Need opinion on which DVD burner to buy

[slimeballzz]

Right now I have a few in my mind:

Plextor PX-716a
NEC 3520
Pioneer DVR-109

Just wondering which one would be the best overall to purchase? Or any drives you guys can think of that would be even better than what I've listed?

I don't want to wait for something better as something else even better will come out after that, unless something better is coming out SOON !

I plan to mainly burn movies to watch on my home dvd player or to play on my PS2.

Don't know if this would help but I'm going to be using Taiyo Yuden 8x DVD-Rs for the new burner.

[Gen-An]

My vote goes for the PX-716A. Like the 712A, it's a really nice drive to play with given its overspeeding ability and all the things you can do with PlexTools. Plus, with the release of firmware 1.04 it is a very good burner.

[21st Hermit]

Plextor PX-716a
NEC 3520
Pioneer DVR-109

I'd be happy to own any of those, beat my BTC by a mile.

[CowboySlim]

Whichever machine you choose, I suggest TY 8X DVD+Rs. They burn @ 16X in my NEC ND-3500, should be the same for the Plextor drive.

Slim

[21st Hermit]

Whichever machine you choose, I suggest TY 8X DVD+Rs. They burn @ 16X in my NEC ND-3500, should be the same for the Plextor drive.

Slim,

How do you label the TY's, don't they have a glossy finish?

[ETP]

Got my vote! Those all are fine burners. If I was rich I would get the 716, if not, go with the NEC 3520 or NU rebaged BQ. Slim is right on! TY +R 8X MIJ is your best media. FUGI +R MIJ is the same item.

Buy two and give us a report! You know you need two.

[Gen-An]

Whichever machine you choose, I suggest TY 8X DVD+Rs. They burn @ 16X in my NEC ND-3500, should be the same for the Plextor drive.

Slim,

How do you label the TY's, don't they have a glossy finish?

You can buy white inkjet printable TY discs. But even the shiny silver laquer discs you can write on with a Sharpie.

[CowboySlim]

Yeah, Sharpie or if I put them in a jewel case, a yellow semi-sticky.

Slim

[Scour]

Hello!

My vote goes for the Plextor, with FW 1.04 it seems to be a fine burner. The NEC isn´t bad, but I heard that NEC´s FW-support is not good.

If Pioneer bring a good FW, maybe then the 109 is to recommend, but this time it seems not to be real good.

[TCAS]

Go for NEC either ND-3500 or ND-3520, the best in the market for your buck

[slimeballzz]

Got my vote! Those all are fine burners. If I was rich I would get the 716, if not, go with the NEC 3520 or NU rebaged BQ. Slim is right on! TY +R 8X MIJ is your best media. FUGI +R MIJ is the same item.

Buy two and give us a report! You know you need two.

Does the 716 have any edge over the Nec 3520?

Haha I'm getting -R's!

Buy two? lol only if I was rich!

[slimeballzz]

Hello!

My vote goes for the Plextor, with FW 1.04 it seems to be a fine burner. The NEC isn´t bad, but I heard that NEC´s FW-support is not good.

If Pioneer bring a good FW, maybe then the 109 is to recommend, but this time it seems not to be real good.

So is everything about the FW now? I mean Plextor has been bringing new FW's for the 716 and the burner just got better and better..

Is waiting for new FW the best way to go now?

[slimeballzz]

Whichever machine you choose, I suggest TY 8X DVD+Rs. They burn @ 16X in my NEC ND-3500, should be the same for the Plextor drive.

Slim

But I thought the DVD-Rs are the actual DVD standard and are more compatible with standalone dvd players?

You can't burn TY 8x DVD-Rs at 16x?

[DVD_ADDICT]

You can't burn TY 8x DVD-Rs at 16x?

Nope....

[ETP]

This will answer your question! At $79 after coupon and rebate I took the plunge. Its time to get rid of my 52x Sony and now have two 3500s one 716 and one 2510 in my two towers.

85661027 take $10 OFF the purchase of $75: valid in All Stores (Limit: one digital coupon per person. Coupon cannot be replaced if lost or deleted. Only valid to customers who have received the e-mail, not compatible with Affiliate program)
1 -10 ($10.00)
10385554 Plextor 16x8x16x Double Layer Internal DVD±RW - PX-716A/SW

Click here for the $30 Mail in Rebate!!!
1 119.99 $119.99
If you have any questions about your order, please visit our Help Center.

Please print this page for your records.


Subtotal $109.99
Shipping & Handling
(Budget: 7 to 9 business days) $0.00
Tax $0.00
Total $109.99
-30 REBATE=$79

http://enews.buy.com/cgi-bin5/DM/y/ebzV ... YU0Bkex0Gq

$10 COUPON

BOY! My first Plexor! Wow! You may need to search the web for a coupon=apex?
_________________
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[ETP]

To answer your question! If you are on a tight budget, go to newegg.com and get a burner shipped for $60. NU,BQ,NEC, maybe AOPEN.
For the extra $19 I think the PLEX is worth it. But not double the price! The 3520 will meet your needs with new firmware from cdfreaks. The 3540 will be out this Spring! But you know you need one now!
Then buy the new NEC in the Spring. I have Pioneer, Necs, Optorite,Sony, and Now Plex. They all work perfect except the SONY CDRW! If you burn good media at 8X, I do not see how you could buy a bad burner.
The 3520 and 3500 are consistant 16X+R burners with TY media. The recent Plex test BY CDRLABS of the 716 was outstanding.
+R media works in everything I shove it in!

