CDRLabs DVD Writer Poll - March

[Ian]

Vote for your favorate DVD writer. By doing so, you'll hopefully help those looking to buy a new drive.

Once again, I tried to chose original drive designs that are currently available or will be soon. I also threw in a few rebadged drives from Plextor and Sony just to make it interesting.

Feel free to leave comments and an explanation as to why you voted the way you did. Also, if there's a drive you'd like to see added to the poll, let me know.

For reference, here's the top 5 drives from February's poll:
1. BenQ DW1640
2. BenQ DW1655
3. LG GSA-4167B
4. Plextor PX-716A
5. Pioneer DVR-110/A10

[GrrRon]

Please add BenQ DW 1650 to the poll.

[Ian]

Please add BenQ DW 1650 to the poll.

I lumped it in with the DW1655 since they're essentially the same drive.

[MediumRare]

I voted for the 165P6S- not because I have one, but because it's supported by some new toys:
- Smartburn v3.1.6 supports "Hypertuning" and "Overspeed" (similar to Solidburn) for this drive
- some familiar names are back to discussing some of the innards

And new toys and old companions can't be all bad.

G

[Ian]

Yeah, I heard about Hypertuning a few months ago but couldn't say anything due to Lite-On trying to copywrite the name.

[Gen-An]

I voted for the 716A because it's a fun drive to play with and is a pretty solid burner (just don't try overspeeding 8x discs too much); I own three in fact. The 755A and 760A look good but as I haven't used either myself I couldn't in good conscience vote for them.

[hoxlund]

716a voted for

[frank1]

I voted for the new Plextor PX-760 after reading the first tests performed in Japan by YSS and www.dvr-jpn.org



I will definitly buy a PX-760A if the tests show that:

- it burns well my huge stock of TTH01 ScratchProof from TDK @4x CLV
- the new advanced AutoStrategy is working well among batches of the same MID code with little irregular quality
- the setting AS ON does not destroy supported media like TTH01, TYG01, TYG02
- there is a new a new PUH with "advanced tilt" compared to the PX-755.
I just hope hope that the mechanical parts designed to work at 18x P-CAV perform perfectly @4x CLV on 4x and 8x certified dyes.
- and If the price is around 109 € as announced by some shops

The only negative point: PxScan fron alexnoe is probably not going to work (like the PX-755A)

[AxBattler]

I noticed there wasn't much love for NEC's more recent drive (at least in the last poll). Are there any reasons why they are not getting much votes? I remember people in some forum swearing by the NEC 3500.

[GrrRon]

I voted for the BenQ DW 1650.

Finally a BenQ that write CD with excellent quality!

A true champion for DVD & CD.

[Scour]

Hello!

I voted for the LG 4167. I don´t have one, but some friends are very happy with this drive, and I saw some very good scans in many fora, looks like a big challenger for Benq-drives, but at least with no all media

[Dartman]

I voted for the 1655 becuase it does most of my normal media quick with great quality. My second favorite drive for the moment is the 110 becuase it does all DL so nicely, along with the NEC 4550/51 that is about the same with DL but not quite as nice with most normal media, they both have the same chipset anyways just different FW tuning.
The 111 is sounding like it might be even better then the 110 so we'll see in the next poll after more people have them.

[Karr]

I didn't vote any LiteON drives.
Because I knew their defect.
And I never use LiteON drives to burn my important data.


I think I am not a faithful employee.

[Dartman]

Well My second and third dvd writers were 811 drives and I'd have to agree unfortuneatly. My next one was a NEC 2500 that still works today but is shelved for faster drives, it was a briliant but slightly slow burner and also my first DL unit
I finally just gave away both units and have used BenQ, NEC, and Pioneer since, I wont do another LiteOn DVDRW unless something drastic changes.
I still love their CDRW drives and I thank you for your efforts to improve their products and give us cool tools.

[MonsterMan]

Well, you don't have my fav on the list: the BenQ 1620. Why? Fast, great write quality across a huge range of media. Of course, you can't really FIND one anymore

But my DW1655 is almost as sweet...so I'll vote for that one. Seems to do well with most discs. Mine hates Memorex 16x (RICHOJPN) media unless Solidburn is on...then it REALLY likes 'em. Yeah, this is one sweet drive.

...but then the 4167 has some killer write quality too. With the right discs. It seems to have two burn modes: insanely good, or incredibly poor. Ah well. I don't care how good it burns the crap media...

[Chappy]

I switched from a Pioneer 108 to a BenQ 1650. My reason for doing so was that the Pioneer was poor with media compatability. The BenQ 1650 on the other hand has burned everything I've tried with not one coaster. I bought the Pioneer because of all the praise I heard on IRC but that's the last one I'll buy. It's BenQ all the way now.

[hoxlund]

my 108 has been used since day one that they've been out

i don't burn with it cause my plextor is faster, and my pioneer is a better reader

[Jim]

I'm still using the 108 with Piodata firmware for bitsetting on SL media. About the only media code it doesn't recognize was the Staples Playo media codes I bought during their $4.99 sale. It still burns them, but only at 4X. Good write quality on Verbatim DL DVD+R media too.

Jim

[Gabe]

I voted for the LG 4167, a drive that shows on some media excellent results, a real challenger for the Benq-drives.

ATM i test a LG H20L, maybe next month I can vote for it, if it does a good job

[Ian]

Wow.. the DW1650/1655 is whupping some serious ass this month.

[dolphinius_rex]

Wow.. the DW1650/1655 is whupping some serious ass this month.

I guess people are making the switch from the DW1640 to the DW1655.

[Bhairav]

I didn't vote any LiteON drives.
Because I knew their defect.
And I never use LiteON drives to burn my important data.


I think I am not a faithful employee.

WOW! Which drives do you prefer then?