Highly Anticipated: LiteON DVD BURNER!

[dgem77]

I logged out of paypal and found a store that sold Computer stuff. I have been looking for a DVD Burner for some time now and thought I'd check it out. Some store called Monarch Computers and found:

LiteON LDW-400D : DVD + & - RW

Not the Cheapest at $330 I know, but it has potential of being really hot because it might mean that the highly anticipated Lite-On DVD burners are now being starting to be sold and it is still about $20 for the average price of the Sony +- Burner! I tried searching on the Lite-On Site for the DVD Burner, but only found CD Burners. The store's site said they had them in stock too. Very interesting.

I can't seem to find the burner on any other sites. Any one else hear of any news as to when the burners will be more widely available?

 

[sumrtym]

The DRU-510 is almost out and it supports 4x on the RW as well. I'd still go Sony, especially given this is no great price difference.

 

[xkenny013]

Just curious, how many people use DVD+R/+RW?

 

[yukichigai]

I'd be interested to see some specs on this model, just 'cause I haven't been paying attention to DVD-burners much. What's the advantages of this one?

Oh yeah, I'd probably use DVD +R/+RW if I had the ability. I've got a lot of divx anime I wouldn't mind archiving on one disc for each series. Too bad the price is still so (relatively) high.

 

[huesmann]

Veddy veddy interesting!

 

[cmv]

I can't wait for the $30-$60 DVD burners.

 

[yukichigai]

Originally posted by: cmv
I can't wait for the $30-$60 DVD burners.

I can, but only because I have to.

 

[blueribb]

Here's a place advertising it for $280.74 LDW-400D

Doesn't look to be in stock though

I also did a search at Pricewatch (LDW-400D) and found it.

 

[dgem77]

Here are the specs on the site for this burner:


4X Max DVD-R and +R Write, 2X Max DVD-RW Rewrite, 2.4X Max DVD+RW Rewrite, and 8X Max DVD-ROM Reading
24X Max CD-R Write, 10X Max CD-RW Rewrite and 32X Max CD-ROM Reading
Conforms to DVD Specifications and DVD+R/+RW 4.7GB Basic Format Specifications
Support DVD DAO, Incremental Recording, Restricted Overwrite, Sequential Write and Random Access Write
Conforms to Orange Book Part 2, 3, Volume 2: High Speed & MMC2 commands
Support CD Fixed Packet, Variable Packet, TAO, SAO, DAO, Raw Mode Burning & Over-Burn Write
Support Windows-XP requirement for DVD devices
Operational in both Horizontal and Vertical Installation
Plug & Play (with Emergency manual eject) Specifications
Speed : Media DVD-R/+R DVD-RW DVD+RW CD-R CD-RW Writing 4X 2X 2.4X 24X (Z-CLV) 10X Media DVD-ROM CD-ROM Reading 8X 32X (CAV) * Maximum performance is achieved with supported media.
Interface : E-IDE Connector
Transfer Mode : Support up to Ultra-DMA Mode2 33.3MB/sec (UDMA-33)
Access time : 250ms (typical on DVD disc), 300ms (typical on CD disc)
Buffer Size : 8 MB
Disc Formats : ALL formats of CD and DVD family, with dimension of 12cm or 8cm
Compatibility : Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP
MTBF(Life) : 100,000 Hours
Environment : (Temperture) Operating 5?? to 40?? ; Relative Humidity: 10% to 80% (non-condensing) Storage -40?? to 60?? ; Relative Humidity: 10% to 95% (non-condensing)
Front Panel: Eject Button, Status LED and Emergency Manual Eject Hole
Connectors: DC Power Connector, ATA Connector (IDE), Maseter/Slave/CSEL Selection Jumpers, Analog Audio Output Connector.
Dimension : 146.0(W) x 41.4(H) x 192 (D) mm
Weight : 1100g (typical)
Retail Box: Includes cables, manuals and drivers.

 

[yukichigai]

Sounds cool... but what are the advantages over other DVD-burners? Like I said, I haven't really been keeping up.

