Samsung SM-348B Problems

[maxus]

Hi guys,

Just wondered how come with both of my SM-348Bs Nero Info says 2Mb buffer and not 8Mb as Ian indicated/showed in the review?

Samsung SM-348BE, Dec 2002, Firmware T501
Samsung SM-348BEA, Dec 2002, Firmware T503

Anyone noticed the same? Also quality problems with the tray mechanism. Another interesting thing is that the drive has no Samsung (SEC) components inside. MediaTech chips and EMS/Elpida RAM.

- Max

[TheWizard]

That's because Samsung has not developed a chipset, to my knowledge, for CD burners, therefore they use MediaTek's chipset. Furthermore, don't be surprised if you see other brand name chips in Samsung hardware (or any other hardware, for that matter). Either Samsung lacks the capability (in the MediaTek example) or it's cheaper to use third-party devices.

Case in point, I have an ISDN BRI module card made by 3COM. The only place that I see the 3COM logo is on the bottom side of the card in the upper corner, and the logo is tiny. The top of the board is smattered with Texas Instruments and Lucent chips.

[TheOverClocker]

Hi guys,

Just wondered how come with both of my SM-348Bs Nero Info says 2Mb buffer and not 8Mb as Ian indicated/showed in the review?

Samsung SM-348BE, Dec 2002, Firmware T501
Samsung SM-348BEA, Dec 2002, Firmware T503

Anyone noticed the same? Also quality problems with the tray mechanism. Another interesting thing is that the drive has no Samsung (SEC) components inside. MediaTech chips and EMS/Elpida RAM.

- Max

I had the same problems and I RMA'ed the joint. THey are supposed to send me the right one as we speak. THere is no way to tell the difference between the two until you get it and use Nero Info tool to verify

[BuddhaTB]

Just wondered how come with both of my SM-348Bs Nero Info says 2Mb buffer and not 8Mb as Ian indicated/showed in the review?

Samsung produced the SM-348B with a 2MB or 8MB buffer. The older models had the 8MB buffer while the newer made ones have the 2MB buffer. With the current buffer underrun technology, a 2MB buffer is more than enough for today's applications and computer systems.

[Ian]

No, I think the 8MB versions are being sold by Samsung in their retail kits. The 2MB versions are for the OEM market. I just got CenDyne's new combo drive. It's a SM-348B with a 2MB buffer.

[Nogib]

Actually I'm really confused now. Newegg lists their OEM SM-348B's as having an 8MB buffer and not 2MB. I fired them off an email to confirm this.

On a small side note, does anyone know if the SM-348B supports being mounted vertically (i.e. does it have proper tray tabs to do this)???

[TheOverClocker]

I bought mine from newegg also and had the same problem. I called and Rma'ed the drive. Hopefully they will correct the error. I did notice a slight difference between the two order odel numbers. The one they orignally sent me was listed as the SW-348b and the one they are sending now is listed as the SM-348B Maybe someone in the warehouse doesnt know the difference and screwed up. Either way if they send me the worng drive again I will take the 2 meg buffer adn continue on but I doubt they would make that mistake again as the tecxh re-assured me by checking a few resources that they would pull the right drive this time

[maxus]

Well, what I gathered is that Samsung SM-348B has no Samsung components inside. Tray quality should be better: the tray squeaks when being retracted. Perhaps flawed gear mechanism. However, the drive works in the vertical position, the tray has necessary notches to hold the disk. Actually, the tray's finish is quite good, the drive is relatively quiet at 48X.

There is a confusion about the advertised 8Mb buffer. Both of my OEM units made in December 2002 in Philippines have a 2Mb buffer. Presumably, the 8Mb buffer is reserved for Samsung-branded retail kits. Someone has suggested that Samsung changed the specification (without notice).

I think CDRLabs should update their SM-348B review with this information. At least 1 person (yours truly) was mislead by the 8Mb claim, which may be true, but not for everybody.

