lots of DVD+-R/RW drives coming out?

[UALOneKPlus]

OPTORITE DD0203


Dvd +r 4x
Dvd +rw 2.4x
Dvd –r 4x
Dvd –rw 2x
Cd r 24x
Cd rw 10x
Cd (read) 40x
DVD (read) 12x
Buffer 8 MB

[Saxtus]

Benq DW400A is a DVD+R/RW writer, not DVD±R/RW.

Thanx. Fixed there too.

[Ian]

Hey Saxtus,

The IndiDVD 420N is based on the ND-1300. Not the ND-1100.

[Saxtus]

Hey Saxtus,

The IndiDVD 420N is based on the ND-1300. Not the ND-1100.

Are you sure? Because it seems to me that 420N & ND-1100 are DVD+RW only drives but ND-1300 is DVD±RW...

Prove me wrong and I will change it!

[Ian]

Ah yeah, you're right. The 440N is the dual format.

[Saxtus]

Ah yeah, you're right. The 440N is the dual format.

I don't blame you, some posts in this thread are misleading.
Thank you anyway for trying to help this project.

[motocoke]

Saxtus, nice site.

The price for the TDK 440N is $499. Did you get that off the Hardware Zone site ? That's in Singapore dollars and the equivalent US$ 290.

[Saxtus]

Saxtus, nice site.

Thank you motocoke!

The price for the TDK 440N is $499. Did you get that off the Hardware Zone site ? That's in Singapore dollars and the equivalent US$ 290.

Thanx for the info but I really don't get it. TDK 440N is in fact the TDK A040212N?
If it is, the MRP of it is USD$330.

Please help, I am kinda lost here!

P.S. I have link to both reviews. They have the same specs but different model number. Also at the official TDK site I can't find the model number... help?!

[Morpheus]

Verbatim VBTDVDL4A:

DVD + R - 4x
DVD + RW - 2.4x
DVD - R - 4x
DVD - RW - 2x

CD R - 16x
CD RW - 10x
CD (read) - 40x
DVD (read) - 12x

Buffer - 2MB

I can't find anything on Samsung or Toshiba.

After doing alot more reading - it looks like the top 2 drives are: the Sony DRU 510A and the BenQ DW400A. ( with the LG GMA 4040A and the Optorite DD0203 as maybes. )

I couldn't find anything on the DW400A on BenQ's website except for the news release - so I don't know if it is out yet. I like their +VR feature which lets you record tv programs from a tv tuner card onto disc. ( I was planning on getting a high-end digital tv tuner card like Accessdtv at the end of the year and using it to do PVR. )

The other interesting item was that BenQ stated in their news release that they are working on a 8x drive which should be out at the end of the year. I seem to remember that I read about something similar a while back that at the end of 2003 there should be 8x dual DVD drives out ( maybe Sony ). Thats's why I wanted to get a DVD-Rom drive now ( to watch DVD's ) and get a dual DVD drive at the end of the year when the 8x drives come out. The DVD-Rom drive that I wanted - ASUS DVD-E616 ( retail ) - it looks like I might not be able to get it. My second choice is the LG GDR-8161B ( retail ) - I might be able to get that one. If I can't get the DVD-Rom drive now - I probably get the Dual DVD burner now instead.

If I buy the DVD burner now ( say the Sony ) and at the end of the year if they come out with a 8x drive - would a firmware update give me the new 8x speed?

Also I noticed that in the CD-RW Central review of the DRU-510A they list the DVD-Rom speed at 12x and I have seen in the forums and in other sites the same 12x speed. However, last night I went to Sony's website and their stats for the 510A list the DVD-Rom speed as 8x ( same as 500AX ). Why the discrepancy? What is the correct figure?

[Ian]

Thanx for the info but I really don't get it. TDK 440N is in fact the TDK A040212N?
If it is, the MRP of it is USD$330.

If you look here the product name is the 440N:

http://www.tdk.com/dvdburners/indidvd4xmultispecs.html

[SonyUser]

I'll just update you with some more info as well....

The DRU-510A is 12x DVD-ROM and not 8x......

The Pioneer Dual Drive is based on the NEC ND-1300A .... just have a look at the specs, it gives it away....

The Teac drive and the Verbatim drive is also an NEC Dual Format drive.