 

[MrCodeDude]

Who uses DVD+R and DVD+RW? Wasn't this only invented by like Pioneer or some company and is now dying down?
-- mrcodedude

 

[Ph34rful]

I will buy one once they get to < (less than) $200.

 

[kof]

Originally posted by: MrCodeDude
Who uses DVD+R and DVD+RW? Wasn't this only invented by like Pioneer or some company and is now dying down?
-- mrcodedude

There's this small company that was PC Limited that only seems to ship the +R/RW with their systems.
But they probably don't do much business.
Oh, they changed their name to Dell a few years ago

 

[BooGiMaN]

hp uses +r and +rw

 

[k000]

Originally posted by: Ph34rful
I will buy one once they get to < (less than) $200.

Dude... they are < 200.. have been at least 4 tmes in last 2 months... so you are good to go. I am waiting < 70 - 80 dollars !

 

[dgem77]

Though I don't have one yet, I have tried to learn as much about them as my meager mind can handle. ) But from what I have read, I am not 100% either -r/-rw or +r/+rw is better than the other. But if I had to choose just one format, I am still leaning towards -r/-rw because from what I have read, it seems that it is more compatible with more dvd players than the +r/+rw. But since companies like Dell seem to stock way more +r/+rw than -r/-rw and sends out their systems with the +r/+rw's, it is really hard to anticipate who will end up winning the +/- battle. That is why this Lite-On and the Sony DRU-500/DRU-500AX are so great, because no matter who wins the battle, you will end up winning the war because you can go either way.

 

[SimMike2]

it is really hard to anticipate who will end up winning the +/- battle

It is really a non-issue. Who cares as long as both blank formats are available in the future. Neither one is suddenly going to give up and disappear. This is nothing like beta vs. VHS, where the two formats were totally incompatible. Both the +/- formats are compatible with the wide base of DVD players, so in this respect both formats are equally "compatible."

I am glad I paid only $150 after rebate for a Pioneer 4X DVD-RW drive. The chances are extremely high that even if I bought the dual format Sony drive for twice the cost ($300), I would still be using DVD-R disks because it is cheaper and widely compatible. By the time I would see a benefit to spending twice as much for the Sony drive, it might be at the end of its usefull life anyway. As it stands, I spent the extra $150 and got 150 blank DVD-R and DVD cases. These burn at 2X speed and are very compatible with every DVD player I tried. So really I got the Pioneer drive and 150 blank disks for the same price as a bare Sony.

 

[balor124]

DVD +R/+RW discs cost considerably more than -R/-RW, but there seems to be more drives supporting +R/+RW. The price difference seems to be disappearing though. The cheapest you could get +RW for was $5/disc in Dec compared to $1/disc for -RW. Now the price is about $2/disc for +RW and $.86/disc for -RW.

http://www.cdrdvdrmedia.com/

If the prices keep on dropping on +RW, with all the PC makers and drives who support it I'm betting it'll win.

 

[VaG]

I am glad to hear they "are now being starting to be sold" WORD!!!

Originally posted by: MrCodeDude
Who uses DVD+R and DVD+RW? Wasn't this only invented by like Pioneer or some company and is now dying down?
-- mrcodedude

Please tell me you're kidding.

 

[rectifire]

For anyone who's interested:

Micro$oft has officially put it's support behind the DVD+R/+RW camp. It's working on developing a standard codenamed "Mount Rainier" where a DVD will be instantly writeable (the way a floppy works) with little or no formatting time and no burning software required. This is supposed to be available in the next Windows OS.
I believe the final standard will be called DVD+MR/+MRW (the M standing for Mount Rainier). Mt. Rainier will also come in a CD-R/RW version, since this is what it was orginally invented for (but then was adapted for DVD use.) Personally, I won't be sad to see the floppy go. But then again, people have been predicting the floppy's demise for some time, and yet the floppy is still around. It's just gonna feel a little weird to flash a BIOS from a DVD.

