What Should I buy? Pioneer 106D/ Liteon 411S

[sly5]

Been reading this forum for about a week and I've found that there is a wealth of info here. So I thought I'd ask the experts....

I'm about to buy my first dvd burner and I'd like your input. I'm looking at the Pioneer 106(A06) and the Liteon 411S. Which should I go for?

Any other recommendations? I'm looking for multiformat around the price of those other 2 ($approx. $140-150)....


thanks!

[dhc014]

The wise choice right now would be the Pioneer DVR-106. The LDW-411S needs to be improved before I would recommend it over the Pioneer.

[wicked1]

I would definately say the Pioneer too. I just got one this week and it has burned EVERYTHING that I have thrown at it at full speed.None of the other dvd writers I have can say that.

[RJW]

Pioneer A06 the only competition so far that has been tested for the PLextor 708 and that one is a lot more expensive (But it has 8x DVD+R)

Just to be clear.
The Pioneer A06 writing Quality and media support is much better as for the Lite On 411s.
With the big manufacturers it is slightly below Plextor with the smaller manufacturers the Pioneer A06 seems to win. (This was befor 1.03 so Plextor might have fixed something) Still these 2 at 4x are a head from the competition.

[sly5]

Thanks for the input guys. I think I'm going to eye Newegg for the next week or so and wait for them to put the A06/106 on sale and then order.

Any thoughts on OEM vs. retail? Is the software worth the exta $15 or so?

Man, I can't wait to jump into the DVD Burner world!!!!!

[LordArthas]

I am considering of buying one of this 2 drives as well.
I think that the DVD+ will win the battle of formats.
So my question is: Does the Pioneer burn with the same quality DVD- and DVD+. Is the LiteON better when burning DVD+?
I know about LiteON's problems (compatibility with cheap media) but i don't care very much, because i won't use them (only quality media).
I like the 4x +RW speed of 411s and I believe that with a new firmware by LiteON the problems will be resolved.
Thanks for your replies and I apologise for my English

[Scour]

Hi!

I read in (german) PC-magazines that the Pioneer have very good writing quality with DVD+R/RW

[Stormshadow]

Any thoughts on OEM vs. retail? Is the software worth the exta $15 or so?

I'm curious about this too.

I'm going to pick up the drive tomorrow, and don't know if should drop $35 CND extra for the retail version.
Anyone have any experience with the included software of the A06? Is it useful?

Thanks!

[integspec]

I can't comment on Pioneer. But whatever the troubles Liteon's having, it's just a matter of time that it will patched to a satisfactory level by the manufacturer. Hence many others have recommended Pioneer and if you feel it's suitable for your needs, make the move.

Maybe you will also be interested in this thread:
http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php? t=13178&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

("First time buying DVD writer, choices?" thread in DVD Recordable section)

[LordArthas]

Thanks fo the info guys. Maybe I'll wait till LiteON makes a new firmware and then we can see the real potential fo their burner...

[RJW]

Based on all profesional analysed test results in the European magazines the Pioneer A06 burns +R media very good.

[treemana]

I've had my Pioneer A06 for about two weeks. I'm very pleased with it. I've burned each of the four DVD types of media (including about 10 DVD+Rs) with no problems.

As for the usefullness of the included software, it would depend on what you already have. If you already have a decent DVD burning program and a DVD authoring program then you may not want to spent the extra cash for the included software (Nero Express, and ULead MovieFactory).

If you don't already have programs similar to these then they're definitely worth the extra $15 or so.

So far, I've been pleasantly surprised with ULead MovieFactory. I think I like it better than the program I previously used. (Sonic MyDVD) The program included to edit videos (ULead VideoStudio) isn't half bad. But, I think I like TMPGEnc better. I've always liked Nero, so I give that a "thumbs-up". I haven't tried the included (ULead) DVD player yet.

No regrets here.

[videobruce]

Could this list include the Optorite DD 0203 ($115) in the list of possibilities??

Just what problems is LiteOn having with their burners?

I am also considering getting a burner and it looks as the 2 mentioned along with this one from Optorite which was rated good at another site would be my choices.

I see that LiteOn has 2 models: the 440D and the 411S with a 2 or 8 MC cache and different CD-R recording speeds.

[sly5]

well, i finally ordered my pioneer dvr-106bk from newegg (along with an abit nf7 motherboard) and 25-pack of ritek g03's with dvd cases. should be here this week.

i have the following "authoring" software. any other suggestions that play nice with the 106?

adobe encore
nero 6
dvd xcopy

[subbass]

I received a Liteon LDW411S early last week and burnt a whole bunch of disks on dvd-r quite fine. They played smashing in my standalone player.

However when putting any of the burnt dvd-r back in the ldw411s not one would play correctly, I then tested just about every other DVD-R i had from friends etc and only one would play properly.

A lot of places have people saying the liteon won't burn dvd-r very well, but I'm wondering if they burn it, and then test in the dive itself, when it fails they blame the write operation (quite naturally) however it is my expereance that the burn is fine, playing in a fwe different drives just fine. The drives are completely useless at reading DVD-R tho even with a new firmware.

Perhaps mines faulty, I shall be finding out later today I hope when the retailer tests one in his own PC to see if it is the general problem looking online suggests.

[RJW]

Playback in the unit was not the bigest problem.
It was more the problem with the consoles(X-box(Samsung drive), PS2) and some old dvd players that didn't work. At least that was what I have seen. The drive itself is a tollerant reader.

[dolphinius_rex]

Actually, I have to say I am very happy with the LiteON 401s (VERY similar to the 411s) reading abilities, both for DVD+R and DVD-R. It's read things that no other DVD-ROM available to me has been able to read. Only one disc really gave it trouble, but it was able to rip properly on the third try.... and that disc was MESSED UP!

[subbass]

Thanks for the comments, looks like mine may just be faulty then as its definately reading not writing thats the prob (not even reading disks it writes let alone other dvd-r)

Fingers crossed that will be the result the bloke gets too and it will just be a replacement, as the liteon is the drive i prefer short of a too expensive for me plex 708a

[RJW]

Lite On is what you prefer. Hmm haven't you seen it's competitor in this topic. The Pioneer A06 I mean. The price is between a Lite On and a PLextor and it it's I think the drive which is the bigest competitor for Plextor.

[subbass]

Very true, on DVD burning alone the pioneer would be the wise choice. I only have room for one optical drive tho, and the pioneer's slow 16x cdr write would be too large a step down after my 40x liteon cdrw which served incredibly well.

So on dvd and cdr burn, the Liteon is best for me atm I think.

[dolphinius_rex]

I promise you won't be disappointed in the LiteON's CD-R burn quality. It's the best there is currently on the market! even the fabeled Plextor Premium is shadowed in most cases! (and I say that *AS* an owner of the Plextor Premium!)