Norcent 8x+/-r, 4x+/-rw ?

by **David** on Mon Nov 24, 2003 5:01 pm

I juist noticed that computergeeks.com has a Norcent 8x dule format dvd burner but on both formats. By the pictures it looks to be a Lite-on drive but Lite-on hasn't anounced to my knowlege a 8x 4x +/- drive yet any ideas.

Here's the images and drive specs.

Norcent 8x DVD+RW/DVD-RW & CDRW part# DWD840-N
General Features:
Beige bezel
8x CLV maximum write speed (DVD+R, DVD-R formats)
4x CLV maximum write speed (DVD+RW, DVD-RW formats)
12x CAV maximum read speed (DVD-ROM single layer)
8x CAV maximum read speed (DVD-ROM dual layer)
6x maximum read speed (DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW)
40x P-CAV maximum write speed (CD-R)
24x P-CAV maximum write speed (CD-RW)
40x CAV maximum read speed (CD-ROM)
E-IDE/ATAPI interface
2 MB buffer
140 ms Random Access Time (typical)
Horizontal installation only

Supported Read Formats:
DVD Single/Dual Layer
DVD-R
DVD+R
DVD-RW
DVD+RW
All CD-ROM/R/RW formats

Front Panel Features:
Headphone jack
Volume control dial
LED activity indicator
Eject/Load button
Emergency eject hole

Rear Panel Features:
Digital audio connector
Anaglog audio connector
Device jumpers
IDE interface
4-pin power connector
fs
Retail Package Includes:
8x Dual Format DVD+/-RW and CD-RW drive
Piece of 4x DVD+RW media
Sonic MyDVD
CyberLink PowerDVD
Analog CD-Audio cable
Mounting screws
Mounting instructions

by **dhc014** on Mon Nov 24, 2003 5:39 pm

That sure looks like a Lite-ON manufactured drive to me. Maybe the LDW-811S will end up supporting 8X DVD-R and 4x DVD-R eventually...

by **Ian** on Mon Nov 24, 2003 6:26 pm

It says Smart-X on the box too..

If I see one at Best Buy, I might have to pick one up.

by **BMR** on Mon Nov 24, 2003 6:38 pm

Where the heck did this drive come from !!!!

I scan several boards every day in regard to DVD drives and not one manufacturer has even anounced a drive that will be due soon ( within the next week or so ) that can write 8X -R and 4X -RW ???????

BMR

by **thegdog** on Mon Nov 24, 2003 7:11 pm

What's even more amusing is that none of the Norcent company web sites that I could find had any reference to it either.

by **Dartman** on Mon Nov 24, 2003 8:16 pm

Hmmm, might have to head to BB too. Wonder what chip set it uses.
There are at least 1 other geek place selling it but the one you pointed out has the best upfront price.
Now if it could do bitsetting and has better cheap media compatabilty then my Sony.....

by **BMR** on Mon Nov 24, 2003 9:13 pm

Ian wrote:It says Smart-X on the box too..

If I see one at Best Buy, I might have to pick one up.

Do you know anything about this one Ian ??

Is it possible that the place has posted the drive earlier than they should have and that they dont have stock yet ??

I can't believe for a second that a drive maker like liteon, pioneer, plextor or sony would alow a rebadged version of one of their drives with superior capabilities to be out first by a company such as Norcent ( Huh ??? )

Something funny going on here......................

BMR

by **BMR** on Mon Nov 24, 2003 9:35 pm

This site has it for $168 http://www.evertek.com/viewpart.asp?auto=9706

this one $164.88 http://www.b2bforsale.com/browse.php?SE ... &display=5

This one $179 http://www.compgeeks.com/products.asp?cat=DVD

BMR

by **Ian** on Tue Nov 25, 2003 1:00 am

It wouldn't be the first time one of Lite-On's OEM's released a drive before they did.

by **Bhairav** on Tue Nov 25, 2003 3:14 am

Damn.. that looks SO like a Lite-On!
Heh.. anyone want to bet that any number of 811-> 8X -R and 4X -RW threads will be popping up soon?

by **Dartman** on Tue Nov 25, 2003 3:23 am

Just for info BB here doesn't have any yet and the drone I asked said he's not corporate so he doesn't know if they'll get any

I said you carry them now so it's a good bet you'll have some soon. He didn'y really have a clue and didn't care either, another one mentioned they were getting their latest freight truck tuesday but who knows when and if they get any for sure.

by **BMR** on Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:38 pm

Dartman wrote:another one mentioned they were getting their latest freight truck tuesday but who knows when and if they get any for sure.

LOL !!!

I go to the new best buy that they opened in Toronto a year ago. I have been told on many occassions that they are getting their truck shipment in a couple of days. I come back a week later and they have the same inventory, less a couple of sales, that they had the last time.

Note to potential BEST BUY employees,

Learn how to say " We are getting new stock on the truck any day now ", you will be hired immediately.

