The Dolphin tells it like it is....

[The Digital Dolphin]

Ok, I don't know how many people have asked me to make a thread somewhere detailing... stuff. So here it is, in the most appropriate place I could think to put it. In this thread I will post information that I think is pertinant to blank media sales in Canada. Feel free to ask me questions, but don't get pissed off if I say I don't know, or refuse to answer if I feel the question is to personal or unwarrented.

So, to start this little thread off, I would like to let everyone know that unless there is a truckers strike in California on Monday, we can expect Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs to start hitting the shelves maybe as early as July 6th.

Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs are *not* compatible with the Plextor 712a at this time (firmware 1.02). I know there is a new firmware that will be released soon, so we'll have to see if this resolves the issues.

Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs appear to have issues with the LiteON LDW-411s with FS0J firmware and previous firmwares. So far there appears to be no way to get the LiteON LDW-411s to burn Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs at 4x without the quality having severe problems. The Plextor 712a is even worse with Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs, and will likely fail mid burn.

Optodisc 4x DVD+Rs don't seem to be that good at all, but this is heavily drive dependant, as the Plextor 712a seems to be able to burn them almost ok. The Plextor 712a also does an ok job with Optodisc 8x DVD+Rs.

The above statements are not to say that Optodisc 4x and 8x DVD-Rs are not good discs, I'm just trying to outline what drives should not be used in conjunction with the media. As for Optodisc 4x DVD+Rs... I would not suggest buying them at this time... the Optodisc 8x DVD+Rs are much better then the 4x DVD+Rs, but still need better drive support.

I have begun working with Ritek's 8x DVD-Rs and 8x DVD+Rs lately, but suffered a critical system failure and had to buy a new motherboard, PSU, and Videocard, as well as wipe my HDD. Luckily nothing was lost (of any significance) and as soon as I get a new Video card, I'll have my computer set aside for burning up and running again... expect this to happen sometime in the next week or two.

In other news, it seems Artec is soon going to be releasing a 12x DVD+R burner of their own... except that it can't burn *ANY* media at 12x yet... and all the stuff it burns at 8x has serious playback issues. So umm, watch out for "hot deals" when this drive finally hits the market ;)

-The Digital Dolphin

[trini]

Also read that 27gig blue disc ( Sony & Co) is set to go on sale soon so the burner wars and format are going to heat up even more.

[The Digital Dolphin]

That's true.... but for the moment I can't justify the $2,000 or so price tag ;)

Also, the Blue Ray recorders are supposed to be backward compatible.. so this will help greatly in making it the new media of choice. As for HD-DVD, I think it's a joke. I don't care if it's the offical standard, it's less versatile, smaller, just not overly impressive. But we'll just have to wait and see what happens...

[LeeBear]

Since Dolphin seems to be the media expert maybe you can share with us if there's any truths to these rumours:

1) Prodisc DVD-R prices will be going up because they have just passed Pioneer Class A labs testing and are now considered Grade A media.

2) Ritek G04 media are to be discontinued and will be replaced by RitekM02 media. M for Mitsubishi so they'll be using Azo Dye. This change could of been because of the recent batch of bad G04 discs that have been circulating.

3) Good Ritek G04 media come in red "Ridata" wrapping, the bad G04 media comes in spindle with case.

Thanks,
-LeeBear

[synaptech]

I haven't read anything about the Blue Ray, only heard stuff, however what do you think about it being the ticket for rugged portable computing. I know you'd still have to protect the lasing mechanism, but if you went mini-disc size it would certainly seem more rugged than tha smaller hard disks (ie mini-ipod)

Hey have you thought about adopting the Stone Cold-like motto?



And that's the DVD bottom line! 'Cause Digital Dolphin said so

:)

[chdude3]

Just for the record, it's "Blu-ray". [/anal]

[The Digital Dolphin]

Since Dolphin seems to be the media expert maybe you can share with us if there's any truths to these rumours:

1) Prodisc DVD-R prices will be going up because they have just passed Pioneer Class A labs testing and are now considered Grade A media.

No, Prodisc prices will go up because they were stupid and quoted too low on a couple of big deals and lost money... they passed the Pioneer certification a LONG time ago (well, for THIS industry), and it never really affected prices to my knowledge. We may not see the price increase on the consumer level, since most dealers never see these kind of prices anyways (not even me!), only big retail chains will notice, and it won't affect their selling price I would guess.


2) Ritek G04 media are to be discontinued and will be replaced by RitekM02 media. M for Mitsubishi so they'll be using Azo Dye. This change could of been because of the recent batch of bad G04 discs that have been circulating.

Yup, not only this, but the G05 is also being discontinued in favour of a Fuji Film dye type (it'll be the G06). As to WHY this is happening, that is a very closely guarded secret at this time... so I'm still confirming and learning all the details ;)


3) Good Ritek G04 media come in red "Ridata" wrapping, the bad G04 media comes in spindle with case.

This is basically BS. You can get good or bad Ritek in any packaging... but the actual branded media is more likely to be lower grade, since they can cover cosmetic defects with the branding, and sell a lower grade disc as 'A' grade (something Ritek is becoming famous for!).


Hope that helps fill in some of the blanks! ;)

[bigdaddyyc]

whatup DD, a couple questions:

1) I bought a Aopen 8x8 DVD burner and now am kinda regreting since after i started learning more and media/burners for dvds, that the dual layer dvd burners would be more futureproof. i heard the BenQ are going to release firmware so that they can burn dual layer media, do you think Aopen could/would do the same thing?

2) What is the best deal on media out there (bang for your buck)?

3) when is your new review site gonna finaly take off :evil: :cheesygri

[The Digital Dolphin]

whatup DD, a couple questions:

1) I bought a Aopen 8x8 DVD burner and now am kinda regreting since after i started learning more and media/burners for dvds, that the dual layer dvd burners would be more futureproof. i heard the BenQ are going to release firmware so that they can burn dual layer media, do you think Aopen could/would do the same thing?

I don't know why you're regretting it? The Aopen 8x8 is either an OEM Nec-2500a which can be upgraded to the NEC 2510a which is a dual layer burner, or it is a Pioneer DVR-107 which will not be upgradable to dual layer, but is still a darn good drive! If your model number ends in AAN, then it's an NEC, if it's APP, then it's the Pioneer :D


2) What is the best deal on media out there (bang for your buck)?

For your drive.... hrm. If it's the Pioneer, then go crazy on Optodisc man, cause those things go together better then dolphins and tuna ;) If it's the NEC, I don't know how the Optodisc will react (since I don't have one) so I'd suggest looking for more deals on the Maxell media (which would work fine on the Pioneer too!). I hope to own an NEC 2500a in the nearish soonish, so hopefully I'll be able to better answer this question in the next few weeks :)


3) when is your new review site gonna finaly take off :evil: :cheesygri

That is without a doubt the hardest question I've been asked here in the last while... the honest answer is I don't know. If it could be up and running tomorrow, it would be! It's basically up to my webdesigner. But I can promise that when it does go live, it'll be awesome!

I've been working with the authors of DVDInfoPro so that the new versions to come will be perfect for my needs. If all goes well, you will be able to see multiple media tests graphed against each other on the same table, instead of multiple screenshots from various software types :D

Umm, one thing I should mention though. *WHEN* my site goes up again, it's going to cause some controversy, because I will not be using the rather flawed and in my opinion VERY misleading testing methods used by some big name drive review sites. So we'll have to see what happens ;)

[Evil Techie]

thanx for your time digital dolphin, everyone has been praising you for the right reason :cheesygri

how are the optidisc 4x DVD+R with the plextor 708A?

i got a free artec 52x CD burner at artec's computex booth
had to yell out "artec artec go go go"....

:lol:

ill try it out and see how the overburn on that baby is
the quality of their product doesnt impress me
looks like most of their stuff are lower technical difficulty but of course higher than those flash thumbdrives...
btw artec is selling digital TV box in taiwan for wireless reception

[Defiant]

Hey, great thread!

What are your thoughts on the 4040B? Any media I should avoid? I bought this drive to hold me over until we get a couple generations into the dual format burners. Also, whats your opinion on DVD-RAM ?

[7-Endless]

Here's another thanks DD for all the info you have provided...it's greatly appreciated! :)

I'm also curious to hear your thoughts on DVD-RAM as well. Also, which DVD burner would you recommend to someone who is in the market right now?

Thanks in advance!!

[The Digital Dolphin]

thanx for your time digital dolphin, everyone has been praising you for the right reason

how are the optidisc 4x DVD+R with the plextor 708A?


Hrm... well I know that most drives gag on Optodisc 4x DVD+Rs, but the Plextor 712a burns them almost ok... give me a little more time to play with them and my Plextor, and I'll give you more of an opinion, k?

i got a free artec 52x CD burner at artec's computex booth
had to yell out "artec artec go go go"....


ill try it out and see how the overburn on that baby is
the quality of their product doesnt impress me
looks like most of their stuff are lower technical difficulty but of course higher than those flash thumbdrives...
btw artec is selling digital TV box in taiwan for wireless reception


Hrm, Artec is a very poor quality manufacturer, I wouldn't suggest trusting their drives even as far as you can throw them (you could probably lug one a fair distance...)

Regarding Ritek DVDRs, aside from the link in my signiture, here's something that a friend of mine put together:
http://www.aviationwiz.net/masrd.htm
As you can see, the Mountains and Streams Ritek media is very poor quality, so I would highly suggest avoiding it! Although I haven't seen it in Canada yet, that doesn't mean it won't show up.

[bigdaddyyc]

I don't know why you're regretting it? The Aopen 8x8 is either an OEM Nec-2500a which can be upgraded to the NEC 2510a which is a dual layer burner, or it is a Pioneer DVR-107 which will not be upgradable to dual layer, but is still a darn good drive! If your model number ends in AAN, then it's an NEC, if it's APP, then it's the Pioneer :D



For your drive.... hrm. If it's the Pioneer, then go crazy on Optodisc man, cause those things go together better then dolphins and tuna ;) If it's the NEC, I don't know how the Optodisc will react (since I don't have one) so I'd suggest looking for more deals on the Maxell media (which would work fine on the Pioneer too!). I hope to own an NEC 2500a in the nearish soonish, so hopefully I'll be able to better answer this question in the next few weeks :)


I checked and its AAN (NEC)... dont think im done with the questions though :lol:

1) How to upgrade to dual layered?

2) I've also noticed my Maxell TY media burning around 8x speeds (10min FULL burns). Is this common for the NEC to go faster than its rated, or is it my media?

and thanks alot for all your help, this thread was a great idea but expect allllottt of questions as everyone is looking for burning advice around here.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey, great thread!

What are your thoughts on the 4040B? Any media I should avoid? I bought this drive to hold me over until we get a couple generations into the dual format burners. Also, whats your opinion on DVD-RAM ?

Th 4040B is a pretty good drive, albeit VERY slow! It has the habit of burning media about half the speed it is rated for. I believe it burns Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs at 4x with the latest firmware. It also burns Ritek media at full speed. Not sure about too much else. If you don't mind burning a lot of stuff at 2x, then this drive is pretty good.

What do I think of DVD-RAM? I think it's the single most powerful format available on the consumer market at this time. It is totally underrated, and very impressive when used for it's main purposes. It's slow as heck (even 5x is slow!) but it's VERY high quality, and very durable when left in its' cartridge. When taken out of its' cartridge it is still good, but very easy to damage (take GOOD care of it!). And who can complain about 100,000 re-writes compared to only 1,000 (as DVD-RW and DVD+RW boast, but never seem to accomplish).

What are the best drives that I'd recommend? Hrm, I'm pretty partail to the Pioneer DVR-107, even without the hacked firmware it is bloody awsome! The LG 4120B also looks like it'll be quite good (and I love that 5x DVD-RAM ;) ). The NEC 2500a / 2510a also seems to be a popular choice (*USE* the hacked firmware!), although I havn't used it personally.

[The Digital Dolphin]

This should help with the NEC 2500 -> 2510a conversion :D
http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?t=25904

Enjoy!

re: Maxell and T.Y. it sounds like they're being burned at 6x, that isn't a problem generally. It's much easier to burn 4x media at 6x then it is at 8x ;)

[othy]

Thinking of getting the ND-2510A (Black) (129 right now at ncix), there wouldn't be any need to run hacked firmware on that right?

Anyplace with good bargains on good media for that? I see ncix has 25 optidisc for 18.99..

[The Digital Dolphin]

Thinking of getting the ND-2510A (Black) (129 right now at ncix), there wouldn't be any need to run hacked firmware on that right?

Anyplace with good bargains on good media for that? I see ncix has 25 optidisc for 18.99..

Ironically, that's the drive I've been thinking of picking up myself! I don't know how the Optodisc DVDRs work on it though, so I can't say one way or the other. One thing I *DO* know about the drive, is that if you aren't running the hacked firmware, don't even think about using Ritek, it will suck. For some reason NEC 2500/2510a's always have problems with Ritek media, when not running Herrie's hacked firmware for it. Herrie worked very hard on it, and it does a pretty impressive job of fixing the problem I'm told... however even slight variations of media can still result in poor Ritek burns with that drive.

[Evil Techie]

DD,

im so surprised by your wealth of recordable media knowledge
thank you for answering my questions first of all

i have some questions about PX-708A
can that plextor be hacked into burning dual layer?

also are there any hacked firmwares that allow it to burn DVD-R at 8X?

[The Digital Dolphin]

DD,

im so surprised by your wealth of recordable media knowledge
thank you for answering my questions first of all

Umm, thanks... it comes at a price though (= no personal life)


i have some questions about PX-708A
can that plextor be hacked into burning dual layer?

Nope, not gonna happen. Plextor is very particular about the way they support their product. They make excellent firmware and software revisions, but the specs of the drive always stay the same. There will be no dual layer upgrade for the Plextor, and it is VERY unlikely anyone will pul off a successful dual layer burning hack.


also are there any hacked firmwares that allow it to burn DVD-R at 8X?

Hrm, I'm sure it's technically possible... but I don't think it'll happen. Plextor firmwares don't exactly have a reputation for being hacked. Still, that isn't saying it isn't possible to do the hack, but I don't know of one being worked on either. Best I can really say is I don't know, but I doubt it.

[konfusion666]

Futureshop (B&M Toronto) has a 100-spindle of Cicero 4x DVD-R on "sale" for $79.99. I don't know if this is a deal or not, because I have no idea what media Cicero is using. Anyone know?

My drive: NEC ND-2500A stock

[The Digital Dolphin]

Futureshop (B&M Toronto) has a 100-spindle of Cicero 4x DVD-R on "sale" for $79.99. I don't know if this is a deal or not, because I have no idea what media Cicero is using. Anyone know?

My drive: NEC ND-2500A stock

I know they all say "Made in China" on the packages... this is enough to scare *ME* off... maybe if they have 10pks I'll buy one

[chdude3]

I haven't found a need to buy a DVD burner at all. The few routine backups I make are served well by my aging Plextor 12x10x32, which is about the most use it gets. They're tempting as a new toy, but would go largely unused in my system. C'mon, someone give me a valid reason to buy one! :)

[The Digital Dolphin]

I haven't found a need to buy a DVD burner at all. The few routine backups I make are served well by my aging Plextor 12x10x32, which is about the most use it gets. They're tempting as a new toy, but would go largely unused in my system. C'mon, someone give me a valid reason to buy one! :)

DVDRs have 7 times the storage capacity for roughly 3 times the price of a CD-R

Probably the most practical argument I guess ;)

[divx]

I haven't found a need to buy a DVD burner at all. The few routine backups I make are served well by my aging Plextor 12x10x32, which is about the most use it gets. They're tempting as a new toy, but would go largely unused in my system. C'mon, someone give me a valid reason to buy one! :)


ps2/xbox/dvd movie/backup pc data

[groo]

Anyone know anything about the liteon 401s burners?

I've heard that they can be upgraded to a 411s (8x), but how well do they burn media? any suggested media, or any to avoid?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Anyone know anything about the liteon 401s burners?

I've heard that they can be upgraded to a 411s (8x), but how well do they burn media? any suggested media, or any to avoid?

Yeah, it's capable to upgrade it to the 411s (4x dual format) model, or 811s (8x dual format model) with some firmware and eeprom hacking. I converted my 401s to a 411s, but opted not to overclock it further due to the increased chance of drive failure. As for media to avoid... lot's! It's a rather crappy drive! Stick with DVD+Rs, don't bother with DVD-R unless it is Taiyo Yuden or Mitsubishi Chemicals. RICOHJPNR01 4x DVD+Rs seem to be the best choice for that drive as far as I can tell.

My suggestion, spend $130 or so and buy a Pioneer 107, you won't regret it.

[rabbit]

Hey, I was going to email you to ask some questions but found this thread so I might as well ask here so everyone else can benefit.

Finally picked up a DVD writer. Got the Benq 822 since it was the cheapest and got decent reviews. I wanted the Plextor but for what I wanted a DVD writer for, it was too much.

Anyways, my questions are media related. I will stick with +R media as: 1) I'm leaning more on the +R side; 2) from the reviews I've read, it seems this drive burns +R media better.

So, I'm wondering how good/bad Ricoh +R media is ... in particular DVD+R:RICOHJPN-R01-002. I picked up some Fujis, Maxells, and Memorexes :-o, and they all turned out to be these Ricohs. I've only burned a couple of Maxell/Memorex branded ones and they had a couple of red sectors on most of the discs when scanned with CDSpeed.

Maybe I should just stick with Verbatim/MCC unless you can tell me where I can get +R TYs at a "regular" store. I don't plan on burning a lot of DVDs so $2-3 per disc wouldn't be so bad.


EDIT// Hmm, according to CD Freaks, the RICOHJPN R01 is "Simply amazing! The results show that the BenQ DW822A is fully optimized for the Ricoh media. Highly recommended media for this drive."

ATIC's website lists Plextor +R discs which I think are TY. $2.00 with case. Too bad they are out of my way or else I would pick some up instantly.

Any comments for the Verbatim DigitalMovie discs (the ones that look like a film reel)? I picked up a couple packs of these but haven't opened them yet. Made in Singapore. I just wonder if the top surface is not balanced properly because of the graphics. I think you said the Verbatim Vinyl CDRs had this problem.

[chdude3]

Dolphin - I don't have that much data to backup - just the mission critical stuff. I guess if I really wanted to get anal and back up the MP3's I ripped of my CD's (to save the time of doing it again should I lose the data) I could make an argument for the DVD burner, but I just can't see making the investment when I still don't really need it.

divx - I don't have a PS2 or Xbox. And if I did, I'd purchase the games, just like I did for my Dreamcast and like I do for my GBA. And any DVD's I feel are worth watching repeatedly, I buy (usually on sale). If it's just a renter, I hit the local mom'n'pop video store and rent it cheap, cause I'll never watch it again.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there's not legitimate uses or compelling reasons for getting a DVD burner, but for now, for me as Joe Q User, there isn't any benefit or cost savings.

Keep up the research on the media, though - when I do eventually take the plunge, I'll wanna make sure I get the best bang for my buck. :)

[The Digital Dolphin]

Rabbit:

Good to see you again man! I guess you managed to track me down :cheesygri

Anyways, I don't have too much info about the BenQ, it's rather popular here it seems, but on the whole it isn't a widely purchased drive. Last year, it's performance was pretty weak as featured by C't magazine (seen here: http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=110396#110396), but a lot has happened since then... Newer reviews featuring the BenQ 822a's big brother, the BenQ 830a, show much better results with Ricoh DVD+Rs, so there is some hope.

However... if you are getting red spots, (i.e. unreadable sectors) it is probably a bad sign... you may want to step the speed down a notch, and see how it fairs. If nothing else, use CDSpeed to do a transfer rate test on the burned disc, and see if there are any dips or slowdowns. If there are, this would point to significant errors on the disc, and would be considered a bad sign.

It probably goes without saying, but go and find the latest firmware for your drive too, it's probably 10x better then the initial release... if not more! ;)

chdude3:

To each their own :) I'm not here to force anyone to buy one product or another. If your needs are simple, and you are happy with what you have, then why change it? Why fix something that's not broken, right? :cheesygri

[divx]

Dolphin - I don't have that much data to backup - just the mission critical stuff. I guess if I really wanted to get anal and back up the MP3's I ripped of my CD's (to save the time of doing it again should I lose the data) I could make an argument for the DVD burner, but I just can't see making the investment when I still don't really need it.

divx - I don't have a PS2 or Xbox. And if I did, I'd purchase the games, just like I did for my Dreamcast and like I do for my GBA. And any DVD's I feel are worth watching repeatedly, I buy (usually on sale). If it's just a renter, I hit the local mom'n'pop video store and rent it cheap, cause I'll never watch it again.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there's not legitimate uses or compelling reasons for getting a DVD burner, but for now, for me as Joe Q User, there isn't any benefit or cost savings.

Keep up the research on the media, though - when I do eventually take the plunge, I'll wanna make sure I get the best bang for my buck. :)


lucky you. you should've seen how my 4 year old brother treat my vice city disc. Just doesn't last.

[chdude3]

Rabbit:
chdude3:

To each their own :) I'm not here to force anyone to buy one product or another. If your needs are simple, and you are happy with what you have, then why change it? Why fix something that's not broken, right? :cheesygriLOL... No worries, my friend. I also wasn't trying to dissuade anyone from moving to a DVD burner. As a techno-minded kind of guy, I'm always keen to hop on with new technology, so consider my posts also reaffirmations to myself that I don't yet need to spend the money on a DVD burner. I have a feeling in the not-too-distant future I will, though, so I appreciate your research efforts. :)

divx - Would it be possible to keep your brother away from your Vice City discs?

[sfu_lifer]

divx, I sure hope you're not letting your 4-year brother play/watch you play Vice City :cheesygri

As for DVD burners, they're getting quite cheap nowadays.
If your CD burner ever dies, then you might consider getting one :).

[divx]

I got a stack of original ps2 games. But non of them are "suitable" for young odience, and plus vice city disc is the only game i play now and I always kept in the ps2. So my bro came down stairs and fire-up the ps2, vice city automatically starts. Now he is addicted to the game more than me, he plays vice city more than i do. Can someone recommand me a kid game he might like now that he loves ammu-nation?

[The Digital Dolphin]

EDIT// Hmm, according to CD Freaks, the RICOHJPN R01 is "Simply amazing! The results show that the BenQ DW822A is fully optimized for the Ricoh media. Highly recommended media for this drive."

ATIC's website lists Plextor +R discs which I think are TY. $2.00 with case. Too bad they are out of my way or else I would pick some up instantly.

Any comments for the Verbatim DigitalMovie discs (the ones that look like a film reel)? I picked up a couple packs of these but haven't opened them yet. Made in Singapore. I just wonder if the top surface is not balanced properly because of the graphics. I think you said the Verbatim Vinyl CDRs had this problem.



Hey Rabbit, no editing your posts please ;) makes it harder to respond...

Personally, I don't trust CDFreaks' testing at all. They use some of the worst techniques, and the worst hardware. They often trade off quality and accuracy for quantity of tests, something I refuse to do. This isn't to say it isn't possible they are correct, a shot in the dark still has a chance of hitting right? ;)

Regarding the Verbatim Film Reel DVDRs, if you have the Made in Singapore discs, that means you have the 4x DVD+Rs right? They work well, and C't's testing of your drive shows that it works pretty well with Mitsubishi media, so you should have good results. I have a hard time believing that future firmware upgrades could have screwed it up *THAT* much, if at all.

[Evil Techie]

ive liked RICHOJPN R01 discs and been using them for a long time
they are awesome for me PX708A
DVD+R 4x can be burnt at 8x

[The Digital Dolphin]

ive liked RICHOJPN R01 discs and been using them for a long time
they are awesome for me PX708A
DVD+R 4x can be burnt at 8x

Apples and Oranges. My Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs burn beautifully on my Pioneer DVR-107, but can't even complete the burn process on the Plextor 712a. Quality and compatability do not always go hand in hand :confused:

Optodisc 4x DVD+Rs are very low for compatability, but the PX-712a can burn them fairly well actually (still not great though).

All I'm saying is you can't say a disc is going to work well with one burner, because it works well with another. This is 100x more relevent with DVDRs then with CD-Rs, which means I need to buy more DVD burners :(

[konfusion666]

FYI Dolphin, those Optodiscs that NCIX has had on sale recently (DVD-R) burn perfectly on the 2500A at 4x using stock firmware, and are read perfectly on both my JVC standalone (6mo. old) and my Pioneer DVD-105S reader (4 yrs old!!!).

[The Digital Dolphin]

FYI Dolphin, those Optodiscs that NCIX has had on sale recently (DVD-R) burn perfectly on the 2500A at 4x using stock firmware, and are read perfectly on both my JVC standalone (6mo. old) and my Pioneer DVD-105S reader (4 yrs old!!!).

Hrm, that's saying quite a lot actually, since I happen to know from personal experience that the Pioneer 105s (that would be the trayless slot loader right?) was very picky about what media it would play!! I got rid of mine as soon as I started getting into DVDRs, since it wouldn't read almost anything... actually now that I think about it, it would make a WONDERFUL testing drive! ...great now I have to go barter for it back :lol:

Thanks for the info on the NEC though, I hadn't had any firm positive feedback on that yet (you know, other then directly from Optodisc, which I usually take with a grain of salt :razz: ).

[konfusion666]

DD, I`m afraid I`m going to have to update you on that Optodisc report.

I`ve only burned about 5 discs so far. I THOUGHT all 5 worked fine (at `full speed`) in the Pioneer but I was wrong.

The first 4 DID work fine, just like a factory DVDROM. These 4 had computer data. First 2 was just media files (avì), the second 2 were backups of DVDROM games.

The 5th was an SVCD converted to dvd format. It plays fine on the JVC standalone but the Pioneer goes into a recurring spin-up, spin-up cycle when I put it in. I thought it would slow-down to 1x reading speed and then try to read it, but that never even happened. So perhaps your theory about the Pioneer was right.

For now I`ll stick with the Pioneer and see if it hiccups on any other media. Running the most recent RPC2 firmware, which was 1.33 I believe, of course that was posted to the Net *ages* ago. New DVDROM drives are just pennies anyways. But I loved the aesthetics of the slot-load feature though ;)

[The Digital Dolphin]

If I didn't know that drive the way I do, I might be more concerned about the compatability between the NEC 2500 and Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs :cheesygri

[Doogie Howser]

When I bought my BenQ DW822A I first made sure I had the lastest firmware installed "rev. I" before burning anything. I checked the discs with dvdinfo2 to see that they were able to burn at 4x.

I went through the first 5 at 4x coastering each one of them, and it was only after I set the speed to 2.4x that I was able to make success burns. Never again will I use RData discs (aka RiTek).

As DD already knows; I bought two packs of 25 of eWorks 4X DVD+RW recently, and have had great success with them; they are Optidisc 04 brand.

Regards,
Doogie

[rabbit]

Hey Rabbit, no editing your posts please

Yeah, sorry, I was doing it during the time the forums were going all screwy, otherwise I think it would have been done before you read it the first time.


But I loved the aesthetics of the slot-load feature though

I have that same Pioneer drive that I just swapped out for the Benq writer. Yep, I like slotloads also and wish more standalone players would use them. You don't ever scratch the disc with slotloads.


I flashed the Benq 822 to the latest firmware right away. The last two firmware revisions supposedly added 8x -R speeds (previously it was 4x) so I've decided to revert back to the firmware before 8x -R to see what happens. Burned a couple of -R discs and they checked okay but I don't remember if I had problems with -R before. I'll burn a couple of +Rs soon and see what happens.

Bought 10 x 3packs of those Verbatim (Singapore) MovieReel discs from Staples. They were $5.95 online (but $9.95 instore) and I figure you won't find Verbatims for that cheap that often. I have a few music DVDs that use those super jewel cases so it is nice to have some extra ones handy incase one breaks :) .

[othy]

But I loved the aesthetics of the slot-load feature though

I have that same Pioneer drive that I just swapped out for the Benq writer. Yep, I like slotloads also and wish more standalone players would use them. You don't ever scratch the disc with slotloads.

I have a pioneer slot load DVD reader, never again.. I find slot load is too noisy, making lots of nasty ka-chunk-ka-chunk noises that are a little scary..

Mebbe if the mechanism is much improved now they are ok, but that one is crapola.

[rabbit]

Hm, never had any noise problems. Anyhow, asides from the different disc loading mechanism, the disc is sandwiched on a spindle when being read, just like most other CD/DVD devices. Maybe you just had a bad unit because it is not like slotloads in general are uncommon. Almost all car CD/DVD stereos are slotload.

[LeeBear]

I've never had any problems with my slot loading pioneer either and the noise was alot less then most tray loaded drives. The one thing that I didn't like about the slot loading drive was that it'll put tiny little scratchs at the edge of the disc obviously where the mechanism grabs and pulls the disc in. These tiny scratches don't affect playback because they're at the edge and not on the recordable surface but they make your disc look scruffy. My favourite loading mechanism is still the Caddy system used by my Plextor CD-ROM. You basically have the benefit of the slot loading style and have a kewl caddy to protect your disc.

-LeeBear

[konfusion666]

my drive is the first generation of pioneer's slot loads (DVD-105S), and i'm surprised its still working flawlessly after 4 years! there are no ka-chunk noises, but when you put disc in and it spins up to maximum velocity, you can hear it from quite a distance. but when playing DVD movies or Audio CD's, it doesn't go to max. velocity so the noise is a lot less.

anyways, i noticed that Pioneer is now at "DVD-120S", maybe that's their 3rd generation of the slot load. this drive doesn't appear to be widely available in canada. anyone know where it's sold and if the drive has better compatibility with recordable media?

[Larsin]

Which DVD Burner to buy ??? that's the question

and why.

I burn movies and games, Best media compatabilites
I was going out today to get one and need some advise.

Thx.

around $200.00 less is better.

[The Digital Dolphin]

I have a pioneer slot load DVD reader, never again.. I find slot load is too noisy, making lots of nasty ka-chunk-ka-chunk noises that are a little scary..

Mebbe if the mechanism is much improved now they are ok, but that one is crapola.

Yeah, I'm familiar with the noise too... mine always made it when reading DVDRs... especially if it wasn't a good quality disc!

[The Digital Dolphin]

Which DVD Burner to buy ??? that's the question

and why.

I burn movies and games, Best media compatabilites
I was going out today to get one and need some advise.

Thx.

around $200.00 less is better.

For *absolute* media compatability... and I mean *THE VERY BEST* it would be the Pioneer DVR-106... but it's only a 4x +/- burner, so it might be a little slow for you. The DVR-107 is close, and probably just as good at burning things at 4x. The Pioneer DVR-107's only real weakness is that is has a small bias against DVD+R media. I have seen nothing to compare to it's burn quality on DVD-R though... and since 9/10ths of all media sold in North America is DVD-R over DVD+R, I would think it would be a good choice. Also, it will still burn DVD+Rs better then a lot of medium end drives anyway, just not quite as good as some of the higher end drives that like DVD+R (like the Plextor drive for example). You can also load the hacked firmware, and take your chances with burning any R media at 1x-8x ;)

If you are looking for raw speed, with good compatability (but not great) then the Plextor 712a would be a good choice. Although I am hesitant to suggest this drive, because it has very high error rates on Ritek G05 8x DVD-Rs, and will not burn Optodisc DVDRs almost at all (fails on 4x DVD-Rs, sucks on 8x DVD-Rs, not bad on 4x DVD+Rs, Sucks on 8x DVD+Rs). But it is hard to find a faster drive!

Hope that helps!

[LeeBear]

I'd say the best drive media compatibility wise is probably the Pioneer drive. I have the Pioneer 107D drive and it's been great with various media plus with the firmware hack it's a quick ripper as well. I'd recommend getting the Pioneer even though it's not a dual layer burner. It's still a bit too early for DL discs imo because the media is hard to find and expensive, plus only DL+ format is out (I'm waiting for the DL- format before buying my next drive), and there's not that many software (besides Nero) right now that supports DL media properly (don't place layer break point properly) so you end up getting coasters. You can pick up the Pioneer with 10 blank disc for $116 at www.cty.ca.

-LeeBear


Which DVD Burner to buy ??? that's the question

and why.

I burn movies and games, Best media compatabilites
I was going out today to get one and need some advise.

Thx.

around $200.00 less is better.

[supergenius]

Which DVD Burner to buy ??? that's the question

and why.

I burn movies and games, Best media compatabilites
I was going out today to get one and need some advise.

Thx.

around $200.00 less is better.

The Plextor 712a are on sale at Costco this week for $200.....I've had mine a little over 2 weeks now and I love it. Very fast and very quiet, and for the tinkerers it has many capabilities other burners do not. Plus, plextor IS quality. As for media, I have been using the Maxell TY 4x discs that were on sale at FS and they are burning great @ 8x.

[Larsin]

when looking for pioneer I came across this one A07xl ,is it the same as the 107d,or just newer version.

A07XL (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/product/detail/0,,2076_17221_72341396,00.html)

[The Digital Dolphin]

The Plextor 712a are on sale at Costco this week for $200.....I've had mine a little over 2 weeks now and I love it. Very fast and very quiet, and for the tinkerers it has many capabilities other burners do not. Plus, plextor IS quality. As for media, I have been using the Maxell TY 4x discs that were on sale at FS and they are burning great @ 8x.

And if you stick with that media you'll be fine... but if you deviate, and buy cheaper stuff, you may find yourself sorely disappointed.

And most of the Plextor's extra tools are pretty stupid to be honest. The only one that is really good is Q-Check, and even that must be taken with a grain of salt.

The Pioneer DVR-A07XL is not so much a newer model, but a different model. It looks cooler, has a honeycomb style imprint on the top, and is supposed to be a little quieter. It also has a modified firmware, which no one has been able to notice any difference between it, and the regular one...

It's more expensive, but it's a really cool looking drive. Easily the nicest looking DVD burner on the market.

[supergenius]

And if you stick with that media you'll be fine... but if you deviate, and buy cheaper stuff, you may find yourself sorely disappointed.



Just curious, I still have a bunch of Ritek G03's and so far they "seem" fine with my Plexy but you have said the 8x Riteks are not great, so should I be worried? Btw, I'm burning the G03's at 2x.

[rabbit]

And most of the Plextor's extra tools are pretty stupid to be honest.

GigaRec is a great feature. Don't know why you (and some others) had problems with it.

PlexTools works great at ripping audio. EAC is a bit too slow with the newer drives that cache audio.

Bottom line is that while YOU may not appreciate the extra features, other people may. Besides, Plextor has been pretty consistent unlike, say, LiteOn or Ritek ;) .


and since 9/10ths of all media sold in North America is DVD-R over DVD+R

Wow, I didn't think the percentage was that high. I guess the "-R is more compatible" myth is really widespread.



BTW. those DVDs I got errors with when scanning using CDSpeed ... when I scan them on another drive, it comes up fine. Not a good sign of quality when the writer cannot properly read the discs that it writes.

[Larsin]

The Pioneer DVR-A07XL is not so much a newer model, but a different model. It looks cooler, has a honeycomb style imprint on the top, and is supposed to be a little quieter. It also has a modified firmware, which no one has been able to notice any difference between it, and the regular one...

It's more expensive, but it's a really cool looking drive. Easily the nicest looking DVD burner on the market.

Thx for the help, It's appreciated.

[The Digital Dolphin]

And most of the Plextor's extra tools are pretty stupid to be honest.

GigaRec is a great feature. Don't know why you (and some others) had problems with it.

PlexTools works great at ripping audio. EAC is a bit too slow with the newer drives that cache audio.

Bottom line is that while YOU may not appreciate the extra features, other people may. Besides, Plextor has been pretty consistent unlike, say, LiteOn or Ritek ;) .


and since 9/10ths of all media sold in North America is DVD-R over DVD+R

Wow, I didn't think the percentage was that high. I guess the "-R is more compatible" myth is really widespread.



BTW. those DVDs I got errors with when scanning using CDSpeed ... when I scan them on another drive, it comes up fine. Not a good sign of quality when the writer cannot properly read the discs that it writes.

Ok, I'll concede on Plextool's audio ripping. I never use it personally, but I know it's one of the only tools available that'll rip some protections.

Regarding the DVD-R is more compatabile "myth"... it's a well documented fact that more DVD players are able to play DVD-R then DVD+R. *HOWEVER* this has never been rechecked with DVD+R bitsetting.... it's too bad that so many drives still do not support this awesome and playing field leveling option :(

As for Ritek G03's.... well, they burn ok on my Pioneer DVR-107 at 6x (with hacked firmware)... so if the Plextor can't pull them off at 2x I'll be very sad! I'll pick some more up and give them a try on my Plextor when I can ;)

[7-Endless]

So anyone buy or test the new LG 4120 yet? I currently have a Pioneer 105 but I'm looking to upgrade to a faster drive with dual layer capability...

[The Digital Dolphin]

So anyone buy or test the new LG 4120 yet? I currently have a Pioneer 105 but I'm looking to upgrade to a faster drive with dual layer capability...

I haven't seen any good reviews yet... but I have seen a review:
http://www.extrememhz.com/gsa4120b-p1.shtml

Please *PLEASE* do me the favour of completely ignoring this simpleton's attempt at DVD burn quality assessment. He's even worse then the people at CDFreaks! :evil: He didn't even give the media codes for the disc that did burn at 12x... but claimed it was made by Ritek... which I *HIGHLY* doubt, since the rest of his Ritek media which should have been the same, did not.

Anyways, it'll give you SOME idea of how the drive performs. I would personally suggest waiting until either CDRinfo, or even CDRlabs reviews the drive. Both are working on the review... actually CDRlabs should have theirs done soon, I believe they are only waiting for some 5x DVD-RAM media to do testing with ;)

[rabbit]

Regarding the DVD-R is more compatabile "myth"... it's a well documented fact that more DVD players are able to play DVD-R then DVD+R.

Well, yeah, it's more compatible in that it is an older format. But like with CDs, nobody really considers CD-Rs being more compatible than CD-RWs.


Anyways, I figured out the scan error problems I was having. I think the burn quality is okay but the read quality of the drive is BAD. I can scan the same disc three times in succession and come up with different errors everytime! This drive does not support C2 but I don't know if this has anything to do with it. But unless I get large blocks of errors, I won't worry about it. As mentioned before, I scanned some "error discs" using a notebook drive and it showed all green so ...

[The Digital Dolphin]

Yeah, the BenQ sucks as a DVDR tester... one of the worst out there! Even worse then most LiteON's in my opinion :!:

[Larsin]

I'd say the best drive media compatibility wise is probably the Pioneer drive. I have the Pioneer 107D drive and it's been great with various media plus with the firmware hack it's a quick ripper as well. I'd recommend getting the Pioneer even though it's not a dual layer burner. It's still a bit too early for DL discs imo because the media is hard to find and expensive, plus only DL+ format is out (I'm waiting for the DL- format before buying my next drive), and there's not that many software (besides Nero) right now that supports DL media properly (don't place layer break point properly) so you end up getting coasters. You can pick up the Pioneer with 10 blank disc for $116 at www.cty.ca.

-LeeBear

Thx again picked it today , Pioneer 107D drive at cty.
burned two dvd's ,work great so far.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Thx again picked it today , Pioneer 107D drive at cty.
burned two dvd's ,work great so far.

Upgrade the firmware to 1.16, or the hacked 1.16 ;)

If you think you love the Pioneer DVR-107 now... just wait until the Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs come out next week :cheesygri ;)

[Larsin]

Upgrade the firmware to 1.16, or the hacked 1.16 ;)

If you think you love the Pioneer DVR-107 now... just wait until the Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs come out next week :cheesygri ;)

where do you find it.

[The Digital Dolphin]

where do you find it.

NCIX has it listed on their site already, and will have it in stock sometime hopefully early next week
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=12219&vpn=OP-DVD8X-25&manufacture=OPTODISC%20TECHNOLOGY

I'm sure other stores will have it soon as well... especially if lot's of people actually ask for it ;)

Please keep in mind (everyone else whom this concerns) that the PX-712a is *NOT* compatible with Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs, 8x DVD-Rs, or 8x DVD+Rs... and only sorta compatible with Optodisc 4x DVD+Rs.

....kinda wish someone would make this a sticky thread ;)

[Larsin]

I meant firmware (hacked version)

[bigdaddyyc]

im thinking of buying 25 pack of optodisc 4x DVD-r from http://www.masterscomputers.com (location is near me)

as you can see on the site, 25 pack of these optodisc dvd-r is $21.95. would you consider this a good deal for optodisc media in ontario and how well would these work with my Aopen dual 8x8 AAN drive? are they anyway comparable in quality to my Maxell TY's i currently am using in terms of quality and compatibility

[The Digital Dolphin]

I meant firmware (hacked version)

http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?t=27115&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

And just a warning... just because you *CAN* burn 1x DVDRs at 8x, doesn't mean that you *SHOULD* :cheesygri

EDIT: With Great Power comes Great Responsability ;) :lol:

[The Digital Dolphin]

There is a good discussion on DVD-R and DVD+R differences and who supports what, over here:
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89072

[Larsin]

http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?t=27115&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

And just a warning... just because you *CAN* burn 1x DVDRs at 8x, doesn't mean that you *SHOULD* :cheesygri

EDIT: With Great Power comes Great Responsability ;) :lol:

Just flashed my "NEW" pioneer and was able to burn farcy at 6x on cheap media without any problem.
again Thx.

[str]

Maybe I'm just lucky but I got an Optorite 4X DVD burner and I use cheap media (leaddata 4x), yet every blank DVD that's recognized by the writer completes and plays fine on all my players (DVD, Xbox, PC). The downside is that on 12 blank medias, there were 2 so far that are not recognized by the player.

[bigdaddyyc]

Maybe I'm just lucky but I got an Optorite 4X DVD burner and I use cheap media (leaddata 4x), yet every blank DVD that's recognized by the writer completes and plays fine on all my players (DVD, Xbox, PC). The downside is that on 12 blank medias, there were 2 so far that are not recognized by the player.


yes. but the test of time will prove you wrong :lol:

cheap media comes with a short life, wait 1 year and those discs will be coasters.

[The Digital Dolphin]

The Pioneer with hacked firmware is a VERY powerful drive! :cheesygri

[str]

yes. but the test of time will prove you wrong :lol:

cheap media comes with a short life, wait 1 year and those discs will be coasters.

Well even costly media can be bad stuff. Most DVD media aren't really good now anyway, and there's no telling how long they'll be good.

For now my priority is that the DVDs play on all my devices (DVD player, xbox, 3 different PCs with different brand of dvd players) and that they burn at 4x without a hitch. It's hard enough to find medias that will do this on my DVD burner.

On the test of time thing, it's hard to tell. I don't think there's such a big relation between price and longevity. At least, I've seen that concerning blank CD-Rs. For DVDs, it's too early to tell. Besides, a big part depends on the storage condition of your medias.

