Looking for very dark black DVD burner

[imported_stev]

I'm looking to make my one vanity/stupid purchase of the year for my computer. I'd like to find a DVD Burner with the following (in order of importance):

-Solid CD/DVD reading/writing capability

-Very dark black to match my Antec TX640B case.

-A standard tray design (no slots or crazy flip-down doors!)

-Reasonably quiet (or rather, not unusually loud!)

-Minimal amount or no white writing on the front (ideally, I'd like all writing to be the same color as the drive like my NEC drive).

-Blue led

-LightScribe

In short, if I could paint my NEC drive so it matches my case and doesn't look crap and put in a blue led, it would be perfect (aside from LightScribe, but that doesn't seem perfected as of yet). I might entertain the idea of modding this drive, but I would much prefer finding a drive (with at least the top three criteria met). I don't hold out much hope for me being able to do it right, especially on the painting.

By the way, there was someone on this forum that warned me before I bought my system that the DVD-drive was not going to match my case and I shrugged it off. It's amazing how much the graphite-colored drive sticks out on a dark black case. You were right and I was wrong

 

[crimson117]

My old Yamaha CDR drive is much blacker than my NEC 3520, and matches my Antec P180 case perfectly. (the NEC color isn't all that different, but the yamaha is just dead on).

Sadly I don't think yamaha makes burners anymore.

EDIT: I hate fusetalk's markup tags.

 

[imported_stev]

Any ideas? I spent some time looking and I've had no luck (doesn't help that it's almost impossible to tell what will work without comparing the color in person).

I guess with prebuilt machines often using the matching "graphite" color for their cases and most darker black enthusiast cases having driver doors, there's not much of a market for optical drive faceplates to match the dark black.

 

[imported_stev]

I'll bump this up one more time and then let it die since it's kind of a dumb question.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Buy a burner based on quality not color. That is all

 

[imported_stev]

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd
Buy a burner based on quality not color. That is all

Funny, that was at the top of my list. Performance is key, but that does not mean it cannot satisfy aesthetic requirements as well.

 

[fire400]

dude you can purchase bezels you know that.

get any burner u want, pop off the bezel if it duzn't match your color and replace it with a spray painted one with a quality finish, otherwise suck it up and try to find something that is prebuilt.

most enthusiasts get stuff out of typical user range.

my case is gold colored on some parts, so I wanted to match it well. so I just spray painted the bezel shiny gold and did a clean overcoat finish to help keep the paint on.

 

[imported_stev]

I've just seen a Cooler Master bezel that you stick on the drive with double back tape. That sounds funky.

I looked at the original bezel and it looks like the frame is held on with little tabs and could be easily popped off. I'm not sure about the front of the tray or the button, though. If those could be taken off, I guess it's very possible to paint it, but I'm not confident I would know how to do a good job at matching the color and actually painting it. Then, I wonder why I thought of messing with any of this in the first place

Anyway, shiny gold sounds pretty neat. Have any pictures of your computer?

 

[Juno]

my black nec burner doesn't match my black lian-li v1000plus.

you can buy any black burner and spray it darker.

 

[dfuze]

I've got an Antec Proview black case, which I think is the same hue black color, and the NEC (3550 I think) I bought for it matched perfectly. And it works great for me. No coasters for me!

 

[johnos]

the pioneer 111D comes in black silver and beige and is cheap yet (apparently) is a very good quality drive
check out this page and some of the links on this page for some info
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/index.cfm?a=wiki&tag=rmp_dvd

 

[Dom1105]

I would say buy a nice high quality Drive and then wip out the nice fine grit sand paper and just rough up the surface of the bezil and then aquire some nice spray paint that adhears to plastic and is the color u want and put 1 or 2 coats of it on.

this is what i planed to do then i got my green case and then i realised i couldnt find any lime green spay paint, but black should be very easy to locate.

 

[easytimes]

I know this will probably be unpopular, but I just did a build using a Cooler Master 534 black case and used a LG GSA-H10L black faced drive for DVD/CD duties... yes, it has LightScribe. I've done considerable burning of video and data DVD's in this build's short life, but everything seems to work very well, so far.

