Toshiba SD-M1712 or LTD-166S?

[MutoidMan]

Hello!

I'm looking to replace my old Toshiba SD-M1212 (8X/32X) with a new DVD-ROM drive. I'm leaning towards the Toshiba SD-M1712, but the reduction in buffer size (from 512K in the SD-M1612 to 192K in the SD-M1712) has me wondering if Toshiba is sacrificing performance to save manufacturing costs. Does anyone here know if the SD-M1712 is better than or at least as good as the SD-M1612?

After reading some of the posts on the DVD forum, it has become apparent that the Lite-On LTD-166S is the DVD-ROM drive of choice for many of you. I'm starting to think that maybe I should consider purchasing an LTD-166S instead of a Toshiba. Before I seriously consider a Lite-On drive, I would like to know how is the quality of their drives? My old Toshiba is a great drive; it has lasted over four years and never gives me any trouble. One would think that Toshiba's quality has only improved over time. Can Lite-On match Toshiba's quality?

Finally, has anyone tried to watch a dual-layer DVD movie on either drive? How does the drive handle the transition between layers? Is there a momentary pause, a slight glitch in the video or is it smooth sailing and hard to tell where the transition is? This last question is important to me because I watch a lot of movies on my PC using my Sigma Designs Hollywood Plus.

Thanks in advance!

[Han]

The new Toshiba SD-M1712 is better than its predecessors. Lower buffer size doesn't affect performance...

I think you'll experience a momentary pause in transition between layers, but it's such a short period of time, that shoudn't bother you.

If you intend to use a drive for watching movies most of the time, Toshiba is a definitive choice. It's super quiet, reliable and of very good quality.

[MutoidMan]

Thanks for the reply; however, I have already purchased a Lite-On LTD-166S.

After reading on the CD-RW forum that Best-Buy was selling the Lite-On LTR-52246S under the BUSlink brand for $45.00 (after rebates), I decided it was also time to replace my CR-RW (an HP 10X/8X/32 CD-RW). While at Best Buy, the BUSlink DVD-ROM drive (which was a LTD-166S in a BUSlink box) caught my eye so I just went for it. So far it has operated flawlessly and I'm very pleased with it.

Thanks anyway for the advice!