[The Digital Dolphin]

While I think it's safe to say that if you are paying <$0.40 per DVDR, it's probably crap... the opposite does not apply when purchasing expensive media. Anyone can overcharge for a crappy product :razz:

For me, I like to keep my important stuff on Mitsubishi media, and my regular stuff and one-offs on Optodisc... except that my PX-712a doesn't like Optodisc, so I won't be using it much I'm guessing :cheesygri

[mrken]

DVDRs have 7 times the storage capacity for roughly 3 times the price of a CD-R

Probably the most practical argument I guess ;)
But the initial costs are too high. :) ~$60 compared to $20 on sale. (Okay, I am talking about the cheapest of the cheapest, but who am I? :lol: ) And my biggest hard drive is 10GB, so what's the use of 4.7GB media? :lol:
Too bad I bought my first LG 8120B for $130. :( Not going to do it again anymore. So I will just wait until it is $20. :cheesygri And sfu_lifer, I already have 4 CD burners, so if one dies, I have 3 backups. :cheesygri

Anyway, why can't you stick with CD-R?!!!
You said you weren't knowledgable with DVDs!! Go back to CDs!! :)


Regarding the DVD-R is more compatabile "myth"... it's a well documented fact that more DVD players are able to play DVD-R then DVD+R.

Well, yeah, it's more compatible in that it is an older format. But like with CDs, nobody really considers CD-Rs being more compatible than CD-RWs.
Well, none of my CD-RWs play in my 4X CD-ROM drive and my Panasonic and other cheapo stereos. But all of my CDRs, even CMCs, play on them. So I do consider CDRs more compatible. :)


BTW, that Pioneer does look cool!
http://www.pioneeraus.com.au/images/options/speed%20freak.jpg
:cheesygri


EDIT: Oh no! I edited my post! :p

[The Digital Dolphin]

Anyway, why can't you stick with CD-R?!!!
You said you weren't knowledgable with DVDs!! Go back to CDs!! :)

Hrm, how long ago was it that I said that?? I'm 95% percent sure I either didn't have a DVD burner back then, or maybe I had 1.... I now have 2 computers, 4 DVD burners (two of them testers), and more DVDRs then I can burn in a month! To put it shortly, I don't think that statement of mine is still accurate :cheesygri


EDIT: Oh no! I edited my post! :p

still the same mrken :razz:

[mrken]

Hrm, how long ago was it that I said that?? I'm 95% percent sure I either didn't have a DVD burner back then, or maybe I had 1.... I now have 2 computers, 4 DVD burners (two of them testers), and more DVDRs then I can burn in a month! To put it shortly, I don't think that statement of mine is still accurate :cheesygri
Oh no! You edited your values! :cheesygri
Where are the DVD reviews? :rolleyes:
http://www.thedolphinreview.com/Reviews.htm :cheesygri

Do you also get your DVD burners for free? :cheesygri

[The Digital Dolphin]

Oh no! You edited your values! :cheesygri
Where are the DVD reviews? :rolleyes:
http://www.thedolphinreview.com/Reviews.htm :cheesygri

Do you also get your DVD burners for free? :cheesygri

DVD Reviews are forthcoming... no timeline on them yet. Why? Because I've got 23MB of text and screenshots of German magazine articles to translate by hand (since I don't speak German) before I have all the details on how to best assault such a task... unlike some other websites I could name, I will not exchange quality for quantitity!

Do I get my DVD Burners for free? Nope. Although this was something that was offered to me if I were to align myself under the wings of a certain webpage or two... but The Digital Dolphin is not for sale! I'd rather have to buy my own DVD burners then have to give up my status of being self employed! :cheesygri (so I turned both buy-out attempts down, as enticing as they were! :( )

In other news:

The NEC 2500a does an excellent job burning Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs and 4x DVD+Rs.... in fact, it makes the 4x DVD+Rs look good, whereas no other drive has come close!! (well, ok, the Plextor 712a could sorta burn the 4x DVD+Rs, but not really that well!). The hacked 1.07 firmware by Herrie is very good, and allows for 8x writing of both Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs and 4x DVD+Rs, and they seem to work ok... whereas even the Pioneer DVR-107 could not burn either at 8x! So I would say my initial testing of this drive has been very positive!

More info to come on this, but keep in mind I now test every disc about 10 different ways (various settings and speeds) and a full range of tests takes me several hours per disc... so it'll be some time. Next step will be looking at 8x DVD+Rs and 8x DVD-Rs :D

[Evil Techie]

DD, is richo CD-R good for archival life?

[The Digital Dolphin]

DD, is richo CD-R good for archival life?

Hrm, I would say no. But it depends on how long you want to archive for I suppose. Taiyo Yuden is the easiest to get disc that is good for archival length. If you can get the Kodak Ultima Gold's that used to be around, these would be optimum :D

[jerryhussain]

DD, your comments on the Sony DVD+RW (the ones posted in the Hot Deals). I can post the media codes if you want ...

[The Digital Dolphin]

DD, your comments on the Sony DVD+RW (the ones posted in the Hot Deals). I can post the media codes if you want ...

It appears the Sony 1x DVD-RWs are made by Sony themselves (or at least made with a Sony Media Id Code...). I haven't used them myself, but it seems like most people seem to have good luck with them (haven't seen/heard any complaints) but I haven't tried them personally.... all things considered, they are TOO SLOW for my interests! That being said, if they were maybe $0.75ea (at most!) I might be more interested... but only if they could be overclocked to at LEAST 2x on my Pioneer with hacked firmware :cheesygri

As for Sony's DVD+RWs, they always have been RicohJPN in the past, both their 2.4x and their 4x, so if this is still true, they are ok. I would even go so far as saying reliably ok. I'll stick with my Optodisc DVDRWs though ;)

[The Digital Dolphin]

ATTN: Owners of the NEC 2500a

You are very *VERY* lucky!

If you install Herrie's latest hacked 1.07 firmware for the NEC 2500a, you can burn both Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs, and Optodisc 4x DVD+Rs at 8x with very good results. The 4x DVD-Rs are still a better burn, but the 4x DVD+Rs actually burn quite well in this drive too!! I'm completely shocked since no other drive has had any real luck with the Optodisc DVD+Rs.

On a sad note however, it seems to be completely incompatible with the Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs as they are right now (there is a bit of a code issue). But if you can get the 4x DVD-Rs to burn at 8x, who cares right? :cheesygri

For those of you who don't want to hack the NEC's firmware, it still did a good job burning the Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs at 4x, so don't worry. I'll have to try the 4x DVD+Rs without the hacked firmware too, but I can only burn and test so many discs in one day! ;)

Enjoy!!!!

[jerryhussain]

Thanks DD for the brief review of the Sony DVDRWs. :)

[skanji]

DD,

I have been speaking to aplus+ here on the boards regarding picking up the LG 4081 vs 4082.

A couple of questions for you - where can I find the firmware for this product and do you have a strong opinion either way of which of the two to buy?

Thanks and great post!!!

[bigdaddyyc]

ATTN: Owners of the NEC 2500a

You are very *VERY* lucky!

If you install Herrie's latest hacked 1.07 firmware for the NEC 2500a, you can burn both Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs, and Optodisc 4x DVD+Rs at 8x with very good results. The 4x DVD-Rs are still a better burn, but the 4x DVD+Rs actually burn quite well in this drive too!! I'm completely shocked since no other drive has had any real luck with the Optodisc DVD+Rs.

On a sad note however, it seems to be completely incompatible with the Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs as they are right now (there is a bit of a code issue). But if you can get the 4x DVD-Rs to burn at 8x, who cares right? :cheesygri

For those of you who don't want to hack the NEC's firmware, it still did a good job burning the Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs at 4x, so don't worry. I'll have to try the 4x DVD+Rs without the hacked firmware too, but I can only burn and test so many discs in one day! ;)

Enjoy!!!!

how come you have such an optodisc fetish lol... do you work for them? :lol:

[The Digital Dolphin]

DD,

I have been speaking to aplus+ here on the boards regarding picking up the LG 4081 vs 4082.

A couple of questions for you - where can I find the firmware for this product and do you have a strong opinion either way of which of the two to buy?

Thanks and great post!!!

Both drives are pretty good... their main feature is a fairly universal burn quality. They burn a large amount of media either well, or quite well, and only very few media types poorly. The main drawback of these drives is their speed... almost all LG drives limit DVD burn speeds to the rated speed of the disc, or even below the rated speed of the disc. This can be a pain, but it is almost always for the best.

Personally, I would go for the 4120B, but the 4082 is a close second ;) (I wouldn't want to buy the 4081B since it only supports 8x DVD+R and not 8x DVD-R).

Hope that helps! (this is all based on reports and reviews I've read, I don't own any LG DVD burners yet... but they're on my to-do list :cheesygri )

[The Digital Dolphin]

how come you have such an optodisc fetish lol... do you work for them? :lol:

Unlike most companies, Optodisc send me a lot's of free media for testing. I also have the oppurtunity to smack them in the head (figurativly speaking) whenever I find something I don't like (I.E. the NEC with hacked firmware not being able to burn their 8x DVD-Rs). Ritek has also sent me media for testing, but more so in the past then in recent days. I'm also working to hopefully get some media from Mitsui in the future.

I also happen to like Optodisc, because a fair amount of drives have good results with their media, and because they are friendly to deal with.

[mrken]

Unlike most companies, Optodisc send me a lot's of free media for testing. I also have the oppurtunity to smack them in the head (figurativly speaking) whenever I find something I don't like (I.E. the NEC with hacked firmware not being able to burn their 8x DVD-Rs). Ritek has also sent me media for testing, but more so in the past then in recent days. I'm also working to hopefully get some media from Mitsui in the future.

I also happen to like Optodisc, because a fair amount of drives have good results with their media, and because they are friendly to deal with.
Okay. I will remember that when I deal with you. :)

To tame the dolphin:
Feed it free stuff with no obligations
Let the dolphin smack you at will
Never decrease its free supply
Be friendly
Give it a German friend
Keep its secret identity (workplace)











:razz:


EDIT: Don't edit your post of the dolphin will get mad. :)

[Larsin]

If you think you love the Pioneer DVR-107 now... just wait until the Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs come out next week :cheesygri ;)

Do you no a place in east end of Toronto ( Scarboro) that will sell them ?

[skanji]

Both drives are pretty good... their main feature is a fairly universal burn quality. They burn a large amount of media either well, or quite well, and only very few media types poorly. The main drawback of these drives is their speed... almost all LG drives limit DVD burn speeds to the rated speed of the disc, or even below the rated speed of the disc. This can be a pain, but it is almost always for the best.

Personally, I would go for the 4120B, but the 4082 is a close second ;) (I wouldn't want to buy the 4081B since it only supports 8x DVD+R and not 8x DVD-R).

Hope that helps! (this is all based on reports and reviews I've read, I don't own any LG DVD burners yet... but they're on my to-do list :cheesygri )

Thanks DD,

A follow up for you...I heard a rumor that the 4081 and 4082 is hackable to dual layer mode... have you heard anything regarding this? Where can I go for further reading on this issue?

Thanks in advance!

[Amourek]

Hey DD, I was thinking of picking up the Pioneer 107D at NCIX for $110 this week, but I'm hesitant because the price seems to be continually dropping. Any idea when 12x burners will become widely available here? Don't care about DL right now, not at 2.4x anyway.

[Evil Techie]

where can you get DL media in canada?
or even west coast?
i havent seen any here

however, i took some pics of the ones i saw in computex

[The Digital Dolphin]

gotta do quick replies so I can go to bed!!

#1: Take a look in the hot deals post I made for the Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs, someone posted a link to a store selling them for $0.80 each in 50pc spindles, somewhere in Ontario I think

#2: Between now and December you will see a flurry of new drives released, including both 12x and 16x DVD burners, and at the end of December the release of DVD-R9. Prices will continue to fall, and there won't be any real stability until the drive speeds plateau.... of course then it'll only be a matter of time before the format is dropped for blu-ray :confused:

#3: DVD+R9 media in Canads?? not to my knowledge. I've seen the Sony online store advertising it for $14.99 USD per unit! I know that www.blankmedia.ca is supposed to be offering it for $12 USD in the next little bit too.

[rp_guy]

i'm thinking of getting:
optodisk dvd-r 25's from ncix, $18.99
and the
pioneer dvr-107d oem $109.99 ncix.

good combo? how would it rate vs. nec 2500a w/ hack firmware (or 2510a w/ hack firmware)?

and what software are you using to burn stuff? will nero work ok? (mostly divx .avi's)

thanks

[chdude3]

How about DVD-RAM, Dolphin?

[The Digital Dolphin]

i'm thinking of getting:
optodisk dvd-r 25's from ncix, $18.99
and the
pioneer dvr-107d oem $109.99 ncix.

good combo? how would it rate vs. nec 2500a w/ hack firmware (or 2510a w/ hack firmware)?

and what software are you using to burn stuff? will nero work ok? (mostly divx .avi's)

thanks

Hrm, I would say you have the winning combo right there. The NEC is a great drive, but because it starts it's 8x burns with 4x instead of 6x, it's really slow! So burning a disc at 8x on the NEC takes the same amount of time as burning at 6x on the Pioneer!! (or pretty close!). So pickup the Pioneer and get the 4x DVD-Rs and I know you'll be happy. If speed is an issue, get the 8x DVD-Rs, and you'll get better results then most drives :cheesygri

@chdude3
DVD-RAM is an awesome format! Maxell and Optodisc are the way to go for the media. Both companies manufacturer 3x and 5x DVD-RAM, but good luck finding either! I work very closely with both companies and I still can't get any!! :evil: I would recommend the format for any situation where you need to be frequently re-writing files, or absolutely *need* the disc to NOT fail when burning. Hope that helps!

[bigdaddyyc]

hey DD, another of my many questions on this thread ;)

I took your advice and downloaded herries hacked firmware for my NEC2500a (Aopen 8x8 DUAL AAN) and tried to install it but it said it cannot find the device for this firmware :(

and how can i tell that, when installed correctly, the device can now burn double layered discs?

any suggestions?

[chdude3]

@chdude3
DVD-RAM is an awesome format! Maxell and Optodisc are the way to go for the media. Both companies manufacturer 3x and 5x DVD-RAM, but good luck finding either! I work very closely with both companies and I still can't get any!! :evil: I would recommend the format for any situation where you need to be frequently re-writing files, or absolutely *need* the disc to NOT fail when burning. Hope that helps!Excellent. I recently formatted and reinstalled on one of my main boxes, and found out that it took a number of CD's to do a full proper backup (as opposed to the incrementals I generally do). I saw that LG's got their "Super Multi" or whatever drive out, the GSA-4120B, which supports DVD-RAM at 5x. That caught my eye for frequent rewriting of backups.

Have you got any comments on that drive, and perhaps its compatability with other media (+/-R or RW)? For $150CAD, it seems a reasonably priced drive. I could easily hold out for longer, though, if there's going to be significant benefit to doing so.

[The Digital Dolphin]

hey DD, another of my many questions on this thread ;)

I took your advice and downloaded herries hacked firmware for my NEC2500a (Aopen 8x8 DUAL AAN) and tried to install it but it said it cannot find the device for this firmware :(

and how can i tell that, when installed correctly, the device can now burn double layered discs?

any suggestions?

I would take that question direct to www.rpc1.org if I were you. Good luck!!

@chdude3:

LG's drives are very good with burning media with excellent results... but they are often times much slower, and not good with overclocking media at all... in fact they usually underclock media. Still, LG DVD burners have some of the highest overall scores when tested with professional equipment. Also, they don't seem to overly favour one forum over another, which is also good :D

[blitz]

Hey DD,

1) Is it true that it is better to store dvd and cd media in a vertical position instead of facing down?

2) Do you still reccommend Riteks Ridata cd-r media?

[GMMTC]

I have a question, every disk I perform dvdinfo reads on, it says : Free Capacity 4.38GB(4.71GB)

Also, I just picked up a 25-pack of the optodisk dvd-r's for $22 at a store in town here, so hopfully they work alright on my sony dvd burner.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD,

1) Is it true that it is better to store dvd and cd media in a vertical position instead of facing down?

I have serious doubts about that... but more likely even if it was true, by the time it might begin to be an issue, most discs would have died of other causes anyways. I store all of my discs facing down... unless they are standing upright in a DVD case, which is more to do with convenience then anything else! :cheesygri


2) Do you still reccommend Riteks Ridata cd-r media?

I would say yes. Ritek's CD-Rs have a lot more stability then their DVDR media... well unless you get the chinese made ones... then they are only so-so... but the Chinese ones should never say Ridata on them ;)


I have a question, every disk I perform dvdinfo reads on, it says : Free Capacity 4.38GB(4.71GB)

Also, I just picked up a 25-pack of the optodisk dvd-r's for $22 at a store in town here, so hopfully they work alright on my sony dvd burner.

Technically, neither of those were questions ;)

a DVD-R holds 4,700,000,000 bytes, which some people (like the marketing departments of media manufacturers) call 4.7GB.... but in actual fact, there are 1024 bytes in a kilobyte, and 1024 kilobytes in a megabyte, and 1024 megabytes in a gigabyte. So 4,700,000,000 divided by 1024, then divided by 1024 again, and then divided by 1024 again, is 4.377GB, which is the 4.38GB you see when you scan it with DVDInfoPro. Both sizes are used, but 4.38 is technically correct.

As for the Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs and your burner, it helps a *LOT* if you mention the model number of your burner! ;)

Hope that helps!! :)

[GMMTC]

a DVD-R holds 4,700,000,000 bytes, which some people (like the marketing departments of media manufacturers) call 4.7GB.... but in actual fact, there are 1024 bytes in a kilobyte, and 1024 kilobytes in a megabyte, and 1024 megabytes in a gigabyte. So 4,700,000,000 divided by 1024, then divided by 1024 again, and then divided by 1024 again, is 4.377GB, which is the 4.38GB you see when you scan it with DVDInfoPro. Both sizes are used, but 4.38 is technically correct.

Thanks, that was what I was wondering, what a rip off heh :)


As for the Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs and your burner, it helps a *LOT* if you mention the model number of your burner! ;)

Yea I wasn't really asking a question there just saying that I decided to buy optodiscs due to the good praise you gave them.

But I do have a problem now, so I'll tell you my burner model # and such.
I got a Sony DRU-510a, and the optodisc's media code is optodiscr004
Anyways, I just burnt my first DVD, just of some data I needed to backup, I'm using Nero6 1.3.1.17 and I just completed the burn process and it says "burn process completed at 4x (5,540 kp/s), now it should've taken around 13 minutes but the final time was 31:53, any idea why it's burning at under 2x?

[skanji]

Thanks DD,

A follow up for you...I heard a rumor that the 4081 and 4082 is hackable to dual layer mode... have you heard anything regarding this? Where can I go for further reading on this issue?

Thanks in advance!

Sorry DD,

I didn't see a response to my question earlier - any ideas on the above?

Thanks!

[The Digital Dolphin]

Sorry DD,

I didn't see a response to my question earlier - any ideas on the above?

Thanks!

Very unlikely!

The 4081 and 4082 are both based on the same hardware (more or less) as the original 4040B, but the 4120B is completely new! So it would be more likely to see a hack of 4040B@4081B then it would 4081B@4120B.

[mrken]

Hey DD,

1) Is it true that it is better to store dvd and cd media in a vertical position instead of facing down?
Reminds me of something:
Is it better to leave CDRs and CDRWs with their silver side up or the greenish (or whatever dye colour) up? The sunlight and flourescent lamps will shine one it, so...

BTW, after over two years of inhuman treatment with CMC CDRs, they are still holding up quite good! My CDRWs didn't fare as well. :(

[The Digital Dolphin]

Reminds me of something:
Is it better to leave CDRs and CDRWs with their silver side up or the greenish (or whatever dye colour) up? The sunlight and flourescent lamps will shine one it, so...

That one could be debated forever I think... personally, I try to just keep my important discs stored properly, and I don't care at all about my non-important CD-Rs, which often end up stacked loosly on top of each other until I can make amusing decorations out of them ;)


BTW, after over two years of inhuman treatment with CMC CDRs, they are still holding up quite good! My CDRWs didn't fare as well. :(

I was not as lucky! although some of my CMC CD-R have faired well, most of them have not. CMC is the king of media variance! (although Ritek is lately challenging quite well for the title!!)

[shadowfighta]

What is your opinion on Prodisc s03 media?

[afzan]

are there optodisc fakes out there?

how can I ensure that these are genuine? are there any markings or anything to look out for?
http://www.logiccomputerhouse.com/webcd.htm
#1387 OPTODISC oem DVD-R MEDIA 4.7GB 8x 50pcs Cake Box $39.99

[The Digital Dolphin]

are there optodisc fakes out there?

how can I ensure that these are genuine? are there any markings or anything to look out for?
http://www.logiccomputerhouse.com/webcd.htm
#1387 OPTODISC oem DVD-R MEDIA 4.7GB 8x 50pcs Cake Box $39.99

Hrm... I am not aware of any fake Optodisc. I *DO* know who Logiccomputerhouse.com is buying their Optodisc DVDRs from, and they are a legitimate supplier... but also a lot more of a shady one then I like to deal with too. So all I can say is they *are* made by Optodisc, but they may not be 'A' grade discs (but that doesn't mean they aren't, just I can't guarentee anything).

One thing I should mention though. The above Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs are only the first revision of Optodisc's 8x DVD-R media... let's call it "revision 'T'". The final version, which we shall call "revision 'O'" will be out in the next 2 months I believe. "revision 'O'" should be more compatible then the current discs available (I expect).

[afzan]

ah.. Is there any way to tell grade A discs from grade b?

maybe I should just get a 50pk prodisc for $30 instead then? from http://www.cty.ca/medias.htm

what would you recommend? possible grade b, first revision optodiscs, or prodiscs? btw, I have a 107d..

I have a bunch of maxell TY discs, but I realized that the majority of stuff I burn is not THAT important.. so I think I will burn most stuff on to cheaper discs

[The Digital Dolphin]

ah.. Is there any way to tell grade A discs from grade b?

maybe I should just get a 50pk prodisc for $30 instead then? from http://www.cty.ca/medias.htm

what would you recommend? possible grade b, first revision optodiscs, or prodiscs? btw, I have a 107d..

I have a bunch of maxell TY discs, but I realized that the majority of stuff I burn is not THAT important.. so I think I will burn most stuff on to cheaper discs

No easy way to tell 'B' grade from 'A' grade... I can do it sometimes, but I'm never 100% sure, and every manufacturer grades discs differently.

Since you have the Pioneer DVR-107, I'd say go for the Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs. If you live close enough to pick them up, then go to logiccomputerhouse, but if you are shipping them, then get NCIX to price match, it'll probably come to a similar price, and I can guarentee that NCIX is not selling 'B' grade of any Optodisc products!

I don't have any real experiences with Prodisc one way or the other, but I know that my Pioneer has done some great work with every single DVD-R Optodisc product I've tried (not the DVD+Rs though).

[LeeBear]

I buy most of my media at cty.ca and haven't had any problems. I don't know if the last batch of Prodisc (inkjet printable ones) I bought were grade A or grade B but they work very well on my Pioneer 107D burner. The PI/PO scans on the discs are fairly good, not quite as good as the Riteks (haven't had a bad Ritek like some people, knock on wood) but still very acceptable. I know Digital Dolphin doesn't approve of PI/PO scans as a measure of quality because it is flawed but it's still one of the only things an end user can do to check disc quality without the use of special equipment. Personally I think the scans are still useful for comparing different medias, as long as all the scans are done the same way and using the same hardware (not just the same model). Just don't compare your results to someone elses.

-LeeBear


ah.. Is there any way to tell grade A discs from grade b?

maybe I should just get a 50pk prodisc for $30 instead then? from http://www.cty.ca/medias.htm

what would you recommend? possible grade b, first revision optodiscs, or prodiscs? btw, I have a 107d..

I have a bunch of maxell TY discs, but I realized that the majority of stuff I burn is not THAT important.. so I think I will burn most stuff on to cheaper discs

[The Digital Dolphin]

I buy most of my media at cty.ca and haven't had any problems. I don't know if the last batch of Prodisc (inkjet printable ones) I bought were grade A or grade B but they work very well on my Pioneer 107D burner. The PI/PO scans on the discs are fairly good, not quite as good as the Riteks (haven't had a bad Ritek like some people, knock on wood) but still very acceptable. I know Digital Dolphin doesn't approve of PI/PO scans as a measure of quality because it is flawed but it's still one of the only things an end user can do to check disc quality without the use of special equipment. Personally I think the scans are still useful for comparing different medias, as long as all the scans are done the same way and using the same hardware (not just the same model). Just don't compare your results to someone elses.

-LeeBear

The reason I don't like people taking K-Probe (or any other software) scans as being accurate, is because they have no bearing on the performance of the disc in other drives. Also LiteOn drives are FAR too error tolerant to begin with, and have MAJOR biases against certain write strategies, and even some dye formulations altogether. I've seen some very bad scans for very good media, and I've seen some pretty good scans on very bad media. It all has to be looked at very carefully! That's why I test media in several drives, under variable conditions.

By the way, anyone with a Pioneer 107 should go out and get the new 1.18 firmware, it's awesome!

Oh, and for those who haven't seen it yet, go check out the specs on the new Pioneer A08!! :cheesygri

[major]

By the way, anyone with a Pioneer 107 should go out and get the new 1.18 firmware, it's awesome!



Are you referring to v1.18 which only seems to be available on the Pioneer Australia website (http://www.pioneeraus.com.au/computer/firmware.html)? What are some of the improvements over v1.16 (both official and hacked versions)? Should we wait until NIL releases a hacked v1.18?

[afzan]

I buy most of my media at cty.ca and haven't had any problems. I don't know if the last batch of Prodisc (inkjet printable ones) I bought were grade A or grade B but they work very well on my Pioneer 107D burner. The PI/PO scans on the discs are fairly good, not quite as good as the Riteks (haven't had a bad Ritek like some people, knock on wood) but still very acceptable. I know Digital Dolphin doesn't approve of PI/PO scans as a measure of quality because it is flawed but it's still one of the only things an end user can do to check disc quality without the use of special equipment. Personally I think the scans are still useful for comparing different medias, as long as all the scans are done the same way and using the same hardware (not just the same model). Just don't compare your results to someone elses.

-LeeBear
I picked up a piece of ridata, prodisc, and smartbuy dvd-r's from cty today (free for doing their dvd survey) , but the prodisc already had some asian movie on it.. :lol:

I was hoping to test them all out in various devices and then buy some blanks tomorrow.. I guess I can still try it out in my dvd player, xbox,etc and make sure it reads ok before buying some.. LOL

I also bought a smartbuy 4x dvd+rw (made by prodisc) which I can't find any review for (in comparison to other +rw discs).. hopefully it'll work in my xbox.. it stopped reading my verbatim 2.4x dvd+rw after a few times :confused:

[The Digital Dolphin]

Are you referring to v1.18 which only seems to be available on the Pioneer Australia website (http://www.pioneeraus.com.au/computer/firmware.html)? What are some of the improvements over v1.16 (both official and hacked versions)? Should we wait until NIL releases a hacked v1.18?

My inital results show significant improvement in DVD+R burning.

I don't actually use the hacked firmware anymore... even though it's useful, the official firmware is very good, and I'm not overly concerned with the burning speed... since my testing time is like 10x the length of time for burning anyways :razz:

There is nothing wrong with the hacked firmware, and it works really well (especially for burning Optodisc 2x mini DVD-RWs at 4x!!), it's just not something I need, and as a reviewer, I'd rather use the stock official releases ;)

[The Digital Dolphin]

I picked up a piece of ridata, prodisc, and smartbuy dvd-r's from cty today (free for doing their dvd survey) , but the prodisc already had some asian movie on it.. :lol:

I was hoping to test them all out in various devices and then buy some blanks tomorrow.. I guess I can still try it out in my dvd player, xbox,etc and make sure it reads ok before buying some.. LOL

I also bought a smartbuy 4x dvd+rw (made by prodisc) which I can't find any review for (in comparison to other +rw discs).. hopefully it'll work in my xbox.. it stopped reading my verbatim 2.4x dvd+rw after a few times :confused:


What kind of burner are you using?

[afzan]

107d, like I mentioned a few posts up.. ;)

[The Digital Dolphin]

107d, like I mentioned a few posts up.. ;)

Sorry, I have a poor short term memory on these forums :lol:

The thing I best remember on here is how much mrken seems to love bugging me with silly questions :cheesygri

I don't really know how the Prodisc will perform on the Pioneer... probably quite well. I haven't found too many discs that don't perform well on the Pioneer 107! With the latest firmware, even Optodisc's 8x DVD+Rs seem to be burning quite a bit better! I have to do a lot more testing, but hopefully by tomorrow I'll have some more results. ;)

[chdude3]

Dolphin - I'm inching closer and closer to the LG 4120B. Two questions - first, I've read that to do DVD-RAM burning, you need drivers which don't come with the OEM version of the drive. True? Second, I'm having trouble finding what I'd consider reasonably priced DVD-RAM media. How much should I expect to pay per disc? Thanks!

[The Digital Dolphin]

Dolphin - I'm inching closer and closer to the LG 4120B. Two questions - first, I've read that to do DVD-RAM burning, you need drivers which don't come with the OEM version of the drive. True? Second, I'm having trouble finding what I'd consider reasonably priced DVD-RAM media. How much should I expect to pay per disc? Thanks!

#1: I'll reference here:
http://www.cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.php?reviewid=234&page=Installation

According to Ian, you should *not* need a special driver to burn DVD-RAM media.

#2: I *REALLY* don't think you'll find a better price for DVD-RAM then the ones at www.blankmedia.ca . Tom's pricing on double sided DVD-RAM discs has made more then one wholesaler/manufacturer unhappy, since it caused some massive price drops accross the market. Actually, he is directly responsible for my own cost on DVD-RAM going down :cheesygri

[afzan]

Sorry, I have a poor short term memory on these forums :lol:

The thing I best remember on here is how much mrken seems to love bugging me with silly questions :cheesygri

I don't really know how the Prodisc will perform on the Pioneer... probably quite well. I haven't found too many discs that don't perform well on the Pioneer 107! With the latest firmware, even Optodisc's 8x DVD+Rs seem to be burning quite a bit better! I have to do a lot more testing, but hopefully by tomorrow I'll have some more results. ;)
well Prodisc is certified by Pioneer so I think they should be at least half decent.. ;)

I pretty much made up my mind to get the Prodiscs because they work great in my xbox (including the +rw, yay)..

for me it was between the Optodisc 8x from Logic or the Prodiscs from CTY (both are local)
optodisc pros - 8x, cons - possible grade b, more expensive, first revision
prodisc pros - cheaper, already tested in my target drives, certified by pioneer cons - 4x, not DD approved ;)

[LeeBear]

The printable Prodisc burns and prints great on my Pioneer 107D and Epson R200 printer. Can't be the price either.

-LeeBear

[The Digital Dolphin]

prodisc pros - cheaper, already tested in my target drives, certified by pioneer cons - 4x, not DD approved ;)

Not DD *dis*approved either ;)

Ok, I'll admit I have a bit of a grudge against Prodisc which goes back to their CD-R media... I don't have a lot of faith in the company, and they just kind of edge against me. None of these reasons have ANYTHING to do with the quality of their DVDR media, but it does make me a little biased against them. However, I recognize my own bias, and generally try to comment as little as possible on them to avoid any misconceptions. I will eventually get around to buying some, and burning/testing the discs, which will be as accurate and straightforward as all my tests, with a stern eye to the graphs, and away from other "distractions" (in this case "distractions" can refer to my own bias, but generally it's a reference to my g/f trying to drag me away from my computer... :lol: ).

Please don't confuse the above bias against prodisc with my bias against Ritek. Whereas my bias against Prodisc is mainly based on their CDR media, and has no real hold on their DVDRs, I *LIKE* Ritek CD-Rs, but have grown to dislike Ritek for their variable disc quality.

Speaking of Ritek... I'm nearly done my first run of testing on their 8x DVD+Rs. I just have one more disc to burn before I reload the hacked firmwares onto my NEC 2500a and Pioneer DVR-107. The hacked firmwares are neccissary for burning the discs at 8x, since neither the Pioneer 107, nor the NEC 2500a can burn the discs at 8x without them!! :confused:

[trinh]

Hello Expert Digital Dolphin,

I have a few concerns, if you can clear them out for me , I really appreciate your help

1. Will the quality of the movie decrease if you copy DVD-R to DVD-R ? ( like you got one burn, then take that copy to hard drive and burn another one. Will the quality stay the same for the 2 )

2. Is Maxell ( Taiyo Yuden code ) better than Ritek GO3 or GO4 ? I mainly use Ritek for 2 yrs now and they are just great. I replace them by using Maxell now and I FELT like the quality burn is not the same as Ritek. It kinda of blur compare to Rtiek, being said that, none of the brand produce coaster. I could just be my feeling.

Thanks Digital D.

[chdude3]

#2: I *REALLY* don't think you'll find a better price for DVD-RAM then the ones at www.blankmedia.ca.Thanks dude, but am I missing something? I checked blankmedia.ca before and just checked again now, the only DVD-RAM media I can see they have is a mini 8cm disc.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Thanks dude, but am I missing something? I checked blankmedia.ca before and just checked again now, the only DVD-RAM media I can see they have is a mini 8cm disc.

It's the 24th item from the top, and the 8th item from the bottom ;)

Sorry, I can't link direct to the product because of the way the webpage works :(

@trinh:

#1: Will the quality of the movie decrease from one copy to another (not from an original)? It shouldn't no. The only way I could see a problem is if the DVD reader you are using has very bad error correction, and the disc is damaged a little. The beauty of the digital format is perfect 1:1 copies, so everything should be exactly the same.

#2: Is Maxell / Taiyo Yuden better then Ritek? ****YES**** (note the 4 asterixes for emphasis). Taiyo Yuden is by far one of the best manufacturers in the industry. The only companies that make media as well as Taiyo Yuden (or at least can compete) are Maxell Japan, and Mitsubishi Chemicals Singapore.

[The Digital Dolphin]

I have just purchased the LiteON 812s drive, and will be updating it to an 832s very soon. So anyone with questions about the drive will get much better answers now! :cheesygri

For the record, I own the following drives:
LiteON LDW-411s
LiteON SOHD - 812S (soon to be 832s)
Plextor 712a
NEC 2500a
Pioneer DVR-107

So if anyone has any questions about performance on these drives, I would be more then happy to give them a hand as best I can!

[othy]

So if anyone has any questions about performance on these drives, I would be more then happy to give them a hand as best I can!

My question is to what you would consider to be the best all-round drive these days.. I have been on the fence about getting the NEC 2510 for a while (next time ncix puts it on sale I may have to jump on it) but if there is a better option I'm all ears. Although, the 2500 is $89.99 right now, so I might just pick that puppy up and flash it or whatever. Any reports that the flashed 2500s (for dual layer) aren't quite as good as the 2510s (because the hardware is tuned more for DL or whatever) ? Not that dual layer media is worthwhile these days, but thinking more for the future..

[The Digital Dolphin]

My question is to what you would consider to be the best all-round drive these days.. I have been on the fence about getting the NEC 2510 for a while (next time ncix puts it on sale I may have to jump on it) but if there is a better option I'm all ears. Although, the 2500 is $89.99 right now, so I might just pick that puppy up and flash it or whatever. Any reports that the flashed 2500s (for dual layer) aren't quite as good as the 2510s (because the hardware is tuned more for DL or whatever) ? Not that dual layer media is worthwhile these days, but thinking more for the future..

Go for the 2500a or the Pioneer DVR-107. If you want to consider dual layer burning, wait for the DVR-108. Do *NOT* settle for 2.4x on dual layer, it's *TOO* slow! (like 45min to burn the whole disc...).

[othy]

Go for the 2500a or the Pioneer DVR-107. If you want to consider dual layer burning, wait for the DVR-108. Do *NOT* settle for 2.4x on dual layer, it's *TOO* slow! (like 45min to burn the whole disc...).

Good advice! Can't beat the NEC for 89 bucks either.. If only they had it for that price in black.. but hey, my case has a door and all that..

[Evil Techie]

Master DD,

ive got a question
is this media RICHOJPNR01?
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&dept=2&WLBS=fsweb13&sku_id=0665000FS10029162&catid=&newdeptid=2

Memorex 5-Pack 4X 4.7GB DVD+R

or this?
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&dept=2&WLBS=fsweb13&sku_id=0665000FS10043647&catid=&newdeptid=2
Memorex 50-Pack 4X 4.7GB DVD+R

or these?
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&dept=2&WLBS=fsweb14&sku_id=0665000FS10031865&catid=&newdeptid=2
Memorex 25-Pack 4X 4.7GB DVD+Rs

i need something that can be burnt at 8x with my PX-708A
lately im having trouble buring The Last Samurai onto my Acer discs (nanya dye)
even at the rated 4x, the movie would crap out past half way and frames would skip and eventually freeze
ive made 4 of these coasters already
tried at 4x and 8x
doesnt seem like my PX-708A fw 1.07 likes it at all
these Acer discs used to use RICHOJPNR01 and i had no troubles with them so i bought about 20 more of them from taiwan but they changed the dye and now i have these 20 sitting here half wasted...

i know the richojpnr01 can be burnt at 8x just fine with my PX708A so im looking for good deals on either Maxell's (what i used to have) and perhaps Memorex


the VOB and IFO files are fine btw, they play just fine from my HDD on my comp

[The Digital Dolphin]

Personally, I've found that the trick previously posted on here somewhere, that looking at the date on the box, works pretty good.

At least for the 10pks, the ones with 2002 on them should be Ricohjpn01, and the ones with 2003 should be CMC. Now I don't know if this also holds for the other packaging types, but it is possible. If you want to be sure about getting Ricohjpn01 DVD+Rs, then talk to Tom at www.blankmedia.ca, and I'm sure he'll be able to set you up.

Good luck!

[Evil Techie]

i guess ill have to drive to FS tomorrow and find out the date then

thanx a lot

im looking for maxell discs, TY DVD+R discs...
i hope these memorex are richojpnr01

[The Digital Dolphin]

i guess ill have to drive to FS tomorrow and find out the date then

thanx a lot

im looking for maxell discs, TY DVD+R discs...
i hope these memorex are richojpnr01

I don't think you'll find TY DVD+Rs in any major brand.... at least *I* haven't seen them. Even Fuji doesn't use them normally. Maxell DVD+Rs are either made by Maxell themselves, or by Ricoh in Japan, or by Ritek with the Ricoh JPN code.

[Evil Techie]

Plextor DVD+R discs use TY DVD+R

but yeah
super hard to find unless you buy directly from http://www.plextorshopcanada.com/

even with the "Made in Taiwan" richojpnr01 ritek discs branded maxell burn fine at 8x with my PX-708A
that dye is just perfect for this burner....
even it on the old Acer DVD+R 4x disc can be burnt at 8x just fine

these stupid companies changing their dye to crappy ones like CMC and Nanya pisses me off
we care about quality, while all they care about is making tons of money

i hope Maxell has kept the richojpnr01 dye
but havent bought their stuff for half a year now, not sure if it has changed or not, can anyone confirm?

[The Digital Dolphin]

well, in theory Maxell 4x DVD+Rs should all be made by Maxell themselves now (which is not a degradation in quality!) but in reality, I don't think we got many of those here in North America, so you should be fine ;-)

[tantalus]

DD, do you have any info on when we're likely to see the pioneer dvr-a/108 released in Canada? I think this drive will be the one that ends my long wait to buy a dvd writer. I want dual-layer capability, but 2.4x always seemed too slow for me. 4x DL is better and 16/16x single layer writing is also nice even if it is Z-CLV. Some articles I've seen expect it in September for Europe, but make no mention of the North American market. This wating is getting difficult.

[crimsona]

Here's a question way out of left field: How good do you see notebook DVD burners (how do they stack up to desktop drives)? Although I have a Toshiba R-6372 on order from ultradrives.com to install onto my ultraportable, I'm not really sure what to expect.

As much as I would be happy to lend my laptop for a while for testing, I'm currently not in the country unfortunately...

[Evil Techie]

maxell DVD+Rs are being sold at london drugs now
for 12.99 per 5-pack
expensive!

but the quality is good while it is made in taiwan and has the richojpnr01 dye
i miss the FS sales on that...
maxells is a recommended one for my PX-708A
if any one see cheap maxell DVD+R goes on sale, please post! these are good discs

[Evil Techie]

woot

just got back from FS, bought 3 packs of memorex DVD+R 5-pack

i followed the date trick and yeah, the 2002's are all richojpnr01 according to dvd-identifier
thanx for letting me know the trick and thanx to whoever found the trick

good deal for 7.99 each!

[The Digital Dolphin]

DD, do you have any info on when we're likely to see the pioneer dvr-a/108 released in Canada? I think this drive will be the one that ends my long wait to buy a dvd writer. I want dual-layer capability, but 2.4x always seemed too slow for me. 4x DL is better and 16/16x single layer writing is also nice even if it is Z-CLV. Some articles I've seen expect it in September for Europe, but make no mention of the North American market. This wating is getting difficult.

Sorry for bieng MIA for so long! I've been SUPER busy working on some new projects lately... some of which will be noticeable soon hopefully :cheesygri

When will we see the Pioneer DVR-108/A08? My own best guess would have been sometime in September... probably late September... the drive is already for sale in Japan, which means that as long as manufacturing numbers are high, we might even get it a little sooner. I would think we should have it roughly 2 months after Japan gets it... but there is no certainty

@crimsona:
To be honest, I haven't really payed much attention to laptop DVD burners... I suggest checking out www.cdrinfo.com since they do very good reviews, and have checked out several laptop drives in the past. Good luck!

@Evil Techie:
Glad I could help!!

And now, anyone who owns the LiteON 812s, or 832s, I'm working on a special hack just for you guys, which should fix all the issues with Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs for you :D I'm working VERY hard on this! I've burned/coastered over 20 DVDRs to get all the tweaking just right ;) I'm getting pretty satisfied with the results, but still gotta check all the options :cheesygri If we're lucky, I might be finished within a week :)

[mrken]

And now, anyone who owns the LiteON 812s, or 832s, I'm working on a special hack just for you guys, which should fix all the issues with Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs for you :D I'm working VERY hard on this! I've burned/coastered over 20 DVDRs to get all the tweaking just right ;) I'm getting pretty satisfied with the results, but still gotta check all the options :cheesygri If we're lucky, I might be finished within a week :)
:eek: The Dolphin is a H4x0r :!:

So that's what you spend all day in seclusion! Hacking drives. :lol:

BTW, is it a firmware hack? Or software? Or hardware? :rolleyes: Do you get paid by Liteon? :cheesygri

[The Digital Dolphin]

:eek: The Dolphin is a H4x0r :!:

So that's what you spend all day in seclusion! Hacking drives. :lol:

BTW, is it a firmware hack? Or software? Or hardware? :rolleyes: Do you get paid by Liteon? :cheesygri

When I'm done, it'll be a regular firmware upgrade. You download the executable, double click on it, hit ok a couple times, and reboot when it tells you to. Nothing fancy or scary about it ;)

And no, at this time I don't get paid by LiteON... and realistically, they will probably be unhappy I am assisting in the hacking of their firmware, especially since they went to such great lengths recently to make the firmware "un-hackable" :lol:

[mrken]

When I'm done, it'll be a regular firmware upgrade. You download the executable, double click on it, hit ok a couple times, and reboot when it tells you to. Nothing fancy or scary about it ;)

And no, at this time I don't get paid by LiteON... and realistically, they will probably be unhappy I am assisting in the hacking of their firmware, especially since they went to such great lengths recently to make the firmware "un-hackable" :lol:
Can you tell us some of your secrets? :D How do you read the firmware from the drive?

Will it contain pop-ups? :lol:

[The Digital Dolphin]

Can you tell us some of your secrets? :D How do you read the firmware from the drive?

