-layer would also be good. When I'm in doubt I usually opt for a big name like Sony, but who knows if they even make their own DVD RW, or if their models are rebranded by others and sold cheaper??
Cheers

Billy 8-{) :confused:

Wrong way around, Sony use other companies products,rebrand it and sell it for more,much more in some cases.

I would recomend Lite-on or Asus, I have never had to return one for being faulty and I lost count long ago of how many I have sold.

Have a couple dead Samsungs, but again I sold a fair amount.

As for format, they are all multi-format nowadys, the only exception is that some also do DVD-RAM, which is worth going for if you habe or intend to get a TV-DVD-Recorder that uses that format.
Metla (12)
408982 2005-11-30 09:23:00 As for media - I agree. I have had good success with Imation and not so good results with Princo. Sometimes you do get what you pay for!! Tukapa (62)
408983 2005-11-30 09:48:00 I have had a good run with pioneer, sold plenty, no issues at all.

Have only sold one LG, it stopped working after 10 months of light duty, replaced under warenty.
Rob99 (151)
408984 2005-11-30 09:49:00 never written a coaster yet with the cheapies from 'the big red shed'
installed heaps of LG's, about a dozen Samsungs, 3 Lite-on's and one MSI
only returns i've had are the MSI & one Lite-on
bartsdadhomer (80)
408985 2005-11-30 11:31:00 Having decided to buy a DVD RWWelcome to the 21st century grandpa.

I've had great experience with the LG brand.
Greg (193)
408986 2005-11-30 18:39:00 Hi Guys, Can I sugest a DVD Writer ? The LiteOn Writers also known as SONY LITEON are an amasing range, You and flash them to over burn and to get rid of the Regeon Settings , Open Region means any DVD Redion disk, and no locking of the writer after 5 changes, Change zones as often as you want.....

Otherwise , the normal sony's and pioneers are great for the same reasons

Mike SA Over and Out
Mike_SA (8956)
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