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?s ... =2073&sp=1

http://www.gotapex.com/deals/external/f ... p?id=16706

http://www.gotapex.com/coupon-codes/a.phtml

[teoleo]

pioneer 109 $89 at http://www.supertechstore.com

[slimeballzz]

To answer your question! If you are on a tight budget, go to newegg.com and get a burner shipped for $60. NU,BQ,NEC, maybe AOPEN.
For the extra $19 I think the PLEX is worth it. But not double the price! The 3520 will meet your needs with new firmware from cdfreaks. The 3540 will be out this Spring! But you know you need one now!
Then buy the new NEC in the Spring. I have Pioneer, Necs, Optorite,Sony, and Now Plex. They all work perfect except the SONY CDRW! If you burn good media at 8X, I do not see how you could buy a bad burner.
The 3520 and 3500 are consistant 16X+R burners with TY media. The recent Plex test BY CDRLABS of the 216 was outstanding.
+R media works in everything I shove it in!

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?s ... =2073&sp=1

http://www.gotapex.com/deals/external/f ... p?id=16706

http://www.gotapex.com/coupon-codes/a.phtml

Darn if I only lived in the US. I live in Canada so for me finding a drive at that price is practically impossible EVEN after a $30 MIR I still pay about $120US in local stores near me

[cfitz]

Darn if I only lived in the US. I live in Canada so for me finding a drive at that price is practically impossible EVEN after a $30 MIR I still pay about $120US in local stores near me

Try NCIX.com

cfitz

[CowboySlim]

From slimeballz:

But I thought the DVD-Rs are the actual DVD standard and are more compatible with standalone dvd players?

Forget the standard. It was just some of the OEMs jumping in first to get an initial competitive edge. Just like Sony with the Beta cartridges for their VCRs.

DVD+R has much better error checking and correction than -R.

Both my $100 Philips and $40 Cyberhome DVD players play my DVD+Rs and DVD+RWs without booktyping/bitsetting. Any current player should do the same.

Slim

[cfitz]

Both my $100 Philips and $40 Cyberhome DVD players play my DVD+Rs and DVD+RWs without booktyping/bitsetting. Any current player should do the same.

My Aspire DVD player (another of the $30-$40 cheap but full-featured players) actually won't play DVD+RW when book-type is falsely set to DVD-ROM to "increase compatibility", but will play DVD+RW just fine when the book-type is left at the DVD+RW setting to properly reflect the true nature of the media. Go figure...

cfitz

[slimeballzz]

Darn if I only lived in the US. I live in Canada so for me finding a drive at that price is practically impossible EVEN after a $30 MIR I still pay about $120US in local stores near me

Try NCIX.com

cfitz

Yeah that was a place I was referring to. It's about a 10min drive away from me. They are selling at $134 after rebate so I would have to pay $134 + 14% in taxes which would bring a final total to about $153 CDN which is equivalent to about $120 USD.

[slimeballzz]

From slimeballz:

But I thought the DVD-Rs are the actual DVD standard and are more compatible with standalone dvd players?

Forget the standard. It was just some of the OEMs jumping in first to get an initial competitive edge. Just like Sony with the Beta cartridges for their VCRs.

DVD+R has much better error checking and correction than -R.

Both my $100 Philips and $40 Cyberhome DVD players play my DVD+Rs and DVD+RWs without booktyping/bitsetting. Any current player should do the same.

Slim

Really? I think I remember reading a review of the +R vs. -R format and the article said that they each have their differences and just go for the cheaper of two (which would be -Rs).

I'm a noob when it comes to DVD burners/discs but is error checking and correction crucial for blank DVDs? I mean will the quality be substantially better than a -R?

[ETP]

If you are not a speed demon then who cares 4x-8x. But sometimes I need to be in a hurry and the 16x burns allow me to do other things with my time.
Very cheap low grade -R can work well at the correct speed. I was a -R freak but have slipped over to the dark side. (+R) :lol:

[cfitz]

Yeah that was a place I was referring to. It's about a 10min drive away from me. They are selling at $134 after rebate so I would have to pay $134 + 14% in taxes which would bring a final total to about $153 CDN which is equivalent to about $120 USD.

Oh, I see. Well, then I think the issue is more the premium you have to pay for the Plextor name rather than Canadation versus American prices. Here in America we also have to pay a lot more for Plextor (although there has been a recent price drop).

Have you considered the BenQ 1620? It tends to favor +R a bit more than -R, but it is still a very good drive and highly recommended. Check out the review your fellow countryman dolphinius_rex gave it. And NICX is selling it for $84.33 Canadian, which works out to $77.39 American after including your 14% tax. That it is pretty competitive with what the Benq goes for in American stores and almost a 40% discount off the price of the Plextor.

If your heart is really set on the Plextor, maybe you should wait a few weeks. The price drops on the Plextor in America are very recent (like within the past week), so they might still be making their way to Canada.

cfitz