Will it contain pop-ups? :lol:

Can I tell my secrets? sorta. Take a look for the Omni Patcher for LiteON drives... but don't blame me if it kills your drive, or makes coasters out of all your DVDRs. I've literally wasted dozens of DVDRs just to get one writing strategy hacked for one media type! :confused: so don't even start trying to do this is you aren't prepared to lose at least 10-20 discs, and possibly not even see an improvement. Also, you need to be able to test to see if there is an improvement, and that takes even more time.

Will there be pop-ups? no. But if you push the eject button on your drive, the tray will still pop open :cheesygri

[lionhe@rt]

Hey DD, I have a few questions for you....

I'm looking to get a DVD burner. I'm looking at the following drives....

NEC ND-2500A 8X DVD+/-RW OEM $99
Pioneer DVR-107 8X DVD+/-RW OEM $113

Of the two, which would you suggest (Or are they any better drives in this price range)?

Also, which media would you suggest for it? I plan to archive data, and make videos to be played on standalone DVD players. I dont mind spending the extra bit on durable/quality media for archiving data. After reading up on some of the threads, it seems like I should use + for my data archiving and - for videos/movies. However, there seems to be so much info on media alone, that I dunno which is good, and which I should stay away from.

Thanks

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hrm... tough call, since both drives are great.

Here's the kicker, if you are okay voiding your drive warrenty by installing a hacked firmware, then go with the NEC 2500a. If you don't want to hack your firmware then go with the Pioneer DVR-107.

The NEC 2500a with hacked firmware will burn Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs even at 8x with very good results. It also performs very well with overclocking 4x Taiyo Yuden or Verbatim media (if speed is your concern). At this point, if you want 8x recording on media that is not being overclocked, go with Taiyo Yuden, Verbatim's 8x DVDRs just aren't working as well as they should.

The Pioneer DVR-107 seems to work best with DVD-R media with the 1.16 firmware, and best with DVD+R media with the 1.18 firmware... not sure what went wrong with the DVD-R writing in 1.18, but there have been some noticable problems coming up with some DVD-Rs I've tried since then. Generally the Pioneer is an excellent drive, and hardly needs the hacked firmware anymore even!

Hope that answers your question somewhat at least :razz:

[The Digital Dolphin]

Looks like Ritek has stopped production of their 4x DVD+Rs now... the G04 4x DVD-R will be next. :confused:

I suggest staying away from Ritek's G05 8x DVD-Rs completely... they seem to have very low compatability, and will soon be replaced by Ritek's G06 8x DVD-R, which will be much better for quality, although it might suffer the same lack of support that the G05 does :confused:

[bigdaddyyc]

Hey DD, what do you think about this?

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/forum/showthread.php?t=92274

are they fakes?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Thanks for pointing the topic out! I didn't notice it previously since the subject header didn't make it look like a blank media question :(

EDIT: Question has now been answered within the thread ;)

[mrken]

Can I tell my secrets? sorta. Take a look for the Omni Patcher for LiteON drives... but don't blame me if it kills your drive, or makes coasters out of all your DVDRs. I've literally wasted dozens of DVDRs just to get one writing strategy hacked for one media type! :confused: so don't even start trying to do this is you aren't prepared to lose at least 10-20 discs, and possibly not even see an improvement. Also, you need to be able to test to see if there is an improvement, and that takes even more time.

Will there be pop-ups? no. But if you push the eject button on your drive, the tray will still pop open :cheesygri
Interesting! So the patcher wasn't made by you. I would be pretty scared now if it was. :D

Since you don't get any money, is this just for personal satisfaction?

As for the eject button, does it mean that the disc will come out with an advertisemnt even when it is locked by a DVD-burning program? :lol:

[The Digital Dolphin]

Interesting! So the patcher wasn't made by you. I would be pretty scared now if it was. :D

Since you don't get any money, is this just for personal satisfaction?

As for the eject button, does it mean that the disc will come out with an advertisemnt even when it is locked by a DVD-burning program? :lol:

I'm not a programmer really... was never my thing. Kinda like I'm not a webdesigner either :cheesygri

Personal Satisfaction would deffinatly be one of the main reasons, yes.

umm, sure... yeah, if you eject your CD/DVD tray, it'll throw porn and viagra adverts at you :lol: ;)

[mrken]

I'm not a programmer really... was never my thing. Kinda like I'm not a webdesigner either :cheesygri

Personal Satisfaction would deffinatly be one of the main reasons, yes.

umm, sure... yeah, if you eject your CD/DVD tray, it'll throw porn and viagra adverts at you :lol: ;)
What are your other "main reasons"? :D

Are you going to come out from the drive and throw pills at me? :lol: Yay! Free samples! :cheesygri And no, I don't usually rest my hand in the position you see in my auto-photo. :ph34r:

[The Digital Dolphin]

What are your other "main reasons"? :D

Are you going to come out from the drive and throw pills at me? :lol: Yay! Free samples! :cheesygri And no, I don't usually rest my hand in the position you see in my auto-photo. :ph34r:

Wow... you never give up do you??? :lol:

Well, if you have to know, another of my main reasons is "just wanting to see if I can do it, and how well I can get it to work" believe it or not... which I guess could also be compared to bragging rights ;) There is another reason... which will not be named at this time, as it would give away something rather large and interesting that has no certainty of coming to pass just yet, so I'm not going to get anyone's hopes up just yet... including my own! ;)

Will I hack your drive so it will be auto-pill popping for you? umm, no. I think that's crossing the line :razz:

[rabbit]

Plextor DVD+R discs use TY DVD+R

but yeah
super hard to find unless you buy directly from http://www.plextorshopcanada.com/


ATIC on Broadway has Plextor 4x +Rs listed on their website:
http://www.atic.ca/index.php?page=LongDesc&sku=03666
$2.00 with jewel case
(Ignore the Ritek photo. It is used for other DVD Rs also).

I have not gone there to buy any since it is out of my way.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Personally, I'm waiting for Plextor 8x DVD+Rs, that will be 12x compatible in my PX-712a :cheesygri

[The Digital Dolphin]

Looks like LiteOn just released some new firmwares for their current drives:
812s, 832s, and 1213s. Go check 'em out!

For those of you with the LiteON 451s or 851s I highly consider checking out http://codeguys.rpc1.org for information on how to flash your drive with the firmware for the 832s. We aren't sure if the dual layer support will really work 100% or not, but you will get to take advantage of the new writing strategies on your older drives, which is usually a good thing!! :D

That being said, I'm trying to see how performance has changed with the new firmware.... so far it looks like more media support then anything else. For instance Optodisc 4x DVD-RWs and 8x DVD-Rs are now officially supported... too bad neither code is in any available media yet :(

[mrken]

Looks like LiteOn just released some new firmwares for their current drives:
812s, 832s, and 1213s. Go check 'em out!

For those of you with the LiteON 451s or 851s I highly consider checking out http://codeguys.rpc1.org for information on how to flash your drive with the firmware for the 832s. We aren't sure if the dual layer support will really work 100% or not, but you will get to take advantage of the new writing strategies on your older drives, which is usually a good thing!! :D

That being said, I'm trying to see how performance has changed with the new firmware.... so far it looks like more media support then anything else. For instance Optodisc 4x DVD-RWs and 8x DVD-Rs are now officially supported... too bad neither code is in any available media yet :(
Hehe, LiteON beat you to it. :cheesygri

Do you still plan on releasing your version of the pill-popping firmware? :cheesygri

And are these DVD drives as fragile as CD drives? I have blown so many up by accidently "hot-swapping" them. And maybe it doesn't like that surge of energy and lights up in flames! My room was filled with the smell of sulfur for several days. Don't like that smell. :) Don't know why hard drives can handle it and not CD drives Can the Dolphin give an answer? :cheesygri

[The Digital Dolphin]

Sadly because of the new firmware I have to start again.... but I'm still planning on something yes! :cheesygri

And I would suggest *NOT* hot swapping any internal devices... ;)

[Evil Techie]

mr. ken

you are one wicked strange person...


i noticed that atic sells it there
but for $2, id rather wait for maxell or memorex with richojpnr01 to go on sales for $8 at FS

its all about burning at twice the speed of the recommended speed by the disc vendors now eh
lol
quality disc vendors that is
i burn my memorex, plextor, maxell at 8x when their recommended speed is 4x
DD wants to go for a dance on the 12x track...

its silly how plextor never come up with a disc that is fully recommended for 8x or 12x burning for their own burners...

[The Digital Dolphin]

mr. ken

you are one wicked strange person...


i noticed that atic sells it there
but for $2, id rather wait for maxell or memorex with richojpnr01 to go on sales for $8 at FS

its all about burning at twice the speed of the recommended speed by the disc vendors now eh
lol
quality disc vendors that is
i burn my memorex, plextor, maxell at 8x when their recommended speed is 4x
DD wants to go for a dance on the 12x track...

its silly how plextor never come up with a disc that is fully recommended for 8x or 12x burning for their own burners...

It doesn't help that there is no such thing as 12x media either... basically it is the same as burning at 6x. It's an intermediate speed, included in drives to bridge the gap for media not quite capable of going the distance for 8x or 16x respectively. The fact that 12x drives were actually manfuctured is rather silly!

What I'm wondering is how long will we be sitting on our 16x DVD+R/-R, 4x DVD-R9/+R9 drives, before they come out with 4x dual layer media? :lol:

[mrken]

Sadly because of the new firmware I have to start again.... but I'm still planning on something yes! :cheesygri

And I would suggest *NOT* hot swapping any internal devices... ;)
So you will be reverse engineering the new firmware from the start again? I feel sorry for you. :( :cheesygri

Can you try testing for hot-swappability when you test DVD-burners? It would be an interesting test that nobody has done. :D

And interestingly, Windows supports hot swapping drives. :)

How can one be wicked and strange at the same time, Evil Techie? :lol:

[The Digital Dolphin]

So you will be reverse engineering the new firmware from the start again? I feel sorry for you. :( :cheesygri


Yes, now starting from scratch... and all 30 or so DVDRs that I burned doing the initial work, are now useless :(


Can you try testing for hot-swappability when you test DVD-burners? It would be an interesting test that nobody has done. :D


No... that's *NOT* going to happen. Besides if i spent my time (and money replacing the drives) on that, then how could I find time to make the pill-popping firmware? :cheesygri :lol:

[tantalus]

And I would suggest *NOT* hot swapping any internal devices... ;)

OT, but after having my second large hard drive fail (this time a western digital 160GB) within 2 or 3 years, I'm seriously considering a future purchase of a raid 5 hot swappable s-ata drive set up. With the hot swappability of s-ata, I could have a drive fail, swap it out, and regenerate the data all without rebooting as long as the raid card supported this (and some do).

[The Digital Dolphin]

One of the places that I work had a raid array of 3 drives going... it was a crucial part of a system, which stored pricing data, as well as unreplaceable label information for countless customer projects spanning from the early 1990's until present day. One of the drives in the array died.... that was ok, it was fixable, although a little frustrating.... and then a second drive died. We weren't able to recover any of the data, and many of our customers were very unhappy. :(

[mrken]

One of the places that I work had a raid array of 3 drives going... it was a crucial part of a system, which stored pricing data, as well as unreplaceable label information for countless customer projects spanning from the early 1990's until present day. One of the drives in the array died.... that was ok, it was fixable, although a little frustrating.... and then a second drive died. We weren't able to recover any of the data, and many of our customers were very unhappy. :(
That's why you don't use three drives with parity. Should go for full mirror and full stripe. (Is it called RAID 1+5?)

So you are going to make pill-popping software for my CD burners? :cheesygri

How about RAID firmware for CD/DVDs? Have two drives with the same CD/DVD in it and each drive can read alternate bytes and let the controller combine them. :) Or maybe two laser/lens in one drive? :lol:

[lionhe@rt]

hey DD, what is DVD-R9/+R9 exactly? Is it just faster -/+ media? Or is it media that will make the current -/+ obsolete?

Also, what do you think of the BenQ DWA822? Isn't it a rebadge of another drive (i'm not sure which).

Thanks again DD

[Evil Techie]

tantulus, why not buy a NAS with raid 5+1 hot swappable capabilities

i tested the Accusys Acuta 4, that thing's performance is amazing, but loud when you have 4 HDDs...

fan isnt quiet either...
http://www.accusys.com.tw/Acuta/Acuta_web.html

i have a review for it but i cant show it to anyone because of my NDA with Wistron (OEM for this thing)

mrken, whatever you crooked minded old man... lol wanting to spank my ass on my birthday? i think not...
lol

is there a way to get the media makers to make DL media sooner? there is a thirsty crowd waiting for it...

[The Digital Dolphin]

That's why you don't use three drives with parity. Should go for full mirror and full stripe. (Is it called RAID 1+5?)

So you are going to make pill-popping software for my CD burners? :cheesygri

How about RAID firmware for CD/DVDs? Have two drives with the same CD/DVD in it and each drive can read alternate bytes and let the controller combine them. :) Or maybe two laser/lens in one drive? :lol:

I think I'm just going to stick with regular HDD configs personally ;)

The "pill popping firmware" is on hold for now, pending additional time and DVDRs to throw into it. I spent a LOT of time already on it, and a LOT of DVDRs, and now I have to start from scratch, so it's a little annoying :evil:

No... we are not going to have Raid CD/DVD drives... that would be scary. And the last drive that was made with multiple read heads/pickup heads, actually melted CDs on occasion :0

@lionhe@rt:

DVD+R9 and DVD-R9 are the official terms for referring to dual layer media in the + and - formats. It has nothing to do with speed.

No, the BenQ 822a *IS* made by BenQ ;) it is the same hardware as the BenQ 800a and the 830a, only tweaked a little more for performance. The 822a is 100% capable of burning dual layer media (according to BenQ), but the 800a has had many stories of failure when hacked to support dual layer media :( What is very odd about the 3 drives is that they all support very different media types, and even buffer sizes! :confused:

[mrken]

No... we are not going to have Raid CD/DVD drives... that would be scary. And the last drive that was made with multiple read heads/pickup heads, actually melted CDs on occasion :0
Really? How did it work? Wouldn't the drive read discs at twice the speed at the same rotation speed?

I can wait for the pill-popping firmware. If you need help, just ask. :D

Evil Techie, who said I wanted to spank you a**?? I go for headshots. :lol:

[Amourek]

DD, what are the best applications to test burn quality/integrity?

[Evil Techie]

here is BENQ's 16x DVD+-R/RW drive
http://www.benq.ca/english/wm/front/benqmain.asp?MenuHead=143&ShowType=program&FileURL=product.asp&model=DW1600&dataid=11191&GenMenu=&RootId=undefined

Key Features



* DVD Speed - 16X Writing, 4X Rewriting, 16X Reading

* CD Speed - 40X Writing, 24X Rewriting, 40X Reading

* Double up data storage capacity to 8.5G on a single DVD+R double layer disc

* Write right technologies:

o WOPC II

o BLER OPC

o Sliding Cone mechanism· Qvideo 2.0/ Easy DV, TV, AV to DVD

* Book Type Management for superb media compatibility

* Black-colored tray minimize jitters to enhance writing qualityfont>

[tantalus]

* Black-colored tray minimize jitters to enhance writing quality

Wow.. I wish I'd known long ago that a black tray would enhance writing quality. I'll have to modify my drive right now. Hmm.. where did I put my magic marker.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Really? How did it work? Wouldn't the drive read discs at twice the speed at the same rotation speed?

I can wait for the pill-popping firmware. If you need help, just ask. :D

Evil Techie, who said I wanted to spank you a**?? I go for headshots. :lol:

The drive was a CD-ROM made by Kenwood that maxed out at 72x (that's a sustained 72x read speed!) I think it had 5 or 7 lasers if I'm not mistaken... it had a notoriously short lifespan too!

Umm, I'll keep your offer in mind...

uh... I'm not gonna touch that last one! :confused:

@Amourek:

At this time, I do not feel confident in suggesting any software or hardware for testing DVD media quality. The best way to get ANY sort of real knowledge of how the disc is burning is to test it on mutliple drive with a couple different mainboard chipsets (Sanyo, Mediatek, Nexperia, Philips). There are very serious issues with the software hardware currently availablle, and I am VERY pissed off about the propaganda BS that some review sites (*cough*cdfreaks*cought*) put out to the opposite, just to make it look like they haven't been flooding the internet with misinformation for months...

ANYWAYS... the simple answer is, there is no good way to do it. The best way for a consumer to know if his media is safe or not is to do a transfer rate test on it, using CD Speed or DVDInfoPro... and maybe a scan disc test as well. If the disc can be read all the way to the end at full speed, then it's probably fine.

And yes, this whole problem with DVD testing is one of the main reasons why I don't do DVD media tests yet... but I have a work around in progress, which will give me access to professional testing equipment very similar to what CDRinfo.com is now using for some of their testing :cheesygri

The BenQ 1600 is a very interesting drive! BenQ has promised a free firmware upgrade to unlock 12x DVD-R burning on the drive later when the 1620 comes out! if the drive has good burn quality, it could be a very good buy indeed :D

As for the black tray thing... there have been some MARGINAL showings of reduced jitter when a disc has been burned in a black tray... I'm not sure I buy into that though. Not a big deal either way even if it is true :razz:

[majic]

hey everyone

I figured this has to do with dvds and burning and archival life and such so i will post here. At one point i thought "hey having a backup copy of a movie WITH a label on is sooooo waaay cool" :lol: well this was until i ran 'scan disc' on it and tried to make an iso out of the burned dvd.

Nero's Scan disc came up all red squares. DVD Decrypter got stuck at 800MB and would not read anything past that (stuck for over an hour). DVD Shrink didn't even recognize this disc as a movie. I haven't checked if the dvd played on a set top (I think it did a couple of moths back when I burned it) but figured "meh what the hell.. I can remove the label and see what happens.. i can always make another backup right?" so i proceeded..

I tried to peel the sticker off but the glue was stronger than my nails so I soaked the DVD+R (Arita from blankmedia.ca - RICOHJPN01) in water and proceeded to rub it off. Most of the label came off under warm water but the glue residue remained. I then took an industrial grade paint thinner :twisted: :cheesygri and wiped the rest of the disc off. Clean as a whistle.

Now trying in my dvd-rom scan disc shows all green squares, transfer rate has one hickup (500MB - actually just a slowdown from 5X to 3X read) but it picks up atferwards and DVD Decrypter is able to make a copy of the disc with ease.

So a lesson learned (I soooo should have listened to Dolphinus ;) when he said the P0 and P1 error rates multiply by 100 with the labels.. *sigh*

NEVER LABEL YOUR DVDs/CDs IF YOU WANT THEM TO LAST!!! but i'm sure you knew it - but now there's hope to reverse the process and un-break the dvds :D

my 2cents

@DD:
Thanks a MILLION for all the responses in this thread. It's been a great help!!! :)

[mrken]

The drive was a CD-ROM made by Kenwood that maxed out at 72x (that's a sustained 72x read speed!) I think it had 5 or 7 lasers if I'm not mistaken... it had a notoriously short lifespan too!
Oh! So that was the one! I remember seeing that at EB but I thought it reached 72X for 1 second. :lol: 5 lasers?!! Does it go for 72X from the start to finish? Let's hope there is something like that for writing DVDs. :lol:

Umm, I'll keep your offer in mind...
Thank you. :)

As for the black tray thing... there have been some MARGINAL showings of reduced jitter when a disc has been burned in a black tray... I'm not sure I buy into that though. Not a big deal either way even if it is true :razz:
I thought that was some type of marketing gimmick... Perhaps the laser can do better with less reflections if the surrounding area is black? Or maybe white refracts the laser into other parts? :rolleyes:

DD, can you test that? And perhaps replace the trays with different colours and even translucent colours? :cheesygri

[mrken]

hey everyone

I figured this has to do with dvds and burning and archival life and such so i will post here. At one point i thought "hey having a backup copy of a movie WITH a label on is sooooo waaay cool" :lol: well this was until i ran 'scan disc' on it and tried to make an iso out of the burned dvd.

Nero's Scan disc came up all red squares. DVD Decrypter got stuck at 800MB and would not read anything past that (stuck for over an hour). DVD Shrink didn't even recognize this disc as a movie. I haven't checked if the dvd played on a set top (I think it did a couple of moths back when I burned it) but figured "meh what the hell.. I can remove the label and see what happens.. i can always make another backup right?" so i proceeded..

I tried to peel the sticker off but the glue was stronger than my nails so I soaked the DVD+R (Arita from blankmedia.ca - RICOHJPN01) in water and proceeded to rub it off. Most of the label came off under warm water but the glue residue remained. I then took an industrial grade paint thinner :twisted: :cheesygri and wiped the rest of the disc off. Clean as a whistle.

Now trying in my dvd-rom scan disc shows all green squares, transfer rate has one hickup (500MB - actually just a slowdown from 5X to 3X read) but it picks up atferwards and DVD Decrypter is able to make a copy of the disc with ease.

So a lesson learned (I soooo should have listened to Dolphinus ;) when he said the P0 and P1 error rates multiply by 100 with the labels.. *sigh*

NEVER LABEL YOUR DVDs/CDs IF YOU WANT THEM TO LAST!!! but i'm sure you knew it - but now there's hope to reverse the process and un-break the dvds :D

my 2cents

@DD:
Thanks a MILLION for all the responses in this thread. It's been a great help!!! :)
Interesting experience! Maybe the labels reduce the reflectiveness of DVDs? Why do all the DVDs that I see look like mirrors anyway? And not CDs. :D

But I put labels on my CDs and everyone is fine after >2 years...
Even the library does this. They put thick thick labels too. Transparent though. Just to protect the disc from scratches.

Maybe DVDs are more fragile than CDs?

I think I will wait until they make one of those undestructable DVDs. :lol: Wasn't there the Kodak Ultima CDs that had special coating and whatnot?

Oh, DD, have you tried putting your DVD coasters into the microwave? What colours are there? I've only read CD microwaving tutorials for CDs and not DVDs. I wonder what Blu-rays will look like. Can you include microwaving results in your DVD testing too? It doesn't waste anything. Okay, maybe electricity. :D

[othy]

I wonder what Blu-rays will look like.

They look pretty much just like regular CDs/DVDs, although the ones I've seen are usually translucent.. They could make em any shade they want I suppose!


http://www.blu-ray.com/images/media/sony2.jpg

http://www.blu-ray.com/images/media/panasonic.jpg

Cool!

[mrken]

They look pretty much just like regular CDs/DVDs, although the ones I've seen are usually translucent.. They could make em any shade they want I suppose!


http://www.blu-ray.com/images/media/sony2.jpg

http://www.blu-ray.com/images/media/panasonic.jpg

Cool!
Nice! But I was asking about them in the microwave. :D It should look even more brilliant. :)

[The Digital Dolphin]

@majic:
I'm glad you were able to recover your disc! many people have not been so lucky :confused:

@mrken:

You frighten me greatly! But as it happens, your hypothesis on why the black tray works a little better is pretty much bang on. And no, I'm not going to test different tray colours, sorry :razz:

Also, I don't microwave media... I try to keep my microwave and my media in as good working order as possible! :cheesygri

@everyone:
The main reason why labels affect DVDRs so much is because of how delicate the balance is on DVDR media. This is because the data density is so high, so even a little fluctuation in balance can throw the whole disc off! Depending on the label, sizing can also be an issue, and so can the adhesive if the label is cheaply made. So just in general, I always suggest AVOIDING putting labels on DVDRs. If you want your DVDR to look really nice, invest in a CD/DVD inkjet printer, it'll save you money in failed discs in the long run! ;)

[Evil Techie]

are bluray laser DVDs only differ from normal red laser is the laser itself?
or is the data packed much more dense and much more delicate?
if so, even 1 speck of dust on it would ruin the read?

plextor advertise their drives with the black tray = less jitter thing too...

[othy]

@everyone:
The main reason why labels affect DVDRs so much is because of how delicate the balance is on DVDR media. This is because the data density is so high, so even a little fluctuation in balance can throw the whole disc off! Depending on the label, sizing can also be an issue, and so can the adhesive if the label is cheaply made. So just in general, I always suggest AVOIDING putting labels on DVDRs. If you want your DVDR to look really nice, invest in a CD/DVD inkjet printer, it'll save you money in failed discs in the long run! ;)

Any recommendations for DVD printers? sounds interesting.. Although I have a decent printer already (canon i850) that I have no problems with..

[chdude3]

are bluray laser DVDs only differ from normal red laser is the laser itself?
or is the data packed much more dense and much more delicate?You've got the same form factor holding more data - of course it's more densely packed. Just like from CD to DVD.

[mrken]

are bluray laser DVDs only differ from normal red laser is the laser itself?
or is the data packed much more dense and much more delicate?
if so, even 1 speck of dust on it would ruin the read?

plextor advertise their drives with the black tray = less jitter thing too...
I thought Blueray was halographic. I think it's something like having many layers of data and then having another laser to focus the first laser. Okay, I am confusing myself here. :lol:

DD, why can't you be more open to suggestions? Get a cheap low-powered microwave. It's much better than throwing coasters away. :cheesygri

[The Digital Dolphin]

@Evil Techie:
Yes, the data is much denser... that is why the media might end up being cartridge based ;)

@othy:
For regular consumers, I'm told the Epson R300 is an awesome choice for CD/DVD printing. For more professional jobs, look to the Primera Bravo line of inkjet printers.

@mrken:
Nope, Halographic media is a Microsoft implemented media type, which basically is only used as a way to try to get more people to play Halo on their Xbox.... *HOLOGRAPHIC* media is also different then Blu-Ray and AOD, but your description of Holographic media is correct (multi layers... not sure about the laser focusing the other laser thing though :razz: )

As for me being more open to suggestion... umm, I tell you what, if *YOU* want to finance everything, I will consider some of your suggestions ;)

EDIT: And who says I throw away coasters? or even make them for that matter ;)

[othy]

@othy:
For regular consumers, I'm told the Epson R300 is an awesome choice for CD/DVD printing. For more professional jobs, look to the Primera Bravo line of inkjet printers.

Just was checkin out the epson ones.. Man, back when I bought my i850 (a year and a half ago) I didn't even think of looking for being able to print on cd stuff! I had heard of a burner that will actually etch the top of the surface to write text on the disc.. kind of neat.. The epson is tempting but my dang canon is perfectly fine and I can't see replacing the whole deal just for printing on CD/DVDs.. Also does the media need to be special inkjet compatible one? or will it just squirt it on the top of any old plain face stuff?

[mrken]

Nope, Halographic media is a Microsoft implemented media type, which basically is only used as a way to try to get more people to play Halo on their Xbox.... *HOLOGRAPHIC* media is also different then Blu-Ray and AOD, but your description of Holographic media is correct (multi layers... not sure about the laser focusing the other laser thing though :razz: )
And I bet you can come up with some conspiracy theory saying that halographic logo on credit cards will hold terabytes of information. :cheesygri

I read about the halographic discs a long time ago, before the second millenium (or third depending on how you look at it :)). So I thought Blu-ray was halographic. So when is that going to come out? I remember reading it can hold a terabyte or something like that. Way more than a harddrive. :)


As for me being more open to suggestion... umm, I tell you what, if *YOU* want to finance everything, I will consider some of your suggestions ;)
Is a microwave really that expensive? I am pretty sure you can find some companies to sponsor you a microwave. :D


EDIT: And who says I throw away coasters? or even make them for that matter ;)
OH NO!!! THE DOLPHIN EDITED HER POST!!! THE WORLD IS GOING TO END!! I SEE LUNA FALLING FROM THE SKY!!!
And didn't you say you coasted a lot of discs trying to make the pill-popping firmware for me? I knew it, the edit did havoc to the dolphin species! :lol:

[mrken]

Just was checkin out the epson ones.. Man, back when I bought my i850 (a year and a half ago) I didn't even think of looking for being able to print on cd stuff! I had heard of a burner that will actually etch the top of the surface to write text on the disc.. kind of neat.. The epson is tempting but my dang canon is perfectly fine and I can't see replacing the whole deal just for printing on CD/DVDs.. Also does the media need to be special inkjet compatible one? or will it just squirt it on the top of any old plain face stuff?
I thought the Yamaha T@2 only did that to the unwritten portion on the data side (but I thought the data side was the top :razz) of the disc. I wonder whether Yamaha will make a T@2 just for DVDs? :cheesygri

And the disc does need to be specially formulated for printing.

[The Digital Dolphin]

For inkjet printing onto media, you do need an inkjet printable disc... well, ok you don't NEED the disc to be inkjet printable.... but if you try printing to a disc without the proper surface, the ink will just run off the disc, and into your printer, but it might cause neat staining on the disc itself (for the cost of one CD/DVD inkjet printer) :razz:

For Yamaha's Disc T@2 technology, it died with Yamaha's optical drive manufacturing department. It only existed in one drive, the Yamaha CRW-F1, which to date is still considered the best audio mastering drive for CD-Rs, by many CD audio enthusiasts. Disc T@2 allowed you to draw simple pictures and write text in the unburned portions of the CD-R. It only worked on media with a darkish blue tint though, since otherwise you wouldn't even be able to tell where the laser had already burned.

[The Digital Dolphin]

OH NO!!! THE DOLPHIN EDITED HER POST!!! THE WORLD IS GOING TO END!! I SEE LUNA FALLING FROM THE SKY!!!
And didn't you say you coasted a lot of discs trying to make the pill-popping firmware for me? I knew it, the edit did havoc to the dolphin species! :lol:

Ok, I'm going to say this *ONE MORE TIME*

I AM A GUY!!!

[freebie]

Ok, I'm going to say this *ONE MORE TIME*

I AM A GUY!!!
mrken definitely has some issues... :|

[tantalus]

mrken definitely has some issues... :|

It's not so bad when he's on your ignore list.

[Amourek]

Thanks for the info about CDSpeed, DD.

I have another question... there are some Fujifilm 4x +Rs floating around with a TY code. Do you know if they're geniune TY? Cuz I thought all Fuji +Rs were RICOH.

[CheaperByTheDozen]

Hrm... tough call, since both drives are great.

Here's the kicker, if you are okay voiding your drive warrenty by installing a hacked firmware, then go with the NEC 2500a. If you don't want to hack your firmware then go with the Pioneer DVR-107.

The NEC 2500a with hacked firmware will burn Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs even at 8x with very good results. It also performs very well with overclocking 4x Taiyo Yuden or Verbatim media (if speed is your concern). At this point, if you want 8x recording on media that is not being overclocked, go with Taiyo Yuden, Verbatim's 8x DVDRs just aren't working as well as they should.

The Pioneer DVR-107 seems to work best with DVD-R media with the 1.16 firmware, and best with DVD+R media with the 1.18 firmware... not sure what went wrong with the DVD-R writing in 1.18, but there have been some noticable problems coming up with some DVD-Rs I've tried since then. Generally the Pioneer is an excellent drive, and hardly needs the hacked firmware anymore even!

Hope that answers your question somewhat at least :razz:
When you state that the 1.16 firmware works better than the 1.18 firmware in conjunction with DVD-R media, are you referring only to overclocking 4X media at 8X? In other words, if I plan to restrict myself to 4X burns of 4X-rated media, will the latest 1.18 firmware produce equally reliable burns with a broad range of media brands?
Thanks for sharing your expertise :)

[rabbit]

the Yamaha CRW-F1, which to date is still considered the best audio mastering drive for CD-Rs


Probably because people overlook Plextor's Gigarec at 0.8x setting :) .

Whatever happened with the HP developed CD writer's laser printing with specially coated discs?

[konfusion666]

need opinions on the following 2 media:

Sony 4x DVD-R, media code: forgot, Made In Austria

Sony 8x DVD-R, media code: SONY08D1, Made In Taiwan


Did Sony actually make both of those, or do they outsource? I've never heard of any Austrian dvd-r manufacturers.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Thanks for the info about CDSpeed, DD.

I have another question... there are some Fujifilm 4x +Rs floating around with a TY code. Do you know if they're geniune TY? Cuz I thought all Fuji +Rs were RICOH.

I haven't seen any personally.... but Taiyo Yuden DOES make 4x DVD+Rs, and Fuji DOES have a good relationship with Taiyo Yuden, so I wouldn't be surprised if they did exist.

I don't know of any counterfiet Taiyo Yuden DVD+R media.

[The Digital Dolphin]

When you state that the 1.16 firmware works better than the 1.18 firmware in conjunction with DVD-R media, are you referring only to overclocking 4X media at 8X? In other words, if I plan to restrict myself to 4X burns of 4X-rated media, will the latest 1.18 firmware produce equally reliable burns with a broad range of media brands?
Thanks for sharing your expertise :)

Cheaper grade DVD-Rs are probably better off being burned with 1.16 (yes, I mean burning them at 4x or 8x). Cheaper grade DVD+Rs will deffinatly do better with 1.18 then 1.16. Top quality media, Like Mitsubishi, Taiyo Yuden, and Maxell will probably all be fine regardless.

[The Digital Dolphin]

the Yamaha CRW-F1, which to date is still considered the best audio mastering drive for CD-Rs


Probably because people overlook Plextor's Gigarec at 0.8x setting :) .

Whatever happened with the HP developed CD writer's laser printing with specially coated discs?

I was never really impressed with the Premium personally, but to each their own ;)

regarding HP's lightscribe technology, they are still saying that it is being worked into future drives, and we should see some lightscribe capable drives and media in the near-ish future.... not sure I believe it, but check out CDRinfo.com for more info (in the forum), I put a thread up about it.

@konfusion666:

Where did you find Sony 8x DVD-Rs??? I haven't tried either of those discs yet... although I came close earlier today when buying some DVD-Rs, I saw the Sony 4x DVD-Rs made in Austria.

I don't know off hand where Sony's own plant is, but I know that 90% of all Sony's products are outsourced to other facilities, and that includes more then just their blank media too! :confused:

[Amourek]

I haven't seen any personally.... but Taiyo Yuden DOES make 4x DVD+Rs, and Fuji DOES have a good relationship with Taiyo Yuden, so I wouldn't be surprised if they did exist.

I don't know of any counterfiet Taiyo Yuden DVD+R media.


Thanks - If you want to check them out, my bro found them at the Richmond night market... that's why I was wondering if they were geniune TY or not.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Thanks - If you want to check them out, my bro found them at the Richmond night market... that's why I was wondering if they were geniune TY or not.

hrm.... well, if you were going to find counterfeit media anywhere in BC, it would be at the Richmond Nightmarket!

too bad I don't head out to Richmond almost ever... cause I'd love to get maybe 5 of those to test out!

[Shearer]

DD, I can get the HP dvd420i for a good price, but is it a good drive? Do you know what drive it actually is?

[The Digital Dolphin]

DD, I can get the HP dvd420i for a good price, but is it a good drive? Do you know what drive it actually is?

That's the dual layer one right? Then it's the NEC 2510a. HP's firmware for it is currently one of the best as well (which is odd, since you'd THINK NEC would have more and newer firmwares for their own drive...). So it would be a good drive. Of course with 16x single layer and 4x dual layer drives coming out probably in September/October... .... well, you could end up waiting forever if you always look at the top end anyways :razz:

[The Digital Dolphin]

Here are some unofficial test results from my Ritek 4x DVD-RWs:

Ritek 4x DVD-RWs on Pioneer DVR-107D (http://www.thedolphinreview.com/Ritek4xDVD-RWs/Page1.html)

Ritek 4x DVD-RWs on Plextor PX-712a (http://www.thedolphinreview.com/Ritek4xDVD-RWs/Page2.html)

Ritek 4x DVD-RWs on NEC-2500a (http://www.thedolphinreview.com/Ritek4xDVD-RWs/Page3.html)

Ritek 4x DVD-RWs on LiteON SOHW-832s (http://www.thedolphinreview.com/Ritek4xDVD-RWs/Page4.html)

Please keep in mind that this is *VERY* new media, and will almost certainly get better support as new firmwares become available. I happen to know that Plextor is working on a new firmware release for the PX-712a which should actually make it a usable drive.... and Pioneer is also working on a new firmware, to fix some of the bugs in 1.18. NEC will likely be releasing a new firmware for the 2500a soon too, since it has been quite a while since the last release, and the HP 420 just had a recent update that hasn't trickled down to the NEC OEM drives yet. As for the LiteON SOHW-832s, they just released this firmware recently... but LiteON is also well known for very frequent firmware updates! So hopefully things will improve very soon!

Enjoy!

[rabbit]

I was never really impressed with the Premium personally, but to each their own


Of course you are not impressed because you were biased against Plextor before you even owned one of their writers. Being biased against Plextor is one of the reasons why Yamaha F1 "is still considered the best audio mastering drive for CD-Rs". Is 0.8x GigaRec really so different from the F1's Advanced Audio Master Quality mode that on the Yamaha drive it is a great feature but on a Plextor it is a useless feature?

[The Digital Dolphin]

That's the dual layer one right? Then it's the NEC 2510a. HP's firmware for it is currently one of the best as well (which is odd, since you'd THINK NEC would have more and newer firmwares for their own drive...). So it would be a good drive. Of course with 16x single layer and 4x dual layer drives coming out probably in September/October... .... well, you could end up waiting forever if you always look at the top end anyways :razz:

Correction: Oops! That's the NEC 2500a OEM, not the 2510a, sorry! Still, it's all the same hardware :cheesygri

[Shearer]

Correction: Oops! That's the NEC 2500a OEM, not the 2510a, sorry! Still, it's all the same hardware :cheesygri

Hahah, that's alrite. So it'll do dual layer?

[mrken]

Ritek 4x DVD-RWs on Pioneer DVR-107D (http://www.thedolphinreview.com/Ritek4xDVD-RWs/Page1.html)

Ritek 4x DVD-RWs on Plextor PX-712a (http://www.thedolphinreview.com/Ritek4xDVD-RWs/Page2.html)

Ritek 4x DVD-RWs on NEC-2500a (http://www.thedolphinreview.com/Ritek4xDVD-RWs/Page3.html)

Ritek 4x DVD-RWs on LiteON SOHW-832s (http://www.thedolphinreview.com/Ritek4xDVD-RWs/Page4.html)
Please don't say this is your hyped website. :cheesygri It looks like the old site... In fact it is! :lol:

Your website "running in another month or two" from April has turned into perhaps one year or two? :rolleyes: Oh wait, that was probably an April Double Fools joke. :lol:
Are you still going to use Netfirms for hosting? Did you sign up for the free 1and1 package? :cheesygri

Just found out that you are a guy today. Didn't know before. :razz:

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hahah, that's alrite. So it'll do dual layer?

There is a chance it'll do dual layer yes... the NEC-2510a has "hand picked" lasers and PUH's (not actually done by hand obviously...) which guarentee its' compatability with dual layer recording. The NEC-2500a has the potential, but not the certainty.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Please don't say this is your hyped website. :cheesygri It looks like the old site... In fact it is! :lol:

Your website "running in another month or two" from April has turned into perhaps one year or two? :rolleyes: Oh wait, that was probably an April Double Fools joke. :lol:
Are you still going to use Netfirms for hosting? Did you sign up for the free 1and1 package? :cheesygri

Just found out that you are a guy today. Didn't know before. :razz:

No, that is NOT the revamped webpage, don't worry! I do have the revamped webpage in Beta form now... but things hit a snag when my webdesigner got himself a girlfriend... so things are proceeding.... slowly.....

And no, I will no longer be using Netfirms for the webhosting of my site. I have already purchased space with a new provider, so every day that goes by that my site isn't up, I have wasted more of my money on nothing being publically available :( so believe me, I *WANT* my new site up!

[mrken]

No, that is NOT the revamped webpage, don't worry! I do have the revamped webpage in Beta form now... but things hit a snag when my webdesigner got himself a girlfriend... so things are proceeding.... slowly.....

And no, I will no longer be using Netfirms for the webhosting of my site. I have already purchased space with a new provider, so every day that goes by that my site isn't up, I have wasted more of my money on nothing being publically available :( so believe me, I *WANT* my new site up!
:eek: Your website designer is a.... male?!! :eek: Didn't know you were ....

How does having a girlfriend affect the website? I am soooooooo impatient...

And your host better have enough bandwidth. Once it's open to RFDers, they will think they got DoSed. :lol: How much is it? :D

[majic]

can you say POST *****? :evil: :eek:

[The Digital Dolphin]

can you say POST *****? :evil: :eek:

You can tell I don't reply to them all either, since otherwise I'd have almost 9,000 posts too :lol:

@mrken:
fyi: My webdesigner and I live on opposite ends of the earth, so it's hard to make realistic threats if he doesn't hurry up... and if you can't figure out why a g/f can be distracting, then I'm not going to try to explain it :rolleyes:

Hopefully my site will be ready to start receiving review data in the next couple days. If we're lucky it'll be up by the end of the month! :cheesygri

[Evil Techie]

mrken is aroused from hearing that DD is a male
lol j/k

i would be interested to test those Fuji (TY) DVD+R's in my PX-708A
if it burns successfully at 8x then it should be genuine TY dye
how much are they selling it for at the nightmarket?

[The Digital Dolphin]

I'll have to go to the Night Market and check it out.... ugh! I hate going into Richmond! :confused:

[skanji]

hey DD,

Isn't today supposed to be d-day? What's the big surprise???

[The Digital Dolphin]

hey DD,

Isn't today supposed to be d-day? What's the big surprise???

actually tomorrow ;) but we may see something close to midnight... sometimes it happens like that :razz:

I have to make a few calls to make sure all is going as expected though... the long weekend can play serious havok with these thing :confused:

[chdude3]

can you say POST *****? :evil: :eek:The ignore feature can work wonders, majic. I don't need to read about some freak's obsession with male web designers, and I'm glad the Dolphin is starting to ignore that drivel. This is a thread about DVD drives and media.

Dolphin, I asked in another thread - I don't know how much info you're privy to. I'm still right on the edge of buying the LG 4120B. I know new stuff is always around the corner, but I don't want, 2 months down the road, to see 16x +/-R and 4x +R9 recorders making mine seem obsolete already. Is it ever a good time to buy?

[The Digital Dolphin]

The ignore feature can work wonders, majic. I don't need to read about some freak's obsession with male web designers, and I'm glad the Dolphin is starting to ignore that drivel. This is a thread about DVD drives and media.

Dolphin, I asked in another thread - I don't know how much info you're privy to. I'm still right on the edge of buying the LG 4120B. I know new stuff is always around the corner, but I don't want, 2 months down the road, to see 16x +/-R and 4x +R9 recorders making mine seem obsolete already. Is it ever a good time to buy?

If you're looking for speed, then the LG 4120B is not the best choice. It's far slower then it's competitors since it uses a Z-CLV strategy, meaning it actually stops burning for a short period of time, where it jumps to a faster writing speed. when burning at 12x it actually starts at 6x then goes to 8x then goes to 12x in little bursts called "zones". The Plextor 712a, BenQ 1600a/1620a and recently announced NEC 3500a all use P-CAV or straight CAV burning strategies, which mean the speed starts out around 6x and progressively get faster as the burn continues, without stopping the burn at any point. Burning a disc at 16x Z-CLV is actually slower then burning a disc at 12x P-CAV because of the stopping of the burning between speed jumps in Z-CLV.

That being said, the write quality of the LG 4120B is very good! But if you plan on using Dual layer DVD+R9 media, I suggest waiting for the NEC 3500a which has 4x capabilities, as well as P-CAV writing at 16x for both DVD-R and DVD+R. It should be a very good burner :D

[chdude3]

If you're looking for speed, then the LG 4120B is not the best choice.Speed hasn't been a concern thus far - I'm still using an 'ancient' 12x CD-burner. That being said, there's a world of difference between CD 1x and DVD 1x!