I have no doubt that both DVD+ and - will be around for a long time.....but I'd be more inclined to bet on the +R/+RW camp winning out, since the momentum seems to be on their side. (Just my humble opinion.)

None of this DVD+ or - debate may matter a year or two from now anyways, since the Mt. Rainier standard also requires compatible hardware. The DVD drive you buy today will likely not be compatible with Mt. Rainier tomorrow.

Oh well, we're used to the hardware upgrade cycle by now, aren't we?

 

[vk8]

dvd+rw is great if you plan to test a lot of stuff or reburn a lot of disks since they do 2.4x versus 1x that most all -rw disks do unless you pay the big bucks. That is what is great about dual format burners. You have the dvd-r media that is cheap for single use and the +rw media for rewriting

 

[dgem77]

If I could get one for as little as you did SimMike2, I would!

I am glad I paid only $150 after rebate for a Pioneer 4X DVD-RW drive.

But the Cendyne A05's are all out at Officemax.com and Officedepot.com and Staples has it but at $299! I missed those sales back then and looks like Officemax.com and Officedepot.com wised up so that you can only get them in stores, if at all, therefore eliminating the coupons that make buying at Officemax.com and Officedepot.com so great. Staples currently doesn't have any good online coupons making the normal price of a Cendyne/Pioneer 4x DVDR only about $30-50 cheaper than the +/- drives. Point of the thread to begin with was to say that cheaper +/- threads are on the horizon with Lite-On, hopefully soon making the price differences of just a DVD-R/RW and a +/- drive almost nil!! You were lucky to get the drive for how much you got it for, if I could still, I would too. But for those of us still looking for burners if you know of any great deals where we could:

As it stands, I spent the extra $150 and got 150 blank DVD-R and DVD cases. I got the Pioneer drive and 150 blank disks for the same price as a bare Sony.

Then please let me and the rest of us know!

 

[xkenny013]

Originally posted by: MrCodeDude
Who uses DVD+R and DVD+RW? Wasn't this only invented by like Pioneer or some company and is now dying down?
-- mrcodedude

Nope ... I have a Pioneer DVR-105 and it's only a DVD-R/-RW drive. Works great, though!!

 

[xkenny013]

Originally posted by: dgem77
If I could get one for as little as you did SimMike2, I would!

I am glad I paid only $150 after rebate for a Pioneer 4X DVD-RW drive.

But the Cendyne A05's are all out at Officemax.com and Officedepot.com and Staples has it but at $299! I missed those sales back then and looks like Officemax.com and Officedepot.com wised up so that you can only get them in stores, if at all, therefore eliminating the coupons that make buying at Officemax.com and Officedepot.com so great. Staples currently doesn't have any good online coupons making the normal price of a Cendyne/Pioneer 4x DVDR only about $30-50 cheaper than the +/- drives. Point of the thread to begin with was to say that cheaper +/- threads are on the horizon with Lite-On, hopefully soon making the price differences of just a DVD-R/RW and a +/- drive almost nil!! You were lucky to get the drive for how much you got it for, if I could still, I would too. But for those of us still looking for burners if you know of any great deals where we could:

As it stands, I spent the extra $150 and got 150 blank DVD-R and DVD cases. I got the Pioneer drive and 150 blank disks for the same price as a bare Sony.

Then please let me and the rest of us know!

Definately gotta keep your eyes open. I got my Pioneer 4X DVD-R/-RW drive from Fry's under the "Best Cost" label (back in January). It cost me $199, minus a $30 MIR (which I had to "remind" them to send me, YMMV). The OfficeMax Cendyne deals have been a bit sweeter, but my OM always seems to be out of the damned things. I decided to pay the extra few bucks instead of continue with the waiting and frustration.

I have NO regrets on not getting DVD+R/+RW compatability. DVD-R blanks are pretty cheap, and are as compatable as I need to be.

 

[BarneyFife]

I heard these were supposed to be under $200... Too late for me anyway, I already bought the Sony.