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Toshiba's new lightscribe DVD burner -ok for AW Area 51 (766)?

post #1 of 17
11/29/05 at 10:17am
Thread Starter 
Hi guys,

My LiteOn SDW 431-S burner gets kind of unreliable, doesn't read CDs sometimes or stops burning early (I know many ppl have probs with it), so I need a replacement. It only lasted 1,5 years...
What do you guys think about one the latest Toshiba drives?
SD-R 6572 M slimline, 1st to include Lightscribe

I guess it should physically fit as slimline ones should have the same format, is there any one who's got some experience with that one already?
Any info much appreciated!
Cheers, Frank
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post #2 of 17
11/29/05 at 12:55pm
I'm also interested in this info since i've been thinking of replacing my dvd burner. Would appreciate any help or info, since I dont get any info from AW after my warranty ran out.
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post #3 of 17
11/30/05 at 4:28pm
Thread Starter 
Alright, seems like it's too new to have been tested in an AW laptop yet, the burner should be in the post for me anyway in the next days so I'll let you know how it goes!
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post #4 of 17
12/16/05 at 10:04am
Thread Starter 
Good news for anyone wanting to replace the drive as well, I can confirm that the Toshiba SD-R6572M physically fits!
We only changed the burner an hour ago, I've tested a DVD (a +R) that was done with 8x speed and did an audio CD at 24x, works like a charm!
Note that the new (also black) front cover doesn't match the original LiteOn one, it doesn't have the round edge and is a bit deeper in the chassis, but what the heck, still looks ok. I can post a piccie on request. In theory, you can switch front covers, but the Toshiba wouldn't take the old one.
Changing was a smooth affair, I had an IT pro to do it for me but next time I'd probably do it myself. You have to switch the outer metal frame, but that's only a matter of having the right screwdriver, and the rest was plug&play.
No time so far to test lightscribe or dual layer, hope my Nero 6 supports it, but it's cool to see a much higher DVD burning speed already.
Have you guys had other good or bad expriences with new drives? Maybe we should compile a list, I'm sure there will be a few people who'll have to get a replacement as well next time...
Cheers!
Frank
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post #5 of 17
12/16/05 at 5:01pm
I'm waiting for mine to arrive for my 7700. I'll post more info when it gets here
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post #6 of 17
12/16/05 at 6:36pm
Where can you get one of these ? I tried Googling it and I got a bunch of German and Swedish websites. Is this available in the US ?

The only thing I could find in English was a press release that said this would be available through OEM channels only. I'd really like to get my hands on one of these.
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post #7 of 17
12/16/05 at 6:48pm
Tyrell 2019: Please post a pic and also where you got the drive from.
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post #8 of 17
12/17/05 at 4:20am
Thread Starter 
Hi guys, I got mine from a German webshop, will try to find out if they ship to the US in case it isn't available there (sounds surprising), the price was very reasonable; I'm off to some work, will take the pic and post some more tomorrow!
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post #9 of 17
12/17/05 at 5:04pm
I have an external lightscribe now, but since I'm moving out of the US in a couple months, I wanted an internal one so I didn't have to deal with another external thing, more power cables, etc.

It turns out there are 2 versions of this drive, a MASTER and a SLAVE (or cable-select). I wasn't sure which to get, and the MASTER was more expensive, so I got that one.

Mine arrived today, I installed it, and too late realized that by buying the MASTER version, it won't let the other optical drive be read. Bios reads gibberish if this drive is in the slave position and another in the master, or it only reads this one if it's in the master position. Since I can't find a way to reset it myself, I'm going to return it and get the SLAVE version. If you have two optical drives, get the SLAVE version. Only one? The MASTER version should be fine.

I managed to boot it up (when it was the ONLY optical drive) and check it in nero, and nero does read it as a lightscribe dvd burner. I just can't get it to play well with either other optical drive.

I'll also have an external lightscribe for sale soon, hopefully!

EDIT --- Actually, I've just decided to order the correct one instead of dealing with returning it and waiting for the replacement. If anyone wants this (it will work in a ONE OPTICAL DRIVE system), it's in the FOR SALE section of this website. I'm throwing in a bunch of blank dvds, too.
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post #10 of 17
12/18/05 at 3:49pm
I'm putting it on ebay tomorrow (Monday), if no one wants it by then:

http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=122897
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post #11 of 17
12/19/05 at 8:43am
Thread Starter 
Alright guys, here's the promised pic as an attachment. As mentioned, you'll notice that the previous drive (shown in the foreground) had a special "curvy" front, whereas the Toshiba cover is edgy and a bit smaller this way, i.e. sits deeper in the chassis. If you are nitpicky, I recommend using a LiteOn again, as you can't change the front covers.
So far, the Toshiba writer has been working flawlessly, and another nice feature is that my "DVD Region Free" software is finally doing a full job. Previously, I could watch any region code, but couldn't burn them, now it's possible.
I bought the drive from a German webshop (www.hoh.de), but they only ship to Europe it seems. Price btw was a reasonable 100 Euros.
Ladron, where did you get your drive from??
LL
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post #12 of 17
12/23/05 at 11:05am
Thread Starter 
I have to edit the region free thing unfortunately, I could burn another region code, but it asked me afterwards to change the code back when I put in my usual R2 disc, means I can only change it 4 more times.
Does anyone know how to make a Toshiba really codefree??
Otherwise, no probs with the drive, works like a charm.
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post #13 of 17
12/29/05 at 10:45pm
Tyrell-

There's a software program, can't remember the name now, but it will allow you to make a "virtual" region change, so it doesn't mess with the 5 time limit on the drive's firmware. If I remember it, I'll PM it to you.

Everyone else-
I got my lightscribe drive from ultradrives.com. Again, if you have 2 optical drives, get the "Slave/Cable-select" one.

http://www.ultradrives.com/product_i...roducts_id/893

the price has even dropped since I got it! It's a very cheap (IMHO) $119 +shipping now.
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post #14 of 17
1/4/06 at 11:50am
Thread Starter 
Cheers Ladron, if you could find that program, I'd be very grateful!
More news on the drive, burned my first dual layer disc yesterday, no probs, make sure though you buy a DVD9+R and not a DVD9-R. Takes a while though on 2.4 speed.
I wouldn't recommend too much multitasking when burning a (single layer) DVD-R on 8x speed, I wasted some blanks while surfing the net at the same time and an error occured, but maybe it's just my rig.
I downloaded the lightscribe patch from Nero, I have no idea though how how to enable it. I would suppose you can burn any picture with a seperate program? Or is Nero able to do it?
Thanks, Frank
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post #15 of 17
1/4/06 at 1:25pm
If you've downlaoded and run that lightscribe patch from Nero, and if your version of nero is new enough (6.6.something - check the nero website), when you start nero express and select that drive, a new option to "Print Lightscribe LabeL" will appear. Follow the instructions. Select "Freestyle" to make the whole disk a picture.

The program is called DVD Region Free:

http://www.dvdidle.com/dvd-region-free.htm

can't speak for how well it really works, never used it myself.
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post #16 of 17
1/4/06 at 6:43pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks Ladron! It was indeed the Nero version, I had 6.6.0.3 but 6.6.0.18 is required and it all works now. Pretty nice feature, the printed disc looks cool, I'm glad I got that drive.
Will also check out the DVD region-free software that you found! Cheers man!
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post #17 of 17
11/17/07 at 3:28pm
how do i know if i have 1 or 2 optical drives?
would it fit my alienware area 51 5750 ?
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