If I only have to wait 3 weeks for the NEC (which doesn't have DVD-RAM?), that's definitely something to consider. If I have to wait until Christmas, I'm more likely to pull the trigger on something now.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Speed hasn't been a concern thus far - I'm still using an 'ancient' 12x CD-burner. That being said, there's a world of difference between CD 1x and DVD 1x!

If I only have to wait 3 weeks for the NEC (which doesn't have DVD-RAM?), that's definitely something to consider. If I have to wait until Christmas, I'm more likely to pull the trigger on something now.

The NEC 3500a will begin shipping (I believe to Japan) in late August, and it's anyone's best guess when WE will get it >:(

[chdude3]

The NEC 3500a will begin shipping (I believe to Japan) in late August, and it's anyone's best guess when WE will get it >:(Hrm, doesn't sound too bad, then. CDRInfo seemed to think that NEC UK has announced this (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=9946) as well, claiming that the UK will see it in August as well. That might bode well for us in North America. Based on the 2500, then, you'd have no problem recommending the 3500?

[The Digital Dolphin]

I would prefer to say that based on the 2500a, if the 3500a is not good, I'm pretty sure the local hacking community can do something to fix it via firmware mods ;)

[The Digital Dolphin]

Important news:

Plextor has released a new firmware for the PX-712a (or as I call it, the POS-712a...) now up to version 1.04.

The new firmware adds new media support, but still seems to lack some fundamentals, such as Optodisc 4x DVD-R support... although it DOES appear to support Optodisc 4x DVD-RWs... which don't even EXIST yet! :confused: (still wonder why I call it the POS-712a?). Anyways, it seems to be able to burn the Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs with TY media code ok now... I'll do more testing later to double check this when I get home from work.

Oh yeah, Matrix 8x DVD-Rs (with TY code) should also burn ok now too, probably about the same as the Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs (with TY code).

[skanji]

Hey DD,

I bought a NEC 2510 and want to know if it is imperative to throw on all of the firmware revs that are on the net. Everything "seems" to be functioning fine on my player... What are all the updates about?

Specifically here (http://tdb.rpc1.org/#ND2510A) . I just don't understand what firmware updates will do. Do they allow you to write to certain DVD-rs that otherwise you can't write to?

Thanks in advance!

[The Digital Dolphin]

read through this link:
http://forum.firmware-flash.com/viewtopic.php?t=28214

It'll help you with your 2510a I hope! :D

[rabbit]

The new firmware adds new media support, but still seems to lack some fundamentals, such as Optodisc 4x DVD-R support... although it DOES appear to support Optodisc 4x DVD-RWs... which don't even EXIST yet! (still wonder why I call it the POS-712a?).


According to posts from users in other forums, Optodisc sells crap DVD-Rs in Europe. Plextor's home is in Europe. Hmm ...

[The Digital Dolphin]

The new firmware adds new media support, but still seems to lack some fundamentals, such as Optodisc 4x DVD-R support... although it DOES appear to support Optodisc 4x DVD-RWs... which don't even EXIST yet! (still wonder why I call it the POS-712a?).


According to posts from users in other forums, Optodisc sells crap DVD-Rs in Europe. Plextor's home is in Europe. Hmm ...

I thought Plextor's home was in Japan? Plextools on the other hand I'm pretty sure is made in Europe. As for Optodisc and Europe; yeah, I have no idea what is up with that :confused: It's one of those weird situations where North America is actually more likely to get better media then Europe is! :cheesygri

As for my original statement about Plextor's 712a not having a write strategy for the Optodisc 4x DVD-R... it looks like it *does* have one, it just continues to be useless. The fact that Plextor has yet to integrate a proper running OPC may be a factor in this however. Next month's firmware update for the PX-712a is expected to fix this issue, so hopefully the drive will have some sort of decent test results in its' future! :confused:

[The Digital Dolphin]

By the way, just to let people know, the Ritek G04 4x DVD-R is now out of production. All 4x DVD-Rs made by Ritek are now using the M02 code (I still haven't tested these). And this current media (M02) will be discontinued sometime next month. So expect decent quality 4x media to become harder and harder to get in the next 3 months or so.

In other news, the NEC 3500a looks to be an AWESOME drive!! :cheesygri

[Viz79]

By the way, just to let people know, the Ritek G04 4x DVD-R is now out of production. All 4x DVD-Rs made by Ritek are now using the M02 code (I still haven't tested these). And this current media (M02) will be discontinued sometime next month. So expect decent quality 4x media to become harder and harder to get in the next 3 months or so.


A local PC store recently got a new shipment of the RiData DVD-R G04 50-spindle. They're $40/spingle; I got 5 spindles. Should I get more? :|

~V79~

[The Digital Dolphin]

A local PC store recently got a new shipment of the RiData DVD-R G04 50-spindle. They're $40/spingle; I got 5 spindles. Should I get more? :|

~V79~

That's up to you... I can't make those kind of calls for people, because invariably I will end up making a bad call at some point, and people will blame me for it. The G04 is out of production, supplies will be limited, and then exhausted... this is all I can really say. Maybe it'd be good to stock up on it, or maybe you'll find the M02 works for you, and comes out even cheaper 2 weeks from now. I don't know, sorry!

[luminus]

Hmmmm.....just got a pack of G04 spindles from CTY.ca last week. Should last me quite a while since I only use Ritek for PS2 backups. (My friend got this really picky PS2 that doesn't seem to read anything else.) Uses Memorex/Maxell RICOHJPNR01 and Maxell TYs for other purposes (mainly anime backup). Wonder which would have the longer archival life?

BTW, anyone know what's the history behind the M02 ? By the time I realize it, all those branded Ridata/Ritek Spindles have M02 in it. CTY sells these branded ones a bit cheaper.

[luminus]

A local PC store recently got a new shipment of the RiData DVD-R G04 50-spindle. They're $40/spingle; I got 5 spindles. Should I get more? :|

~V79~

Wow? 5 spindles? Impressive how many DVDs you guys manage to use. I already burn the most DVD-Rs mainly due to my anime addiction, and I still can't quite fly through 250 DVDRs in any reasonable amount of time. ^_^

BTW, does DVD-Rs "degrade" if you haven't burn on it? (i.e. would my stock of DVD-Rs degrade before I get a chance to use it? I think I have enough DVD blanks to last me through half a year.... If such is the case, stockpiling might be a bad idea....)

[afzan]

so any updates on Maxell?

You said NCIX is selling Maxell branded dvd-r with ritek G04... is this just temporary? You previously said that TY was being used while Maxell worked on their 8x dyes..

[luminus]

And...hmmm....anyone ever tried those SmartBuy 8x media at CTY.ca? $40 for a 50 spindle. And claims to use AZO dye. Wonder if it's any good? Anyone know the media id?

(My personal concern is mainly archival life....thought AZO dye was suppose to help discs last? (Assuming they made it right?)) Wonder what's a cheapest brand that lasts the longest.

[afzan]

And...hmmm....anyone ever tried those SmartBuy 8x media at CTY.ca? $40 for a 50 spindle. And claims to use AZO dye. Wonder if it's any good? Anyone know the media id?

(My personal concern is mainly archival life....thought AZO dye was suppose to help discs last? (Assuming they made it right?)) Wonder what's a cheapest brand that lasts the longest.
I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that all SmartBuy dvdr/w is made by Prodisc..

edit: smartbuy is actually owned by prodisc?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Wow? 5 spindles? Impressive how many DVDs you guys manage to use. I already burn the most DVD-Rs mainly due to my anime addiction, and I still can't quite fly through 250 DVDRs in any reasonable amount of time. ^_^

BTW, does DVD-Rs "degrade" if you haven't burn on it? (i.e. would my stock of DVD-Rs degrade before I get a chance to use it? I think I have enough DVD blanks to last me through half a year.... If such is the case, stockpiling might be a bad idea....)

Over months, probably not... over years possibly... over more then 10 years, probably. How long does it take you to burn DVDRs?? :razz:

[The Digital Dolphin]

so any updates on Maxell?

You said NCIX is selling Maxell branded dvd-r with ritek G04... is this just temporary? You previously said that TY was being used while Maxell worked on their 8x dyes..

Working on this *VERY* hard... there will likely be some sort of resolution tomorrow. If I don't get some answers by tomorrow, I won't have answers until the 17th or 18th :( (Big meeting of all Maxell reps).

[The Digital Dolphin]

And...hmmm....anyone ever tried those SmartBuy 8x media at CTY.ca? $40 for a 50 spindle. And claims to use AZO dye. Wonder if it's any good? Anyone know the media id?

(My personal concern is mainly archival life....thought AZO dye was suppose to help discs last? (Assuming they made it right?)) Wonder what's a cheapest brand that lasts the longest.

Smartbuy is one of Prodisc's home brands. Smartbuy will always be Prodisc.

Azo is no better then Cyanine. There are LOT'S of rumours floating around, but the fact is, Azo is much harder to make work properly then Cyanine is, but under the best conditions they work very much the same, but Azo is more expensive! This is why the G04 no longer exists, because the M02 was much cheaper to make, and cyanine based. The G04 had partial Azo compostions in it, making it much more difficult to produce, and much more expensive!!

Sadly, for lifespan, it's anyone's guess. We can pretty much know that Taiyo Yuden and Mitsubishi Chemicals will have the longest lifespan (going by reputation) but beyond that it's hard to guage.

[luminus]

Smartbuy is one of Prodisc's home brands. Smartbuy will always be Prodisc.

Azo is no better then Cyanine. There are LOT'S of rumours floating around, but the fact is, Azo is much harder to make work properly then Cyanine is, but under the best conditions they work very much the same, but Azo is more expensive! This is why the G04 no longer exists, because the M02 was much cheaper to make, and cyanine based. The G04 had partial Azo compostions in it, making it much more difficult to produce, and much more expensive!!

Sadly, for lifespan, it's anyone's guess. We can pretty much know that Taiyo Yuden and Mitsubishi Chemicals will have the longest lifespan (going by reputation) but beyond that it's hard to guage.

Thanks, for all the useful info, Dolphin. Don't know what we'll do without you around. ^_^

[luminus]

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that all SmartBuy dvdr/w is made by Prodisc..

edit: smartbuy is actually owned by prodisc?

Cool. Prodisc. I think I'll stick to my RICOHJPNR01 and Maxells. Thanks! ^_^

[rabbit]

I thought Plextor's home was in Japan?

Sorry, you are correct. They originate from JP. Don't know why I always thought they were BE.


it looks like it *does* have one, it just continues to be useless.

Sure, it is your (anti-Plextor biased) opinion. But I agree that Plextor's DVD writers are still lacking although I would have bought the 712 for its CD features if I didn't already have the Premium. The only thing I would have missed would be the book type management. I don't need a drive to burn 100 different types of media.


By the way, the problems I had before with the Benq 822 seems to have cleared up by itself. Maybe it just needed to be "burned in" or something. Using the same discs and it verifies with no errors now.

[The Digital Dolphin]

I thought Plextor's home was in Japan?

Sorry, you are correct. They originate from JP. Don't know why I always thought they were BE.


it looks like it *does* have one, it just continues to be useless.

Sure, it is your (anti-Plextor biased) opinion. But I agree that Plextor's DVD writers are still lacking although I would have bought the 712 for its CD features if I didn't already have the Premium. The only thing I would have missed would be the book type management. I don't need a drive to burn 100 different types of media.


By the way, the problems I had before with the Benq 822 seems to have cleared up by itself. Maybe it just needed to be "burned in" or something. Using the same discs and it verifies with no errors now.

Isn't it hard to call me Plextor biased when I still rush out and buy the latest Plextor model burner when it comes out? I guess I'm like the anti-fan, I still buy Plextor products, but I never have anything nice to say about them :razz:

Well, that's not totally true... the Plextor 712a is the pickiest DVD reader that I have, and therefor it's my #1 transfer rate testing drive. If a disc can be read at 5x-12x CAV in it, from start to finish, then I know it's a pretty good burn! So for that reason alone, I consider it a good use of the $300 CDN I paid for it. I would never consider using it for personal use though... too picky! (unless I was using RicohJPNR02 8x DVD+Rs @12x... that'd be ok).

I'm glad the 822a is working for you now! A lot of people seem to like BenQ's burners as of late... perhaps it's time I added one to my list?

What do people think? should I go for an LG 4120B next? or should I buy a BenQ (probably go for the 1620 :cheesygri ) ??

[Evil Techie]

i found the specs for NEC 3500
http://www.nec.co.uk/DVD_RW_ND3500.aspx

it looks like an awesome drive
cant wait to get it!!

although i need another stick of 512mb DDR PC3200 ram first...

[The Digital Dolphin]

i found the specs for NEC 3500
http://www.nec.co.uk/DVD_RW_ND3500.aspx

it looks like an awesome drive
cant wait to get it!!

although i need another stick of 512mb DDR PC3200 ram first...

Yeah, I'm thinking about having one shipped up from the U.S. when they first become available! :cheesygri

[LeeBear]

The Pioneer 108 drive is out in the US now for under $100 US which has similar specs to the NEC. If history is any indication the Pioneer will probably be better at reading disc then the NEC.

-LeeBear

[The Digital Dolphin]

The Pioneer 108 drive is out in the US now for under $100 US which has similar specs to the NEC. If history is any indication the Pioneer will probably be better at reading disc then the NEC.

-LeeBear

Initial testing shows that the Pioneer 108 is incredibly slower then most other 16x writers, and its' 12x writing speed is actually faster then its' 16x writing speed, since it uses Z-CLV (it only writes at 16x for about 0.5GB of the disc or less!!!). The NEC 3500a is MUCH faster, at about 6min for burning a full 4.7Gb disc. As for writing quality, that still remains to be seen!

[chdude3]

I'd like to get my hands on a 3500 sooner rather than later. Lemme know when you find them available, eh, D.Rex? ;)

[tool]

Hey DD,

I recently found version A104 for the LG GSA-4120B at rpc1.org (http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?download_id=1841). Have you heard anything about this, and if so, is this an offical update from LG? I can't find reference to it anywhere else.

If you don't know, what would be the best way finding this info out?

Thanks,
Tool

[The Digital Dolphin]

the link on rpc1.org actually refers back to LG's .au website, so I think it's official

@chdude3:
Don't worry, I'll post something here :)

[gman]

Hi DD,

Since you are around, let me ask you a question that you probably answered many times. I tried to search for that but I was not that successful.

I have a LG 4040B and my question is what is the best deal of DVD-R 4X around town that costs less than $1 per disc? For example, which one I should buy from cty.ca. I never buy anything there but people here said their price is good. Thanks in advance.

[The Digital Dolphin]

hey gman,

make sure you upgrade to A304 firmware, and then try Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs a try. www.blankmedia.ca has them available. Ritek G04's also burn at 4x, but are getting harder to find, since they are no longer manufactured.

Both Ritek G04 and Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs have worked well for other LG4040B owners according to posts here before ;) (I don't own an LG4040B though, so I'm going on their word).

[luminus]

LG4040B user here. Ritek G04 seems to work fine for me! ^_^

Last week I was at CTY and I cleared out his last spindle of G04. But I'd assume he'd restock by now.

[The Digital Dolphin]

LG4040B user here. Ritek G04 seems to work fine for me! ^_^

Last week I was at CTY and I cleared out his last spindle of G04. But I'd assume he'd restock by now.

That's *IF* they can get the G04 still :confused:

[gman]

hey gman,

make sure you upgrade to A304 firmware, and then try Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs a try. www.blankmedia.ca has them available. Ritek G04's also burn at 4x, but are getting harder to find, since they are no longer manufactured.

Both Ritek G04 and Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs have worked well for other LG4040B owners according to posts here before ;) (I don't own an LG4040B though, so I'm going on their word).

Thanks, I will check that out.

[Molsonbeers]

Hello DD,

Im fairly new to DVD burning and i bought a Mad Dog Dominator 8x DVD+- burner

http://www.mdmm.com/products/optical/dominator7in1dual.asp

i decided when i bought this burner to purchase a few discs to mess around with and not knowing anything about them i bought some Promedia 4x DVD -R's. The spindle of 25 was only 17.99 after rebate at Tiger (we will see if the rebate comes). Anyway i burned all 25 and not a single coaster except when i was attempting to use DVD Xcopy. It appears that i continue to get a SCSI error. With a little research it turns out DVD xcopy does not like Windoes XP and i need some patch. Anyway i switched to using DVD shrink and nero and everything worked fine after that. I guess these would be my questions:

1) Is there a good media to use with this drive

2) I bought that 50 spindle of Memorex and how can i tell if they are CMC or TY or even if they are good discs (DVD-R H4-08L19401318071C14)

3) Do you know anything about DVD Xcopy not working with Windows XP

4) Maybe just your professional opinion on the set up.

Cheers!

P.S. Thank you for providing such excellent advice to us Redflagdealers!

[luminus]

2) I bought that 50 spindle of Memorex and how can i tell if they are CMC or TY or even if they are good discs (DVD-R H4-08L19401318071C14)


I can answer #2 for you. ^_^ Use this to check media id: http://www.dvdinfopro.com/

Oh....and BTW I don't think any of the Memorex are TY.....CMC seems to be their main bulk of DVD-Rs?

The rest I'd leave to the expert. I'd assume this Mad Dog is a rebrand of some other stuff?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hello DD,

Im fairly new to DVD burning and i bought a Mad Dog Dominator 8x DVD+- burner

http://www.mdmm.com/products/optical/dominator7in1dual.asp

i decided when i bought this burner to purchase a few discs to mess around with and not knowing anything about them i bought some Promedia 4x DVD -R's. The spindle of 25 was only 17.99 after rebate at Tiger (we will see if the rebate comes). Anyway i burned all 25 and not a single coaster except when i was attempting to use DVD Xcopy. It appears that i continue to get a SCSI error. With a little research it turns out DVD xcopy does not like Windoes XP and i need some patch. Anyway i switched to using DVD shrink and nero and everything worked fine after that. I guess these would be my questions:


I'm 90% sure that the Mad Dog is an NEC 2510a...


1) Is there a good media to use with this drive


if it *IS* an NEC 2510a, then Optodisc 4x DVDRs will work well, especially with the hacked firmware :cheesygri otherwise, Ritek, Taiyo Yuden, Mitsubishi Chemicals, and Maxell.


2) I bought that 50 spindle of Memorex and how can i tell if they are CMC or TY or even if they are good discs (DVD-R H4-08L19401318071C14)


I would say that there is a 99% chance of it being CMC. As was suggested, use DVDInfoPro to double check.


3) Do you know anything about DVD Xcopy not working with Windows XP


Nope, I don't use WinXP... maybe check with someone who has more spare time for backing up movies then I do ;)


4) Maybe just your professional opinion on the set up.


Umm, I would suggest plugging the drive in before attempting to use it... I've found that this has always worked best for me ;)

I usually use internal drives as secondary master on the IDE channel, but then again, I have 4 DVD burners in just one of my systems, so I always put that fastest ones on as Master, and the slower ones on as slave. So far I have no problem using my slower 8x burners as slaves to my faster burners ;)

As for External, I don't think USB works very well for speeds greater then 6x... 8x might work ok, but 12x is completely out of the question! Firewire is a lot more stable, and if you have the option, go for that.

Hope that helps!! :D

[chdude3]

What're the going thoughts on this burner (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=12457&promoid=1048), Dolph?

[Molsonbeers]

if it *IS* an NEC 2510a, then Optodisc 4x DVDRs will work well, especially with the hacked firmware otherwise, Ritek, Taiyo Yuden, Mitsubishi Chemicals, and Maxell.

And the questions keep coming...

1) Im pretty sure your right but how can i tell for sure if the drive is a NEC 2510a

2) Where can i get hacked firmware and what exactly will this allow me to do?

3) If this drive is a NEC 2510a does that mean i can use dual layer discs with the proper firmware? (and of course when the price comes down)

Cheers!

[Thanh]

DD: thanks for your advice in the Maxell (TY or not) thread. I baught 2 spindles of Maxell 4X -R and both were MXL RG02. I was frustrated at first for not being TY but after over 20 burn, I'm impressed by MXL RG02's quality. Their compatibility with DVD player is as good as anything I've burned so far.

[madcow000]

Hi DD ,
During the course of burning my first spindle of DVD-r s , I had quitea few failed attempts where the burn stopped almost at the very beginning of the DVD . Over 90% of each the DVDs are still unwritten . Is there any way I can salvagetheseso I can burn to the rest of the DVDs ?
I'm fairly new at DVD burning , so please forgive me if this is a stupid question . Thanks ,
Madcow

[The Digital Dolphin]

What're the going thoughts on this burner (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=12457&promoid=1048), Dolph?

Check out the review here:
http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=10114

A little slower then other burners, but the writing quality is not bad. I'll need to buy one and test it myself to get a full perspective on it I think.

[The Digital Dolphin]

And the questions keep coming...

1) Im pretty sure your right but how can i tell for sure if the drive is a NEC 2510a

2) Where can i get hacked firmware and what exactly will this allow me to do?

3) If this drive is a NEC 2510a does that mean i can use dual layer discs with the proper firmware? (and of course when the price comes down)

Cheers!

1) Umm, if you pop a DVD+R9 in the drive, and it offers the ability to burn it, then it's a good chance it's an NEC 2510a... otherwise, compare your firmware version to official NEC 2510a firmware versions, if they are the same then you know for sure. Those are the easiest ways really.

2) Hacked firmwares are best found at www.rpc1.org . They allow for faster burning on certain media types, and usually increased writing quality on a varied set of DVDRs as well. It'll void your warrenty though.

3) Yes

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hi DD ,
During the course of burning my first spindle of DVD-r s , I had quitea few failed attempts where the burn stopped almost at the very beginning of the DVD . Over 90% of each the DVDs are still unwritten . Is there any way I can salvagetheseso I can burn to the rest of the DVDs ?
I'm fairly new at DVD burning , so please forgive me if this is a stupid question . Thanks ,
Madcow

Nope, there is no way to salvage the other 90% of your coaster, sorry!

What burner / media are you using??

[afzan]

DD do you work for Ncix or something?

I saw a post of yours on another forum about ordering 15000 maxell's, and then you were very "pleased" to find out that they were all made in taiwan..

[major]

Hey DD, have you installed >NIL's hacked v1.18 firmware (http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?t=28030&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0) for your Pioneer 107D? I am reluctant to install this hacked version due to your comments about the official v1.18 firmware.

I use mainly Ritek G04 -R blanks.

[iamthehub]

Hi DD,

This question is about CDR's. Is there a program to tell me what make my CDR's are? I downloaded a few programs but for some reason they were for SCSI drives. A while back I bought a pack of 100 Memorex CDR, and I'm afraid that they're CMC :?:

Also, do you have any suggestions regarding media for a Sony DRU-530a? I've been using Maxells and Fuji's with great success. How are those optodiscs?

Thanks :cheesygri

[luminus]

Hi DD,

This question is about CDR's. Is there a program to tell me what make my CDR's are? I downloaded a few programs but for some reason they were for SCSI drives. A while back I bought a pack of 100 Memorex CDR, and I'm afraid that they're CMC :?:



Alcohol does the job for me (for viewing who manafactured the CDRs). And I seem to recall using Feurio long ago for this purpose.

But maybe the Dolphin can give you a better suggestion.

[luminus]

Must be "ask-the-Dolphin-a-question" day. Look at all the questions DD is getting.... ^_^

I got a question too! Does anyone know if it's possible to set booktype on a LG 4040B? (Hacked firmware or otherwise). Is there any disadvantage to setting the booktype always to DVD-ROM instead of the default DVD+R or whatever it is?

Thanks!

Luminus

[Thanh]

Hi DD,

This question is about CDR's. Is there a program to tell me what make my CDR's are? I downloaded a few programs but for some reason they were for SCSI drives. A while back I bought a pack of 100 Memorex CDR, and I'm afraid that they're CMC :?:

Get Nero InfoTool 2.21 (http://www.cdspeed2000.com/files/NeroInfoTool_221.zip) and it will give you what you're looking for.

[The Digital Dolphin]

DD do you work for Ncix or something?

I saw a post of yours on another forum about ordering 15000 maxell's, and then you were very "pleased" to find out that they were all made in taiwan..

I was *NOT* pleased with finding out they were made in Taiwan. And *NO* I do *NOT* work for NCIX.com, I have already stated this elsewhere. Can't a Dolphin just order 15,000 DVDRs?

[afzan]

I was *NOT* pleased with finding out they were made in Taiwan. And *NO* I do *NOT* work for NCIX.com, I have already stated this elsewhere. Can't a Dolphin just order 15,000 DVDRs?
"pleased" was just a joke.. :lol:

hrm, I wonder which store/chain you buy stuff for..

[luminus]

Can't a Dolphin just order 15,000 DVDRs?

Hehe. If this' for personal use I'd be highly impressed. Most be one loaded Dolphin. ^_^

I think I have a stock of 200 DVDRs at home and I already think I overstocked (Expecting it to last until at least the end of the year. )

And here's someone with 15000 blanks..... ^_^

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD, have you installed >NIL's hacked v1.18 firmware (http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?t=28030&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0) for your Pioneer 107D? I am reluctant to install this hacked version due to your comments about the official v1.18 firmware.

I use mainly Ritek G04 -R blanks.

Right now I'm running just the regular vanilla 1.18, since I prefer to use official firmwares when doing burn tests on drives. When I post results, I want regular people to be able to expect the same sort of thing, not just firmware hackers ;)

Sadly, I'm a bit busy to try G04 on the drive any time in the next day or two, but if you don't mind waiting longer, I might be able to try it out. Chances are it'll depend more on the quality of the G04 media then it will on the drive itself.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Must be "ask-the-Dolphin-a-question" day. Look at all the questions DD is getting.... ^_^

I got a question too! Does anyone know if it's possible to set booktype on a LG 4040B? (Hacked firmware or otherwise). Is there any disadvantage to setting the booktype always to DVD-ROM instead of the default DVD+R or whatever it is?

Thanks!

Luminus

Sorry, no bitsetting for LG drives... except that the LG 4120B will likely get a new firmware that will allow for DVD+R9 automatic bitsetting in the future... initial beta firmwares have already been leaked. But people with older drives are completely out of luck :confused:

There are no drawbacks that *I* am aware of for using bitsetting all the time. The benefits of bitsetting are increased compatability with older DVD Players.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Get Nero InfoTool 2.21 (http://www.cdspeed2000.com/files/NeroInfoTool_221.zip) and it will give you what you're looking for.

Yup, that'll work.

Personally, I prefer LiteON's SmartBurn utility, found here:
http://www.liteonit.com/ODD/Zip/SMARTBURN.zip

[The Digital Dolphin]

"pleased" was just a joke.. :lol:

hrm, I wonder which store/chain you buy stuff for..

hehehe, what makes you think it isn't for personal use?

@luminus:

;) :cheesygri

[othy]

Question for DD:

I burned a movie at 8x on one of the optodisc 4x dvd-rs on my 2500 (with new firmware) and when I put the disc in my dvd player, it is noisy as heck.. click click click click.. Also, one of the extras (not the movie, thankfully) had a big mpeg error which resulted in smearing of the image and losing sync between the audio and video.. Would this have been because I burned at 8x instead of 4x? Or perhaps a media problem?

thanks!

[mrken]

Nope, there is no way to salvage the other 90% of your coaster, sorry!

What burner / media are you using??
You can use them as fireworks. Just put them into the microwave and put it on high power for three seconds. Great entertainment. :)

DD, is NCIX cheaper than your... company? :lol: I thought your company sold discs too.... No employee discounts? :lol:

[Evil Techie]

mrken
could i come over with some coasters and toss them into your microwave?
i cant get enuf fireworks from the celebration of light
lol

btw guys
that BB grand opening is selling maxell 25 pack DVD+R for 20$
very very cheap!
id get 2 spindles if that BB is in vancouver

[The Digital Dolphin]

Question for DD:

I burned a movie at 8x on one of the optodisc 4x dvd-rs on my 2500 (with new firmware) and when I put the disc in my dvd player, it is noisy as heck.. click click click click.. Also, one of the extras (not the movie, thankfully) had a big mpeg error which resulted in smearing of the image and losing sync between the audio and video.. Would this have been because I burned at 8x instead of 4x? Or perhaps a media problem?

thanks!

I don't personally EVER recommend overclocking media. But if you are going to do it, you have to be aware of your player's capabilties. Next time try burning at 6x and see if it produces better results.

[The Digital Dolphin]

You can use them as fireworks. Just put them into the microwave and put it on high power for three seconds. Great entertainment. :)

DD, is NCIX cheaper than your... company? :lol: I thought your company sold discs too.... No employee discounts? :lol:

I don't run any company. I work for one or more companies, but I certainly don't call the shots. I'm more of a regular grunt then anything else. And generally, I don't personally resell media. I have done this on occasion, but always for very specific reasons, and generally I just don't like doing it.

As for what I pay for media... well, *WHEN* I pay for media, yes I do get a discount. Why? there are a few reasons. #1 sheer volume. #2 I don't burn them for personal use. #3 I give constructive feedback to the manufacturers and drive makers, allowing in better performance in future products and firmware updates. And yes, I burn a lot of DVDRs.... a *LOT* more then most pirates I know (but not all... I know some that are REALLY crazy!). I am just at the point of needing a third computer to keep up with everything! :confused:

[Evil Techie]

I don't run any company. I work for one or more companies, but I certainly don't call the shots. I'm more of a regular grunt then anything else. And generally, I don't personally resell media. I have done this on occasion, but always for very specific reasons, and generally I just don't like doing it.

As for what I pay for media... well, *WHEN* I pay for media, yes I do get a discount. Why? there are a few reasons. #1 sheer volume. #2 I don't burn them for personal use. #3 I give constructive feedback to the manufacturers and drive makers, allowing in better performance in future products and firmware updates. And yes, I burn a lot of DVDRs.... a *LOT* more then most pirates I know (but not all... I know some that are REALLY crazy!). I am just at the point of needing a third computer to keep up with everything! :confused:

thats insane how many DVDRs you are burning
how about i buy some DVD+Rs from you?
hehehe

[mrken]

mrken
could i come over with some coasters and toss them into your microwave?
i cant get enuf fireworks from the celebration of light
lol

btw guys
that BB grand opening is selling maxell 25 pack DVD+R for 20$
very very cheap!
id get 2 spindles if that BB is in vancouver
How many do you have? I can negotiate the disposal price with you. :lol:

BTW, I thought it was the Celebration of Fights...
It was fun while it lasted. :lol:

Still waiting for that BB to start construction...


DD, I mean... can't you get it from the company you work for with a discount? Or is it still cheaper from NCIX?
What goes onto your DVDs anyway?

Are dolphins considered pirates when they steal food from ships? :cheesygri

[madcow000]

Nope, there is no way to salvage the other 90% of your coaster, sorry!

What burner / media are you using??

I'm using an LG GSA-4082B on an external USB enclosure with a spindle of ridata DVD-r s. I've had 13 coasters out of 50 disks .

[The Digital Dolphin]

Sorry, I don't like reselling DVDRs personally... in most cases it is a breach of "contract" (for lack of better term). It would land me in a heap of trouble, and I would end up losing certain abilities that I would rather not lose.

[The Digital Dolphin]

I'm using an LG GSA-4082B on an external USB enclosure with a spindle of ridata DVD-r s. I've had 13 coasters out of 50 disks .

Weird..... have you tried taking it out of the USB enclosure? just run it in your system like a normal drive, and make sure DMA is enabled.

[luminus]

Sorry, no bitsetting for LG drives... except that the LG 4120B will likely get a new firmware that will allow for DVD+R9 automatic bitsetting in the future... initial beta firmwares have already been leaked. But people with older drives are completely out of luck :confused:

There are no drawbacks that *I* am aware of for using bitsetting all the time. The benefits of bitsetting are increased compatability with older DVD Players.

Darn......oh well. For the next burner I pick I better keep an eye out for this too. Got a few dvd players at home that doesn't play DVD+R. (Errors about invalid disc like right away without trying to read.) Was wondering if bitsetting will solve my problem. Wish bitsetting is a more "advertised" feature. ^_^

[Molsonbeers]

I'm using an LG GSA-4082B on an external USB enclosure with a spindle of ridata DVD-r s. I've had 13 coasters out of 50 disks .

yah it could be a heat issue...try what the dolphin says and let us know!

[luminus]

I'm using an LG GSA-4082B on an external USB enclosure with a spindle of ridata DVD-r s. I've had 13 coasters out of 50 disks .

Ok. Here's one personal wacky experience with my LG4040B. When I originally got it, I slapped it into an ext. USB2 encl. (Bytecc ME-320U2 ? One of those REAL common ones at pac mall....runs on an Ali chip I think....)

Everything worked fine for 3 months. Then one day it just stops burning DVD-Rs. Almost lways die during lead out (and sometimes earlier), coastering my DVD-Rs. At first I thought it was those crappy E3Works and Pines I bought, but then I noticed my Ritek/Maxell dying too. Must have coastered 20 blanks trying to figure it out. (Replugging the cables in the case, burning at lower speed, etc.) 100% coasters.

And the mysterious thing is DVD+R still works perfectly. 4X burning. 0 coasters. My "dual-format burner" suddenly turned into single format.

And then one day I decide to hook it back into the computer (no encl) and, guess what, everything is fine again. Have not coastered a disc (+/-R) since that day. (Did not try hooking it back into the enclosure and see if I get more coasters again though. Not quite advantureous enough.)

I still use that enclosure case for hard drive. Have not noticed any funny problems or corruption.

Strange isn't it?

[NG]

Quick question for DD here - Whose making CDr's for Maxell these days and how would you say they really compare to TY made CDr's for longevity of the burn?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Quick question for DD here - Whose making CDr's for Maxell these days and how would you say they really compare to TY made CDr's for longevity of the burn?

Ritek is still making Maxell's regular CD-Rs to the best of my knowledge. Between the two, Taiyo Yuden will *ALWAYS* win... well, unless the Taiyo Yuden CD-R is broken in half or something :razz:

[afzan]

What's a good burner to get to replace my 107d? The 108? or is the nec 3500 really going to be better? (and when will it be available?)

[Evil Techie]

im looking at a benq product catalogue for summer 2004
its got DW1630 on it
and the specs look similar to NEC 3500
so you can look into it too as it might be much cheaper in the BENQ standard

what exactly is TY's secret to making their discs so good?

[The Digital Dolphin]

What's a good burner to get to replace my 107d? The 108? or is the nec 3500 really going to be better? (and when will it be available?)

The NEC 3500 should be available around the end of the month, maybe middle of next month... something like that. It's already on sale in some places in Europe. So far that seems to be an excellent choice! The Pioneer DVR-108 is also a great drive, just a little slower.

[The Digital Dolphin]

im looking at a benq product catalogue for summer 2004
its got DW1630 on it
and the specs look similar to NEC 3500
so you can look into it too as it might be much cheaper in the BENQ standard

what exactly is TY's secret to making their discs so good?

I'm expecting a Demo model of one of the newer BenQ's in the nearish future (I hope!!) so I'll let you know more about how it works when I get it. So far it seems that the biggest complaint about any of the newer 16x drives (NEC 3500a, Pioneer DVR-108, BenQ 1620/1630) is that they don't overclock much media to 8x, 12x or 16x.... which is not a really valid complaint in my opinion, since it basically means that most discs are limited to burning at their certified speed... which is TECHNICALLY nornal.

What is T.Y.'s secret?

Well, it's a number of things. For starters, they were the *FIRST* company to begin manufacturing 12cm optical media. They helped create the CD-ROM standards we now know as Red Book, and Orange Book. They always put their best efforts into R&D, rather then large scale production or quick turnaround time. Also, Taiyo Yuden limits their product line quite a bit. They make *1* type of CD-R, and offer 3 variations of that *1* CD-R (Shiny silver topped, White Inkjet Printable topped, or Silver inkjet printable topped). They do not make *ANY* CD-RWs, and never make two similar products at the same time, so that they can focus ALL their efforts on as few projects as possible. They make 2 types of DVDRs, DVD-Rs, and DVD+Rs, with similar variations to their CD-Rs. They don't make DVDRWs at all. The only time they increase the number of product types is when they are switching to making a faster speed product, which is often a quick transition.

So basically, they use a sort of tunnelvision to focus their efforts, whereas companies like Ritek and CMC branch out to many types of products, and need to spread their efforts out quite a bit more. Taiyo Yuden also isn't in a rush to be big, or sell the most... they just want to be the best, and they are!

[NG]

Ritek is still making Maxell's regular CD-Rs to the best of my knowledge. Between the two, Taiyo Yuden will *ALWAYS* win... well, unless the Taiyo Yuden CD-R is broken in half or something :razz:

L O L - I suppose it would

Thanks for the info :D Didn't think they'd be *that* low quality since it does carry the Maxell branding. Looks like I'll forget about the Maxell's at XS Cargo for sure then and just grab a $30/50 spindle of TY Fuji's.

[Evil Techie]

i guess reputation is in their methodology to success
i like companies like these
quality is the right way to attract customers

i like richo too
their CD-Rs are awesome!
i thought they are the best
DD, which is better
i bought a spindle of richo 1x-40x CD-Rs from one of those spindle shops in taipei
they said that richo last the longest
havent used it yet as im still on my spindle of Imation HQT Crystal Series

[othy]

I don't personally EVER recommend overclocking media. But if you are going to do it, you have to be aware of your player's capabilties. Next time try burning at 6x and see if it produces better results.

Woops, guess I was mixed up when I thought you might have mentioned before that with the new firmware it burns the optodisc media (4x) at 8x without problems.. Or perhaps you meant something totally different and I'm just confused.. In any case I'll stick with 4x when burning DVDs, it doesnt take *that* long anyway :)

[The Digital Dolphin]

Woops, guess I was mixed up when I thought you might have mentioned before that with the new firmware it burns the optodisc media (4x) at 8x without problems.. Or perhaps you meant something totally different and I'm just confused.. In any case I'll stick with 4x when burning DVDs, it doesnt take *that* long anyway :)

I believe I said that it *could* be done, and that it would work.... but it's not something I would personally recommend.

[othy]

I believe I said that it *could* be done, and that it would work.... but it's not something I would personally recommend.

Gotcha, I actually had burned another disc at 8x and it worked great, so I assumed it was all good to go that way.. But I'd rather get the good quality burn and wait a little longer ;)

Need to pickup that set of 10 DVD-RWs they have on sale from NCIX, that looks like a good deal..

[Evil Techie]

whats the difference btwn what you said about "quality burn" at 4x than burning at 8x but it still works

if burning slower means my DVD+Rs will last longer, then ill be burning at 4x instead of 8x...

so DD, what are your thoughts on richo CD-Rs compared to TY?

ps. playing a trick on the Dolphin could mean that you turning into fish food soon!
lol j/k

[rabbit]

Isn't it hard to call me Plextor biased when I still rush out and buy the latest Plextor model burner when it comes out?

Nope, because I heard your comments about Plextor coming out of your mouth the first time we met ... heh heh. But for anyone paying attention, it is quite evident from your posts. Somehow I don't think you are an Intel fan either.


At the local London Drugs, I've noticed that the Fuji CD-R 50 spindles were back to being non TY. Haven't look at any other store's stock yet.

[The Digital Dolphin]

whats the difference btwn what you said about "quality burn" at 4x than burning at 8x but it still works

if burning slower means my DVD+Rs will last longer, then ill be burning at 4x instead of 8x...

so DD, what are your thoughts on richo CD-Rs compared to TY?

ps. playing a trick on the Dolphin could mean that you turning into fish food soon!
lol j/k

Burning Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs at 8x in the NEC 2500a with hacked firmware will result in a disc that some DVD players will play, and others won't. Burning at 4x on the 4x discs will produce MUCH better results with regards to compatability. I would expect lifespan to also be better when you burn the media at 4x... not because burning a disc slower means it will live longer (that is a theory based on NO facts) but because we know that the error rate is greatly increased when this disc is burned at 8x on the NEC with hacked firmware... and as the disc is used, and gets scratched and dust on it and stuff, the error correction will have to work harder and harder, and eventually it won't work any more. So the less the error correction has to work to make the disc readable in the beginning, the longer the disc will last.

I would say that Taiyo Yuden is the best CD-R available anywhere. For archival length, Kodak Ultima Gold CD-Rs would be the best, followed by Original Mitsui Gold CD-Rs, followed by the Newer MAM Gold CD-Rs. Ricoh is a good manufacturer, but I don't think they make any of their own CD-Rs anymore... they get Ritek to make them, and even though Ritek does the media to Ricoh's specs, it still doens't match Taiyo Yuden in burn quality or compatability.

I'm sure Rabbit could back me up on this one, as he has had some of his own experiences with both media types ;)

[The Digital Dolphin]

Isn't it hard to call me Plextor biased when I still rush out and buy the latest Plextor model burner when it comes out?

Nope, because I heard your comments about Plextor coming out of your mouth the first time we met ... heh heh. But for anyone paying attention, it is quite evident from your posts. Somehow I don't think you are an Intel fan either.

Well, I don't hide the fact that I am completely unimpressed with Plextor. Their CD burners weren't bad, and the Premium had some funky features, but I still preferred my LiteOn 48125W to it, and in fact I retired my Plextor Premium in favour of my LiteON 48125W :razz: Plextor DVD burners have been rather pathetic since the beginning unfortunatly, but LiteON's were much worse! We'll have to see if Plextor can fix their compatability issues with the new firmware they've promised next month.

As for Intel... yup, I don't like 'em. I lost all faith in Intel at the dawn of the Pentium 3.... right around the time all the first chips were recalled. Then I almost had hope for Intel with the Pentium 4... until a bunch of the chips were recalled again. Then I started thinking about the Pentium 5... but then it kept getting pushed back and back and back. I guess prolonging the release is preferred to releasing faulty products for the third time in a row though, but that's assuming they DON'T later recall the chips!


At the local London Drugs, I've noticed that the Fuji CD-R 50 spindles were back to being non TY. Haven't look at any other store's stock yet.

Yeah, I noticed that today too.... weird! I wish Fuji would make up their mind!! :evil:

[Evil Techie]

ok
that aside with the NEC
how about PX-708A with richojpnr01?
same thing?
there are no hacked firmwares involved
just simply burning 4x recommended media at 8x and all players play it fine

what i dont understand about what you said regarding error correction is that why does the error rate increase when burning at 8x on the NEC
is that the same case with PX-708A?
or for example, you burning richojpnr02 with your PX-712A

still increased chance? and decreasing the lifetime?

[Evil Techie]

btw DD,
are you able to influence plextor into including a media compatibility into their next firmware for PX-708A?

i really wish they can do something about NANYA RJB DVD+R because i have like 30 discs of Acer DVD+R 4x sitting in a spindle
they used to be richojpnr01 and thats why i bought them
but they changed their minds too just like fuji, memorex...
god damn it...
i hate discs going to waste

unless mrken is really gonna let me do some fireworks in his microwave

[The Digital Dolphin]

ok
that aside with the NEC
how about PX-708A with richojpnr01?
same thing?
there are no hacked firmwares involved
just simply burning 4x recommended media at 8x and all players play it fine

what i dont understand about what you said regarding error correction is that why does the error rate increase when burning at 8x on the NEC
is that the same case with PX-708A?
or for example, you burning richojpnr02 with your PX-712A

still increased chance? and decreasing the lifetime?