I ordered my 2nd unit from NEWEGG.COM and would like to know what they will reply. I would still like to swap for 8Mb. Perhaps, the MediaTek 2Mb-buffer implementation is fine, but I was lead into thinking that the SM-348B is a somewhat special product.

Cheers,
- Max

[Kennyshin]

I think I mentioned the 2MB and 8MB buffer size difference somewhere before. I can't remember the details but Ian's probably right.

Samsung makes DRAM chips more than any other company in the world. However, the company concentrates on DDR-SDRAM and RDRAM. The chips used in optical drives are very small in capacity.

Samsung has produced their own hard drives for about ten years. Many of Samsung computers had drives by Quantum and others.

[TheOverClocker]

Well, what I gathered is that Samsung SM-348B has no Samsung components inside. Tray quality should be better: the tray squeaks when being retracted. Perhaps flawed gear mechanism. However, the drive works in the vertical position, the tray has necessary notches to hold the disk. Actually, the tray's finish is quite good, the drive is relatively quiet at 48X.

There is a confusion about the advertised 8Mb buffer. Both of my OEM units made in December 2002 in Philippines have a 2Mb buffer. Presumably, the 8Mb buffer is reserved for Samsung-branded retail kits. Someone has suggested that Samsung changed the specification (without notice).

I think CDRLabs should update their SM-348B review with this information. At least 1 person (yours truly) was mislead by the 8Mb claim, which may be true, but not for everybody.

I ordered my 2nd unit from NEWEGG.COM and would like to know what they will reply. I would still like to swap for 8Mb. Perhaps, the MediaTek 2Mb-buffer implementation is fine, but I was lead into thinking that the SM-348B is a somewhat special product.

Cheers,
- Max

I had the same mixup with newegg.com and my new drive should arrive tomorow. I will post back to let everyone know if i got the right drive or not. Hopefully they corrected the mistake and sent me the right drive. I did notice that the 2 meg one was labeled SW-348b and the one that they are supposed to send me is labeled SM-348B. So far that is the only difference that i see in both drives that were ordered from newegg.com

[Nogib]

Looks like newegg updated their description of the SM-348B to only state that it has a 2MB buffer. But the black faceplate version of the SM-348B still says 8MB. Did you get your replacement drive yet?

[TheOverClocker]

Yeah I did and that is prolly the reason they changed it. They sent me the @meg version again, I just told them that i would keep the drive rather than RMA ing it again.

[cfitz]

Yeah I did and that is prolly the reason they changed it. They sent me the @meg version again, I just told them that i would keep the drive rather than RMA ing it again.

Too bad in the sense that the drive your paid for, and the drive they advertised, was the 8 MByte version. Not too bad in the sense that the 2 MByte version will still serve you well. Did newegg pay for the return shipping of the RMA'ed drive since it was their fault in sending the wrong item? They really ought to, and might even be legally obligated to since the advertisement specified the 8 MByte version.

cfitz

[TheOverClocker]

Yeah I did and that is prolly the reason they changed it. They sent me the @meg version again, I just told them that i would keep the drive rather than RMA ing it again.

Too bad in the sense that the drive your paid for, and the drive they advertised, was the 8 MByte version. Not too bad in the sense that the 2 MByte version will still serve you well. Did newegg pay for the return shipping of the RMA'ed drive since it was their fault in sending the wrong item? They really ought to, and might even be legally obligated to since the advertisement specified the 8 MByte version.

cfitz

Yeah they paid for shippin of the drive and also gave me a 15.00 credit for my troubles

[cfitz]

Super. You can't beat that. I guess hoxlund is right - newegg rules!

cfitz

[maxus]

Well, my last update on the thread. I called NEWEGG and they promised to credit $15 for the trouble. I decided to keep the drive with the 2Mb buffer. It turned out about $75 for a 48x24x48x16 combo drive. So far it's been working fine with T503 firmware, except a weird noise when the tray is being retracted.

