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Suggestions for replacement DVD+-RW Drive?...

post #1 of 22
3/22/07 at 5:37am
Thread Starter 
Hey Guys,

Can anyone suggest a replacement DVD+-RW Drive for my laptop?

The PHILIPS DVD+-RW SDVD8820 I have takes 15 minutes to write any 8x DVD-R. I've done some research on the web and many people have complained about this drives performance.

I have updated the firmware to the latest version with no change in performance.

I used Nero CD-DVD Speed Util and found the average burn rate is 4.83x - hardly 8x. Looking at the graph it burns half the DVD-R at 4x and the other half at 6x.

I'm looking for a decent replacement that will burn the whole DVD-R at the stated 8x.

I figure a DVD-R at 8x should take around 7 minutes (or maybe I'm wrong)

Any help appreciated,
Cinders.
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post #2 of 22
3/22/07 at 8:34am
May I be the first of probably quite a few to suggest the Pioneer slot loader, great drive...

But before you change it you had better research DVD burning a bit first, you will find that depending on the burner they may not start at their highest speed. Instead, as you describe, they start of slow and work their way up, only reaching full speed near the very end (or not at all it you don't have a full disc of data).

One thing you have to remember is that the faster burners sometimes have problems with quality so it's not always better.
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post #3 of 22
3/22/07 at 9:55am
For a tray loader I recommend the tried & true NEC 6550A. Cheap and reliable.
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post #4 of 22
3/23/07 at 12:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by K9387
May I be the first of probably quite a few to suggest the Pioneer slot loader, great drive...


This is what I use, and I have never had any issues with it. The bonus is that there's no tray to pop out and be damaged.
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post #5 of 22
3/23/07 at 12:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by K9387
May I be the first of probably quite a few to suggest the Pioneer slot loader, great drive...
I recall that there was an issue integrating one of these slot-loading drives into Dell laptops. Something about the bezel not quite fitting, leaving a gap between the drive and the laptop case. Is this still an issue? Otherwise, I might get me one of these, if only for the advantage of the slot-loader over a tray.
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post #6 of 22
3/23/07 at 6:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pirx
I recall that there was an issue integrating one of these slot-loading drives into Dell laptops. Something about the bezel not quite fitting, leaving a gap between the drive and the laptop case. Is this still an issue? Otherwise, I might get me one of these, if only for the advantage of the slot-loader over a tray.
This 'issue' is not just with Pioneer drives but all drives not made especially for this particular dell chassis, i.e. all retail drives and drives from other laptops. Dell drives for this chassis have a custom faceplate that sticks out more in every direction so when you put in any other drive it is recessed and has a small gap around the edge (not enough to loose a CD in though). If you don't like this and want a drive not supplied by Dell then your only hope is to buy a tray loader and try and swap the faceplates, sometimes the fixing is the same (more likely within same manufacturer), sometimes not...
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post #7 of 22
3/23/07 at 6:09pm
That's what I had to do with my NEC 6650A. So it says "DVD ROM" on it, instead of "Kick-ass DVD-/+RW".
Yeah... -It's a sleeper, man!
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post #8 of 22
3/23/07 at 7:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pirx
I recall that there was an issue integrating one of these slot-loading drives into Dell laptops. Something about the bezel not quite fitting, leaving a gap between the drive and the laptop case. Is this still an issue? Otherwise, I might get me one of these, if only for the advantage of the slot-loader over a tray.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 700m
Here are some pics I just took. Had the drive in the 700m then put it into the 9300 to see what it would look like.
700m w/ Pioneer Slot

9300 w/ Pioneer Slot

9300 w/ 700m on top

9300 w/ Pioneer Slot Close Up

. . .
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post #9 of 22
3/23/07 at 7:31pm
I dunno. Not as sexy as I thought it'd be.
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post #10 of 22
3/23/07 at 7:54pm
Well, it's on the side and it's recessed a bit so you don't really see it. Anyway, what's "sexy" is the action. You just slip the disc in there by feel. You don't need to even look at the slot once you get used to the action.
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post #11 of 22
3/23/07 at 7:55pm
Hmmm. Fumbling with the slot. Reminds me of high school.
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post #12 of 22
3/23/07 at 10:33pm
Just don't go in too hard at first, got the wrong gap and scratched up my dvd that way...
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post #13 of 22
3/24/07 at 5:09am
so what model is the slot loading drive? my nec 6650a doesnt write dual later very well and id like to change it.
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post #14 of 22
3/24/07 at 8:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by doughy
my nec 6650a doesnt write dual later very well and id like to change it.
What's up with that, doughy? Shouldn't it either 'be able to' or 'not be able to'?
Are you sure it's not the software? (I haven't tried yet and know little about DL.)
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post #15 of 22
3/24/07 at 10:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Psychokitty
What's up with that, doughy? Shouldn't it either 'be able to' or 'not be able to'?
Are you sure it's not the software? (I haven't tried yet and know little about DL.)
Its not the software Psychokitty, i have tried it in various installs xp/Vista and i can only get it to write on a memorex brand dual layer, it writes all my other dvd's, cd's i have thrown at it just the dual layer ive had problems with. I get an error unable to write to or something along those lines. Ive bought a pioneer 112 to use as an external drive for the time being and that writes them fine.
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post #16 of 22
3/24/07 at 10:41am
Hmmm. A finicky lil' princess writer.
Well I'll have to keep my eyes open for others with your problem (or try it myself, too) and rethink the advice I give out on it. I've been saying it's the best inexpensive writer out there for a year now. (I don't wanna piss people off with bad advice.)
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post #17 of 22
3/24/07 at 3:35pm
Sounds like the usual case of some drives liking certain dyes better than others...
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post #18 of 22
3/24/07 at 3:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by K9387
Sounds like the usual case of some drives liking certain dyes better than others...
Waddaya mean?
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post #19 of 22
3/24/07 at 5:14pm
Some drives seem to like some dyes better than others...
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post #20 of 22
3/24/07 at 8:05pm
For example. . . . I'm a believer in the superiority of the Taiyo Yuden brand. But, a Yamaha drive in one of the PCs at my office refuses to read them, even though every other drive I've ever used them on was just fine.
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