It's not the hacking of the firmware, it's a matter of burning the media faster then it is rated at. Some drives can do it better then others of course, and some media with some drives can give quite good results... but also little quality variations (something Ritek is WELL known for, and Ritek makes RicohJPN01 media) can cause big error rate jumps for over speed media.

To date, I have not seen a single situation where a DVD burned at a faster then certified speed did not have a higher error rate then when it was burned at its' certified speed. Of course these error rates cannot be accurately measured in a absolute value sense, but there is a very regular trend appearing.

So in general I try to discourage overspeeding media.. I mean, if you are burning a one-off disposable disc it won't matter much, but if you want the disc to last as long as possible, then stick with the certified speed.

[The Digital Dolphin]

btw DD,
are you able to influence plextor into including a media compatibility into their next firmware for PX-708A?

i really wish they can do something about NANYA RJB DVD+R because i have like 30 discs of Acer DVD+R 4x sitting in a spindle
they used to be richojpnr01 and thats why i bought them
but they changed their minds too just like fuji, memorex...
god damn it...
i hate discs going to waste

unless mrken is really gonna let me do some fireworks in his microwave

Sorry.... Plextor is not very interested in outside assistance. They are kind of... I don't know... full of themselves or something. All I can suggest is burning the discs a slower speed to maybe get some usability out of them?

[Evil Techie]

ok i will be burning my memorex discs at 4x now

thanx a lot

im not liking plextor being such snobs...
their DVD drives like you said, arent spectacular at all right from the start
infact NEC beats it by quite a bit i would imagine


i only wish they can increase disc compatibility!!!

[The Digital Dolphin]

i only wish they can increase disc compatibility!!!

You and me both!!!

[chdude3]

Dolphin, I'm dying for the NEC 3500a! Can't you make them hurry up? :) Have you heard any release dates for North America? You'd think they'd try and hurry now that Pioneer's got their 16x out here now.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Dolphin, I'm dying for the NEC 3500a! Can't you make them hurry up? :) Have you heard any release dates for North America? You'd think they'd try and hurry now that Pioneer's got their 16x out here now.

LOL... umm, I *wish* I could make them hurry up! :cheesygri

I'm expecting the drive to be out within a month or so, I hope. It's already out in Europe now I believe, so it shouldn't be TOO much longer.

[Evil Techie]

only if my dad is still the consultant for NEC...

bleh
better working for newegg than for those stubborn japanese businessmen

[The Digital Dolphin]

only if my dad is still the consultant for NEC...


WOW!?! Your's too eh? My father also used to do consulting for NEC, *WAY* back when I was very young.

[cf18]

DVDRs have 7 times the storage capacity for roughly 3 times the price of a CD-R


(Yeah I know I am quoting old stuff...) Actually it's only 6.24 times storage capacity. Damn them used binary measurement for CD-R, but switch to decimal measurement for DVD+/-R. A 4.7'G' DVD can only store 4.37 Gigabytes of data.

I am looking into DVD+/-R just to make the growing collection of disc easier to manage. My primary use for DVD+/-R will be storing TV anime fansubs, which are typically 175M each and have 26 episodes per season. That size is fine for CD-R with 4 eps per disc, but with DVD it is kind of crap out with just enough space for 25.6 eps per disc. I can of course overflow the last ep to a CD-R, but that just screw up the point of making the disc collection easier to manage.

So my question is: How much can you overburn with a good DVD+/-R media? I know for my purpose I need to overburn another 80M which is probably pushing it. Has anyone here tried overburn DVD at all?

[afzan]

just chop out the intro or credits of 1-2 of the episodes using virtualdub

[The Digital Dolphin]

(Yeah I know I am quoting old stuff...) Actually it's only 6.24 times storage capacity. Damn them used binary measurement for CD-R, but switch to decimal measurement for DVD+/-R. A 4.7'G' DVD can only store 4.37 Gigabytes of data.

I am looking into DVD+/-R just to make the growing collection of disc easier to manage. My primary use for DVD+/-R will be storing TV anime fansubs, which are typically 175M each and have 26 episodes per season. That size is fine for CD-R with 4 eps per disc, but with DVD it is kind of crap out with just enough space for 25.6 eps per disc. I can of course overflow the last ep to a CD-R, but that just screw up the point of making the disc collection easier to manage.

So my question is: How much can you overburn with a good DVD+/-R media? I know for my purpose I need to overburn another 80M which is probably pushing it. Has anyone here tried overburn DVD at all?

my calculation is like this:
1 DVD = 4.38GB (standard REAL size of single layer disc)
1 CD = 650MB (official format capacity, and standard size of pressed CD)

4.38 / .650 = 6.7384615384615384615384615384615 ....or ~7

As to your question: You cannot overburn DVDR media. DVD+R has *tried* to accomplish this, but no burner/software has *EVER* succeeded.

As suggested, using vdub to cut intro's outro's is probably the best way to make it fit.

Good luck!!

[cf18]

my calculation is like this:
1 DVD = 4.38GB (standard REAL size of single layer disc)
1 CD = 650MB (official format capacity, and standard size of pressed CD)

4.38 / .650 = 6.7384615384615384615384615384615 ....or ~7

In that case, it should be 4.38*1024/650 = 6.9 :cheesygri


As to your question: You cannot overburn DVDR media. DVD+R has *tried* to accomplish this, but no burner/software has *EVER* succeeded.

As suggested, using vdub to cut intro's outro's is probably the best way to make it fit.

Good luck!!

Or re-encode those stupid clip show eps into half size... Oh well thanks. From google search I figured DVD overburn is probably not working.

[luminus]

I am looking into DVD+/-R just to make the growing collection of disc easier to manage. My primary use for DVD+/-R will be storing TV anime fansubs, which are typically 175M each and have 26 episodes per season. That size is fine for CD-R with 4 eps per disc, but with DVD it is kind of crap out with just enough space for 25.6 eps per disc. I can of course overflow the last ep to a CD-R, but that just screw up the point of making the disc collection easier to manage.


Is it? DVD burner has been doing miracles for my anime fansub collections (1500+ CDRs). Back then CDR was expensive, so I tried to fill up every mb on my CDR. So I started combining different series to make up 650mb. (e.g. ep. 1-2 of this, 6-7 of something else.) And have a database to manage them all. But it was still hell annoying. Database can tell me imediately the cd#s I need, but finding it is another matter. (e.g. finding CD#32,43,56,66-67, 88 to just watch a series.). Near impossible to find anything. And very difficult to fill-up that 650 mb exactly.

And if I do only one series in a CDR, it ends up being rather wasteful. e.g. Most decent-quality fansubs today are around 180-200 mb per ep. So, 190x3=570. And CDRs these days are 700mb. So I end up wasting 130mb per CDR.

And to fill up a 26 ep series, at 3 ep. each, you'd need 9 CDRs. Say you pay around $0.4 for a decent blank media. That would be 9*0.4=$3.6. And 9 blanks use a lot of storage space, especially if you refuse to use CD sleeves like me.

With a DVD media, two DVDR is way more than enough for your typical series. Even at 300mb DVD rips. Just split it into half a season (13 ep) per DVD if you find 25 ep + 1 ep ugly. ^_^

And, at around $1 a DVD for a decent brand, it's still only $2. A lot cheaper than 9 CDRs. And MUCH better to manage.

Just my two cents.....but my DVD burner is one of my few computer investment I didn't regret. Especially for my anime collection. ^_^

[The Digital Dolphin]

[QUOTE=cf18]In that case, it should be 4.38*1024/650 = 6.9 :cheesygri
[QUOTE]

argh... now I just HAVE to keep this up :razz:

ok,

1 DVD = 4,700,000,000 bytes OR
1 DVD = 4589843.75 kilobytes OR
1 DVD = 4482.269287109375 megabytes OR
1 DVD = 4.3772161006927490234375 gigabytes

1 standard 74min CD-R:
60 seconds per minute, 75 frames per second... so
74*60*75 = 333000 frames, or sectors on a 74min CD-R
a standard CD-R ISO is burned with mode 1 data, which allows for 2048 bytes per sector to be stored... so:
333000 * 2048 = 681984000 (which is the number of bytes you can store on a 74min CD-R)... so:
1 74min CD-R = 681984000 bytes
1 74min CD-R = 666000 kilobytes
1 74min CD-R = 650.390625 megabytes

so, take the like terms, and divide one by the other:
4,700,000,000 bytes / 681984000 bytes = 6.8916572822822822822822822822823 *OR* ~7

this is of course assuming a couple of things:
#1 - using a single layered DVD
#2 - using a 74min CD (the official standard, but now uncommon for CD-Rs)
#3 - using Mode 1 to burn the disc, and not Mode 2 form 2, which allows for 2352 bytes to be stored per frame, (uses less error correction)

Gosh, I hope that all made sense!! :cheesygri

[Evil Techie]

lol

also note DD's siggy
"Recordable media is my life"
LMAO
it sure is after reading that post of yours...

you proved it alright
sons of ex NEC consultants are smart ;) lol hehehe

so when will NEC 3500A come to canada?

[The Digital Dolphin]

so when will NEC 3500A come to canada?

I'm hoping sometime in the next month... that's only a guess though. I have somewhat limited insight into NEC's plans for this, but I think given the fact that other places have the drive now, we should begin seeing it in North America fairly soon.

The Pioneer DVR-109 may only be 2-3 months away as well ;) (but I'm getting the NEC 3500a!)

[Deal_Myster]

Taiyo Yuden appears to be the best CDR media around according to my reading of posts within this thread.

Which CDR media brands is Taiyo Yuden?

Are the following prices any good?

CD-R TAIYO YUDEN 80 MIN 52X SILVER THERMAL 100 for $48.00
This doesn't include shipping and taxes at blankmedia.ca.
This looks like 60 cents plus per unit after shipping and taxes.

Fuji Film 48x 700MB/80min. 50 CD-R Spindle $24.99
Verbatim 48x 700MB/80min. 50 CD-R Spindle $24.99
Verbatim 52x 700MB/80min. 50 CD-R Spindle $20.00
This doesn't include taxes at Canada computers however not sure if these are TAIYO YUDEN CDRS.

I live in Toronto and would appreciate if anyone could let me know of good source to buy TAIYO YUDEN CDRS rather then buying from blankmedia.ca for 60 cents plus.

I could get RiDATA 48x 700MB/80min. 100 CD-R Spindle just about anywhere for 25.00 however these are not TAIYO YUDEN.

Are RiDATA 48x good enough are long time archiving of music cd's?
If yes should I forget about TAIYO YUDEN CDR's?

I want to know the best bang for my buck not sacrificing quality for backing up music cd's.

[Evil Techie]

how do i read cd-r info?
ive tried lots of softwares but none are working

[Deal_Myster]

how do i read cd-r info?
ive tried lots of softwares but none are working

This info has been posted before.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thanh
Get Nero InfoTool 2.21 and it will give you what you're looking for.


Yup, that'll work.

Personally, I prefer LiteON's SmartBurn utility, found here:
http://www.liteonit.com/ODD/Zip/SMARTBURN.zip
__________________
Recordable media is my life

The Digital Dolphin FAQ Thread

Heatware

----------------------------------
I personally use CDR Identifier available at http://www.cdr.cz/software/cdr_identifier/

[The Digital Dolphin]

Are the following prices any good?
CD-R TAIYO YUDEN 80 MIN 52X SILVER THERMAL 100 for $48.00
This doesn't include shipping and taxes at blankmedia.ca.
This looks like 60 cents plus per unit after shipping and taxes.


Yes, this price is pretty darn good, considering that it is including the $0.21 levy, And unlike Blankmedia.ca's Ritek CD-Rs, I happen to know that these discs actually *DO* include the levy, and are not being sold illegally.


Fuji Film 48x 700MB/80min. 50 CD-R Spindle $24.99
Verbatim 48x 700MB/80min. 50 CD-R Spindle $24.99
Verbatim 52x 700MB/80min. 50 CD-R Spindle $20.00


Fuji with the "Made in Japan" marking on the back *ARE* Taiyo Yuden, but the ones "Made in Taiwan" are Prodisc, and I would stay away from Prodisc CD-Rs (not bad mind you, but not that great either!)


I could get RiDATA 48x 700MB/80min. 100 CD-R Spindle just about anywhere for 25.00 however these are not TAIYO YUDEN.

Are RiDATA 48x good enough are long time archiving of music cd's?
If yes should I forget about TAIYO YUDEN CDR's?

I want to know the best bang for my buck not sacrificing quality for backing up music cd's.

Ritek can *NOT* compare to Taiyo Yuden. If you really want longevity and compatability, then you won't find anything better (unless you luck out and find some Kodak Ultima Gold CD-Rs... well, or Mitsui's Medical Grade Gold CD-Rs...).

[luminus]

Hi, Dolphin.

Didn't you say way back (can't rmb when) that you'll post some test results on Mitsui DVDRs? Did you ever get around to posting it? I don't recall seeing it....(and, on the same note, still don't see any new mitsui DVDRs anywhere for sale either.)

BTW, got your Kodaks from FS yet? ^_^

Luminus

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hi, Dolphin.

Didn't you say way back (can't rmb when) that you'll post some test results on Mitsui DVDRs? Did you ever get around to posting it? I don't recall seeing it....(and, on the same note, still don't see any new mitsui DVDRs anywhere for sale either.)

BTW, got your Kodaks from FS yet? ^_^

Luminus

Heh, I did indeed say that! I'll try to post them soon! ;) All the testing is done, but there is still some work left to do formatting them and all, and I'm starting to gear up for my vacation :cheesygri

Haven't gotten the Kodak's yet, but they shipped to me yesterday... so depending on where they shipped from, I could have them anytime ranging from today to Monday.

As for where to *BUY* Mitsui DVD-Rs... well, I could arrange something if you really wanted, but they aren't cheap, and I don't really think they're worth it personally! Not unless it turns out tney have some sort of incredibly slow rate of degridation or something.

[The Digital Dolphin]

ATTN: ALL Owners of the LG 4120B

I am happy to announce that someone has managed to build a bitsetting tool for you!

http://www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~noe/Bitsetting_LG4120B/

This tool should allow you to set the booktype of your DVD+R/RW media to DVD-ROM (DVD+R9 should already be set to DVD-ROM automatically).

So anyone with a picky DVD Player may find the media will now work, with bitsetting :D

Thanks for this program go to "alexnoe"

[bensal]

Just looking to maybe pickup a new DVDR. I have a SONY DRU500A which ha been more than sufficient burning at 4x on my RITEK (RITDAD) 4x that I bought from blankmedia.ca quite awhile ago.


I guess since I saw the Pioneer 108 and its 16x and dual layer capabilities for $33 I have been intrigued and thought about selling this one to my mother who will give me $50 for it and picking up the 108. I guess my question is it worth the $80 upgrade then, I mean, media for 16x does not exist that I have seen and I do not know of any hacks to allow 4x media to be burnt at such higher speeds. Any noticeable problems with the DRU500a series that I should know that will influence my switch to the 108. Seems like all the capabilites of the drive (dual layer, 16x burning) which make it unique are also capabilities that cannot be taken advantage of realistically due to either high media costs or the lack there of media.

read through the whole faq. A great read. keep up the good work.

[The Digital Dolphin]

The Pioneer DVR-108 is a pretty good drive. The hacked firmware for it allows you to burn any 4x media at 16x (although this almost NEVER actually works...) and it is quite ahead of its' time with 4x DVD+R9 recording speeds. The only real problem with it is the fact that it's slower when writing at 16x then it is when writing at 12x, since it uses Z-CLV instead of P-CAV. The NEC 3500a on the other hand is faster (uses P-CAV), and about of comparative writing quality (so far according to preliminary tests...), but doesn't have a hacked firmware yet, but most likely will, possibly even with bitsetting support, which the Pioneer does NOT have.

I don't think you'll be dissapointed with either the Pioneer DVR-108 *or* the NEC 3500a... personally, I'm going to probably get both! :cheesygri

[Stryder]

The Pioneer DVR-108 is a pretty good drive. The hacked firmware for it allows you to burn any 4x media at 16x (although this almost NEVER actually works...) and it is quite ahead of its' time with 4x DVD+R9 recording speeds. The only real problem with it is the fact that it's slower when writing at 16x then it is when writing at 12x, since it uses Z-CLV instead of P-CAV. The NEC 3500a on the other hand is faster (uses P-CAV), and about of comparative writing quality (so far according to preliminary tests...), but doesn't have a hacked firmware yet, but most likely will, possibly even with bitsetting support, which the Pioneer does NOT have.

I don't think you'll be dissapointed with either the Pioneer DVR-108 *or* the NEC 3500a... personally, I'm going to probably get both! :cheesygri

How's the write quality on DVD+R9 media at 4x speed on the pioneer? Is it actually worse than writing it at 2.4x? Maybe I'll wait for the NEC since the Pioneer doesn't even have bitsetting tool available..

[afzan]

do you think it's likely that the 108 will be able to do bitsetting?

That's the only thing that really bothers me about it..

Do you know what the 109 will have improved compared to the 108? :)

[The Digital Dolphin]

looking here:
http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=10114&PageId=19

It seems that burning Verbatim DVD+R9 media at 4x is still better then burning Ritek DVD+R9 media at 2.4x! But I don't know how it would compare to burning Verbatim at 2.4x, since I have not seen a comparison.

As for booktype setting, both the Pioneer DVR-108 and the NEC 3500a support automatic bitsetting on dual layer media, but not on regular DVD+R media. The NEC will likely get a hack for this later, but it is much less important then bitsetting on DVD+R9 media.

The Pioneer DVR-109 is rumoured to be the same specs as the DVR-108, except that it *SHOULD* have 4x DVD-R9 recording capabilities! :cheesygri (hopefully it will record at 16x in P-CAV mode instead of Z-CLV mode too, but I don't know).

[luminus]

ATTN: ALL Owners of the LG 4120B

I am happy to announce that someone has managed to build a bitsetting tool for you!

http://www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~noe/Bitsetting_LG4120B/

This tool should allow you to set the booktype of your DVD+R/RW media to DVD-ROM (DVD+R9 should already be set to DVD-ROM automatically).

So anyone with a picky DVD Player may find the media will now work, with bitsetting :D

Thanks for this program go to "alexnoe"

*sob*.....no support for my LG4040B? No.....

On second thought, that means the LG4120B has basically all the features I needed in my next DVD burner. Bitsetting, DL support, and a low price tag. (I couldn't care less for speed. It can burn at 2x for all I care. I can wait. ^_^)

Any idea how's burn quality on LG4120B offhand, Dolphin? ^_^

[mrken]

http://www.tomshardware.com/hardnews/20040811_115054.html

Yay for Bluray!! :cheesygri

DD, for your vacation, does it have anything to do with your web designer? ;)

[The Digital Dolphin]

Any idea how's burn quality on LG4120B offhand, Dolphin? ^_^

Well, I don't have one yet, but generally people say the writing quality is good, but the drive is slow. So yes, I'd say it meets your needs ;)

[rabbit]

im not liking plextor being such snobs...

Never dealt with Plextor firsthand so I can't comment although I have heard someone write that the developers of PlexTools do listen to suggestions. Of course you can't always take what you've read on the internet at face value :) .


Well, I don't hide the fact that I am completely unimpressed with Plextor.

Being openly biased towards a company or product decreases credibility.


Too bad about the Fuji CD-Rs not being TY. I was in London Drugs yesterday and they have a 50 spindle on sale for $15 + levy (~$26 total). Stacks of spindles but all non TY. Oh well, I just ordered 200 from Blank Media already so I guess it's a good thing I'm not tempted to buy more :).

PS. I thought the levy is suppose to be paid by whoever imports the CD-Rs into Canada so how can it be illegally sold for whatever price it is being sold at?

[ill_skillz_will]

finally got through the 23 pages of posts. Excellent info! i have an LG 4120B and checked out http://www.cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.php?reviewid=234&page=Performance tests on dvdr media. I was wondering if Verbatim 4x DVD-R (MCC 01RG20) or Verbatim 8x DVD-R (MCC 02RG20) is the way to go? it appears to have the lowest PIF errors. I was considering RiDATA 8x DVD-R (RITEKG05) from blankmedia.ca but it seems to be on the lower end of the spectrum when they compare maxells, ty, verbatim and memorex. A lot of people say ridata has a good sucess rate for the ps2, and id prefer quality over quantity. Which disc would you guys recommend for this burner? Im mainly going to be burning ps2 backups and video files.

Thanks, Will

[luminus]

finally got through the 23 pages of posts. Excellent info! i have an LG 4120B and checked out http://www.cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.php?reviewid=234&page=Performance tests on dvdr media. I was wondering if Verbatim 4x DVD-R (MCC 01RG20) or Verbatim 8x DVD-R (MCC 02RG20) is the way to go? it appears to have the lowest PIF errors. I was considering RiDATA 8x DVD-R (RITEKG05) from blankmedia.ca but it seems to be on the lower end of the spectrum when they compare maxells, ty, verbatim and memorex. A lot of people say ridata has a good sucess rate for the ps2, and id prefer quality over quantity. Which disc would you guys recommend for this burner? Im mainly going to be burning ps2 backups and video files.

Thanks, Will

I'd say buy a little of each from your local store and give it a try on your PS2. Its laser lens is notoriously picky.

My seem to read anything I through at it, with Memorex CMC being the only one so far where I noticed skipping. My friend's only seems to read Ritek G04. And yet another friend's seems to have the least booting problem with those Memorex CMC.

Although Ritek G04 compatibility seems to be the norm.....

[blitz]

Hey DD,

I'm think of getting a dvd burner but can't decide on which on. I've read some of the ones you talked about but can make a list of ones you recommend? Which ones you had great experience with and ones you heard/read are good and ones which potential.

I know I should go back and dig for info on this thread but there is so much. :)

[Stryder]

looking here:
http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=10114&PageId=19

It seems that burning Verbatim DVD+R9 media at 4x is still better then burning Ritek DVD+R9 media at 2.4x! But I don't know how it would compare to burning Verbatim at 2.4x, since I have not seen a comparison.

As for booktype setting, both the Pioneer DVR-108 and the NEC 3500a support automatic bitsetting on dual layer media, but not on regular DVD+R media. The NEC will likely get a hack for this later, but it is much less important then bitsetting on DVD+R9 media.

The Pioneer DVR-109 is rumoured to be the same specs as the DVR-108, except that it *SHOULD* have 4x DVD-R9 recording capabilities! :cheesygri (hopefully it will record at 16x in P-CAV mode instead of Z-CLV mode too, but I don't know).

Any idea when the Pioneer DVR-109 will be released?

[The Digital Dolphin]

im not liking plextor being such snobs...

Never dealt with Plextor firsthand so I can't comment although I have heard someone write that the developers of PlexTools do listen to suggestions. Of course you can't always take what you've read on the internet at face value :) .


Well, I don't hide the fact that I am completely unimpressed with Plextor.

Being openly biased towards a company or product decreases credibility.


Too bad about the Fuji CD-Rs not being TY. I was in London Drugs yesterday and they have a 50 spindle on sale for $15 + levy (~$26 total). Stacks of spindles but all non TY. Oh well, I just ordered 200 from Blank Media already so I guess it's a good thing I'm not tempted to buy more :).

PS. I thought the levy is suppose to be paid by whoever imports the CD-Rs into Canada so how can it be illegally sold for whatever price it is being sold at?

Why can't I be disatisfied with a manufacturer? Plextor has proven to many people time and time again that they are no better then the competition, and ALWAYS much more expensive. The Plextor PX-712a is the best example of this to date. It has one of the highest RMA rates of any DVD burner, including LiteON, and it is also one of the pickiest! I don't see anything wrong with holding the opinion that if you are paying often 2x as much money for a similar item, you should be getting a product of superior, or at least equivilant quality!

Yeah, I noticed that Fuji/Prodisc sale as well... I also went through every spindle! :(

The levy is complicated... it is supposed to be charged by the importer of the media at the point of its' first sale within Canada. However this can be waived if the person selling, AND being sold the media, has a Levy Zero Rated certificate number. However, only official registered distributors can resell locally purchased blank media without charging the levy (if applicable). So if the importer is not charging the levy to a distributor, then the media is being sold illegally, and that doesn't mean that when the distributor sells the media that it stops being illegal. It could be argued that maybe someone is just taking a loss on CD-Rs.... but I happen to know better in this case, and besides, who in their right mind would continue to sell CD-Rs at a loss for such a long time, they'd go out of business! :confused:

[The Digital Dolphin]

finally got through the 23 pages of posts. Excellent info! i have an LG 4120B and checked out http://www.cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.php?reviewid=234&page=Performance tests on dvdr media. I was wondering if Verbatim 4x DVD-R (MCC 01RG20) or Verbatim 8x DVD-R (MCC 02RG20) is the way to go? it appears to have the lowest PIF errors. I was considering RiDATA 8x DVD-R (RITEKG05) from blankmedia.ca but it seems to be on the lower end of the spectrum when they compare maxells, ty, verbatim and memorex. A lot of people say ridata has a good sucess rate for the ps2, and id prefer quality over quantity. Which disc would you guys recommend for this burner? Im mainly going to be burning ps2 backups and video files.

Thanks, Will

Taiyo Yuden, Maxell, and Mitsubishi are the top disc types for sure! Stick with those if you want to be confident about your backups.

Less good, but usually ok are Ritek, Optodisc and CMC. It remains to be seen how well these discs will do in the long run (longevity), and some compatability issues exist with some drives with this media as well.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD,

I'm think of getting a dvd burner but can't decide on which on. I've read some of the ones you talked about but can make a list of ones you recommend? Which ones you had great experience with and ones you heard/read are good and ones which potential.

I know I should go back and dig for info on this thread but there is so much. :)

Howabout a short list?

NEC 3500a
Pioneer DVR-108
LG 4120B
Pioneer DVR-107
NEC 2500a
BenQ 1620 / 1630

some of these drives are still partially untested, but every drive has shown quite a bit of potential.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Any idea when the Pioneer DVR-109 will be released?

It hasn't been officially announced yet, but has a lot to do with when DVD-R9 can be effectively produced. So this also has a lot to do with Ritek ;)

[supergenius]

If anyone has an Amerifriend, newegg has the 3500a available now!! I've got mine ordered.

[sleepyguy]

Cool! I think it's about time I went in the DVD bandwagon :)

If anyone has an Amerifriend, newegg has the 3500a available now!! I've got mine ordered.

[crimsona]

I'm currently in Hong Kong, and the NEC 3500A's available all over for $900 HKD (works out to 150 CDN). Would you say this is better or the $133 deal for the Pioneer A08 at NCIX? Considering I'll pretty much only be using Maxell DVD-Rs from Staples/FS (purchased LONG before I had a burner, got 70 DVDs worth).

[chdude3]

I need an Amerifriend. :(

[Evil Techie]

man ive gotta get newegg to start their business in canada soon...

[bigdaddyyc]

man ive gotta get newegg to start their business in canada soon...

yes you should, im unable to get items shipped from newegg but i still check thier hot deals regardless.

[The Digital Dolphin]

This is a really bad time for the NEC 3500a to come out for me... I just spent all my available money on... "other items". So I might end up waiting until NCIX brings them in :confused:

[hagbard]

I have a newbie question. Why is it that my DVD "4.7GB" disks are all reported as "4.38GB" in the Nero Info Tool? Is it for the same reason that hard drives are reported as less than the manufacturers claims?

Thanks.

[chdude3]

Yes.

4,700,000,000 / (1024^3) = 4.377

[othy]

I missed the discussion, what was good about the 3500? Should I be sad that I got a 2500 a month ago? hehe

[The Digital Dolphin]

I'm sure there's some good info about the NEC 3500a in this thread already, just take a quick look through some of the previous messages and I'm sure you'll find it!

[The Digital Dolphin]

Maxell 5x DVD-RAMs on their way!!!

All you LG 4120B owners are getting lucky AGAIN!! finally Maxell has informed me that they have *JUST* received their shipment of 5x DVD-RAM for use in the LG 4120B and other 5x compatible DVD-RAM drives.

Pricing is going to be a little more then twice as much as the equivilant 2x/3x DVD-RAMs to begin with it seems. My guess would be about $13-$14 or so per disc w/jewel case. Given the advantage in speed, and huge re-writability feature, I think this is still a pretty good price.

[othy]

I'm sure there's some good info about the NEC 3500a in this thread already, just take a quick look through some of the previous messages and I'm sure you'll find it!


25 pages so far.. too damn lazy to bother! ;)

[The Digital Dolphin]

25 pages so far.. too damn lazy to bother! ;)

And I'm too lazy to post the same info time and time again ;) That's why I made this thread (which I REALLY wish was sticky...)

BTW: I'm now on Vacation, so I'll be around only VERY rarely for the next 1.5 weeks or so. Sorry, but even I need a break sometimes.

[Evil Techie]

enjoy DD

[othy]

Just typed it into google, so it's a 16x burner! and 4x DL.. I can see how the explaination is such a hassle! ;)

I know, being difficult.. Personally it bugs me when people don't just RTFM or google for whatever too. Just wish there was a better way of searching within threads for the forum. Perhaps there is, I just use the basic search feature.. More laziness :twisted:

[The Digital Dolphin]

I'm far too soft...

The discussion pretty much starts here:
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/forum/showthread.php?t=87989&page=23&pp=15

it's easy to find out the specs of the drive, that takes no time. But describing why the drive is good outside the generic specs is completely different. The Pioneer DVR-108 is pretty much the same drive specs wise, and even uses the same chipset as the NEC 3500a, but it differs in some pretty important areas that affect burn speed quite a bit, and also burn quality a little. More info can be seen in my previous posts.

If anyone is interested, I'll be attending www.animeevolution.com this weekend as the first leg of my vacation :cheesygri

[blitz]

And I'm too lazy to post the same info time and time again ;) That's why I made this thread (which I REALLY wish was sticky...)

BTW: I'm now on Vacation, so I'll be around only VERY rarely for the next 1.5 weeks or so. Sorry, but even I need a break sometimes.
Thanks for posting all the info. The thread is long so finding specific info takes time and even for people who've read the whole thing. I'll like to take your info and then do exta research.

Maybe it's time for a new thread and where you can summerize popular and important info on your first post of the thread. It's just a suggestion.

But anyways have a good vacation while it lasts. :cheesygri
I can't imagine you leaving the industry for time off too long. ;)

Thanks for telling us where you'll be. Maybe we can track you down for more answers. ;) :cheesygri

[luminus]

I'm far too soft...

The discussion pretty much starts here:
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/forum/showthread.php?t=87989&page=23&pp=15

it's easy to find out the specs of the drive, that takes no time. But describing why the drive is good outside the generic specs is completely different. The Pioneer DVR-108 is pretty much the same drive specs wise, and even uses the same chipset as the NEC 3500a, but it differs in some pretty important areas that affect burn speed quite a bit, and also burn quality a little. More info can be seen in my previous posts.

If anyone is interested, I'll be attending www.animeevolution.com this weekend as the first leg of my vacation :cheesygri

Enjoy, dude. ^_^

Wahh......anime convention....I'm envious..... ^_^

[MrDisco]

well after running out of room on my 1tb of storage i said enough is enough.

i need a dvd writer. all these anime eps is impossible to keep up using CDRs

still not sure what to get though.. ideally i want something that gives quality burns, dual layer, will allow me to burn movies with the widest range of compatibility on standalones, and isn't priced like a plextor. i guess i'll have to wait a month and see how the nec3500 fairs against the pioneer 108. i havent heard any excitement from liteon or lg in terms of new products and plex is simply out of my budget.

[joshmxpx]

hey digital dolphin,

i just got a lg 4082b, and i want need help buying media for it. i need it for backing up console games and dvds, but i don't want to spend too much on media. i thought i saw someone say that the ritek g04 from blankmedia.ca were good. the price seems right, but i just need your approval before i waste $50 on media that will just burn coasters anyway

thanks for your time

[The Digital Dolphin]

Good Ritek G04 media will burn on your drive quite well.... however it's impossible to tell if the media is going to be G04 or M02 before trying to use it, and M02 is largely untested.... also, there is a great amount of quality variation from Ritek these days, so 'A grade discs" are not all the same quality, or even always good quality.

Unfortunatly, I don't have an LG DVD burner, so I can't really suggest much as an alternative, and don't have the immediate time to go looking through forums to find customer based experiences (as I am still on vacation).

Good luck!!

[The Digital Dolphin]

The anime convention is now over... a great time was had by all :cheesygri

Now I'll be heading out to various sorts of activities with local friends. If you look really hard, you may see me at Metrotown or the PNE during various portions of this week. I should be in the Surrey/Fleetwood area tomorrow though ;)

on a side note, I got the voice actor who played Megatron in BeastWars to sign an autograph to The Digital Dolphin, which I hope to post later on. It turned out that we have an indirect link through the new Battlestar Galactica TV series being made, which I didn't expect. Friends of friends can be a wonderful thing! :cheesygri

ttfn

[wlee]

hey digital dolphin,

i just got a lg 4082b, and i want need help buying media for it. i need it for backing up console games and dvds, but i don't want to spend too much on media. i thought i saw someone say that the ritek g04 from blankmedia.ca were good. the price seems right, but i just need your approval before i waste $50 on media that will just burn coasters anyway

thanks for your time
always try couple of samples first, make sure you have the latest firmware. ;)

[chdude3]

Dolphinius Rex, what do you make of this comparison (http://www.dvd-recordable.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=96) between the Pioneer 108 and the NEC 3500a? I'm curious as to how much validity the article holds, since a DLL was hacked at to use the burning program. Seems like the 108 provided cleaner burns?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Dolphinius Rex, what do you make of this comparison (http://www.dvd-recordable.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=96) between the Pioneer 108 and the NEC 3500a? I'm curious as to how much validity the article holds, since a DLL was hacked at to use the burning program. Seems like the 108 provided cleaner burns?

Looks like quite an old firmware was used in that comparison... Some of the results do look quite good, but the NEC's real strengths don't lie in its' initial burn quality, which will likely be fixes by Herrie quite soon anyways ;) The NEC is an awesome ripper, and very VERY fast! And not too bad a burner in general anyways. The pioneer is quite a good drive, and often people put it down because it's slower... but this may have been fixed in the 1.10 firmware which was released recently. But I haven't seen any tests from that firmware yet.

[chdude3]

Looks like quite an old firmware was used in that comparison... Some of the results do look quite good, but the NEC's real strengths don't lie in its' initial burn quality, which will likely be fixes by Herrie quite soon anyways ;) The NEC is an awesome ripper, and very VERY fast! And not too bad a burner in general anyways. The pioneer is quite a good drive, and often people put it down because it's slower... but this may have been fixed in the 1.10 firmware which was released recently. But I haven't seen any tests from that firmware yet.From the points you mention, it almost makes me sound like I should go for the Pioneer instead. I honestly don't care about ultra-fast burning. Doesn't matter to me if one burner takes 2 minutes longer than another. I want a quality burn that's as compatible as possible. I realize that's also very media dependent, but assuming media is the same, I'd take the Pioneer if it does better burns consistently.

How do you mean by awesome ripper? I'm assuming you mean ripping audio/video from CD's and DVD's? Just trying to figure out which burner's going to work best for me.

[The Digital Dolphin]

the fact is, they are both still largely untested. I'm not overly keen on the Pioneer DVR-108's writing style (Zonal-Constant Linear Velocity), which has a tendancy of being harder on the media then the NEC's style (Partial Constant Angular Velocity). But the Pioneer has already shown good writing quality, both in past and present models, as well as good firmware support. The NEC is a good burner too in many respects, but requires additional hacker support to truly shine. If you don't feel like relying on additonal unofficial formware support from people like Herrie and The Dangerous Brothers, then the Pioneer DVR-108 is the drive for you, for sure!

I expect that like with the DVR-107 and the NEC 2500a, there will be VERY few complaints from anyone who purchases either drive (or both, like in my case ;) ).

Regarding the NEC's ripping abilities... it can read DVD±Rs at 16x, something I haven't seen accomplished by even a DVD-ROM drive!! utterly impressive!!

[NG]

Hey DD - do you have any opinion on MCC products? I've looked on-line but this make doesn't seem to be covered much. I even checked their website (which all seems to be in Japanese so hopefully the discs will be made there),

Mainly wondering how they compare to the major "quality to decent" makes like TY, Maxell and Ritek.

Thanks for any info.

[chdude3]

the fact is, they are both still largely untested. I'm not overly keen on the Pioneer DVR-108's writing style (Zonal-Constant Linear Velocity), which has a tendancy of being harder on the media then the NEC's style (Partial Constant Angular Velocity). But the Pioneer has already shown good writing quality, both in past and present modelsOk, I'm not sure how those two statements follow. In what manner is it hard on the media? Is there problems? Because as you said, burn quality seems to be pretty good with the Pioneers.

If you had to bust it down, what would be the main differences, and/or pros/cons for the 108 vs the 3500a, with what you currently know?

[Vinsanity1379]

hey dolphin,

just bought a 50 pack prodisc 4.7g inkjet printable dvd-r's with manufacure id MCC 01RG20 and wondering who makes this media and can you tell me if this is a good brand to backup dvd's with and if its as good as the prodisc s03.

Thanks.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD - do you have any opinion on MCC products? I've looked on-line but this make doesn't seem to be covered much. I even checked their website (which all seems to be in Japanese so hopefully the discs will be made there),

Mainly wondering how they compare to the major "quality to decent" makes like TY, Maxell and Ritek.

Thanks for any info.

MCC makes VERY good products normally... although their 8x media has some issues. They normally rate equally or VERY close to Taiyo Yuden and Maxell, and deffinatly better then Ritek!

Just keep in mind that some Mitsubishi code media (the stuff made in Taiwan) is actually manufactured to by CMC.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Ok, I'm not sure how those two statements follow. In what manner is it hard on the media? Is there problems? Because as you said, burn quality seems to be pretty good with the Pioneers.

If you had to bust it down, what would be the main differences, and/or pros/cons for the 108 vs the 3500a, with what you currently know?

Well, there are two different things here really:

The write strategy itself is very hard on media being burned, because the speed goes up in a very jarring fashion, which sometimes causes increased error rates (often spikes) at the point of transission between speeds. ]

The NEC's write strategy is a gradual increase from one speed to the next, to the next. This is much easier on the media, although much harder to do from a physical point of view, due to a number of factors (how the disc is written, and how it spins)

But the second thing to consider is how the write strategy is implemented. Just because it is harder to make one strategy word with high quality, doesn't mean it can't be done. Likewise, just because another strategy is easier to make work, doesn't mean it can't get screwed up.

Long story short, Pioneer puts a LOT of work into their firmware, and NEC puts less work into it generally. This unbalance can be corrected with proper hacking however, and usually the two manufacturers seem to end up fairly equal in the end.

Hope that clears things up a little bit.

[The Digital Dolphin]

hey dolphin,

just bought a 50 pack prodisc 4.7g inkjet printable dvd-r's with manufacure id MCC 01RG20 and wondering who makes this media and can you tell me if this is a good brand to backup dvd's with and if its as good as the prodisc s03.

Thanks.

Wow... that makes no sense at all :confused: Prodisc and Mitsubishi Chemicals are completely different! In fact they have no ties with each other even, which is pretty rare. Mitsui and Prodisc have had ties, Prodisc and Fuji have ties, but Mitsubishi and Prodisc have never worked together...

My guess would be one of the following:
#1: You paid for Prodisc and accidentaly got shipped Mitsubishi... lucky you!
#2: You got some of the new counterfeit Mitsubishi media now making it's rounds through Europe... didn't know it was in North America yet though...

seems very weird to me!

[Vinsanity1379]

Wow... that makes no sense at all :confused: Prodisc and Mitsubishi Chemicals are completely different! In fact they have no ties with each other even, which is pretty rare. Mitsui and Prodisc have had ties, Prodisc and Fuji have ties, but Mitsubishi and Prodisc have never worked together...

My guess would be one of the following:
#1: You paid for Prodisc and accidentaly got shipped Mitsubishi... lucky you!
#2: You got some of the new counterfeit Mitsubishi media now making it's rounds through Europe... didn't know it was in North America yet though...

seems very weird to me!

it caught me off guard as well until i looked at the invoice and the store did indeed have sold me prodisc inkjet dvd-r's. thes bundle is shrinkwrapped in blue plastic similar to regular prodiscs. do you suggest i pick up a couple more bundles? :D

how does MCC 01RG20 compare to g04, s03, ty ...?

[NG]

MCC makes VERY good products normally... although their 8x media has some issues. They normally rate equally or VERY close to Taiyo Yuden and Maxell, and deffinatly better then Ritek!

Just keep in mind that some Mitsubishi code media (the stuff made in Taiwan) is actually manufactured to by CMC.

Ah, that does make things more tricky then. Would you say I'd be safe with getting the good (re: not CMC) MCC media if I'm looking at Verbatim Datalife Plus discs?

[The Digital Dolphin]

it caught me off guard as well until i looked at the invoice and the store did indeed have sold me prodisc inkjet dvd-r's. thes bundle is shrinkwrapped in blue plastic similar to regular prodiscs. do you suggest i pick up a couple more bundles? :D

how does MCC 01RG20 compare to g04, s03, ty ...?

Umm... first see how they perform... if they aren't performing poorly, THEN yes, deffinatly!

Mitsubishi is usually in the same catagory as Maxell/Taiyo Yuden... there is NO competition between Prodisc/Ritek and Mitsubishi under regular circumstances (translation: in most cases, Mitsubishi has then "pwn3d")

[The Digital Dolphin]

Ah, that does make things more tricky then. Would you say I'd be safe with getting the good (re: not CMC) MCC media if I'm looking at Verbatim Datalife Plus discs?

There is no way to be sure of not getting CMC made MCC code media unless you read the country of origin before purchasing. But generally CMC's MCC code media is pretty good, but not quite as good as MCC's own. Still, I'd generally get CMC's MCC media over Ritek ANY day!

[Vinsanity1379]

Umm... first see how they perform... if they aren't performing poorly, THEN yes, deffinatly!

Mitsubishi is usually in the same catagory as Maxell/Taiyo Yuden... there is NO competition between Prodisc/Ritek and Mitsubishi under regular circumstances (translation: in most cases, Mitsubishi has then "pwn3d")

5 for 5 so far and burned at various speeds (2x, 4x and 8x).

I'm just wondering is there a safe way to get rid of permanent ink on dvdr's? I know that kinda defeats the purpose of sharpies but it wont hurt to ask an expert.

Thanks again.

[NG]

There is no way to be sure of not getting CMC made MCC code media unless you read the country of origin before purchasing. But generally CMC's MCC code media is pretty good, but not quite as good as MCC's own. Still, I'd generally get CMC's MCC media over Ritek ANY day!

Awesome :D thanks for the information. Will grab some and give them a go.

*Naked Gord takes his naked ass down to the mall*

[The Digital Dolphin]

5 for 5 so far and burned at various speeds (2x, 4x and 8x).

I'm just wondering is there a safe way to get rid of permanent ink on dvdr's? I know that kinda defeats the purpose of sharpies but it wont hurt to ask an expert.

Thanks again.

I'm told that nail polish remover seems to work.... but I wouldn't recommend using it personally.

[Evil Techie]

ive sort of given up on PX-708A with its such limited capabilities and compatibility
i was thinking of finding some MMC 003 as well since its what plextor recommends
but im simply just gonna wait for NEC3500A now...

[chdude3]

I'm told that nail polish remover seems to work.... but I wouldn't recommend using it personally.I will vouch for nail polish remover. It does remove Sharpie. However, I don't know what it's going to do to the disc...