BMR

by **Ian** on Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:46 pm

In defense of the Blue Shirts, they really don't know what's going to be on the truck. While a truck might be coming in on a certain day, it might be full of TV's or Britney Spears CD's.

by **Dartman** on Tue Nov 25, 2003 3:26 pm

Yeah I know they don't really know till the truck shows up and for what they're paid they don't need too. It would just be nice to let them know when a new product like that is coming, I hate having to return something because a even better deal shows up a week later. They can check by the freight/stock list what is on the truck once it's there, a helpfull employee did that for me once when I was waiting for my rainchecked 120 gig WD SE drive to show up for the 80 buck deal this summer.
Nice review of the Nu Tek by the way, Ian, too bad we don't know for sure when and if it'll get minus writing or dual layer later. I'm kinda sitting here trying to decide if the new Norcent drive is worth waiting for or getting the Nu Tek in the hopes that at least it'll get minus support shortly, of course 8x minus is tempting too and we don't know if the NTK will be 8x or not yet.

by **AndyD2k** on Tue Nov 25, 2003 4:54 pm

oops..nm

by **zebraX** on Tue Nov 25, 2003 8:04 pm

....

Well well well...the plot thickens on the wonderful mediatek chipset doesnt it?

So, I guess this all beg's a couple of questions:

i) Is this indeed the MTK chipset that is used in the 811S/411S?

ii) Is it just a matter of firmware?

iii) How soon can someone get a drive, extract the firmware and then let us pull it apart for analysis

Of course, this all assumes that the drive is indeed a Liteon OEM'er.....looks too similar not to be doesnt it?

I could really become acustomed to 8x -R writing.

From what a highly informed friend told me the other night, the 811S would NEVER be capable of this -R @ 8x writing strategy. If this is the case - what chipset is this?

by **BMR** on Wed Nov 26, 2003 12:17 am

zebraX wrote:From what a highly informed friend told me the other night, the 811S would NEVER be capable of this -R @ 8x writing strategy. If this is the case - what chipset is this?

The odd thing about your point is,

If you compare a picture of the liteon 811s to the norcent, the two drives are identical in every way down to the last ridge and case construction. Perhaps, Norcent has ordered bare 811s 's from Liteon and then reworked the guts to their own advantage, although I am guessing that this is highly unlikely.

BMR

by **thisisnuts** on Wed Nov 26, 2003 4:21 am

Hi guys, I'm new to some of these topics about rebadging etc.
Question, are all Norcents, Lite-On drives?

At Best Buy I notice a Norcent 4x DVD+RW drive selling for $100.00. Is this the Lite-On 401s.

Thanks

by **David** on Wed Nov 26, 2003 10:18 am

I'v read that the norcent 4x+r is to have a better chance of getting a lite-on look for smart burn and/or smart-x printed on the box.

by **AndyD2k** on Sun Nov 30, 2003 11:33 am

Are there no reviews of this drive yet??? Just a little hesitant to buy the drive without any actual reviews of the drive.

by **Ian** on Sun Nov 30, 2003 2:02 pm

AndyD2k wrote:Are there no reviews of this drive yet??? Just a little hesitant to buy the drive without any actual reviews of the drive.

No, it just came out. I don't think I've ever seen a review of a Norcent drive.

by **hodaddy** on Sun Nov 30, 2003 3:52 pm

Newegg has the new Lite-on. Search for LDW-811S

by **BMR** on Tue Dec 02, 2003 4:08 pm

New Idea:

The Norcent is a Liteon 811s and thus cannot write to 8X -R or 4X -RW. Since there is no media to even try this on, no one will be able to prove Norcent wrong, and when Liteon upgrades their 811s to be able to write the 8X -R and 4X -RW ( when the media is available ), suprise !! there will be a firmware upgrade for the Norcent.

Just imagining scenarios out loud.

BMR

by **carl** on Tue Dec 02, 2003 6:25 pm

The fact is the Norcent is a LDW-811. I have one. Norcent tech support say's a firmware upgrade will be released to support the 8X -R writing when the specification is approved and media is available. We shall see.

Carl

by **BMR** on Tue Dec 02, 2003 9:43 pm

carl wrote:The fact is the Norcent is a LDW-811. I have one. Norcent tech support say's a firmware upgrade will be released to support the 8X -R writing when the specification is approved and media is available. We shall see.

Carl

Wow !! I guessed on that one, but this explains a lot about why no one has released anything in the 8X -R and 4X -RW range. Doesn't this mean that effectively the Norcent is false adveritzed ???? What if the firmware update does not work ??? The box already says on it 8X -R and 4X -RW, but it cant do this now at this time. I would be a bit p d off about that fact.

BMR

Norcent 8x+/-r, 4x+/-rw ?

Norcent 8x+/-r, 4x+/-rw ?

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