Hi Guys. What Burners Do You Recommend?

[ed klein]

I don't thing you can beat the reliability of Plextor, mabe not the cheapest but sure hold up very well over time.

This desk top computer has three Plextors on it, 708A, 716SA, 760A, the
708A has to have over 100,000 miles on it by now.

I am bias towards internal optical drives, SATA connections, DVD+R media built as DVD-ROM and like myself, they have all passed the age of time.

[dr_ml422]

hi guys. found out my burner and reader in my dell dimension e310 are made by HITACHI. tell you the truth they're really not bad at all, and i've been using them for about a year now. when the original media is bad then the copy usually follows, except of course for some of the error control features in some of our most common programs. if BENQ and LITE-ON and PLEXTOR are anything better than what i have then that'll really be outstanding. HITACHI also is it's own company. did some work just to make sure they weren't under any of the company's who make the above mentioned. just figured i throw this in here for any additional input you guys might have, and also to confirm my experience w/HITACHI.

[dr_ml422]

nero cd-dvd speed 4.7.7.0

what's the news on the latest version of nero cd-dvd speed 4.7.7.0? is it holding up to the previous one? just saw it on google when i went to get 4.7.5.0.

[gonwk]

Hi dr_ml,

I am still using 4.7.5.0 ... the latest version is 4.7.7.3 and here is the Changelog ...

• Disc Quality Test: added support for blu-ray testing with Mediatek based drives
• Added preliminary support for HD DVD-RW SL/DL
• Small improvements and bug fixes

So, for me the 3rd bullet might make it worth it to upgarde to it.

Thanks for the Heads Up on Version Change!

G!

[gonwk]

Hi dr_ml,

Can you post your Hitachi burner MODEL number and FIRMWARE version?

Then may be we can shed some light on your Q about keeping the hetachi as your Burner and Reader or get you an additional Burner.

G!

[dr_ml422]

Hi dr_ml,

Can you post your Hitachi burner MODEL number and FIRMWARE version?

Then may be we can shed some light on your Q about keeping the hetachi as your Burner and Reader or get you an additional Burner.

G!

gonwk, i already posted it several times. check out this thread or one of the other ones i started, you'll see the MODEL number and FIRMWARE version. ok.

[dr_ml422]

my hitachi burner model and firmware.

hi gwonk let me post my burner and reader by hitachi. my burner is HL-DT-ST DVD +-RW GSA-H21N. FIRMWARE IS B109, AO3. MY READER IS HL-DT-ST DVD-ROM GDR 8164B. ANYONE W/SOME FEEDBACK IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. I'VE BEEN DOING GOOD W/THESE SO FAR. LIKE I SAID IF BENQ, PLEXTOR, LITE-ON, OR PIONEER ARE ANY BETTER THAN THE HITACHI I HAVE THAT WOULD BE AWESOME. HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS SOON.

[Chewy]

http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?download_id=2302

it's an oem model made by LG for dell(?) and others

the only problem is LG does not support the oem drives and firmware updates can be few and far between

was wondering where the a03 came from?

http://support.us.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R143730&formatcnt=1&libid=0&fileid=191888

[dr_ml422]

hi chewy. thanx for the heads up on my burner and reader. i did some quick research and yes LG is the OEM for dell. i didn't know that. i have a 80GB SATA II HARD DRIVE. I GUESS THE READER IS GOOD LIKE NIGHTTRAN EXPLAINED. DO MY READER AND BURNER BOTH DON'T SUPPORT THE DRIVE, OR JUST THE BURNER? WHICH OF THE BURNER'S MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY WOULD SUPPORT MY DRIVE? ALSO WHAT IS AVAILABLE BESIDES SATA CONNECTIONS AND OPTICAL DRIVES WHICH ED KLEIN FEELS ARE OUTDATED?

[Chewy]

careful with that caplocks button, it's a actual rule violation but only if someone is doing it to be rude, we know better in this case

what do you mean by support your drive, but your optical drives support any hard drive

your burner will read and write, your dvd-rom will only read

[dr_ml422]

hi chewy,i didn't understand when you mentioned that LG doesn't support my oem drive. also about the firmware updates, did you mean that i'll be a lil behind to updating my LG burner as opposed to other brand name models which have more available and updated versions to their firmware? any feedback on ED KLEIN"S post above about internal optical drives and sata connections would be appreciated since i have no knowledge of anything outside of my sata connections which came w/my dell. i guess in respect to the former he means he prefers external burners, but aren't they optical also?

[Chewy]

lg make the dvd burners, certain models are made just for certain computer manufacturers, they may be exactly the same as other models that LG sells to the public, the difference is a label, faceplate and the firmware. Now using dell for an example, LG works with them and gives them a firmware that is only usuable on their drives, Dell is responsible for supplying updates.

Using my LG4163B as an example

http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?download_id=1973

lg continued to supprot the drive with new firmwares until they pretty much got it right

some of this applies to sony burners also, it's not so bad when you can use a firmware
released by the manufacturer and then modified to crossflash

region free firmware is another problem with these oem drives, it's harder to find or non existant

sata is just now becoming ready for prime time as an interface for dvd burners

Ed said he obviously prefers internal(inside) burners not external

[dr_ml422]

chewy thnx for the heads up on LG and firmware. i'm not really sure what firmware is but it sounds like additional tech or software that helps the burners perform better. ED throws me off w/that line about passing the age of time. i get it now that he prefers internal optical drives. does he prefer sata connections too or is he saying that it's outdated. that said, my next step is to purchase a burner directly from the manufacturer. now whether i buy a benq, pioneer, plextor,or lite-on, are they made to be compatible w/most hard drives? i have a sata ll (7200rpm) on my dell. crossflash? can you elaborate a lil on this?

[Chewy]

crossflash would be reprogramming your dell/lg drive into a regular lg drive, the problem is
it's very hard or not possible with most lg oem's

[gonwk]

Hi folks,

Hi Chewy ... may be you can recommend a Burner to dr_ml ... !!!

I would recommend something myself ... but all I have used is BenQ's. I had a Toshiba and I hated the darn thing ... nothing but headache.

I really think the $30 or $40 dollar invested in a "Solid" Burner/Reader ... would make dr_ml's life much better.

G!