Norcent 48X - $9.99

[cfitz]

Of course, their website could be out of date.

Out of date or incomplete. I don't have any experience with Norcent, but it wouldn't surprise me if they are like many companies that rebadge drives - they get the cheapest drive that matches their specs and stick it in the box. So, you have to check each individual box to be sure of what you are getting.

cfitz

[scottm]

Oh...and does it ever look cheap. It has a really gaudy front panel...and I really tried to tell if it does the Acer/Benq "fold down" exit tray, but I already opened the box...wasn't about to take out the drive fully ;)

Basically, it doesn't look anything like a Lite-On...

Hox...do you know the type of drive bundled with the Epson printer?

[AlphaReign]

Hey I was just browsing Bestbuy's site and the Buslink 52x for $79.99 is a pretty decent deal. Is it a Lite-On drive?

http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=111 ... 1&scat=514

[hoxlund]

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!!

[aviationwiz]

Hey I was just browsing Bestbuy's site and the Buslink 52x for $79.99 is a pretty decent deal. Is it a Lite-On drive?

http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=111 ... 1&scat=514

It's Lite-On.

[scottm]

Got for the $10 Cendyne 40-12-48 at Staples...or the 48-12-48 Verbatim @ $20 at OfficeMax. They are Lite-Ons.

[Wiseguy]

So where are you headed at 6:00am??

Staples, OfficeMax, BestBuy's, or Compusa?

I wanted the Norcent, but I think the CenDyne form Staple maybe the way to go.
What do u think??

[dhc014]

...hide one in a very good spot, like ...behind a ATI video card, you know something no one buys

You bastard! I am going to be at the local best buy at 6:00AM for this...

And yes, it's a Lite-ON, they offer a download of VS04 firmware in the support section.

[dhc014]

Just got back... They were sold out by the time I got through the door. I saw a bunch of people running around with like 5 of them. I really could have used one

[scottm]

Office Max had the Buslink 52x24x52 for only $50. That's definitely a Lite-On...right down to the packaging.

[BillyG]

I saw someone buy 4 of the Norcent Drives at Best Buy (i was lucky to get one) and ladies were loading up carts with 7 DVD players and 4 of the 3-piece CD Stereo systems yesterday. Kinda reminded me of the Arnold movie "The Toy"

They should have limits on how much you can buy - especally on things they have short stock on. But the stores are trying to blow this stuff out the door fast during these sales and make some $$!

[BuddhaTB]

They should have limits on how much you can buy - especally on things they have short stock on. But the stores are trying to blow this stuff out the door fast during these sales and make some $$!

I agree, it should be limit one per customer.
And the movie with Arnold was "Jingle All The Way."

[Ian]

I saw someone buy 4 of the Norcent Drives at Best Buy (i was lucky to get one) and ladies were loading up carts with 7 DVD players and 4 of the 3-piece CD Stereo systems yesterday. Kinda reminded me of the Arnold movie "The Toy"

They'll be kicking themselves later when they read the rebates and they say one per household or per address and they have 5 of each thing on 1 receipt.

[BuddhaTB]

They'll be kicking themselves later when they read the rebates and they say one per household or per address and they have 5 of each thing on 1 receipt.

Nicely Put Ian.
It pays to know the fine print before you buy multiple quanities of the same item.

[bebrewer1]

same thing happened to me at best buy, got there at 5:58AM just to see about 150 people storming the door. i saw no less than a dozen of them walking around a few minutes later with several (2-5) of the norcent drives and i couldn't even get one. it really pisses me off that they don't do a one-per-customer on those deals but i ended up getting the 48x cendyne (lite-on) at officemax for $19.99 after $30 rebate so i am ok..haha

i just wish i could see the look on those beavis' faces when they figure out they are only getting back one rebate from best buy

[alphawoolf2001]

Fry's Electronics (admittedly not as widespread a chain as BB) did have a "1 per customer" limit on their post-Thanksgiving sale items. Good thing, too, because even though I got there an hour early there were probably 150 people ahead of me to get in. I got the drive I was after - one of the last two on the shelf. There was another pallet-load higher up that an employee was handing down to an eager mob below. I'm glad I didn't have compete for one. It's a good thing BB opened an hour earlier or the crowd at Fry's would have been worse. The sprint through the store was remarkable to see - Geek Race, oh yeah!

Jack

[BillyG]

I installed the new Norcent drive in my PC to make sure it worked (so I could send off the rebate) and I was disapointed with the results.

I set Nero up it to burn a Fuji 48X rated CD-R at 48X audio, seamless link dropped the burning speed to down to 12X for the entire burn. Tried 2 other different CD brands and the highest speed it would burn was 24X with a Precision (Prodisc) 40x.

I upgraded Nero last month (5.5.9.17) and it works fine with my Lite-On 48x12x48x. I didnt install the version that came with the Norcent drive for fear of it not working when I swapped the Lite-On back.

The MP3 ripping speed isnt great with Audiograbber (proably should have used EAC or CD Speed instead, but I needed to make quick rips for my TDK Mojo), I think the top ripping speed is limited to 24X. Rips started slowly around 8X then sped up to 22-24x. The bios is the latest according to Norcent's webpage. Is there a way to upgrade this to an Benq? Looks like this drive is going to wind up someones xmas gift.

[TheWizard]

I installed the new Norcent drive in my PC to make sure it worked (so I could send off the rebate) and I was disapointed with the results.

I set Nero up it to burn a Fuji 48X rated CD-R at 48X audio, seamless link dropped the burning speed to down to 12X for the entire burn. Tried 2 other different CD brands and the highest speed it would burn was 24X with a Precision (Prodisc) 40x.

Were those tests error free, BillyG: the Fuji at 12X and the Precision at 24X?

[BillyG]

Both CD's showed no errors with Nero CD speed scandisc (surface scan using my reinstalled Lite-On).

The seamless link works but I was very disapointed with the Norcents burn speeds, epecally when the Fuji 48X burns at 32x-48x with the Lite-On.

Billy

[hoxlund]

how about that

[BillyG]

billy g, do you actually buy nero, i wouldn't worry if your copy is invalid after installing it with one burner, just get a serial key, ahh-emm, cough-cough, an evaluation version, if you catch my drift

A buddy of mine this year got a copy of Nero that came with his 24X Philips drive that was just a regular store version. And it recognized other CD-RW drives (including my Sony, Plextor and Lite-On's)! Cough-Cough...wierd!

I did buy my copies of Easy CD Creator Deluxe v.4, & 5 though.

[TheWizard]

One other question, BillyG, what is the firmware version of the Norcent drive?

[aznjosh]

the firmware shows as 7.GE

[BillyG]

Same number here - looks like everyone got the same drive

Has anyone tried updating the Bios found at http://www.norcent.net/supportDetail.asp?ID=71&CAT=OPTICAL%20DRIVES or tried using a Benq bios??

[aznjosh]

i tried but it said that "This firmware version can not be updated". i e-mailed norcent's technical support for an answer.