I heard that some SM-348Bs lock down forever when you flash them via the Windows flash utility. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks to everyone for the input.

- Max

[TheOverClocker]

Dont flash to firmware t504 it locked my audio cd's in the drive and i had to go to my computer to eject the cd. Other than that my drive is fine and is up and running

[Kennyshin]

You can post your questions directly here as well.

http://www.samsungodd.com/kor/LiveUpdat ... FW_QNA_KOR



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After clicking the "Register" button



Register button = Write = Post

From the second screen:

first line: Poster Name
second line: Email
third line: title
fourth line: contents
fifth line: attached files (up to 5)
sixt line: password

I am not sure whether the Samsung people in Seoul will reply to your questions written in English, but they will try to read and answer. I will try to translate whatever posted on the board (English to Korean and Korean to English) if I have time but no promise.

[Kennyshin]

http://www.samsungodd.com/kor/LiveUpdat ... FW_QNA_KOR

Samsung removed the whole board a few days ago.

http://www.samsungodd.com/kor/LiveUpdat ... rmware.asp

The why: http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic. ... 1&start=25

[cfitz]

Samsung removed the whole board a few days ago.
<snip>
The why: http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic. ... 1&start=25

Seriously? That's a nice way to address the issue. I guess corporate behavior is the same all over the world - terrible.

cfitz

[Kennyshin]

Samsung removed the whole board a few days ago.
<snip>
The why: http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic. ... 1&start=25

Seriously? That's a nice way to address the issue. I guess corporate behavior is the same all over the world - terrible.

cfitz

Yeah. And I was helping them by doing their works...

[jimbo]

Hello Everybody,
I am in the process of putting together a new system and I am very interested in this new Samsung SM348. I found out the hard way that the only way to get the black version is OEM and that is only 2mb buffer.
Does anybody know if there is a Black Retail, 8mb version avalible anywhere?
Also, is this writer holding up well (great reviews)? Or would I be better off with a LITE ON and a separate DVD player?
Need a drive or drives that are bullit proof and will back my games, along with being fairly quiet.

Thanks all,

JIM

[TheOverClocker]

Works fine for me I cant complain and havent made a coaster yet

[hijacker]

Totaly sucks for me. Here is the text I posted on this forum:

I've recently bought a Samsung SM-348B drive since I read all good reviews...

Well. All I had with him was problems... First thing I noticed was that the bastard only has 2MB of buffer when on the Samsung page it states that it has 8MB. I said OK. As long as it works...

But... The bastard doesn't work as it should. The problem with it that it doesn't burn as it should.

Here is the situation. I use latest Nero version under Windows XP. It starts to burn fine at around 20x speed. The it writes till like 60% but then something happens. The speed falls down to 24x or 32x and until the writing is finished it writes at this speed. So basicly this means that one full 80 minut CD is written in around 3 minutes and 40 seconds. This sucks!

I use latest T505 firmware and I also use my patched region free firmware (http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?t=11231). No good. I've tried T504 and even older firmware. Same happens to each and every one of them...

Anyone has any idea what could the problem be?

Any idea?

[Toink]

Hello Everybody,
I am in the process of putting together a new system and I am very interested in this new Samsung SM348. I found out the hard way that the only way to get the black version is OEM and that is only 2mb buffer.
Does anybody know if there is a Black Retail, 8mb version avalible anywhere?
Also, is this writer holding up well (great reviews)? Or would I be better off with a LITE ON and a separate DVD player?
Need a drive or drives that are bullit proof and will back my games, along with being fairly quiet.

Thanks all,

JIM

I got a black (faceplate) with 8MB Buffer retail here in the Philippines exactly a week now:) And I think I got the latest one Manufactured January 2003 with T504 Firmware... Just a bit curious coz my model number says SM-348BRNS

I have yet to test it on a 48X CD-R, though. I currently have a 32X CD-R IMATION did ok.....

Toink!