RIP Sony Optiarc : 2006 - 2013

[Ian]

Another one bites the dust...

http://www.cdrlabs.com/News/sony-pulls- ... iness.html

In an attempt to become profitable, Sony has begun to cut jobs and sell off some of its less than lucrative ventures. The company recently sold off its chemical business and scaled back its mobile phone workforce by 15%. Sony has now announced that it will be pulling out of the optical drive market. Citing fierce competition and decreasing prices as reasons for this decision, Sony plans to shut down its subsidiary, Sony Optiarc, at the end of March.

It's been awhile since we've seen anything new from Optiarc so this really shouldn't be too surprising. I'm sad to see them go though. Their non-Lite-On drives were some of the best in recent years.

[redk9258]

Damn, I was hoping to get a Blu-Ray burner for $30 before they folded.

[Ian]

Their desktop Blu-ray burners were just rebadged Lite-Ons.

[stix]

Anybody have any experience or knowledge of the Optiarc AD-7280S ?? I haven't seen any reviews or much of any comments. How does it compare to the previous model?

[Ian]

I asked the same thing about a year ago when it first showed up on the market. All I know is that its not a Lite-On rebadge and that it uses the newer MC-10131 chipset.

[stix]

Thanks Ian.
What about this one, anybody heard anything about it? :

Sony Optiarc 5280S-CB-PLUS

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118073

Secure Media Speed Stability - Ensures that media duplication speed does not exceed encoded maximum rates to provide better burning control and virtually eliminates bad burns.
Enhanced Recording Stabilization Control - Ensures all drives in a single duplication environment burn uniformly to avoid disproportionate speed fluctuations, which lead either to failed discs or less compatible completed discs.
DVD+R DL Overburn - Can extend the listed capacity from 8.5 GB up to 8.7 GB* to allow the user to capture more content on a single DVD+R DL disc.
Stable Recording Control - The drives have an extensive database of media specs and are better able to communicate and convey these details while burning the disc(s) at ultimate speed.
Stable burning throughout - Provides consistent and reliable burning of any file type for the duration of the duplication progress to ensure the recorded media has far greater reliability of playback or that the discs will successfully copy to begin with.
Enhanced Compatibility for CD+G media - Ensuring greater compatibility with Karaoke players
Enhanced Compatibility for DVD+R media-Ensuring greater compatibility with DVD Players
Supports 99 minute CD-R - Allows CD-R media to be over-burned effectively to 99 minutes

[Ian]

It's the same as the 7280S, minus DVD-RAM support.