[Ian]

The Pioneer Dual Drive is based on the NEC ND-1300A .... just have a look at the specs, it gives it away....

The Teac drive and the Verbatim drive is also an NEC Dual Format drive.

The Verbatim is based on the NEC. However, the Pioneer definitely isn't.

The TEAC.. well the jury is still out on that. We'll have to wait until they ship. If history repeats itself again, TEAC will use another Pioneer design.

[Saxtus]

{...}The DRU-510A is 12x DVD-ROM and not 8x......{...}

I think not...

[Saxtus]

The Pioneer Dual Drive is based on the NEC ND-1300A .... just have a look at the specs, it gives it away....

The Teac drive and the Verbatim drive is also an NEC Dual Format drive.

The Verbatim is based on the NEC. However, the Pioneer definitely isn't.

The TEAC.. well the jury is still out on that. We'll have to wait until they ship. If history repeats itself again, TEAC will use another Pioneer design.

Thank you! Updated.

P.S.: I am thinking to stop indicating what drive is based on what because it is a real hell...

[SonyUser]

@Ian -- Can you prove that the Pioneer is not an NEC ?


@Saxtus

As for the DRU-510A.... it's a 12x DVD-ROM reader .. I have one here and on the box it has 12X DVD, so the think not is incorrect !

[Morpheus]

Ok I went to the Sony US site: www.sony.com and their stats for the 510A has the DVD-Rom speed as 8x. After I posted my message, I went to the Sony Canada site: www.sony.ca and their stats have the speed as 12x - so the US site is incorrect. ( Ahh, Americans )

This might be OT but after surfing around, I found a new DVD-Rom drive that looks like a car stereo system - Gigabyte GO-M1600A. It has a VFD display and a built-in FM tuner. This is something I was looking for last year. It was sparked after I read a review for something and the reviewer's case had a component in a 5.25 drive bay that looked like a stereo system component. His parts list gave the manufacturer ( I think it was Toshiba or Hitachi ) and I think it was an amplifier for the sound card. I never found any information on it and the only thing that came close was from a company called Future Power/Neowave and the product NewQ Platinum 3379 ( Equalizer with FM tuner ).

I haven't decided if I'm getting a DVD-Rom drive now and the Dual DVD burner at the end of the year ( x8? ) or get the burner now.

[jsl]

@Ian -- Can you prove that the Pioneer is not an NEC ?

I think Pioneer uses NEC DSPs (could be the same as in the ND-1300A) but different PUH and Pioneer will also manufacture the drives and use its own firmware so no, it's not a rebadged ND-1300A. The TEAC will most likely be a rebadged Pioneer as Ian wrote.

[Saxtus]

Fixed! Thank you all.

But it is so pity...
This terrible mistake defaming their product.

I hope everyone to excuse me but I won't excuse Sony USA

[Ian]

@Ian -- Can you prove that the Pioneer is not an NEC ?

Can you prove to me that it is?

SonyUser, check the drives' rewriting and DAE speeds. There's a few differences right off the bat.

[SonyUser]

I say it could be an NEC drive with a few tweeks etc, so lets leave the jury out on this one too and wait and see.

[Banshee]

Since i HAVE an engineering sample of the DVR-106, and they are still working on firmware issues, etc, and the ND-1300 is out and stable, I'd say most likely it isn't an NEC rehash.

I could always open the drive and look at the chipset though........

Hmm there IS an NEC chip on the board

nd-1300's is C33206C and D63620GM

pioneer's is C33206C and another chip that ISN'T NEC, labelled

M30700FKLGP
304A200
ES1

As stated elsewhere, most likely they are using NEC DSP's, but that's all.. the chipset itself is different, as is the pickup

[burninfool]

@Banshee,
Is that a picture of you and Ron Jeremy in your signature?
You two ever work together?

[Ian]

@Banshee,
Is that a picture of you and Ron Jeremy in your signature?
You two ever work together?

Banshee is his stunt double. They look the same from the waist down.

[Banshee]

Ron Jeremy is my Stunt Cock.

No seriously it's the singer from Korn and him, the pic on the LEFT is me. the middle, well thats my ride

[Ian]

Ron Jeremy is my Stunt Cock.

lol.. I was going to say that.