[KillaB]

Infonec have the 3500A listed for $123 as of yesterday.
Now I really have to make a decision, shall it be the A08 or 3500A?

[MrDisco]

Infonec have the 3500A listed for $123 as of yesterday.
Now I really have to make a decision, shall it be the A08 or 3500A?

damn i'm in the same boat. i need a dvd writer but don't know which one is the better one to get :( both the a08 and 3500a seem reasonably priced. i'm assuming the pioneer has more 'hackware' available. for my needs i want something that can have the region code restrictions removed and will give me the least amoung of grief when backing up movies (particularly since my stand alone dvd player is an older Sony which is rather picky).

[Vinsanity1379]

I'm told that nail polish remover seems to work.... but I wouldn't recommend using it personally.

will rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs be as effective?

[Spare-Flair]

LOL, rubbing alcohol is the answer to Sharpies. Of course it's effective. Sharpie ink is soluble in alcohol.

I usually just use tissue paper and rubbing alcohol. It cleans it off effortlessly. You may need something stronger than the 70% that is common though, although 70% will work just as well with a little more time and a little rubbing.

But even 50% rubbing alcohol will wipe off Sharpie ink instantly if you just recently made a boo-boo and you want to change it seconds after writing on a new CD.

[mrken]

LOL, rubbing alcohol is the answer to Sharpies. Of course it's effective. Sharpie ink is soluble in alcohol.

I usually just use tissue paper and rubbing alcohol. It cleans it off effortlessly. You may need something stronger than the 70% that is common though, although 70% will work just as well with a little more time and a little rubbing.

But even 50% rubbing alcohol will wipe off Sharpie ink instantly if you just recently made a boo-boo and you want to change it seconds after writing on a new CD.
Sharpie is alcohol-based, so that's why. :) It's also good for sniffing when you are out of booze. :lol:

But how would the CDR fare? Alcohol doesn't seem to be too gentle though.

[The Digital Dolphin]

damn i'm in the same boat. i need a dvd writer but don't know which one is the better one to get :( both the a08 and 3500a seem reasonably priced. i'm assuming the pioneer has more 'hackware' available. for my needs i want something that can have the region code restrictions removed and will give me the least amoung of grief when backing up movies (particularly since my stand alone dvd player is an older Sony which is rather picky).

Hehe, try my general solution to this problem then.... buy both ;)

Ok, ok... I know that doens't work for most people! The Pioneer is quickly becoming the better drive, and NEC is known for few and far between firmware upgrades. The Pioneer already has hacks available, and the NEC will have some quite soon I expect. If you need quick ripping/recording, then go with the NEC, otherwise the Pioneer will be quite good for your needs. Also, for quality, the Pioneer seems a little better at the moment, but this will depend on the media used of course (as well as firmware used!). It's still a hard call... I'm not sure which one I'll buy first yet either! :confused:

[Evil Techie]

you know what is sad?
plextor PX-708A right now still cost way more than NEC3500A

and i think the NEC burns much better and more compatible not to mention the speed and the DL...

which drive is the most quiet right now?
Plextor PX-712A? NEC 3500A? Pioneer DVR-108?

[Vinsanity1379]

LOL, rubbing alcohol is the answer to Sharpies. Of course it's effective. Sharpie ink is soluble in alcohol.

I usually just use tissue paper and rubbing alcohol. It cleans it off effortlessly. You may need something stronger than the 70% that is common though, although 70% will work just as well with a little more time and a little rubbing.

But even 50% rubbing alcohol will wipe off Sharpie ink instantly if you just recently made a boo-boo and you want to change it seconds after writing on a new CD.

ah, alcohol. is there anything it can't fix. :D

did you have any problem with losing data?

[MrDisco]

The Pioneer is quickly becoming the better drive, and NEC is known for few and far between firmware upgrades. The Pioneer already has hacks available, and the NEC will have some quite soon I expect. If you need quick ripping/recording, then go with the NEC, otherwise the Pioneer will be quite good for your needs. Also, for quality, the Pioneer seems a little better at the moment, but this will depend on the media used of course (as well as firmware used!). It's still a hard call... I'm not sure which one I'll buy first yet either! :confused:

truthfully i haven't seen too many necs around so i'm rather suprised at the anticaption for the 3500. from what i can tell the only real knock against the a08 is its slower 16x write time and that you cant bitset +r discs.

[freddyprinze]

Hi there. Can anyone recommend quality DVD+R spindles (50 or 100 pk). I have a NEC DVD+RW ND-2100 AD --I think it's 4X (purchased as part of my Dell XPS). I've had excellent results with Maxell and Verbatim DVD's (only 1 coaster in 150 burns) but I'd like to buy a spindle for a better price. Anny suggestions?

:)

[malaca]

Somebody tell me...
I have a LG GSA-4082B which burns at 8X for -R and +R.
Is there a B&M store in Montreal that sells reasonably-priced 8X DVD+R/DVD-R media?

[The Digital Dolphin]

you know what is sad?
plextor PX-708A right now still cost way more than NEC3500A

and i think the NEC burns much better and more compatible not to mention the speed and the DL...

which drive is the most quiet right now?
Plextor PX-712A? NEC 3500A? Pioneer DVR-108?

I'd say most likely the PX-712a...

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hi there. Can anyone recommend quality DVD+R spindles (50 or 100 pk). I have a NEC DVD+RW ND-2100 AD --I think it's 4X (purchased as part of my Dell XPS). I've had excellent results with Maxell and Verbatim DVD's (only 1 coaster in 150 burns) but I'd like to buy a spindle for a better price. Anny suggestions?

:)

Ricohjpn01 media is probably the next best after Verbatim, Maxell, and Taiyo Yuden. It's getting pretty hard to find outside of expensive brands like Fuji and Maxell OEM's though.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Somebody tell me...
I have a LG GSA-4082B which burns at 8X for -R and +R.
Is there a B&M store in Montreal that sells reasonably-priced 8X DVD+R/DVD-R media?

Not something I can help with... sorry!

[freddyprinze]

Ricohjpn01 media is probably the next best after Verbatim, Maxell, and Taiyo Yuden. It's getting pretty hard to find outside of expensive brands like Fuji and Maxell OEM's though.

Thank DD! Any idea if there are any deals on these? BTW thanks for all the info--I respect your knowledge and opinions.

:)

[wlee]

Master DD, can you please give your opinion on sub-dollar/disc 8x DVD+R? please see my post here (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99321), thanks :D

[The Digital Dolphin]

Thank DD! Any idea if there are any deals on these? BTW thanks for all the info--I respect your knowledge and opinions.

:)

Sorry... maybe check with www.blankmedia.ca to see what they have in stock? they are pretty good about telling you the code on the disc if you ask them.

I'm still on vacation, and despite my presence here, deal hunting is really not one of my stronger suits ;)

[The Digital Dolphin]

Master DD, can you please give your opinion on sub-dollar/disc 8x DVD+R? please see my post here (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99321), thanks :D

I'd avoid the RITEKR03 media, since I know several drives have issues with it, as well as the fact that there seem to be large quality variances between batches :confused:

The Prodisc media is likely to be your best choice, although depending on your burner you might get some good results from the Optodisc 8x DVD+Rs as well. I didn't get a lot of 8x DVD+Rs from Optodisc, so I didn't get to test them as rigerlously as I normally like to :(

[Hellraiser]

FutureShop now carry BenQ DVD-/+R media in many shapes and sizes. Any idea what the media codes on these are?

Hellra!ser

[supergenius]

Got my 3500a today!! :) ....Going to run some tests against my PX712a tonight and see how it fares. Mostly I'll be using 4x TY DVD-r media (fuji and maxell), some 4x Memorex DVD+RW media, and maybe some slower Ritek media.

[wlee]

I'd avoid the RITEKR03 media, since I know several drives have issues with it, as well as the fact that there seem to be large quality variances between batches :confused:

The Prodisc media is likely to be your best choice, although depending on your burner you might get some good results from the Optodisc 8x DVD+Rs as well. I didn't get a lot of 8x DVD+Rs from Optodisc, so I didn't get to test them as rigerlously as I normally like to :(
THANKS, DD :cheesygri i will take your advice :D

[The Digital Dolphin]

FutureShop now carry BenQ DVD-/+R media in many shapes and sizes. Any idea what the media codes on these are?

Hellra!ser

WAY too expensive to buy for testing purposes on my current budget. Maybe if they had the 5pks in stock in my local store I'd buy some...

[Hellraiser]

WAY too expensive to buy for testing purposes on my current budget. Maybe if they had the 5pks in stock in my local store I'd buy some...

They'll probably be on sale soon, all other media at FS has been on sale at one time or another.

Hellra!ser

Edit: DD you'll be getting a few bucks back on your Kodaks (Price protection) ;)

Edit Part Deux: Videohelp List the 4x DVD-R as SONY04D1.... and the 4x DVD+R as DAXON...AZ1 (Never heard of this one).

[Thanh]

FutureShop now carry BenQ DVD-/+R media in many shapes and sizes. Any idea what the media codes on these are?
Hellra!ser

A friend of mine baught a 5 pack of BenQ DVD+R (http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&dept=2&WLBS=fsweb23&sku_id=0665000FS10046745&catid=12501&newdeptid=2) and here's what we got:

Unique Disc Identifier : [DVD+R:CMC MAG-F01-000]
Disc Type : [DVD+R]
Manufacturer ID : [CMC MAG]
Media Type ID : [F01]
Product Revision : [Not Specified]
Disc Application Code : [General Purpose]
Recording Speeds : [2.4x - 4x]
Blank Disc Capacity : [Not Supported By Method 2]

I burned it in my BenQ DW722A @ 4x without any issue. Made In Taiwan. Keep it mind that there's some differences in spindles so others might find other makers. If you guys go to your local FS, check 50 pieces spindles of +R and check how there seems to be 2 different packaging.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Looks like futureshop FINALLY has 8x DVD+R media available... but they seem to be a little confused about it:

Verbatim 8x DVD+Rs (http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&dept=2&WLBS=fsweb22&sku_id=0665000FS10045101&catid=12501&newdeptid=2)

If you look at the product description below, it shows the media as being 4x only :confused:

Too bad that Verbatim screwed up their 8x DVD+Rs :evil: although there are *TWO* different variations, one of which is MUCH better then the other, but both have essentially the same code and description. I think Taiyo Yuden and Maxell have Mitsubishi Chemicals beat in the 8x battle this time!

[wlee]

I'd avoid the RITEKR03 media, since I know several drives have issues with it, as well as the fact that there seem to be large quality variances between batches :confused:

The Prodisc media is likely to be your best choice, although depending on your burner you might get some good results from the Optodisc 8x DVD+Rs as well. I didn't get a lot of 8x DVD+Rs from Optodisc, so I didn't get to test them as rigerlously as I normally like to :(
I've burned couple of Smartbuy and Kodak 8x DVD+R, both media code is PRODISC-R03-03, results came out quite good, 4.3GB finished under 9:30 min at avg. 6.6x speed, NeroSpeed came out 100% good under surface scan. but

1. compared with maxell, the disc itself is thinner, and easy to bend, is this a problem?

2. fully burned disc has two different colors on the recording side which makes you think it's only half burned, outer is darker than inner, guess this is caused by different burning speed, inner half is 4-6x and outer half is 8x. is this a problem? i don't see this on Ritek or CMC...

thanks :D

[blitz]

Mr. DD,

What kind of DVD RWs are good and is +RW better than -RW?

And media that works well with the NEC 2500A will just work as well with the 2510A?

Thanks again and if this has been discussed then sorry if you have to repeat yourself. :)

Don't remember reading about it in the long thread.

[ragin_pyro]

Hey dd, wha is a good prog to see how good a burn u have? Like error rate an stuff..well somethin to see how good a burn u have :razz: For dvd an cd..an then wha a good prog to see wha the codes are for DVDs an cd? I have dvd Identifier, anythin better? Wha bout for cd's? Man, u are popular :razz: Every1 comes 2 u for dvd/cd related advice :razz:

[The Digital Dolphin]

I've burned couple of Smartbuy and Kodak 8x DVD+R, both media code is PRODISC-R03-03, results came out quite good, 4.3GB finished under 9:30 min at avg. 6.6x speed, NeroSpeed came out 100% good under surface scan. but

1. compared with maxell, the disc itself is thinner, and easy to bend, is this a problem?

2. fully burned disc has two different colors on the recording side which makes you think it's only half burned, outer is darker than inner, guess this is caused by different burning speed, inner half is 4-6x and outer half is 8x. is this a problem? i don't see this on Ritek or CMC...

thanks :D

#1: Well, as long as it isn't *TOO* thin! ;)

#2: Probably means that the disc is struggling with the burn speed... or that the DVD burner is using a poorly implemented Z-CLV strategy. I would suggest trying the burn at 6x instead, to see if it goes away. It'll probably play fine either way, but I think the disc will last longer if the burn is consistant (just a personal hypothesis).

[The Digital Dolphin]

Mr. DD,

What kind of DVD RWs are good and is +RW better than -RW?

And media that works well with the NEC 2500A will just work as well with the 2510A?

Thanks again and if this has been discussed then sorry if you have to repeat yourself. :)

Don't remember reading about it in the long thread.

+RW with bitsetting is more compatible then -RW... but as for quality, it depends on who makes it.

What RWs work well with the NEC 2500/2510a? Good question! it seems to like burning a lot of RWs at 2x/2.4x :evil: maybe try RicohjpnW11 (Memorex 4x) DVD+RWs. It seems pretty limited for RWs :confused:

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey dd, wha is a good prog to see how good a burn u have? Like error rate an stuff..well somethin to see how good a burn u have :razz: For dvd an cd..an then wha a good prog to see wha the codes are for DVDs an cd? I have dvd Identifier, anythin better? Wha bout for cd's? Man, u are popular :razz: Every1 comes 2 u for dvd/cd related advice :razz:

Do you want an honest answer?

There is *no* single consumer drive that will give you accurate test results for DVDR media.

So what do *I* do? I use 3 seperate drives (currently LiteON SOHW-832s, LDW-411s, and PX-712a) to test the same disc, a total of 9 different times. It takes me almost 1 full day to test each disc. I burn one disc in every drive I own (currently PX-712a, Pioneer DVR-107, NEC 2500a, SOHW-832s, LDW-411s), and combine all the results to get a rounded opinion of the disc. Any singular results are in themselves useless. The PX-712a is probably the most useful of the bunch, but sometimes even it fails to spot a bad disc, or marks a good disc bad. The LiteON SOHW-832s is REALLY bad for showing bad discs as good (but discs it shows as bad are REALLY bad usually).

Alternatively, you could always go with what CDFreaks does, and do all your scanning with the LiteON SOHW-832s testing at 4x. This will give the best scores possible on just about any disc... although they may not actually be playable even *IN* that drive (or any other). :lol:

Not the answer you wanted I'm sure, but the truth none the less.

[Veinless]

+RW with bitsetting is more compatible then -RW... but as for quality, it depends on who makes it.

What RWs work well with the NEC 2500/2510a? Good question! it seems to like burning a lot of RWs at 2x/2.4x :evil: maybe try RicohjpnW11 (Memorex 4x) DVD+RWs. It seems pretty limited for RWs :confused:

I've had very good luck with the Potex brand of DVD+RW on the NEC 2500 (flashed to 2510).

Media code: PHILIPS-041-00

These 4x RW were available at blankmedia.ca for a while. I do not see them there currently.

Cheers,
Veinless

[The Digital Dolphin]

I've had very good luck with the Potex brand of DVD+RW on the NEC 2500 (flashed to 2510).

Media code: PHILIPS-041-00

These 4x RW were available at blankmedia.ca for a while. I do not see them there currently.

Cheers,
Veinless

I haven't tried them.... Philips media is supposed to be quite good, but I don't think Potex is real Philips. Nice to know the NEC 2500a can burn media other then Ritek 4x DVD+RWs at full speed! I have several 4x DVDRW types that will only burn at 2x/2.4x on it :evil:

[artoodetoo]

I have the LG 4120B, and ultra cheap media. I just roughed through all 19 pages here (granted I skimmed a little), and I feel like it was probably quite a bad mistake. I have a few general, and drive specific questions. Firstly, I should note I don't really care too much between 4x,8x or 12x, as price falls, I plan to go to faster speeds, but I'm just fine at 15min per disc as the drive is in a server, not a workstation.

So, onto the questions, I'm wondering what reasonably priced media is a safe bet for this drive? I am looking for consistent burns, and a definate need is disc longevity.

I am currently using version A102. Is it worth upgrading to the official, or hacked A104?

On a more general note, I feel like I have missed out on a ton of information just getting into the DVD game at this time. I have never been particularly picky about my media, but certainly want stuff to last now. I see a lot of talk about disc compatibility, manufacturers, brand names, etc. Am I right to think that the general 'classification' for a disc, as it were, is based on: the chemical process(dye?) used, the company manufacturing the discs, the plant at which they were manufactured, the 'batch' the discs were made in, and the company that the disc is being sold by(more as an indicator of the previous criteria)?

Seems like there is a lot to watch out for, and a lack of really solid answers.

Also, the machine I use the burner in is running linux, and will run it exclusively. I am wondering if anyone else burns DVDs under linux. Right now I can get some media info from dvd+rw-mediainfo(sample output below), but it doesn't appear to be as detailed as I see from windows programs. Does anyone know of any other programs that will give me media info under linux? Also, I saw the booktype program for windows, and am hoping there is some way to accomplish a similar task under linux. So far I haven't needed to make such a change, but I can see how it would be useful.

Finally, I have some disposable income, and if I can do any media testing with this drive, I would certainly like to help.

Thanks to all the people(especially DD) contributing, for what can hopefully become a definitive guide, then you won't get long rambling posts by the likes of me.


Disc info - yes, the cheap ones

INQUIRY: [HL-DT-ST][DVDRAM GSA-4120B][A102]
GET [CURRENT] CONFIGURATION:
Mounted Media: 11h, DVD-R Sequential
Media ID: ONIDTECH
Current Write Speed: 4.0x1385=5540KB/s
Write Speed #0: 4.0x1385=5540KB/s
Write Speed #1: 2.0x1385=2770KB/s
GET [CURRENT] PERFORMANCE:
Write Performance: 4.0x1385=5540KB/s@[0 -> 2298495]
Speed Descriptor#0: 02/2298495 R@4.1x1385=5730KB/s W@4.0x1385=5540KB/s
Speed Descriptor#1: 02/2298495 R@4.1x1385=5730KB/s W@2.0x1385=2770KB/s
READ DVD STRUCTURE[#0h]:
Media Book Type: 25h, DVD-R book [revision 5]
Legacy lead-out at: 2298496*2KB=4707319808
READ DISC INFORMATION:
Disc status: blank
Number of Sessions: 1
State of Last Session: empty
Number of Tracks: 1
READ TRACK INFORMATION[#1]:
Track State: invisible incremental
Track Start Address: 0*2KB
Next Writable Address: 0*2KB
Free Blocks: 2297888*2KB
Track Size: 2297888*2KB

[CheaperByTheDozen]

Question for you, DD.

Someone gave me a spindle of 100 of those BenQ DVD-Rs from Future Shop. As I understand it, they are the ones with the Sony media ID code. I don't have a DVD burner yet, but will be getting one over the next couple of weeks or so. I am probably going to purchase either one of the Plextor or Pioneer models (though the NEC is also a possibility).

Since I will be using the media mostly for storage of digital photos and other material that I want to preserve for a long time, I place a much greater emphasis on data retention than on cost or other issues.

I was thinking of exchanging the BenQ media for Maxell. If I'm not mistaken, the Maxell DVD-R media at Future Shop, which was originally manufactured by Maxell or TY, is now much lower quality Ritek media, while the DVD+R continues to be labeled "ricohjpn" as before. Given that, and the fact that, as I said, I am more concerned with quality than price, would it be wise to exchange my 100 spindle of BenQ DVD-Rs for a 50 spindle of Maxell DVD+Rs? Or, is the Maxell not appreciably better than the BenQ, and I should therefore opt for something else? In the latter case, what media should I be buying as an alternative?
I value your opinion and appreciate any guidance you can provide in this matter. Thanks!

[othy]

Anyone have any opinion on the HP 50 spindle of 8x DVD+Rs at tigerdirect?

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=994631&Sku=K51-2038

Seems decent for 45 bucks!

[Veinless]

Question for you, DD.

Someone gave me a spindle of 100 of those BenQ DVD-Rs from Future Shop. As I understand it, they are the ones with the Sony media ID code. I don't have a DVD burner yet, but will be getting one over the next couple of weeks or so. I am probably going to purchase either one of the Plextor or Pioneer models (though the NEC is also a possibility).

Since I will be using the media mostly for storage of digital photos and other material that I want to preserve for a long time, I place a much greater emphasis on data retention than on cost or other issues.

I was thinking of exchanging the BenQ media for Maxell. If I'm not mistaken, the Maxell DVD-R media at Future Shop, which was originally manufactured by Maxell or TY, is now much lower quality Ritek media, while the DVD+R continues to be labeled "ricohjpn" as before. Given that, and the fact that, as I said, I am more concerned with quality than price, would it be wise to exchange my 100 spindle of BenQ DVD-Rs for a 50 spindle of Maxell DVD+Rs? Or, is the Maxell not appreciably better than the BenQ, and I should therefore opt for something else? In the latter case, what media should I be buying as an alternative?
I value your opinion and appreciate any guidance you can provide in this matter. Thanks!

I know you weren't asking me, but you really could not go wrong with Taiyo Yuden. www.blankmedia.ca has "DVD-R 4X TAIYO YUDEN SILVER TOP" at 50 pieces for $85. They are offering a "no shipping cost on labour day", so that helps sweeten the deal.

I'm just a very satisfied customer. For longevity: buy the Taiyo Yudens, burn them at their rated speed (4X), not at your burner's maximum speed, and store them away out of light, moisture, and heat.

Cheers,
Veinless

[wlee]

Anyone have any opinion on the HP 50 spindle of 8x DVD+Rs at tigerdirect?

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=994631&Sku=K51-2038

Seems decent for 45 bucks!
I smell CMC :confused:

[wlee]

I know you weren't asking me, but you really could not go wrong with Taiyo Yuden. www.blankmedia.ca has "DVD-R 4X TAIYO YUDEN SILVER TOP" at 50 pieces for $85. They are offering a "no shipping cost on labour day", so that helps sweeten the deal.

I'm just a very satisfied customer. For longevity: buy the Taiyo Yudens, burn them at their rated speed (4X), not at your burner's maximum speed, and store them away out of light, moisture, and heat.

Cheers,
Veinless
I only see "NO SHIPPING ON LABOUR DAY", and fine print as "Just an FYI that no orders can be shipped this Monday." :confused:

[wlee]

Question for you, DD.

Someone gave me a spindle of 100 of those BenQ DVD-Rs from Future Shop. As I understand it, they are the ones with the Sony media ID code. I don't have a DVD burner yet, but will be getting one over the next couple of weeks or so. I am probably going to purchase either one of the Plextor or Pioneer models (though the NEC is also a possibility).

Since I will be using the media mostly for storage of digital photos and other material that I want to preserve for a long time, I place a much greater emphasis on data retention than on cost or other issues.

I was thinking of exchanging the BenQ media for Maxell. If I'm not mistaken, the Maxell DVD-R media at Future Shop, which was originally manufactured by Maxell or TY, is now much lower quality Ritek media, while the DVD+R continues to be labeled "ricohjpn" as before. Given that, and the fact that, as I said, I am more concerned with quality than price, would it be wise to exchange my 100 spindle of BenQ DVD-Rs for a 50 spindle of Maxell DVD+Rs? Or, is the Maxell not appreciably better than the BenQ, and I should therefore opt for something else? In the latter case, what media should I be buying as an alternative?
I value your opinion and appreciate any guidance you can provide in this matter. Thanks!
It's not even confirmed (by DD) that BenQ -R is genuine Sony disc :!:

For quality, go with Maxell -R but only MIJ, not MIT :D check this (http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm) out :cheesygri

[Veinless]

I only see "NO SHIPPING ON LABOUR DAY", and fine print as "Just an FYI that no orders can be shipped this Monday." :confused:


DOH! Thanks for the correction! I only saw the "no shipping on labour day" and assumed that it was a no shipping cost promotion. At any rate, I'm still a happy customer.

Thanks again,
Veinless

[othy]

I smell CMC :confused:

Wots a CMC? Are the HPs some crappy rebranded ones?

[wlee]

Wots a CMC? Are the HPs some crappy rebranded ones?
HP used to use MCC, now CMC, same did Memerox from RICHOJPN to CMC :twisted:

Master DD, please correct me if I'm wrong ;)

[The Digital Dolphin]

I'm wondering what reasonably priced media is a safe bet for this drive? I am looking for consistent burns, and a definate need is disc longevity.


Taiyo Yuden is the best media to go for. Maxell's own made in Japan media is the next best. Mitsubishi 4x media is also quite good (Made in Singapore, under Verbatim name brand). I'm not as fond of Mitsubishi's 8x media though :( Everything else is middle grade or lower.


I am currently using version A102. Is it worth upgrading to the official, or hacked A104?


Go with the latest official firmware. It's usually there for a reason ;)


On a more general note, I feel like I have missed out on a ton of information just getting into the DVD game at this time. I have never been particularly picky about my media, but certainly want stuff to last now. I see a lot of talk about disc compatibility, manufacturers, brand names, etc. Am I right to think that the general 'classification' for a disc, as it were, is based on: the chemical process(dye?) used, the company manufacturing the discs, the plant at which they were manufactured, the 'batch' the discs were made in, and the company that the disc is being sold by(more as an indicator of the previous criteria)?


The most important thing is who made the disc, followed by what brand the disc is being sold under. Much MUCH less important is the dye type used, and generally the batch *shouldn't* matter, but with some companies it does. For example: Taiyo Yuden and Maxell made media are really really good! This doesn't really change from batch to batch. Mitsubishi's media (their 8x in particular) and 10x more so with Ritek, are both bad for having quality variations from batch to batch, and can range anywhere from not too good, to quite good! Some companies only make crap media (like Princo) but the degree of crapiness can fluctuate as well.

The brand the media is sold under can sometimes give you an idea of how good the media will be, since big name brands don't like it if they get a lot of returns on their media, and then start shopping for new OEM suppliers! A good example of this is Maxell's made in Taiwan media, which is made by Ritek. Ritek always uses their BEST media for Maxell, because if they lost Maxell as a customer, they would be in big trouble!! :confused:


Also, the machine I use the burner in is running linux, and will run it exclusively. I am wondering if anyone else burns DVDs under linux. Right now I can get some media info from dvd+rw-mediainfo(sample output below), but it doesn't appear to be as detailed as I see from windows programs. Does anyone know of any other programs that will give me media info under linux? Also, I saw the booktype program for windows, and am hoping there is some way to accomplish a similar task under linux. So far I haven't needed to make such a change, but I can see how it would be useful.


Can't help you there... I have no knowledge of Linux.


Finally, I have some disposable income, and if I can do any media testing with this drive, I would certainly like to help.


If you want to do media testing, I suggest starting out with the PX-712a. It's a picky reader, and has the ability to do various testing types on recorded CDs and DVDs. It's slow as heck for testing, but the results are fairly consistant, and usually in the right ballpark. Having a LiteON 812s/832s to run comparison scans on is also a good idea. It is the most error tolerant drive available that I know, and can also run tests on media. Between the two, you should be able to see how the media performs in most worst and best case scenarios. Be warned, it takes a lot more time to do this then money.... although it isn't cheap to by drives and media all the time either! ;)


Thanks to all the people(especially DD) contributing, for what can hopefully become a definitive guide, then you won't get long rambling posts by the likes of me.


Your welcome! I'm happy to help in whatever way I can! :D

[The Digital Dolphin]

Question for you, DD.

Someone gave me a spindle of 100 of those BenQ DVD-Rs from Future Shop. As I understand it, they are the ones with the Sony media ID code. I don't have a DVD burner yet, but will be getting one over the next couple of weeks or so. I am probably going to purchase either one of the Plextor or Pioneer models (though the NEC is also a possibility).

Since I will be using the media mostly for storage of digital photos and other material that I want to preserve for a long time, I place a much greater emphasis on data retention than on cost or other issues.

I was thinking of exchanging the BenQ media for Maxell. If I'm not mistaken, the Maxell DVD-R media at Future Shop, which was originally manufactured by Maxell or TY, is now much lower quality Ritek media, while the DVD+R continues to be labeled "ricohjpn" as before. Given that, and the fact that, as I said, I am more concerned with quality than price, would it be wise to exchange my 100 spindle of BenQ DVD-Rs for a 50 spindle of Maxell DVD+Rs? Or, is the Maxell not appreciably better than the BenQ, and I should therefore opt for something else? In the latter case, what media should I be buying as an alternative?
I value your opinion and appreciate any guidance you can provide in this matter. Thanks!

If they were free, might as well keep 'em. In a worst case scenario you can probably get decent results from burning them at 2x. Since I haven't tried them personally, I don't really want to say much about them. Reports have been conflicted... I'd say NEC, Pioneer and LG based burners should be find with them, but I don't know *how* fine is "fine"

[The Digital Dolphin]

I know you weren't asking me, but you really could not go wrong with Taiyo Yuden. www.blankmedia.ca has "DVD-R 4X TAIYO YUDEN SILVER TOP" at 50 pieces for $85. They are offering a "no shipping cost on labour day", so that helps sweeten the deal.

I'm just a very satisfied customer. For longevity: buy the Taiyo Yudens, burn them at their rated speed (4X), not at your burner's maximum speed, and store them away out of light, moisture, and heat.

Cheers,
Veinless

The price on Taiyo Yuden's is going to *DROP* I suggest waiting for it personally ;)

[The Digital Dolphin]

HP used to use MCC, now CMC, same did Memerox from RICHOJPN to CMC :twisted:

Master DD, please correct me if I'm wrong ;)

That's about right. Although HP's brand sometimes still gets MCC code discs, but they are made by CMC.

Memorex ALWAYS switches suppliers... it'll probably happen again in the future too! :confused:

[artoodetoo]

Any estimate on when the TY media price will drop?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Any estimate on when the TY media price will drop?

If all goes well... maybe 3 weeks. ;)

[crimsona]

I'm going nuts trying to find information from this forum. How good are the BenQ burners? Specifically the 16x one on sale at NCIX this week. Is the Pioneer really $30 better? How the heck do I justify that...

[CheaperByTheDozen]

It's not even confirmed (by DD) that BenQ -R is genuine Sony disc :!:
That's my concern as well. I'm not even sure that "authentic" Sony is all that great >:(

For quality, go with Maxell -R but only MIJ, not MIT :D check this (http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm) out :cheesygri
Problem is, I don't think one can find the MIJ anymore. Isn't all of the new Maxell product MIT? Thanks for the link, BTW. Much appreciated :)

[artoodetoo]

If all goes well... maybe 3 weeks. ;)

How you know this amazes me, but I am trying to learn not to question. Hopefully this comes through. It's a shame I need to buy some media now to replace my junk, since I don't go through too much.

[CheaperByTheDozen]

If they were free, might as well keep 'em. In a worst case scenario you can probably get decent results from burning them at 2x. Since I haven't tried them personally, I don't really want to say much about them. Reports have been conflicted... I'd say NEC, Pioneer and LG based burners should be find with them, but I don't know *how* fine is "fine"
Thanks for the reply, DD. I plan to get some TYs for my critical stuff. I don't much trust any media that sells for 50 cents apiece, to be honest. I was just thinking that perhaps the +R Maxells that reportedly have a "ricohjpn" media ID (and are presumably made in Taiwan by Ritek) would still be better than these BenQs and would, therefore, be a better choice for my less critical stuff in the meantime.
BTW, do you know the people who operate "blankmedia.ca"? Can I feel confident that what they market as Taiyo Yuden is in fact the legitimate article?
Finally, do you know who makes the Maxell DVD-RWs that they currently have on special at Future Shop? Are they of reasonably good quality?
Thanks, DD. I appreciate you sharing your expertise in this forum as you do. Keep well.

[The Digital Dolphin]

How you know this amazes me, but I am trying to learn not to question. Hopefully this comes through. It's a shame I need to buy some media now to replace my junk, since I don't go through too much.

It's all in who you know, and how you keep the relationship with them. I just happen to be in the right place at the right time. To say I have a little influence here and there wouldn't be wrong either ;)

If you need media *now* get the Maxell 50pc DVD+Rs. I wouldn't stock up *TOO* much though ;)

[chdude3]

If you need media *now* get the Maxell 50pc DVD+Rs. I wouldn't stock up *TOO* much though ;)Even if they are not made in Japan? I'm trying to find a reasonable price for a spindle, I anticipate picking up the Pioneer 108 this weekend and want to have something handy to burn a few things onto. Can you point me in a useful direction for media, DD? Thanks!

[The Digital Dolphin]

Thanks for the reply, DD. I plan to get some TYs for my critical stuff. I don't much trust any media that sells for 50 cents apiece, to be honest. I was just thinking that perhaps the +R Maxells that reportedly have a "ricohjpn" media ID (and are presumably made in Taiwan by Ritek) would still be better than these BenQs and would, therefore, be a better choice for my less critical stuff in the meantime.
BTW, do you know the people who operate "blankmedia.ca"? Can I feel confident that what they market as Taiyo Yuden is in fact the legitimate article?
Finally, do you know who makes the Maxell DVD-RWs that they currently have on special at Future Shop? Are they of reasonably good quality?
Thanks, DD. I appreciate you sharing your expertise in this forum as you do. Keep well.

Ricohjpnr01 is good, but not TY or Maxell quality. For real excellent performance, go with Maxell or TY.

Yes, I know the people who run Blankmedia.ca... I've never *met* them mind you, but we've chatted on NUMEROUS occasions, and we've been pretty good friends ever since I warned them about Ritek shipping 4x DVD+Rs but calling them 8x DVD+Rs (remember the Meritline scandel? it almost happened here too!!). Blankmedia.ca is VERY good at what they do. I feel very confident saying that they would never knowingly mislead anyone about their media, although mistakes DO happen (like when Ritek switched RicohjpnR01 code media for RitekR02 code media without telling them...) but they always do their best to correct them. If they were sold fake TY media, and weren't informed by the supplier, I think they would fix any customer issues, and then raise some serious hell with their supplier! I have nothing but faith for www.blankmedia.ca's customer support :D

Unfortunatly, I don't know what Maxell's 2x DVD-RWs are currently. I don't really like burning anything at 2x.... Sorry!

[luminus]

Hi, Dolphin. On the topic of 2x burning, I got a question I've never figured out.....

Ok, burning at a higher rate than recommended. I can guess that's bad for the disc.

How about burning at a lower rate than recommended. Can that ever hurt disc quality? I've been burning most of my stuff at 2x even on 4x media, which would be silly if I'm getting worse result than I would at 4x. Like, I can imagine scenarios where it might be good to burn at lower speed than rated (e.g. crappy media that overrates its max speed), but I'm not sure if it will ever hurt though.

Also, about testing with kprobe/nero/etc for quality test (PI/PO/Jitter test),
I can understand that testing with a DVD-ROM is pretty inaccurate since DVD ROMs are pretty error-tolerant. But how about comparing results though as a relative measurement? i.e. if one media gives better test result than another media on the same DVDROM, would it be accurate to say that for my burner is better for that particular media? (Even though perhaps both may still skip like hell on my DVD player, but at least one less....) Because my DVD Burner (LG4040B) doesn't seem to support those quality tests, even though my Liteon 16X DVDROM does.

Thanks for your expertise as usual! ^_^

[crimsona]

Another problem with this thread: my questions keep getting skipped over, unfortunately.... DD if you would like the honor? (OK whether you like it or not... :P)

Anyways...How good are the BenQ burners? Specifically the 16x one on sale at NCIX this week. Is the Pioneer really $30 better? How the heck do I justify that...

[artoodetoo]

Optodisc 4x DVD-R, 25 pack for $10, limit 1 per person.

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=11896&promoid=1056&quantity=1&affiliateid=472595

Any good? I think 25 will tide me over until the TY drop.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Another problem with this thread: my questions keep getting skipped over, unfortunately.... DD if you would like the honor? (OK whether you like it or not... :P)

Anyways...How good are the BenQ burners? Specifically the 16x one on sale at NCIX this week. Is the Pioneer really $30 better? How the heck do I justify that...

I'm sorry!!!

I'm getting swamped with work and questions and having a REALLY hard time keeping up!

Regarding the BenQ 1620 DVD Burner... I have no personal experience *YET* but I will be getting one soon to do a review on (yes that's right, I'm doing DRIVE reviews now!) so I'll let you know more when I have received it and done some burns. I'm HOPING to get it within the next 7 days or so, but I don't know for certain if I will. (free things tend to come in "their own" time...)

The Pioneer is a very good burner, I have no doubts about it at this time, although again, no personal experience... but the reviews have been good, and the new firmware for it is even better!

[The Digital Dolphin]

Optodisc 4x DVD-R, 25 pack for $10, limit 1 per person.

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=11896&promoid=1056&quantity=1&affiliateid=472595

Any good? I think 25 will tide me over until the TY drop.

Good for people with good drives. I wouldn't recommend them for people with older LiteON's or Plextor burners. Pioneer, NEC, and LG are usually good with them though. No idea how a BenQ would fair just yet though.

[artoodetoo]

I was going to go for it, then saw the $12.50 they wanted to ship it.

[artoodetoo]

Would DVD+R bitset to DVD-ROM be as, or more compatible, in standalone players as DVD-R?

My experience so far is the DVD-R plays in most things, but I should hopefully be able to bitset to DVD-ROM in linux shortly, and as price between + and - seem to be a dead-heat, I'm wondering which might end up being a better buy.

[NG]

Hi DD - I was wondering if you could answer a question for me. I keep getting these dots on my discs usually around the edge of late. It's been happening with Fuji +r's, Ritek sliver, Ritek inkjet surface and Verbatim branded Ritek (all - ) so I don't think it's the media. The dots look like this:

http://www.videohelp.com/forum/images/guides/p919726/dot1.jpg

Someone recommended updating Nero but that didn't fix the problem. I did find this thread: http://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=920118&highlight=dots#920118 which suggested to someone else having this problem that it was due to dust and compressed air would fix it. I'm a little learly about sticking a nozzle of compressed air into my drive without confirm that what they're suggesting makes sense.

Thanks 4 any info :)

[The Digital Dolphin]

Would DVD+R bitset to DVD-ROM be as, or more compatible, in standalone players as DVD-R?

My experience so far is the DVD-R plays in most things, but I should hopefully be able to bitset to DVD-ROM in linux shortly, and as price between + and - seem to be a dead-heat, I'm wondering which might end up being a better buy.

I would say that a bitset DVD+R would be roughly the same compatability as a DVD-R. I'm sure drives exist that will play one over the other, but I don't think one would be better then the other in any significant way.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hi DD - I was wondering if you could answer a question for me. I keep getting these dots on my discs usually around the edge of late. It's been happening with Fuji +r's, Ritek sliver, Ritek inkjet surface and Verbatim branded Ritek (all - ) so I don't think it's the media. The dots look like this:

http://www.videohelp.com/forum/images/guides/p919726/dot1.jpg

Someone recommended updating Nero but that didn't fix the problem. I did find this thread: http://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=920118&highlight=dots#920118 which suggested to someone else having this problem that it was due to dust and compressed air would fix it. I'm a little learly about sticking a nozzle of compressed air into my drive without confirm that what they're suggesting makes sense.

Thanks 4 any info :)

I wouldn't worry about using compressed air in your drive, but don't stick the nozel in too deep. The air won't damage your drive, but poking things inside might. How do you store your media? if it happens to many of your discs, then you have to approach all the areas that each disc has in common. Burning and storage conditions are the first things to check. I don't think software would be the cause. Maybe check for a firmware update? but even that is really stretching it!

[7-Endless]

Hey DD or DR [depending on the forum ;)],

Have you had a chance to try out the NEC 3500 yet? I've noticed that it's starting to creep it's way here into the GTA...seems very tempting at $119 :D

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD or DR [depending on the forum ;)],

Have you had a chance to try out the NEC 3500 yet? I've noticed that it's starting to creep it's way here into the GTA...seems very tempting at $119 :D

I should have a little over a month to play with one in the next couple weeks... or an OEM of one I should say ;) Nothing 100% confirmed yet mind you, but that's what I expect.

very quickly, my life went from a busy rating of ~70%-75% to a busy rating of ~95%-98% !!! I've got people wanting me for things everywhere! :confused: I seriously need a third and fourth computer, and a couple more testing burners... maybe some extra hands would be good too! ;)

[ragin_pyro]

maybe some extra hands would be good too! ;)

Sick man..sick, j/k :razz: Was jus readin that mx1000 thread lol, man that would be awsome to see wha u do with all that media..wha do u burn on all that media anyways? *DD has a HUGE stash of porn* j/k.

[supergenius]

Hey DD or DR [depending on the forum ;)],

Have you had a chance to try out the NEC 3500 yet? I've noticed that it's starting to creep it's way here into the GTA...seems very tempting at $119 :D

I've had my 3500a for a couple of weeks now and I must say I am impressed! I had always seen the good reviews for nec burners but I am (was??) kinda partial to plextor so when the new 712a came out I picked one up. Well, even though I actually got a "good" one I have to say that the 3500a actually gives me a better burn than the 2x as expensive plextor. Although the difference is very small when using TY media (very good results for both), with Ritek media (G03 stuff I had sitting around) the burn is way better with the Nec. Luckily, I bought the plextor at Costco so it is going back this weekend!

Btw, herrie just released firmware ver. 2.17 for the 3500a which supports bitsetting!

If anyone is interested in any media quality scans let me know and I can post some.

[wlee]

Master DD:

Help please! My LG 4081B (f/w A104) burns at 3.4x only recently, I've tried Maxell 4x +/-R(W), Prodisc 4x -R (MCC) and 8x +R disc, used to be all fine, what could be the problem? I'm using Nero and DVD Decrypter both lastest version, DMA is enabled for all drives and don't think HD speed cased this issue.

THANKS A LOT :D

[7-Endless]

I've had my 3500a for a couple of weeks now and I must say I am impressed! I had always seen the good reviews for nec burners but I am (was??) kinda partial to plextor so when the new 712a came out I picked one up. Well, even though I actually got a "good" one I have to say that the 3500a actually gives me a better burn than the 2x as expensive plextor. Although the difference is very small when using TY media (very good results for both), with Ritek media (G03 stuff I had sitting around) the burn is way better with the Nec. Luckily, I bought the plextor at Costco so it is going back this weekend!

Btw, herrie just released firmware ver. 2.17 for the 3500a which supports bitsetting!

If anyone is interested in any media quality scans let me know and I can post some.


Thanks for the quick review! I think I am gonna go with this drive from all the things I've read so far and some of the screenshots that Ian has posted at CDRLabs.

One thing though...I thought that this drive supported bitsetting with it's stock firmware??? I guess not though if herrie released a f/w for it...I should check to see if tdb has released one too! :confused:

[The Digital Dolphin]

Sick man..sick, j/k :razz: Was jus readin that mx1000 thread lol, man that would be awsome to see wha u do with all that media..wha do u burn on all that media anyways? *DD has a HUGE stash of porn* j/k.

I have far too much media... I built extra shelves on my wall to store it, and they are all full, and once again my desk is overflowing to the point of being almost dangerous :confused:

Remember, I'm not just a media TESTER, I'm also a media COLLECTOR :cheesygri

[shadowfighta]

Hey Dolphin, I was wondering if you could (hopefully) help me with my burner. I have an older Toshiba sd-r5002, and it's a nice drive and all but it has this annoying feature where it won't burn some media at 2x. I'm not sure how it determines what's ok to burn at 2x and which at 1x but almost all the media I've used refuses to burn at 2x. I just got some prodisc s03s and they also burn at only 1x. The only media I've gotten to burn at 2x are Ritek g03/g04s. Now I haven't used too many brands of dvd-r, only Ritek, prodisc, memorex, and some cheaper 4x no names. Do you have any idea how to force my drive to burn at 2x or are there any custom firmwares I could use?

[The Digital Dolphin]

If you have the latest official firmware then that is all you can really do... the problem is that your drive is so old, so it will only burn the media at 2x if it has the media's code in the firmware set for 2x. So you need older media for the burner in order to get a good speed out of it. Chances are that Ritek will be your best bet, since back then it was the best alternative to Taiyo Yuden and Mitsubishi. CMC *MIGHT* work at 2x, and Princo 1x/2x (no quality guarentee mind you!) might also work if you can find it. You have to think about what was popular back when your drive was sold, and look for similar stuff. Verbatim 2x media should all work, I would think... the same for any Maxell 2x.

Good luck!

[The Digital Dolphin]

I just want to let people know I'm working on something very big right now... so please don't get mad if I don't respond to PM's quickly, or keep track of every thread in the hot deals section. I'll still come here as much as possible, since this thread was setup to assist everyone, and be an ongoing thing until I can get something more permenant set up.

[Evil Techie]

this is a cool read

http://theinquirer.net/?article=18223

TDK's ScratchProof DVD-Rs came out as the best buy, while Verbatim's DataLifePlus fared worst.

[luminus]

this is a cool read

http://theinquirer.net/?article=18223

Yep, I wish I can get ahold of the original article . Inquirer's paraphrase is a little bit brief.....

[shadowfighta]

Hmm, I thought that would be the case. I should just spend $100 and get a new 8x burner.

[The Digital Dolphin]

The BenQ 1620 looks like a good writer! It burns Optodisc media pretty well, but not BenQ brand DVDRs it seems!

I've tried BenQ 4x DVD-Rs, and Benq 8x DVD+Rs, and both produced coasters. Mind you, I burned the 8x DVD+R at 16x (since BenQ supports it) but I think maybe burning at 8x might produce usable results.

[Evil Techie]

oooh also tell us how Plextor burns that DVD+R BENQ 8x disc at 8x please

[The Digital Dolphin]

oooh also tell us how Plextor burns that DVD+R BENQ 8x disc at 8x please

Hehehe, that'll be fun :twisted:

[NG]

I wouldn't worry about using compressed air in your drive, but don't stick the nozel in too deep. The air won't damage your drive, but poking things inside might. How do you store your media? if it happens to many of your discs, then you have to approach all the areas that each disc has in common. Burning and storage conditions are the first things to check. I don't think software would be the cause. Maybe check for a firmware update? but even that is really stretching it!

Thanks for the heads up. I'll get some and give it a go.There are no more firmware updates for my drive. The Riteks are in spindles which I have been known to forget to put the top back on but the Fuji +'s are singles shirnkwrapped in jewel cases. Untill I get some compressed air I've just been burning discs to a 4 gig max which is working well since the damaged area is just in the outer rim always for some reason. Could it be the weather? I always have my AC on max tho..

Thanks again and cheers :)

[The Digital Dolphin]

@NG:
I can honestly say I don't know what's causing that problem. It'sv very weird, and I've never heard of it happening before... and the way you describe it makes it even weirder! That it happens with many different media types! Luckily you have found a work around for now! Hopefully the compressed air thing will work for you too :)

@Evil Techie:
I burned 1 BenQ 8x DVD+R at 8x in the PX-712a as requested. The transfer rate test I tried had severe slowdown at the last quarter of the disc or so. It was pretty bad! The jitter/beta test wasn't too pretty either! Doing PIE/POF tests on the media looked ok at 2x, but gained significant suckage when scanned at 12x. LiteON PIE/PIF scanning looked ok, but nothing surprising there.

Conclusion: The media is not good, but should work in high jitter tolerant drives (like LiteON). Don't expect it to be playable at full speed, and don't expect it to last any significant length of time. In short, not something I'd recommend using!

[artoodetoo]

Hey DD, what would be your top choice for DVD[+-]RW, going for longevity and price? Burning will be done with an LG 4120B, will mainly read from that, but would ideally be able to use any machine. If the price for decent RW isn't that cheap, might it be worth it to go to RAM, and how is the read compatibility with RAM?

[Evil Techie]

yikes

looks like we plextor owners can only trust richojpn, TY, maxell
nothing more...

[The Digital Dolphin]

yikes

looks like we plextor owners can only trust richojpn, TY, maxell
nothing more...

Luckily NCIX has very good pricing on Taiyo Yuden now, so you aren't quite as screwed as you could have been!

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD, what would be your top choice for DVD[+-]RW, going for longevity and price? Burning will be done with an LG 4120B, will mainly read from that, but would ideally be able to use any machine. If the price for decent RW isn't that cheap, might it be worth it to go to RAM, and how is the read compatibility with RAM?

Hrm... RWs, if you want *QUALITY* then DVD-RAM is leaps and bounds ahead of any DVD±RW available... but playback compatability is also the most limited! You have to choose your hardware around the format for sure! Other then that, Mitsubishi Chemicals RW media is a good bet, but make sure it's made in Singapore. Choose whatever format your burner seems to prefer, or whatever you can find cheaper.

DON'T use Ritek DVD-RWs!!!!

[Evil Techie]

im still screwed as ive got like 20 Nanya DVD+R 4x discs sitting around...
not being able to make a good use out of them
even at 4x, they dont do well with my plextor 708A
simply because of plextor...

[money1]

are 50 spindle riteks any good? they are wrapped in a green label

[The Digital Dolphin]

im still screwed as ive got like 20 Nanya DVD+R 4x discs sitting around...
not being able to make a good use out of them
even at 4x, they dont do well with my plextor 708A
simply because of plextor...

I'll buy some off of you if you like? I could use some Nanya discs! :cheesygri

[The Digital Dolphin]

are 50 spindle riteks any good? they are wrapped in a green label

Only green wrapped spindles I've seen are on their 8x DVD+Rs... which are not the greatest discs I've seen... still should be usable in most cases.

[money1]

hey dd, thanks for the reply...the discs are these ritek (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=17-132-345&DEPA=0)

obviously im not ordering from newegg but this is the only pic i could find

[Evil Techie]

lol
miscommunications btwn u two there
DVD-R and CD-R

lol

DD, pm me if you like
ive got 21 of them
ill probably keep one to moarn my regretted purchase...
lol

btw are ritek ridata DVD+RW 4x any good?
ive got 5 of them
gonna test them with my plextor 708A soon

[Evil Techie]

oooh amazing findings ive got here with the ritek DVD+RW 4x disks

they show up as RICHOJPN W11 001 in DVD Identifier

heres the media code block


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unique Disc Identifier : [DVD+RW:RICOHJPN-W11-001]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disc Type : [DVD+RW]
Manufacturer ID : [RICOHJPN]
Manufacturer Name : [Ricoh Company Ltd.]
Media Type ID : [W11]
Product Revision : [001]
Disc Application Code : [General Purpose]
Recording Speeds : [1x , 2.4x , 4x]
Blank Disc Capacity : [2,295,104 Sectors = 4,482.6MB = 4.38GB (4.70GB)]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[DVD Identifier - http://DVD.Identifier.CDfreaks.com]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------



** INFO : Hex Dump Of 'Media Code'-Block Listed Below
** INFO : 4-Byte Header Preceding 'Media Code'-Block Discarded
** INFO : Format 11h (Method 1) - ADIP Information
0000 : 92 0f 04 00 00 03 00 00 00 26 05 3f 00 00 00 00 .........&.?....
0010 : 00 00 01 52 49 43 4f 48 4a 50 4e 57 31 31 01 39 ...RICOHJPNW11.9
0020 : 23 00 8a 86 68 02 26 00 8a 86 70 02 28 00 8a 86 #...h.&...p.(...
0030 : 6a 02 28 22 12 10 e0 00 f0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 j.("............
0040 : 01 00 17 38 00 27 90 4c 02 1e 00 2b 8e 3c 02 28 ...8.'.L...+.<.(
0050 : 00 29 8e 52 02 1e 64 35 20 f0 20 e0 40 e0 00 00 .).R..d5 . .@...
0060 : 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0070 : 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0080 : 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0090 : 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00a0 : 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00b0 : 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00c0 : 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00d0 : 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00e0 : 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00f0 : 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................

[The Digital Dolphin]

hey dd, thanks for the reply...the discs are these ritek (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=17-132-345&DEPA=0)

obviously im not ordering from newegg but this is the only pic i could find

Ahh, should have mentioned the ever important word: "CD-R" somewhere :cheesygri

I'll put it this way. For myself, I have two grades of CD-Rs that I will use for my own stuff. Taiyo Yuden, for stuff I NEED to work, and NEED to last. And Ritek for stuff I don't care about.

Now, keep in mind I'm very picky about what I use for myself. What I'm really saying there, is that I use Ritek for my stuff, but I don't expect it to last forever.

[The Digital Dolphin]

lol
miscommunications btwn u two there
DVD-R and CD-R

lol

DD, pm me if you like
ive got 21 of them
ill probably keep one to moarn my regretted purchase...
lol

btw are ritek ridata DVD+RW 4x any good?
ive got 5 of them
gonna test them with my plextor 708A soon

Yeah, RICOHJPNW11 media is pretty good. I've seen better, but most out there is worse.

[ragin_pyro]

Masta DD, thinkin of pickin up a spindle of Memorex, might be 8x tomorrow (they said that when truck comes) I wanna back some images up, wha would be the best media to aim for for the Memorex? (4x an 8x) For archival, would be burnt at 2.4x, or should I invest in Maxell? 25 spindle for 30 bucks, u said at that speed not much u can screw it up lol, but would the archival time be alot diff? I also noticed, 2 types of Maxell +r, the Ricohjpn with solid lines for writing on the disc, an then some made in taiwan, it has dots instead, wha kind is that? (Would still go for solid line tho :razz: jus curious)
Edit: Prolly would be used to back up some dvds I have 2.

[Evil Techie]

solid ones can be made in taiwan too
and dotted ones are richojpnr01 as well
i just identified them yesterday

[The Digital Dolphin]

Masta DD, thinkin of pickin up a spindle of Memorex, might be 8x tomorrow (they said that when truck comes) I wanna back some images up, wha would be the best media to aim for for the Memorex? (4x an 8x) For archival, would be burnt at 2.4x, or should I invest in Maxell? 25 spindle for 30 bucks, u said at that speed not much u can screw it up lol, but would the archival time be alot diff? I also noticed, 2 types of Maxell +r, the Ricohjpn with solid lines for writing on the disc, an then some made in taiwan, it has dots instead, wha kind is that? (Would still go for solid line tho :razz: jus curious)
Edit: Prolly would be used to back up some dvds I have 2.

Maxell made in Japan is deffinatly better for lifespan then Memorex... Maxell made in Taiwan DVD+Rs are also more likely to last a long time then Memorex CMC, or maybe even Memorex Prodisc. So it depends on how important the backups are to you.

[ragin_pyro]

Aaah, now I wanna shell out more for the Maxell (sigh, knew the answer bout that, oh well tho, to bad FS has no old stock of Memorex 50) But the dotted an the solid, there both Ricohjpn, but is like 1 01 an the other 02 or sotmhin? Is there much of a diff in quality? The lines actually say made in Japan, the dotted in Taiwan *the maxell I got from staples when they had 10 pack for 10 bucks, wish I bought more, are solid an made in taiwan...* Then maybe I could wait, for those 10 packs of Memorex o go for 10 bucks again, I think theres 2 packs of 2002 Memorex at local FS, oh btw, wha manufacturers beside RIcoh Maxell use for +r? Or they still soldin on RIcoh still..

[Evil Techie]

why not get TY's?

i wish NCIX can stock those TYs and drop the price soon (probably wont happen that soon...)
i can only dream

also selling 25 instead of 50 would fit my needs better...

[ragin_pyro]

Trade u my hp 300i for a dul format then :lol: Sad thing about HP, so dvd+r, an only used that one format when they made the first few burners..an it wasnt even that cheap :cry:

[The Digital Dolphin]

why not get TY's?

i wish NCIX can stock those TYs and drop the price soon (probably wont happen that soon...)
i can only dream

also selling 25 instead of 50 would fit my needs better...

Probably some time this week I would think, for stock at least. They usually have items in stock for at least 1 week before they put them on sale, but who knows?

ragin_pyro: I think Maxell has only had RICOHJPNR01 media in their DVD+Rs so far in North America. In Japan and Europe they had their own media with a Maxell code, but I don't think we ever got it here :cry:

[Amourek]

They usually don't put anything on sale unless they have a good amount of stock.

[The Digital Dolphin]

They usually don't put anything on sale unless they have a good amount of stock.

Yeah, they're much better then say, Visions, aren't they! :lol:

(hrm... let's see. Let's buy 2 copies of *this* DVD, and put it on sale for 10% below cost to encourage traffic in our stores...) :evil:

[blitz]

I can vouch for the authenticity of the Taiyo Yuden media being sold by NCIX.com. It's unbranded, but it's the real Japanese stuff, not a crappy pretend TY disc with stolen code.Hey DD, I quoted you from the other thread but how about the Maxell stuff that they carry?

[Amourek]

The Maxell 50 pack spindle of DVD-Rs at NCIX are RITEKG04's made in Taiwan but supposedly authentic Maxell branded media. I got suckered into spindle before realizing it, but they seem okay so far.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD, I quoted you from the other thread but how about the Maxell stuff that they carry?

Their Maxell DVDRs come from official channels. I can't say the same for any of their CD-R media though... but that goes for any company that can sell CD-Rs for less then $0.50 a piece! :cry: (because of the levy)

[crimsona]

FYI, Atic has the NEC 3500A for 123 and the Pioneer (w/b) for 120/125

at least for the pioneer, it can be PM'ed at NCIX

[The Digital Dolphin]

FYI, Atic has the NEC 3500A for 123 and the Pioneer (w/b) for 120/125

at least for the pioneer, it can be PM'ed at NCIX

Excellent news!! Now... all I need to do is wait for someone to offer to give one to me for free :cheesygri :lol:

[Roninvancouver]

hey DD, I'm getting a nogo on your FAQ thread - is it down?

[The Digital Dolphin]

hey DD, I'm getting a nogo on your FAQ thread - is it down?

Well, since it points to page one of this topic, I highly doubt it... but I'll have to find out why it isn't working :confused:

edit: FIXED! It was because RFD'd forum is now at an IP address, instead of forum.redflagdeals.com/forum or something like that. But it should work from my sig again now :D

[snplow]

Hey DD, I got a question about the burner that came with my computer. I did a search for my DVD burner (Sony DWU-18A) for reviews and such and it didn't come up with much, the only thing that I found out (which may be a rumor) is that it is a Lite-on drive relabeled as a Sony. Would you happen to know anything about this? Would you also happen to know the reliability/burn quality of a Lite-on Drive?

Another question is, is it possible for a DVD burner to have an "off-day"? I burned a disc and used KProbe to find out the errors on the disc, near the beginning it was fine, but at the end, the PI and PIF errors were through the roof, but this only occured with one disk and I've testsed about 4 other DVDs and they scored pretty good (according to CDfreaks.com). Is this an indication of the poor quality of my burner, or was it a fluke?

One last question is also, when I'm doing tests on my CDRs, the CD would be virtually error free except for one very small area (it only appears as a 1~2 pixel line on the screen for the test graph) where the C1 and C2 errors would spike up crazily (200 C2 errors on that one spike)) and it would usually occur at the same location, is that a fault of the burner or the testing program?

Thanks for helping me out!

[omegared33]

Ok I know this doesn't deal with dvd media but it does deal with cd-r media and i have a question to ask before it drives me insane.
I just put a spindle of 100 ritek cd's, the thing is i am not to sure if they are ritek cds. So i put it in Nero info tool and said the disc is made by Plasmon, with manufacture id 97m27s18f, and when i put one of my older ridata cd and it says manufactured by ritek with manufacture id 97m15s17f. So are the cds I just bought really ritek cd's?
Also a quick question about the Benq media if u had to go with the + or - which one would u pick?

[blitz]

FYI, Atic has the NEC 3500A for 123 and the Pioneer (w/b) for 120/125

at least for the pioneer, it can be PM'ed at NCIX
NCIX now has the NEC 3500A in beige or black for $120.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD, I got a question about the burner that came with my computer. I did a search for my DVD burner (Sony DWU-18A) for reviews and such and it didn't come up with much, the only thing that I found out (which may be a rumor) is that it is a Lite-on drive relabeled as a Sony. Would you happen to know anything about this? Would you also happen to know the reliability/burn quality of a Lite-on Drive?

Hrm... I seem to get asked a lot about that drive! :confused: Since I don't have one personally, the best way for you to know if it's made by LiteON, or made by Sony, is to do a quick test of your own. If K-Probe *WORKS* on the drive, then it is a LiteON OEM, if it doesn't, it's a Sony made drive.

Generally LiteON drives aren't that good. Sony drives weren't that great either, but probably better then the equivilant LiteON's.


Another question is, is it possible for a DVD burner to have an "off-day"? I burned a disc and used KProbe to find out the errors on the disc, near the beginning it was fine, but at the end, the PI and PIF errors were through the roof, but this only occured with one disk and I've testsed about 4 other DVDs and they scored pretty good (according to CDfreaks.com). Is this an indication of the poor quality of my burner, or was it a fluke?


No, it's not likely that a DVD Burner has an off day... it shouldn't ever happen unless the burner is dying. Much *MUCH* more common is bad media, of media quality variance. If the media is Ritek, CMC, or of similar type, then it is likely the media just has quality variations from time to time.

Alternatively, it could just be the testing drive! There isn't a single consumer testing drive that actually reports accurate error levels for an optical disc. It's only a quick and *VERY* dirty reference, which is sometimes even completely off. This is why it is recommended for professionals only. Regular consumers should use high speed transfer rate tests to test their media.


One last question is also, when I'm doing tests on my CDRs, the CD would be virtually error free except for one very small area (it only appears as a 1~2 pixel line on the screen for the test graph) where the C1 and C2 errors would spike up crazily (200 C2 errors on that one spike)) and it would usually occur at the same location, is that a fault of the burner or the testing program?

Thanks for helping me out!

This is pretty normal. Certain liteON drives have been known to have a singular spike appear during scans, it's a bit annoying, but it's also nothing to worry about.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Ok I know this doesn't deal with dvd media but it does deal with cd-r media and i have a question to ask before it drives me insane.
I just put a spindle of 100 ritek cd's, the thing is i am not to sure if they are ritek cds. So i put it in Nero info tool and said the disc is made by Plasmon, with manufacture id 97m27s18f, and when i put one of my older ridata cd and it says manufactured by ritek with manufacture id 97m15s17f. So are the cds I just bought really ritek cd's?
Also a quick question about the Benq media if u had to go with the + or - which one would u pick?

I've never heard of Ritek using a Plasmon code... but it's pretty generic so it's hard to say. Read me the serial numbers on the disc itself, and I should be able to tell you for sure ;)

For the BenQ media, I'm leaning towards the 8x DVD-Rs. I don't like the 4x DVD-Rs, and I'm not overly keen on the 8x DVD+Rs either. But I've only tested in one or two drives each, so this is still very specific quality testing, and not a very good generalization. My opinion could change very drastically as I try the media on more drives.

[Thanh]

DD: I have a question and I'm sure many RFDers would be interested.

Many among us baught a BenQ DW822A back in july-august because BenQ was supposed to release a firmware in september that would enable it to burn DL media. We're now in september and I would like to know if you heard anything about it.

[The Digital Dolphin]

DD: I have a question and I'm sure many RFDers would be interested.

Many among us baught a BenQ DW822A back in july-august because BenQ was supposed to release a firmware in september that would enable it to burn DL media. We're now in september and I would like to know if you heard anything about it.

Sorry, I haven't heard anything yet.... I'm really surprised so many people bought into that actually, since it was readily known that there would be MANY dual layer burners available *way* before that upgrade ever became available.

What I'm waiting for is all the people who's drives don't accept the upgrade, because they forced a DW800 -> DW822 conversion :lol:

I'll keep an ear out, and report if I hear anything!

[omegared33]

0301210e
cdb nc 80 e
Hope those are the ones your looking for.
Also i was talking about the benq 4 -/+ media if u have any opinions on them.
Thanks for the all help allready.

[The Digital Dolphin]

0301210e
cdb nc 80 e
Hope those are the ones your looking for.
Also i was talking about the benq 4 -/+ media if u have any opinions on them.
Thanks for the all help allready.

That doesn't sound ANYTHING like any kind of Ritek CD-R I've ever heard of... I'd say someone is pulling a fast one somewhere down the line!!!

As for BenQ 4x media... hard to say, I haven't tried any 4x DVD+Rs since I couldn't find any. All the media at futureshop was 8x in the 5pks, and I wasn't going to buy 50pcs of the 4x for testing purposes.

So far I can tell you that I'm not impressed with any of the media, although it should be playable, it has significant issues with any kind of playback speed over 2x or 4x, which means that if the disc gets abuses too much it'll stop working pretty quickly.

Still, I need more time to test more drives with them... but I'm in the middle of something else right now.

[omegared33]

hmmmm
thats what i thought cause, eve when i see the ritek plain silver cd's they have the little writing on the little clear see thru inner circle, but mines have no writing there, even the back of the cd's it looks like the green film is starting to peel off. I saw the picture on blankmedia.ca and they have the wrting on the inner clear circle. Now i just got to decide how to get rid of the blank cds. And what to do with my Benq Media.

[crimsona]

Hi DD, one quick question (or one set):

I got the Pioneer 108 and my friend got the NEC 3500A from NCIX this week... but clueless to figure out some way to determine quality of burns. Any tips? Upgrade firmware first? Find hacked FW? Burn without flashing and then check?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hi DD, one quick question (or one set):

I got the Pioneer 108 and my friend got the NEC 3500A from NCIX this week... but clueless to figure out some way to determine quality of burns. Any tips? Upgrade firmware first? Find hacked FW? Burn without flashing and then check?

There is no way to check errors on those drives, the best thing you can do is a transfer rate test on the burned media.

I HIGHLY suggest using the latest official firmware for the pioneer, and the hacked firmware for the NEC.

For the record, only the following drives can do error checking:
BenQ, Nutech, LiteON, Optorite, Plextor (PX-712a only), Philips, Some Sony (LiteON OEMs), and that's it.

And I don't recommend error testing unless you really know what you're doing. It takes a while to learn how to inturpret the scans, and you're more likely to confuse a bad disc for a good disc with some drives, then figure out the actual quality of said disc.

[omegared33]

one last question, do u think if the plasmon disk are any good?, cause the store still claims they are ritek cds. Or should i avoid using them at all cost? And just try to get rid of them?

[The Digital Dolphin]

one last question, do u think if the plasmon disk are any good?, cause the store still claims they are ritek cds. Or should i avoid using them at all cost? And just try to get rid of them?

Plasmon doesn't really make media, they make media manufacturing equipment, which means that anyone who has bought that equipment could be using that code to make the discs. Given that information, asking me if the media is good or not, is like asking how well a random mechanic is going to fix a car, if all I know is the brand name of his tools ;)

[omegared33]

ohh, i didn't know that.
Then could of ritek bought the equipment and used to to make the cd's? Or does ritek have its own cd manufacturing equipment?

[The Digital Dolphin]

ohh, i didn't know that.
Then could of ritek bought the equipment and used to to make the cd's? Or does ritek have its own cd manufacturing equipment?

Well, Ritek *COULD* use the code I'm sure... although I don't know where they get their equipment from (they might make it themselves, but I doubt it!) but the question really is, *WHY* would Ritek do something like that? The only time Ritek has ever been known to make media with another code, is on VERY rare OEM deals (which this doesn't apply to) and when they want to hide the fact that they made the media because royalties weren't paid and they could be sued, or because they thought the media would in some way ruin their reputation.

Since the disc ID code controls how the media is burned, why would they want to use a code less likely to work with their media? Even so, the serial numbers usually point to Ritek even if the disc ID doesn't. So I think it is VERY unlikely that Ritek made the discs.

Still, it's impossible to be 100% sure, since any disc maker can hide themselves if they want.

[cap]

I'm looking for archiving longevity to store my digital photos.
Is it true Gold disks last longer than other kinds of disks?
How do Gold disks compare to regular silver TY?
Can I get the best of both worlds and buy a Gold TY?
Which one lasts longer, CDR or DVR-R?

[balou911]

I'm looking for archiving longevity to store my digital photos.
Is it true Gold disks last longer than other kinds of disks?
How do Gold disks compare to regular silver TY?
Can I get the best of both worlds and buy a Gold TY?
Which one lasts longer, CDR or DVR-R?

I like these questions, was wondering the same thing myself.

[Evil Techie]

Plasmon doesn't really make media, they make media manufacturing equipment, which means that anyone who has bought that equipment could be using that code to make the discs. Given that information, asking me if the media is good or not, is like asking how well a random mechanic is going to fix a car, if all I know is the brand name of his tools ;)


i thought they DO make media
plasmon that is
well according to plextor, Plasmon have their own discs anyways
http://www.plextor.com/english/support/media_708Compatible.htm#cdr

now i have another question too
lots more questions for you to answer DD
hehe
:cheesygri

ive got a spindle (50pcs) of Richo CD-R that are 1x-40x
i checked them out in nero info tool
its richo alright and
here is a pic of it
http://www.sfu.ca/~tdh/local/richo_cdr/jul9%20002.jpg

now the question is that is this good quality media?
as good as TY?
ive heard it Richo is a brand that last just as long as well and it is on the list of recommended media by plextor for my PX-708A
but the one they recommend is 1x-32x
so my media is like the updated version and is it just as good or better than what plextor recommends?

[The Digital Dolphin]

I'm looking for archiving longevity to store my digital photos.
Is it true Gold disks last longer than other kinds of disks?
How do Gold disks compare to regular silver TY?
Can I get the best of both worlds and buy a Gold TY?
Which one lasts longer, CDR or DVR-R?

Heh, these questions ALWAYS come up! :cheesygri

Is it true Gold discs last longer then regular kinds of discs?
If the disc is really a Gold CD-R, properly made, then under similar conditions it should outlast a regular disc. Some exceptions apply, as with all things :razz:

How do Gold Discs compare to regular silver TY?
Technically TY is silver/blue media, but let's not get TOO picky ;) . First I'd like to say this is a very VERY good question, with a difficult answer! The first thing to realize is, TY media is VERY easy to read, and very compatible, and burns with a very VERY low error rate. The problem with TY is that it degrades... not THAT quickly mind you, but it still degrades at a certain pace. Now Gold media is different. Generally it isn't as easy to read as TY, and usually burns with a higher error rate! So why use it? The Gold in the media (when made correctly!!!) acts as a stabalizing agent, which helps the disc keep it's current error rate without degrading almost at all. Degradation still occurs, but it is at a much slower rate then normal! So which is unusable first? TY or Gold media? That's a betting man's game! I know people who like to back up their most important stuff onto TY *AND* Gold media to make sure that they have their bases covered! Personally, I prefer gold media for serious backups. If I want something to last, I'll spend even $2 per disc, and pick up some Mitsui Gold Archival media. But it isn't often I have something THAT important I need backed up ;)

Can you get the best of both worlds and get a gold TY?
Nope, Taiyo Yuden doesn't make Gold media

Which one lasts longer, CD-R or DVDR?
Tough question, with no real answer yet... DVDRs are still pretty new really. Personally, I'd bet on CD-Rs right now, since they have been around much longer, and you can get archival discs, MADE for archiving onto, and DVDRs still haven't become that well refined and stable. If I was going to use ANYTHING DVDR wise for backing up serious stuff onto, I'd use TY media, and NOTHING else but TY media. Not even Mitsubishi, or anything else (and DON'T use Mitsui DVDRs!!! they SUCK!).

hope that helps!! :D

[The Digital Dolphin]

i thought they DO make media
plasmon that is
well according to plextor, Plasmon have their own discs anyways
http://www.plextor.com/english/support/media_708Compatible.htm#cdr

now i have another question too
lots more questions for you to answer DD
hehe
:cheesygri

ive got a spindle (50pcs) of Richo CD-R that are 1x-40x
i checked them out in nero info tool
its richo alright and
here is a pic of it
http://www.sfu.ca/~tdh/local/richo_cdr/jul9%20002.jpg

now the question is that is this good quality media?
as good as TY?
ive heard it Richo is a brand that last just as long as well and it is on the list of recommended media by plextor for my PX-708A
but the one they recommend is 1x-32x
so my media is like the updated version and is it just as good or better than what plextor recommends?

Plasmon told me personally that they do not make media.... but hey, they could have been lying right? even though I wanted to buy some at the time ;)

That Ricoh media in particular is made by Ritek to Ricoh specs. Take a look at the black text serial number in the VERY centre of the hub, and compare it to pretty much any Ritek CD-R's, they are very similar! As it happens, I've reviewed those discs ;) They burned ok on my liteon, but my friend told me that his Plextor Premium didn't like them.... but they were ok on mine. So results might vary... I suggest burning them at 16x as that seemed to work very well on both my LiteON and Plextor burners. Hopefully the results from my Plextor Premium will be similar on your PX-708a.

Hope that helps!!

[mrken]

How do Gold Discs compare to regular silver TY?
Technically TY is silver/blue media, but let's not get TOO picky ;) . First I'd like to say this is a very VERY good question, with a difficult answer! The first thing to realize is, TY media is VERY easy to read, and very compatible, and burns with a very VERY low error rate. The problem with TY is that it degrades... not THAT quickly mind you, but it still degrades at a certain pace. Now Gold media is different. Generally it isn't as easy to read as TY, and usually burns with a higher error rate! So why use it? The Gold in the media (when made correctly!!!) acts as a stabalizing agent, which helps the disc keep it's current error rate without degrading almost at all. Degradation still occurs, but it is at a much slower rate then normal! So which is unusable first? TY or Gold media? That's a betting man's game! I know people who like to back up their most important stuff onto TY *AND* Gold media to make sure that they have their bases covered! Personally, I prefer gold media for serious backups. If I want something to last, I'll spend even $2 per disc, and pick up some Mitsui Gold Archival media. But it isn't often I have something THAT important I need backed up ;)
According to your explanation that TY (silver/blue)s are easy to write, wouldn't they be more prone to unintentionally writes? (Exposing them to direct UV rays like me? :cheesygri)

Plasmon told me personally that they do not make media.... but hey, they could have been lying right? even though I wanted to buy some at the time ;)
I got some Samsung CDRWs that had the Plasmon code. But I didn't have much luck with those. (Actually, I haven't had much like with ANY CDRWs. :cheesygri)

I guess you can test the quality of the discs, and I can test the reliability of the discs by exposing them to whatever element and Acts of God that I can find. :cheesygri

[blitz]

Personally, I prefer gold media for serious backups. If I want something to last, I'll spend even $2 per disc, and pick up some Mitsui Gold Archival media.Where can I buy this kind of media or any other good gold media?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Where can I buy this kind of media or any other good gold media?

Wasn't someone trying to sell Kodak Gold CD-Rs in the buy and sell for a while? maybe check with him. Now Mitsui Gold is hard to find in Canada, since there are very few dealers. I know Precision Sound is a Mitsui Dealer, and will sell retail. The only other place I know that sells Mitsui media is a replication plant that also does wholesale and blank media silkscreening, and they only sell to brokers, so no luck there.

So I suggest trying to track down the Kodak Ultima Gold's if you can, otherwise maybe give Precision Sound a try? their head office is in Burnaby, so not that far for you luckily ;)

[The Digital Dolphin]

According to your explanation that TY (silver/blue)s are easy to write, wouldn't they be more prone to unintentionally writes? (Exposing them to direct UV rays like me? :cheesygri)


I got some Samsung CDRWs that had the Plasmon code. But I didn't have much luck with those. (Actually, I haven't had much like with ANY CDRWs. :cheesygri)

I guess you can test the quality of the discs, and I can test the reliability of the discs by exposing them to whatever element and Acts of God that I can find. :cheesygri

Yes, you can screw up media by exposing it to too much light and UV rays... I don't know why you'd WANT to do that if you aren't a media tester, or sadistic or something though ;)

I've never seen Samsung CD-RWs with a Plasmon code before... although in all honest I've only ever tried Samsung CD-RWs from EFADS, and they have a Ritek code I think.

[othy]

How are the Memorex Black CD-Rs?

We need a sticky with the best current media deals (quality media for a good price), as whenever I go into futureshop etc I never know if the stuff is good quality or a ripoff :(

Looking forward to ncix getting the 8x TY DVD-Rs though.. but 70.95 for 50 doesnt sound that great when compared to 4x prices..

[blitz]

How are the Memorex Black CD-Rs?
I don't think they are on DD's recommend list of CD-Rs. They are probably CMC but they always switch suppliers. I still have a spindal of Memorex made in Japan TY. :)


Thanks DD for the info but do you know if there are gold dvd media or some very high quality dvd media?

[The Digital Dolphin]

if you *WANT* black bottomed CD-Rs, then the ones made by CMC are probably the best actually...Ritek screwed them up (see my review) and Prodisc is only so-so (which is true for ALL their CD-Rs.... except when they are crap!).

Generally, I suggest Ritek for regular CD-R use, and Taiyo Yuden for more important stuff. Ultra super important stuff should be properly archived on Gold media, and possibly duplicated onto TY just in case.

[The Digital Dolphin]

I don't think they are on DD's recommend list of CD-Rs. They are probably CMC but they always switch suppliers. I still have a spindal of Memorex made in Japan TY. :)


Thanks DD for the info but do you know if there are gold dvd media or some very high quality dvd media?

For high quality DVD media, the best is currently Taiyo Yuden. Currently there is no Gold DVDR media around, only Mitsui ever made any Gold DVDRs, and they sucked and were unstable. They are trying to find a way to make them work, and if they succeed will bring them back to the market... but we shall see if they are ever worth using.

[Fobulous]

Hi DD,
tried searching the thread for your 2 cents about the liteon 411s, but only saw info re: upgrading a 401 to the 411.

1) Is this a good burner? I've had problems with it before trying to burn w/ -R media using 321 Studios Express Copy. Beyond that, maybe 1 in 20 discs i burn is a coaster, OR it doesn't play in my older DVD player (whereas the type of disc, ritek 4x -R, usually plays no problems.
Could it be the program? I just got DVD Clone 2 tonight and it seems good so far.

2) What type of media should i buy/avoid? I've been favouring the Ritek 4x -Rs... i also have some memorex 4x +Rs (50count spindles).
Just ordered a 5 pack of BenQ + and - R's off FS.

Thanks for the great info you've been giving and keep up the great effort! You're my official source for media news now!

[Evil Techie]

hey DD,
do you think this thing is ritek made?

http://www.sfu.ca/~tdh/local/richo_cdr/jul9%20003.jpg

is it still decent?
im not having any troubles burning these with my PX-708A at all
they work just fine
so im happy but im just curious if it was wise that i spent more than regular crap on these just because they are richo

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hi DD,
tried searching the thread for your 2 cents about the liteon 411s, but only saw info re: upgrading a 401 to the 411.

1) Is this a good burner? I've had problems with it before trying to burn w/ -R media using 321 Studios Express Copy. Beyond that, maybe 1 in 20 discs i burn is a coaster, OR it doesn't play in my older DVD player (whereas the type of disc, ritek 4x -R, usually plays no problems.
Could it be the program? I just got DVD Clone 2 tonight and it seems good so far.

2) What type of media should i buy/avoid? I've been favouring the Ritek 4x -Rs... i also have some memorex 4x +Rs (50count spindles).
Just ordered a 5 pack of BenQ + and - R's off FS.

Thanks for the great info you've been giving and keep up the great effort! You're my official source for media news now!

The LiteON LDW-411s is one of the worst drives out there I'm sorry to say! It was below average for it's time, and it has not gotten much better with time. You want to stick with DVD+R with booktype setting pretty much exclusivly if possible. Ricohjpnr01 should be your "bread and butter" so to speak. Yes, it can burn some DVD-Rs ok, but not to the same quality level as DVD+Rs.

Media to avoid? anything lower grade then Ritek. Optodisc, possibly Prodisc as well. Just about all DVD-Rs.

I *HIGHLY* suggest upgrading to the very latest firmware that came out a couple weeks ago. It'll probably be the last one I would expect (actually, I was surprised we even GOT a new one this late!).

Thank you for your kind words! I've received a very warm welcome here on redflagdeals, and I'm very happy to be of assistance whenever possible! :)

[The Digital Dolphin]

hey DD,
do you think this thing is ritek made?

http://www.sfu.ca/~tdh/local/richo_cdr/jul9%20003.jpg

is it still decent?
im not having any troubles burning these with my PX-708A at all
they work just fine
so im happy but im just curious if it was wise that i spent more than regular crap on these just because they are richo

Yup! that is deffinatly made by Ritek, for Ricoh (hence the Ricoh code on the disc).

Like I said on the previous page, I suggest burning them at 16x, but they should be ok. Burning them faster then 32x on my Plextor Premium was a bad idea, so I would deffinatly NOT suggest doing that on your burner.

Is it better then regular crap? well, what is your idea of regular crap? Chances are it isn't worse, and it's probably better. It's not bad media, just a little slow.

[dodo]

I went to Costco and tried to find the AOpen 8X DVD writer (was $93) but couldn't find any. When I asked, the CS show me that they no longer have the 8X and will stock the 16X Dual format for $159.
Any review for this burner?

added
found some decent review @ :::extremeMHz (http://www.extrememhz.com/nd3500a-p1.shtml) about Nec 3500 (assuming this AOpen 16X Dual is a rebranded Nec 3500

[The Digital Dolphin]

I went to Costco and tried to find the AOpen 8X DVD writer (was $93) but couldn't find any. When I asked, the CS show me that they no longer have the 8X and will stock the 16X Dual format for $159.
Any review for this burner?

added
found some decent review @ :::extremeMHz (http://www.extrememhz.com/nd3500a-p1.shtml) about Nec 3500 (assuming this AOpen 16X Dual is a rebranded Nec 3500

Hrm... usually AOpen tries to make their own stuff... I don't think it's an OEM NEC 3500, but I could be wrong.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Looks like I was wrong about Taiyo Yuden and Gold CD-Rs....
http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=10528

I've already contacted Taiyo Yuden with some questions, let's see what they say ;) (maybe I can get samples?)

[bodobodo]

The problem with TY is that it degrades... not THAT quickly mind you, but it still degrades at a certain pace. Now Gold media is different. Generally it isn't as easy to read as TY, and usually burns with a higher error rate! So why use it? The Gold in the media (when made correctly!!!) acts as a stabalizing agent, which helps the disc keep it's current error rate without degrading almost at all. Degradation still occurs, but it is at a much slower rate then normal! So which is unusable first? TY or Gold media? That's a betting man's game! I know people who like to back up their most important stuff onto TY *AND* Gold media to make sure that they have their bases covered! Personally, I prefer gold media for serious backups. If I want something to last, I'll spend even $2 per disc, and pick up some Mitsui Gold Archival media. But it isn't often I have something THAT important I need backed up ;)


DD,

As a follow-up to this answer I would appreciate your comments on the following. I have a limited number of original Kodak Gold CD-Rs which I'm trying to use within their quoted shelf life. These will be for my most important backups but my stocks of them are getting depleted. However, for my not quite as important (but still important) backups I have larger stocks of two types of well regarded blank CD-Rs. Which would you rate higher?

TY CD-Rs (either older stock Memorex or more recent Fuji discs...both verified to be TY)
or
Kodak Ultima CD-Rs (the ones with a mix of silver and gold)

Thanks.

[The Digital Dolphin]

DD,

As a follow-up to this answer I would appreciate your comments on the following. I have a limited number of original Kodak Gold CD-Rs which I'm trying to use within their quoted shelf life. These will be for my most important backups but my stocks of them are getting depleted. However, for my not quite as important (but still important) backups I have larger stocks of two types of well regarded blank CD-Rs. Which would you rate higher?

TY CD-Rs (either older stock Memorex or more recent Fuji discs...both verified to be TY)
or
Kodak Ultima CD-Rs (the ones with a mix of silver and gold)

Thanks.

For archivability? I'd go with the Kodak over the TY, but it's a hard call!

[dodo]

Hrm... usually AOpen tries to make their own stuff... I don't think it's an OEM NEC 3500, but I could be wrong.

I believe the 8X8 is Nec 2500 ? is it no longer true ? or just AOpen cut the relationship w/ NEC and doing it their own now...

from the first page of this thread...
I don't know why you're regretting it? The Aopen 8x8 is either an OEM Nec-2500a which can be upgraded to the NEC 2510a which is a dual layer burner, or it is a Pioneer DVR-107 which will not be upgradable to dual layer, but is still a darn good drive! If your model number ends in AAN, then it's an NEC, if it's APP, then it's the Pioneer :D

[The Digital Dolphin]

I believe the 8X8 is Nec 2500 ? is it no longer true ? or just AOpen cut the relationship w/ NEC and doing it their own now...

from the first page of this thread...

Oops, my bad... I was having flash backs to their CD Burners :o

In any case, AOpen doesn't have any set rules on who they use really. Yes they used the NEC 2500 for some of their OEMs, and they also used the Pioneer DVR-107.

The new 16x AOpen writer might even be a LiteON :confused:

[dogbolter]

Hey DD,

What's behind the recent drop in DVDr prices? Things were pretty steady there for a while then in the last few weeks prices are cut in half.

I am not complaining, its awesome. I just want to know if it is because of over production, improved production methods, greater acceptance of DVDr drives in new computer sales, making way for DL media or ???

Can we expect prices to stay low? Get lower?

My appologies if you have answered this elsewhere, I didn't see anything on the last few pages of this thread.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD,

What's behind the recent drop in DVDr prices? Things were pretty steady there for a while then in the last few weeks prices are cut in half.

I am not complaining, its awesome. I just want to know if it is because of over production, improved production methods, greater acceptance of DVDr drives in new computer sales, making way for DL media or ???

Can we expect prices to stay low? Get lower?

My appologies if you have answered this elsewhere, I didn't see anything on the last few pages of this thread.

I believe the biggest cause of the price drop, is a bunch of tiny chinese and hongkong based DVDR manufacturers went out of business and flooded the market with the remainder of their media. Then a bunch of medium sized el cheapo plants in China and Hongkong discovered they had to match the psychotic pricing (or at least come close) in order to get the same amount of order volume they need to stay in business. Then larger, more mainstream 3rd tier plants had to cut their prices, in order to get more orders. Then Prodisc said, "aww screw it" and dropped their prices to psycho low levels. Then several other 1st and 2nd tier plants had to follow suite.

There are more factors involved of course... like the fact that everyone is now trying to desperatly get rid of all their 4x DVDR in time to make way for their 8x media, without getting stuck with a excess of too slow media. So again, more media is being sold at cost, or even below cost.

Only the really big plants are really making any money any more... and even they are struggling with the current prices, and want to push 4x out of the market, and focus on 8x and 16x media in order to make enough money to keep paying their staff! :confused:

To the consumer, prices are dropping... to the people involved, the industry is falling apart and going to hell in a hand basket!

[Evil Techie]

Yup! that is deffinatly made by Ritek, for Ricoh (hence the Ricoh code on the disc).

Like I said on the previous page, I suggest burning them at 16x, but they should be ok. Burning them faster then 32x on my Plextor Premium was a bad idea, so I would deffinatly NOT suggest doing that on your burner.

Is it better then regular crap? well, what is your idea of regular crap? Chances are it isn't worse, and it's probably better. It's not bad media, just a little slow.

what happens when i burn at 40x which ive done for a few discs

im not getting any read errors right now

[blitz]

Ohh, DD

I actually have some very old Maxell Gold CD-Rs that were made in Mexico.

Do you know if Maxell actually made them?

[str]

Hrm... usually AOpen tries to make their own stuff... I don't think it's an OEM NEC 3500, but I could be wrong.

Actually, Aopen often has OEMs making their stuff. (Ie: they have a lot of logitech rebranded, their power supplies are Fortron, etc). They only build a few things like motherboard, video cards, etc

[The Digital Dolphin]

what happens when i burn at 40x which ive done for a few discs

im not getting any read errors right now

It's the difference between readable, and good quality :razz:

But seriously, I don't know for sure, since the drive is different. It might actually be fine... but I still suggest 32x, just in case.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Ohh, DD

I actually have some very old Maxell Gold CD-Rs that were made in Mexico.

Do you know if Maxell actually made them?

Nope, not Maxell.... not sure who makes the ones in Mexico. Verbatim USED to have a plant there, but I think CMC owns it now. They must be VERY old since Maxell never OEMs to CMC, but I believe they have OEM'd to Verbatim in the past.

Maxell's gold CD-Rs used to be pretty good, but not Mitsui or Kodak good... just above average for regular stuff

[The Digital Dolphin]

Actually, Aopen often has OEMs making their stuff. (Ie: they have a lot of logitech rebranded, their power supplies are Fortron, etc). They only build a few things like motherboard, video cards, etc

I fixed my post with a later reply, stating I was thinking about their CD Burners, and not DVD burners. But yes, you are correct, they do OEM all that stuff... but generally I don't talk about those sorts of things, since that's really not my area :razz:

[smilodon]

Hey Dolphin,

As you seem so enthusiastic about getting your hands on those dual layer discs, I can't resist to offer them to you *cheap*... I was posting for $12/each but if you're interested for a good quantity, we can discuss about the price. Let me know :)

Shipping to BC from QC might be pricey though...

Smi

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey Dolphin,

As you seem so enthusiastic about getting your hands on those dual layer discs, I can't resist to offer them to you *cheap*... I was posting for $12/each but if you're interested for a good quantity, we can discuss about the price. Let me know :)

Shipping to BC from QC might be pricey though...

Smi

I appreciate the offer, but I'm really only trying to help other people get better prices. I have all the dual layer media I need right now ;)

Thanks for the offer though! :cheesygri

[smilodon]

Ok, all good. No demand for the DL it seems. Won't get my hands on them.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Ok, all good. No demand for the DL it seems. Won't get my hands on them.

It's mainly larger businesses who are purchasing them, most consumers can't afford them yet... at least on any regular basis.

[dawei1031]

Masta DD:

how u think about this media, a guy is selling 100 of them for $40
thanks



Unique Disc Identifier : [DVD-R:VDSPMSAB 01]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disc Type : [DVD-R]
Manufacturer ID : [VDSPMSAB 01]
Manufacturer Name : [Interaxia AG]
Disc Application Code : [Unrestricted Use : Consumer Purpose]
Recording Speeds : [1x , 2x , 4x] (8x Cannot Be Detected)
Blank Disc Capacity : [2,298,496 Sectors = 4,489.3MB = 4.38GB (4.71GB)]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[DVD Identifier - http://DVD.Identifier.CDfreaks.com]

[The Digital Dolphin]

Masta DD:

how u think about this media, a guy is selling 100 of them for $40
thanks



Unique Disc Identifier : [DVD-R:VDSPMSAB 01]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disc Type : [DVD-R]
Manufacturer ID : [VDSPMSAB 01]
Manufacturer Name : [Interaxia AG]
Disc Application Code : [Unrestricted Use : Consumer Purpose]
Recording Speeds : [1x , 2x , 4x] (8x Cannot Be Detected)
Blank Disc Capacity : [2,298,496 Sectors = 4,489.3MB = 4.38GB (4.71GB)]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[DVD Identifier - http://DVD.Identifier.CDfreaks.com]

Honestly? I think they're crappy. I've never had a good experience with them.

You can check out www.videohelp.com for more opinions. It seems to be a pretty strong mix of Good and Bad, so I deffinatly wouldn't suggest them!
Video Help for VDSPMSAB 01 (http://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia.php?dvdmediasearch=&dvdmediadvdridsearch=VDSPMSAB+01&type=6&size=All&dvdburnspeed=All&searchdvdwriter=&searchdvdplayer=&order=Name&search=Search+or+List+Media)

[bodobodo]

DD,

One more question if you don't mind. If this was mentioned much earlier in the thread please just let me know and I will go seek it out.

If I was to purchase a Lite-On DVD burner specifically for testing burns with KProbe is there a particular model that you would recommend or that generally is favoured for this purpose?

Thanks again.

[The Digital Dolphin]

DD,

One more question if you don't mind. If this was mentioned much earlier in the thread please just let me know and I will go seek it out.

If I was to purchase a Lite-On DVD burner specifically for testing burns with KProbe is there a particular model that you would recommend or that generally is favoured for this purpose?

Thanks again.

Everything since the 812s has been far too forgiving in my opinion. The ones that seemed to give the most realistic scans in *my* opinion ia rhw 401s/411s/811s series, which is very hard to find these days, and were VERY crappy DVD burners. I honestly don't suggest buying a LiteON drive for testing, it's HIGHLY overrated! Just get yourself a nice NEC 3500a, or Pioneer 108, and do transfer rate tests at full speed ;)

[tasman]

Can I ask why everyone here worships this guy? Just wondering, I've been reading this place for a while, obviously hasn't posted, but why all the worshipping? Seems that a lot of stuff here is 'help, dolphin, help...X won't work'

[The Digital Dolphin]

Can I ask why everyone here worships this guy? Just wondering, I've been reading this place for a while, obviously hasn't posted, but why all the worshipping? Seems that a lot of stuff here is 'help, dolphin, help...X won't work'

yeah, I'm not really too sure why either :razz:

[othy]

Can I ask why everyone here worships this guy? Just wondering, I've been reading this place for a while, obviously hasn't posted, but why all the worshipping? Seems that a lot of stuff here is 'help, dolphin, help...X won't work'

Asking for advice is not worship.. He seems to know what he's talking about so why not ask?

Don't be jealous dude!

[dawei1031]

so we should sound likaaa this? hey little DD!!! Give me a hand, Yo!!! instead of Dear Master DD....... blah blah blah....... :cheesygri

[tasman]

hey little DD!!! Give me a hand, Yo!!!

ROFLMFAO.

[The Digital Dolphin]

so we should sound likaaa this? hey little DD!!! Give me a hand, Yo!!! instead of Dear Master DD....... blah blah blah....... :cheesygri

word ;)

[magichindu]

Hi Digital Dolphin, you come highly recommended from a friend. I have an LG-4082 firmware A206. What would be the best types of media tp pick up for it? Currently I have some 8x-R Ridata's in a spindle (G05) and some pretty crappy 4x -R's from factorydirect.ca. The Ridata's won't burn at 8x--which bites. Do have any suggestions?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hi Digital Dolphin, you come highly recommended from a friend. I have an LG-4082 firmware A206. What would be the best types of media tp pick up for it? Currently I have some 8x-R Ridata's in a spindle (G05) and some pretty crappy 4x -R's from factorydirect.ca. The Ridata's won't burn at 8x--which bites. Do have any suggestions?

First of all, try upgrading to the latest firmware:
http://www2.melcoinc.co.jp/pub/hd/dvsm388fb_fwa208.exe

That *SHOULD* solve your 8x burning problems.

Since I don't have an LG burner to test out, it's hard to make media recommendations. Some people have posted that Optodisc works well on LG, but I can't personally back this up. Ritek is generally ok, but the quality can vary quite a bit. Taiyo Yuden is the safest way to go, but is more expensive (cheapest is NCIX.com that I've seen).

Good luck!

[Dymis]

Hey, I'm interested in finally picking up a DVD burner since the price seems right. I'm going to using it for my uncles and I know that they will buying the cheapest media possible, so I was wondering which DVD burner would be ideal for being good with lower end medias? My comp specs if you believe they mean something are

1600+ XP
256MB RAM
Ti4200
200GB HD

I'm looking to spend around ~$100 before tax, thanks!

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey, I'm interested in finally picking up a DVD burner since the price seems right. I'm going to using it for my uncles and I know that they will buying the cheapest media possible, so I was wondering which DVD burner would be ideal for being good with lower end medias? My comp specs if you believe they mean something are

1600+ XP
256MB RAM
Ti4200
200GB HD

I'm looking to spend around ~$100 before tax, thanks!

Many people believe that the single most forgiving burner available is the Pioneer DVR-106. So if you plan to do things like buy the crap that OEMExpress and CWO sells, then generally I would suggest something of that caliber! The NEC 2500a with hack is pretty good as well, and I would assume that the NEC 3500a with hacked firmware would also be good. Drives you want to avoid are anything made by LiteON, Plextor, or BenQ, which tend to be less focused on DVD-Rs, and a little less forgiving on crap in many cases.

Given your interests in media, please don't come back and blame me if it doesn't work, or dies within a week! Sometimes media is just too crappy :confused:

[Dymis]

Thanks for the info, I'll try to warn my uncles, but I doubt they'll listen :confused:

[Evil Techie]

worst is like plextor
lol
expensive b*tch i call it
must feed it good stuff or it will spit it back out at you ruining your day

[magichindu]

Hi DD thanks for your help but my ritek's still burned at 4x :( I guess they were cheap crap. I will however try the Opto's you recommended, are there particular one's I should look for?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hi DD thanks for your help but my ritek's still burned at 4x :( I guess they were cheap crap. I will however try the Opto's you recommended, are there particular one's I should look for?

out of curiosity, where are you located? Perhaps I can get a sample disc or two to you, so you don't have to commit to a full spindle just to try them out? I really have no personal experience with Optodisc and LG, so I can only go with what others have said, and I don't like recommending a purchase based off second hand information.

I tried checking reviews of your drive, to see how Ritek performed, but so far I can't find any that USED Ritek 8x media... actually, the only review I found was at cdrlabs.com... cdrinfo.com and cdfreaks.com didn't review that drive.

Since Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs use the Taiyo Yuden code currently, I know they'll burn at 8x for you, but I don't know how the burner will react to the mix matched code to disc. For sure real Taiyo Yuden's will work though! and those will be available at much more reasonable pricing quite soon! ;-)

[NG]

Hi DD,

Do you know where I can grab a some 1x/2x -R or 2.4 +R SL decent or excellent quality media in Canada at a reasonable price? My drive only supports those and all the sources that I have used in Canada have dried up awhile ago(including Blankmedia in Kitchner digging through their offices to build me a spindle of 44 -R Riteks Verbatiem branded, silver and white tops).

The only place I can find any seems to be RIMA in the states and with the shipping charges the only reasonable cost way to order them would be in a 200 count and I'm hoping the duel layer drives work the firmware bugs out (so I don't get stuck with another lemon) in the near future so I can just replace my lemon drive when I have the cash to blow and 200 discs sounds like a bit too much for now (both in quanity and cost).

I'd love to get some more of those Maxell's in the orange pack but I know that's asking for too much :D but anything Ritek or better would be awesome

Thanks for any info.

[wlee]

Hey, I'm interested in finally picking up a DVD burner since the price seems right. I'm going to using it for my uncles and I know that they will buying the cheapest media possible, so I was wondering which DVD burner would be ideal for being good with lower end medias? My comp specs if you believe they mean something are

1600+ XP
256MB RAM
Ti4200
200GB HD

I'm looking to spend around ~$100 before tax, thanks!
definitely more RAM, for me 1GB is just enough to run BT and burning at the same time ;)

[Dymis]

Reading some reviews from videohelp narrows my options down to PioneerA08 or NEC3500.

Which would be a better investment? Any more links that I should take a look at while I'm doing my research?

256MB has been more than enough for me... I even photoshop :D But I don't want to play around with this PC anymore anyways.... I could always swap the dvd burner out when I ditch this one :lol:

[crimsona]

I've read a lot about burning 4x Optodiscs at 8x on Pioneer and NEC drives... so.... me and my friend went out and bought the $10 25 pack from NCIX...

But when put into Nero, both of us only get 4x speeds. (NEC 3500A with 2.16, Pioneer 108 with 1.10). Are you supposed to use a different program? Does the program matter for quality?

[basis]

I bought a BenQ 1620. The BenQ doesn't read a Mei Ah DVD-ROM while the Toshiba DVD-ROM reader only handles the reading of the disc with no problem. As a reader the BenQ sucks badly!!!!! Too bad I bought the BenQ before I knew about your recommendations DD.

As for DVD burning on the BenQ the +R burning is very good. I have tried cheap Future Shop Pine DVD+R (the mfg code seems to be unknown) works flawlessly. I also bought some cheap BenQ 8X DVD+R blanks, hopefully it will work well on the BenQ writer.

NCIX has TY blanks but it is not in stock. Do you know anywhere else that has TY in Vancouver at a good price?


Many people believe that the single most forgiving burner available is the Pioneer DVR-106. So if you plan to do things like buy the crap that OEMExpress and CWO sells, then generally I would suggest something of that caliber! The NEC 2500a with hack is pretty good as well, and I would assume that the NEC 3500a with hacked firmware would also be good. Drives you want to avoid are anything made by LiteON, Plextor, or BenQ, which tend to be less focused on DVD-Rs, and a little less forgiving on crap in many cases.

Given your interests in media, please don't come back and blame me if it doesn't work, or dies within a week! Sometimes media is just too crappy :confused:

[magichindu]

Hi DD I actually live in the Scarborough area. I just double checked my media and it's RiData not ritek--oops. I don't if that explains anything. One one the programs I use to burn recognizes the discs as Riteks G05's though.

[chdude3]

Reading some reviews from videohelp narrows my options down to PioneerA08 or NEC3500.I was at the same crossroads. In the end, I didn't want to depend on unknowns for firmware. The burn quality of the Pioneer seemed better, so I took the plunge. I don't think you'd regret getting either burner, but I went with the 108. No complaints so far. The few discs I've burned in the past week played fine everywhere - even in an ancient set top DVD player!

[afzan]

Yup, 108 here too, I don't mind waiting a few extra seconds in exchange for better burn quality on the stock firmware.

One thing I REALLY wish it had though is the ability to bitset +R/RW media .. :(

[othy]

Just picked up a 25 pack of the 8x optodiscs from NCIX (along with the 50 hp CD-R deal they were having)

Unfortunately they were out of the 25 4x optodiscs for 10bux, at least in the vancouver one.

[mrken]

definitely more RAM, for me 1GB is just enough to run BT and burning at the same time ;)
640KB is enough. ;)

Actually, I am running 256MB on Windows XP with a lot programs running in the background and it isn't too bad. The only time it goes weird is when I have more than more than 20 windows of whatever open, then the colours and fonts go weird.

DD, if there is a hot hot deal on *any* DVD burner, do you think it would be wise to buy it (just for the price)? I.e. there is a no-name whatever drive for $20 or $30 dual format 4X drive (I don't need DL), would it be a good deal? Which brands or specific drives should I stay away?
(When a hot deal comes along, there usually isn't much time to think and do the research. :lol: )

[The Digital Dolphin]

640KB is enough. ;)

Actually, I am running 256MB on Windows XP with a lot programs running in the background and it isn't too bad. The only time it goes weird is when I have more than more than 20 windows of whatever open, then the colours and fonts go weird.

DD, if there is a hot hot deal on *any* DVD burner, do you think it would be wise to buy it (just for the price)? I.e. there is a no-name whatever drive for $20 or $30 dual format 4X drive (I don't need DL), would it be a good deal? Which brands or specific drives should I stay away?
(When a hot deal comes along, there usually isn't much time to think and do the research. :lol: )

Never buy BTC, and never buy Artec. I think any other drive is at least usable under various circumstances.

Artec drives are so bad, most review sites tend to reject them for reviewing!! :confused:

[crimsona]

Hey DD,
I've read a lot about burning 4x Optodiscs at 8x on Pioneer and NEC drives... so....

But when put into Nero, both of us only get 4x speeds. (NEC 3500A with 2.16, Pioneer 108 with 1.10). Any idea why?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD,
I've read a lot about burning 4x Optodiscs at 8x on Pioneer and NEC drives... so....

But when put into Nero, both of us only get 4x speeds. (NEC 3500A with 2.16, Pioneer 108 with 1.10). Any idea why?

Umm... I think you may have misunderstood...

The Pioneer DVR-107 with hacked firmware (>NIL:'s Nx4all firmware) can burn 4x Optodisc's at 8x... but it'll result in a choppy disc or coaster usually. I've only ever gotten 6x to work ok with them, and still I prefer not to overclock. And this was only true with firmware's before 1.18 (I think 1.16 was the best). 1.18 really screwed up how the Pioneer burns Optodisc for some reason. I don't know how the Pioneer DVR-108 burns Optodisc because I don't have one (*YET*), but I'm sure it won't overclock Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs without a hacked firmware.

It's pretty much the same with the NEC 2500a, it needs the hacked firmware to burn Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs at 8x... and I still prefer burning at 4x or 6x generally speaking (But I don't really recommend overclocking in any case). Again, I don't know if this works on the NEC 3500 because I don't have one (*YET*). But I know it won't overclock without a hacked firmware.

[chdude3]

One thing I REALLY wish it had though is the ability to bitset +R/RW media .. :(Well, it will automatically bitset dual layer media. It would be nice to have the option for +R, but I'm not that sad without it. :)

[major]

Looks like Ritek has stopped production of their 4x DVD+Rs now... the G04 4x DVD-R will be next. :confused:

I suggest staying away from Ritek's G05 8x DVD-Rs completely... they seem to have very low compatability, and will soon be replaced by Ritek's G06 8x DVD-R, which will be much better for quality, although it might suffer the same lack of support that the G05 does :confused:

Hey DD:

Do your earlier comments about Ritek's G05 8X DVD-R's still stand? What about the Ritek R03 8X DVD+R's? I'm running a Pioneer 107. The reason I'm asking is because CTY (http://www.cty.ca/) has marked both down to $39/50 pack (definitely low enough to make me curious).

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD:

Do your earlier comments about Ritek's G05 8X DVD-R's still stand? What about the Ritek R03 8X DVD+R's? I'm running a Pioneer 107. The reason I'm asking is because CTY (http://www.cty.ca/) has marked both down to $39/50 pack (definitely low enough to make me curious).

They both vary in quality quite a bit... it's your call on them. Sometimes they burn quite well, and sometimes they don't. The Pioneer DVR-107 will be more forgiving then other drives though.

[DennyTang]

I bought a 25pack spindle of maxell dvd-r and the media code is RICOHJPN. I thought it was supposed to be taiyo yuden because the one i picked up says "made in japan". I dunno I just remember reading somewhere that taiwan is the ricoh and japan is the ty.

[dawei1031]

Dear Master DD: :razz:
Plz forgive my noobiness :lol:
1.what are the major diffrerences btw DVD+R and DVD-R?

2.how about these DVD-Rs? Should i use them for burning data and movie on my BenQ 822A drive?

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=11896&promoid=1043&quantity=1


thanks

[The Digital Dolphin]

Dear Master DD: :razz:
Plz forgive my noobiness :lol:
1.what are the major diffrerences btw DVD+R and DVD-R?

2.how about these DVD-Rs? Should i use them for burning data and movie on my BenQ 822A drive?

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=11896&promoid=1043&quantity=1


thanks

1. They are competing formats for the DVD standard. Officially DVD-R is the real standard, but DVD+R has enough fringe support that it rivals DVD-R now, and is pretty much on equal terms with it. DVD-R is a little slower generally, since it's easier to get faster DVD+R media when new speeds become available. DVD-R is a little more compatible when not using bitsetting on DVD+Rs. Both types can be good or bad quality.

2. I don't know how they perform on that drive in particular, but they burn quite well on my BenQ 1620. At $9.99 a spindle, it's not a bad risk. Sorry I can't say more then that since I don't have that drive :(

[The Digital Dolphin]

I bought a 25pack spindle of maxell dvd-r and the media code is RICOHJPN. I thought it was supposed to be taiyo yuden because the one i picked up says "made in japan". I dunno I just remember reading somewhere that taiwan is the ricoh and japan is the ty.

Maxell 4x DVD-Rs:
Made in Taiwan - Ritek
Made in Japan - Taiyo Yuden, or *real* Maxell

Maxell 4x DVD+Rs:
Made in Taiwan - Ricohjpn code, made by Ritek
Made in Japan - Maxell's own media, but more often mislabled "made in Taiwan" ricohjpn code media, made by Ritek

Hope that helps!

[Dymis]

For those that picked up the Pioneer108, where did you find it and for how much? I went to Canada Computers yesterday and they told me that they didn't have any at all and it wasn't even in their warehouses.... =/

I'm running out of space and need to move stuff ASAP :cheesygri

[Gee]

Any comments on Pengo DVD+R media?

[The Digital Dolphin]

For those that picked up the Pioneer108, where did you find it and for how much? I went to Canada Computers yesterday and they told me that they didn't have any at all and it wasn't even in their warehouses.... =/

I'm running out of space and need to move stuff ASAP :cheesygri

This is not appropriate for my thread. There are *MANY* places to discuss these sort of questions, and this is not one of them. Please do not post deal requests and pricing requests here.

Thank you

[The Digital Dolphin]

Any comments on Pengo DVD+R media?

I think one of my "friends" has some info on Pengo, I'll ask him.

[7-Endless]

Has anyone heard anything about the new LG 4160B yet? I've noticed that some of the stores (like CC) here in the GTA have it on their web site now. I have been eyeing the Pioneer 108 but I would prefer a drive that will allow me to set the booktype for -/+ RW's which left me with the 3500a. But since I like the LG drives, I'm curious to know how the new 4160B performs...

[The Digital Dolphin]

Has anyone heard anything about the new LG 4160B yet? I've noticed that some of the stores (like CC) here in the GTA have it on their web site now. I have been eyeing the Pioneer 108 but I would prefer a drive that will allow me to set the booktype for -/+ RW's which left me with the 3500a. But since I like the LG drives, I'm curious to know how the new 4160B performs...

The LG 4160B is basically the EXACT same drive as the LG 4120B but it can burn DVD+Rs at 16x. All the hardware is the same, and the firmware is pretty similar too.

If you want to get an LG drive, get either the LG 4120B, or wait until the next NEW LG drive (and by new, I mean a drive with new hardware)

[S...]

Hey Dolphin if you have any time,

Could you please give me your opinion on the following drives, one of my friends wants to buy a black DVD-RW preferably dual layer 16X I guess, and I don't want to lead him on the wrong path. Basically, price is no object for him, he shops in the U.S. as well (Circuit City, CompUSA etc.) so if you have a suggestion for a better drive than what is listed, please help yourself!

Pioneer DVR-108D:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=12457&vpn=DVR-108D&manufacture=Pioneer

Pioneer DVR-108B (same as above but black):
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=12458&vpn=DVR-108B&manufacture=Pioneer

Sony DRU-710A (comes with a black faceplate):
http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?WT.mc_n=27592&oid=99699&WT.mc_t=U

Thank you,
S.

[The Digital Dolphin]

I would take the Pioneer DVR-108 over the SONY DRU710 *ANY DAY*.

The question is really, should you get the NEC 3500, the Pioneer DVR-108, or the BenQ DW1620?

My *personal* opinion is the Pioneer DVR-108, but others would argue the NEC 3500a is better. Still, the BenQ 1620 has its' charms as well.

[S...]

I would take the Pioneer DVR-108 over the SONY DRU710 *ANY DAY*.

The question is really, should you get the NEC 3500, the Pioneer DVR-108, or the BenQ DW1620?

My *personal* opinion is the Pioneer DVR-108, but others would argue the NEC 3500a is better. Still, the BenQ 1620 has its' charms as well.

Thank you for your prompt response DD, I really appreciate it and I am sure my friend will as well, the DVD-108 it is!

S.

[7-Endless]

The LG 4160B is basically the EXACT same drive as the LG 4120B but it can burn DVD+Rs at 16x. All the hardware is the same, and the firmware is pretty similar too.

If you want to get an LG drive, get either the LG 4120B, or wait until the next NEW LG drive (and by new, I mean a drive with new hardware)

Thanks DD, I think I may wait for the next drive then if the hardware is the same. I was hoping the 4160B would at least have 4x DL capabilities...

I noticed you also mentioned the BenQ 1620...does this drive have decent burn quality?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Thanks DD, I think I may wait for the next drive then if the hardware is the same. I was hoping the 4160B would at least have 4x DL capabilities...

I noticed you also mentioned the BenQ 1620...does this drive have decent burn quality?

It Depends on the media... I'm working on learning more about it right now. It's good with Ritek, and EXCELLENT with RicohJPNR02 ;) Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs burn like a charm on it too :D

[blitz]

Hey DD.

Are the made in Japan Fuji DVD-R = TYs?

Thanks again.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD.

Are the made in Japan Fuji DVD-R = TYs?

Thanks again.

Yup!

[dealforme]

Maxell 4x DVD-Rs:
Made in Taiwan - Ritek
Made in Japan - Taiyo Yuden, or *real* Maxell

Maxell 4x DVD+Rs:
Made in Taiwan - Ricohjpn code, made by Ritek
Made in Japan - Maxell's own media, but more often mislabled "made in Taiwan" ricohjpn code media, made by Ritek

Hope that helps!

I can't remember if Ritek is a decent enough media for long term storage. I did a quick Google search last night but couldn't find a concrete answer. Your thoughts? I'm thinking of picking up the 50PK of Maxell from FS before the sale ends today.

[The Digital Dolphin]

I can't remember if Ritek is a decent enough media for long term storage. I did a quick Google search last night but couldn't find a concrete answer. Your thoughts? I'm thinking of picking up the 50PK of Maxell from FS before the sale ends today.

Well, normally I would say I wouldn't put TOO much faith in them. Ritek has quite some large variations in their quality from one disc to another.... however Maxell is VERY picky about the media they let Ritek sell them, so Maxell brand Ritek's would be your safest bet for Ritek media. Also, if the disc ever dies, Maxell will replace them ;) (of course this does NOTHING for your data....).

[Gee]

No news on this media?

Anyone tried them?

[The Digital Dolphin]

No news on this media?

Anyone tried them?

Pengo is a packaging facility who imports large quantities of cheap media from China and Taiwan, and brand them with their own equipment. They mainly focus on their packaging services, but also do blank media sales. They could be buying from anyone.

I know of Lead Data, and Ritek's Chinese plant as previous suppliers. Neither overly impressive!

[Gee]

There is a liquidator in Mississauga that has a case of this media.

The case contains 5 packs of the media with DVD Cases. There are approx 100 5 packs (500 DVD+R with DVD Cases)

He wants to sell them to me for $200

It is 8x Media

I think I will chance it.

[Deal_Myster]

Also, if the disc ever dies, Maxell will replace them (of course this does NOTHING for your data....).


Just curious how would one make a claim or request for a replacement DVD-r/+r from Maxell?

[The Digital Dolphin]

Also, if the disc ever dies, Maxell will replace them (of course this does NOTHING for your data....).


Just curious how would one make a claim or request for a replacement DVD-r/+r from Maxell?

Mentions of the warranty are on the packaging for the discs. I've never personally applied for re-imbursment, but if I were you, I'd start at www.maxellcanada.com and work my where from there.

Good luck!

[The Digital Dolphin]

Wow! no questions for a while! :eek:

....I've actually been able to get some work done lately too! :cheesygri

[shadowfighta]

Hey DD I have a question :)

I was reading through the thread for info about the NEC 3500a and the Pioneer dvr-108 and I believe you mentioned that one has bitsetting for +r (NEC I think?) while the other doesn't. What exactly is bitsetting and what does it do?

[tantalus]

Hey DD I have a question :)

I was reading through the thread for info about the NEC 3500a and the Pioneer dvr-108 and I believe you mentioned that one has bitsetting for +r (NEC I think?) while the other doesn't. What exactly is bitsetting and what does it do?

The booktype of a dvd is the code that identifies it to the dvd player. So there will be a certain code for dvd-r, another for dvd+r, or a pressed dvd-rom, etc. What bitsetting does is allows you to burn a dvd+r disc with the dvd-rom booktype code, which can help compatibility on some players.

[The Digital Dolphin]

The booktype of a dvd is the code that identifies it to the dvd player. So there will be a certain code for dvd-r, another for dvd+r, or a pressed dvd-rom, etc. What bitsetting does is allows you to burn a dvd+r disc with the dvd-rom booktype code, which can help compatibility on some players.

Excellently said!

With a DVD-ROM booktype set, even the oldest DVD players are able to theoretically play DVD+Rs... the only exceptions take place when the reflectivity or quality of the DVD+R isn't good enough for the player to be able to read. DVD-Rs don't need this feature since their compatability has been built into DVD players since they first came out. I think I've heard one claim that a person had a DVD player that would not play a DVD-R, but would play a DVD+R with bitsetting. Personally, I haven't ever seen this happen, and I doubt it happens often if it does.

[malaca]

With a DVD-ROM booktype set, even the oldest DVD players are able to theoretically play DVD+Rs... the only exceptions take place when the reflectivity or quality of the DVD+R isn't good enough for the player to be able to read. DVD-Rs don't need this feature since their compatability has been built into DVD players since they first came out. I think I've heard one claim that a person had a DVD player that would not play a DVD-R, but would play a DVD+R with bitsetting. Personally, I haven't ever seen this happen, and I doubt it happens often if it does.

Someone I know has a very old Samsung DVD-709 player. IIRC It couldn't play DVD-R's or VCD's but could play a Vermatim DataLifePlus DVD+RW of home videos created with MyDVD on an old Philips drive.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Someone I know has a very old Samsung DVD-709 player. IIRC It couldn't play DVD-R's or VCD's but could play a Vermatim DataLifePlus DVD+RW of home videos created with MyDVD on an old Philips drive.

That's pretty weird! DVD+RWs aren't exactly easy to read...

[The Digital Dolphin]

For all those with BenQ 822a's waiting to be able to burn DVD+R9 media, your waiting is FINALLY over!!!

You can download your new firmware here:
Dual Layer Firmware upgrade for BenQ DW822a (http://support.benq.com/front/BenqMain.asp?MenuHead=128&ShowType=program&FileURL=service/driverlist.asp&Dataid=12658&downloadclass=Driver&product=3731&langu=null&ops=null&GenMenu=&RootId=undefined)

Mind you, I have no idea about the quality of the burn, or what media it supports... but the firmware is official, and finally available! Enjoy :D

[freddyprinze]

Hi DD. Here is my stupid question for the day: I own a NEC (2100?) DVD+R burner, so I buy DVD+R blank media. I backup a movie on the DVD+R and I am able to play it on my DVD player (Marantz). I go to my sister's place and play the same DVD on her Sony DVD player and I cannot play it. Is this a function of the disc, the player or a combination of both? Why is it that when you rent a DVD, there are no DVD+R movies to rent and DVD-R movies to rent? As you can see, my ignorance is immense. Thanks for your continued contributions in this forum--it's appreciated.

:)

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hi DD. Here is my stupid question for the day: I own a NEC (2100?) DVD+R burner, so I buy DVD+R blank media. I backup a movie on the DVD+R and I am able to play it on my DVD player (Marantz). I go to my sister's place and play the same DVD on her Sony DVD player and I cannot play it. Is this a function of the disc, the player or a combination of both? Why is it that when you rent a DVD, there are no DVD+R movies to rent and DVD-R movies to rent? As you can see, my ignorance is immense. Thanks for your continued contributions in this forum--it's appreciated.

:)

1) Some DVD Players can burn DVD+Rs and some can't... unless the DVD Player actually STATES that it can play DVD+Rs it can be pretty hard to tell. www.videohelp.com can be of use for checking these unlisted features out sometimes though.

2) This question requires a bit of back story...

When the DVD format was created, there was one format only 'DVD'. DVD has both a pre-recorded, and a recordable type. The pre-recorded type is the kind we buy in stores with movies such as The Matrix, or Starwars on them (assuming you aren't buying them from a cheap knock off place). These are what are called "pressed discs" because the video (or sometimes data) is physically "pressed" into the disc, and cannot be altered. The recordable version of this format is what we now call DVD-R, although it used to be only called DVD R, and not DVD minus R (but it was always written DVD-R). The recordable type of DVD also has two different variations: a single write only type, and a re-recordable type. These are known as DVD-R, and DVD-RW. These three types of discs are ALL part of the format known as DVD.

Now, a little fringe group decided they didn't like the recordable and re-recordable types of the DVD format, and thought they could do it better. They became known as the DVD+RW Alliance. This group created a new format, which they had hoped would grow to completely replace the DVD-R and DVD-RW. This new format became the DVD+RW, which was a re-recordable disc. Eventually, the DVD+RW Alliance also created a one time recordable only disc, called the DVD+R. Eventually, the DVD+R and DVD+RW media types gained popularity and support from other companies, and the DVD+RW Alliance grew. Now DVD+R/RW media rivals the official standard for recordable and re-recordable media, now referred to as DVD minus R and DVD minus RW in order to distinguish them from DVD plus R and DVD plus RWs.

So you see, the reason why you don't see DVD-R and DVD+R movies in the store, is because both recordable media types are considered to be derivatives of the original pressed (or pre-recorded) format.

And in case you're wondering, the reason the industry uses pressed discs for movie releases, is because they can be manufactured MUCH cheaper and much MUCH faster then burning recordable DVD-Rs or DVD+Rs... not to mention that pressed discs are much more compatible in older players, and much MUCH higher quality (longer lasting).

whew! that was a long answer! hope I didn't confuse you even more!! ;)

[dealforme]

DD, when do you think that the industry will bring out the "Orange book" for recordable DVD media? Last rumour that I read it was suppose to be the end of this year and the same rumour had stated it was going to be the DVD+R as the defacto standard.

[The Digital Dolphin]

DD, when do you think that the industry will bring out the "Orange book" for recordable DVD media? Last rumour that I read it was suppose to be the end of this year and the same rumour had stated it was going to be the DVD+R as the defacto standard.

Hrm, not a clue on the "Orange Book" equivilant... I don't actually have any sources on the DVD Forum itself (yet ;) ).

Regarding DVD+R becoming an official standard... or *the* official standard? Not gonna happen. I'd give that odds of about 1,000 to 1 against (roughly).

[freddyprinze]

1) Some DVD Players can burn DVD+Rs and some can't... unless the DVD Player actually STATES that it can play DVD+Rs it can be pretty hard to tell. www.videohelp.com can be of use for checking these unlisted features out sometimes though.

2) This question requires a bit of back story...

When the DVD format was created, there was one format only 'DVD'. DVD has both a pre-recorded, and a recordable type. The pre-recorded type is the kind we buy in stores with movies such as The Matrix, or Starwars on them (assuming you aren't buying them from a cheap knock off place). These are what are called "pressed discs" because the video (or sometimes data) is physically "pressed" into the disc, and cannot be altered. The recordable version of this format is what we now call DVD-R, although it used to be only called DVD R, and not DVD minus R (but it was always written DVD-R). The recordable type of DVD also has two different variations: a single write only type, and a re-recordable type. These are known as DVD-R, and DVD-RW. These three types of discs are ALL part of the format known as DVD.

Now, a little fringe group decided they didn't like the recordable and re-recordable types of the DVD format, and thought they could do it better. They became known as the DVD+RW Alliance. This group created a new format, which they had hoped would grow to completely replace the DVD-R and DVD-RW. This new format became the DVD+RW, which was a re-recordable disc. Eventually, the DVD+RW Alliance also created a one time recordable only disc, called the DVD+R. Eventually, the DVD+R and DVD+RW media types gained popularity and support from other companies, and the DVD+RW Alliance grew. Now DVD+R/RW media rivals the official standard for recordable and re-recordable media, now referred to as DVD minus R and DVD minus RW in order to distinguish them from DVD plus R and DVD plus RWs.

So you see, the reason why you don't see DVD-R and DVD+R movies in the store, is because both recordable media types are considered to be derivatives of the original pressed (or pre-recorded) format.

And in case you're wondering, the reason the industry uses pressed discs for movie releases, is because they can be manufactured MUCH cheaper and much MUCH faster then burning recordable DVD-Rs or DVD+Rs... not to mention that pressed discs are much more compatible in older players, and much MUCH higher quality (longer lasting).

whew! that was a long answer! hope I didn't confuse you even more!! ;)

Thanks DD! It helped. Curiosity killed the cat so I'd better stop with the questions!

[ryosuke]

Hey DD, got a couple of questions for you.

Which disc is better quality, the BenQ disc i bought from Futureshop (4x, DVD-R, made in Taiwan) or the Optodisc i bought from NCIX when they had the 25 for $10 sale? I usually use them for ps2 backup or movies.

Someone posted in another thread that the new memorex 8x discs at FS have the RitekG05 media code. Do you know if these are good quality discs? How would you compare the quality between the Maxell TYs, the 8x Memorex RitekG05, the Optodisc and BenQ discs? Please rate them from 1-4. Thanks for your help. Greatly appreciated.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD, got a couple of questions for you.

Which disc is better quality, the BenQ disc i bought from Futureshop (4x, DVD-R, made in Taiwan) or the Optodisc i bought from NCIX when they had the 25 for $10 sale? I usually use them for ps2 backup or movies.

Someone posted in another thread that the new memorex 8x discs at FS have the RitekG05 media code. Do you know if these are good quality discs? How would you compare the quality between the Maxell TYs, the 8x Memorex RitekG05, the Optodisc and BenQ discs? Please rate them from 1-4. Thanks for your help. Greatly appreciated.

What you ask is impossible to do without knowing what drive you intend to use.... well, other then I can already tell you Taiyo Yuden is on top.

[ryosuke]

I'm using the Pioneer A05. I really want to know which is better between Optodisc, BenQ, and Memorex 8x.

[What_the?]

Hey DD,

I've got the benq 822a, contemplating the firmware upgrade to dual layer... but i don't exactly burn any dual layer media... would this help my single layer media burning at all? are you gonna have any info on it now or later? thx

[The Digital Dolphin]

I'm using the Pioneer A05. I really want to know which is better between Optodisc, BenQ, and Memorex 8x.

Optodisc should work pretty well on the A05 with the *LATEST* firmware. My gut feeling would be the Optodisc would work better then the BenQ, but it's a hard call. The Memorex 8x burned at 4x on your A05 will probably be the best overall result (other then Taiyo Yuden, which is on a completely different level of quality!). Keep in mind that Memorex is known to use Prodisc, Ritek, and CMC currently for their 8x DVDRs.

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD,

I've got the benq 822a, contemplating the firmware upgrade to dual layer... but i don't exactly burn any dual layer media... would this help my single layer media burning at all? are you gonna have any info on it now or later? thx

If you aren't going to use the dual layer burning function, then don't bother with the upgrade. All that is supposed to have changed is that one feature, but you trade off being able to write DVD-R media in the process! :(

A new firmware is being worked on right now, which should improve writing quality, as well as combine DVD-R, DVD+R and DVD+R9 recording functions. No idea when it will be out for sure though.

[Evil Techie]

hey DD
havent asked you a Q for a while

here comes one
im helping my friend to build a computer
now we are choosing a DVD burner
my recommendations to him are the Pioneer 108, NEC 3500A or the BENQ 1620

now the thing is he is an audiophile and wants to watch movies too
so need a quiet drive
so which has the quietest bearings and all that when spinning?

also i know that plextor is pretty quiet from my experience but he wont be buying something in that price range and really, plextor dvd burners are not worth the money!

[OrcKiller]

Hey The Digital Dolphin,

I use Princo 4X DVD-R [PRINCO] and Maxell 4X DVD+R [RICOHJPNW01] on my Pioneer 106D writer. When I do an error check with DVDINFO pro I get about 5-15 red quares (read errors) on every disk. :confused:

Is it normal, bad, or I should not worry about these errors?

What media do you reconmend me using with th Pioneer 106D?

Thanks

[The Digital Dolphin]

hey DD
havent asked you a Q for a while

here comes one
im helping my friend to build a computer
now we are choosing a DVD burner
my recommendations to him are the Pioneer 108, NEC 3500A or the BENQ 1620

now the thing is he is an audiophile and wants to watch movies too
so need a quiet drive
so which has the quietest bearings and all that when spinning?

also i know that plextor is pretty quiet from my experience but he wont be buying something in that price range and really, plextor dvd burners are not worth the money!

I think I remember reading that the NEC 3500a is freaky quiet because it plays DVD-Video at 1x or 2x. Other then that, the Pioneer DVR-A08XL (note the XL) is even quieter with the funky design, and has extra quiet enhancing software (that ONLY works with the XL model). The BenQ isn't bad either, but the other two are quieter I'm told (don't have the Pioneer 108/A08XL, and haven't installed my NEC 3500 yet).

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey The Digital Dolphin,

I use Princo 4X DVD-R [PRINCO] and Maxell 4X DVD+R [RICOHJPNW01] on my Pioneer 106D writer. When I do an error check with DVDINFO pro I get about 5-15 red quares (read errors) on every disk. :confused:

Is it normal, bad, or I should not worry about these errors?

What media do you reconmend me using with th Pioneer 106D?

Thanks

Do a transfer rate test with Nero CD Speed. If the graph is a striaght curve, without any dips in it, then I'd say it's a glitch when doing the scandisc. If there is a problem in the graph where the red blocks are in scan disc, I'd say you have a real problem. If this happens on EVERY burn... I'd use Nero CD Speed to create a generic Data disc, which basically waste a disc, but it will let you look at a graph of how the burner is burning the media. The graph may show you things like maybe for some reason at that point, Nero (or whatever you're using) freezes temorarily, maybe due to a memory management problem? Anyways, give it a try. Worst case scenario is your drive is malfunctioning.

[lkn4deals]

Hey DD,

What's the best media to use with my LG 4160B?

Also, is 8x the fastest media available right now?

I bought some 3 packs of the Verbatim Digital Movie DVD+R media when they were on sale at Staples a few weeks ago (<$5), and they burn pretty well, but they are only 4x...

Thanks!

[The Digital Dolphin]

Hey DD,

What's the best media to use with my LG 4160B?

Also, is 8x the fastest media available right now?

I bought some 3 packs of the Verbatim Digital Movie DVD+R media when they were on sale at Staples a few weeks ago (<$5), and they burn pretty well, but they are only 4x...

Thanks!

Taiyo Yuden is by far the best choice for quality. In another couple of days NCIX.com should have the Taiyo Yuden 8x DVD+Rs available, and those should be burnable at LEAST at 12x if not 16x on the LG. Otherwise, the Taiyo Yuden 8x DVD-Rs are also a good choice.

As for speed, yes 8