As far as the looks, the exposed black panels of the case and drive go together perfectly. Even the silver markings and labeling are exactly alike, between the two pieces. I'm not sure if Antec uses the same black as Cooler Master, but if they are even close, these pieces would make a good look for your setup.

I had no thoughts of creating a factory made look with this build. I just wanted a good solid, long lasting (tech-wise) computer for my wife to use for years to come, before needing an upgrade. When I saw the look I had accidentally created, I was inspired to get her a Logitec LX3 optical mouse, to top off the black look with silver accents.

The drive I used is available at Mwave and other online vendors for about 35 buxx. At that price, if it dies in a year or so, I'll grab another (probably faster/better) drive for a replacement. I can get a Lite-On DVD burner at Wal Mart for about the same money, and it comes with dual color bezels. One thing about that Lite-On drive, if you don't like it, and get it from Wal Mart, you can take it back without a big hassle.

For the last few years, I used a Plextor PX708, and even with all the fanfare that comes with Plextor drives, I seem to get better results and fewer refusal to read events from the LG drive. Matter of fact, there have been no read refusals from the LG drive. I never knew what was going to happen with the Plextor.
Charles

 

[Boyo]

Can't you buy a bezel for your case to hide the optical drive? I have a Lian Li and I bought their 5.25 bezel that covers my optical and completely matches my case.

Lite-On or Plextor makes good lightscribe burners BTW...

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: Boyo
Can't you buy a bezel for your case to hide the optical drive? I have a Lian Li and I bought their 5.25 bezel that covers my optical and completely matches my case.

Lite-On or Plextor makes good lightscribe burners BTW...

I have a lite on Light scribe and it came with two Bezel's one white and one Black. I have a Sonata II case and the black bezel matches very well.


Ausm

 

[dpopiz]

paint it => less sagget

 

[imported_stev]

huh?

 

[Nick5324]

I have an NEC 3520 and a LG CD-RW/DVD-ROM that both have black bezels. Compared to the NEC, the LG is darker. I don't know if this color would match your case or not, nor do I know if they make a DVD burner in the same color. Worth looking into though I guess.

 

[fire400]

Originally posted by: stev
I've just seen a Cooler Master bezel that you stick on the drive with double back tape. That sounds funky.

I looked at the original bezel and it looks like the frame is held on with little tabs and could be easily popped off. I'm not sure about the front of the tray or the button, though. If those could be taken off, I guess it's very possible to paint it, but I'm not confident I would know how to do a good job at matching the color and actually painting it. Then, I wonder why I thought of messing with any of this in the first place

Anyway, shiny gold sounds pretty neat. Have any pictures of your computer?

the case is garbage, dude. the paint has been fading where I press the eject buttons 'cuz I didn't want to use a super-overcoat on the bezels. plus it's full of Intel stickers and white super glue scars from ripping case badges off.

but... here's the sideview for the looks, not gold, but you can at least point out a picture of Britney Spears if nothing already satisfies you...?

it housed dual Athlon FX-60's and dual geforce 7800GTX cards, a system no one believe I had, which I didn't care because there was nothing to glory for, anyway, lol - swapped parts for a P4 2.8e and x850pro on intel's slick 865 line, plays Ghost Recon like vivid water.

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/fire400/DSC00490.JPG

 

[F1shF4t]

Just paint it, my older pioneer 110D i took the front panel off and spray painted it, matches my case perfectly.
My case is some cheap holy (yes its fully covered with 1mm holes through out) case i bought for 100 bucks AU.

 

[Skott]

BenQ 1655 is black. Its Lightscribe but a good unit nevertheless. Looks good in a black Chakra case.

 

[imported_stev]

Originally posted by: fire400
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/fire400/DSC00490.JPG

This link showed an "unauthorized referrer" image.

 

[Kirby64]

Simple solution. Stealth the drive: Link

Quality drive AND the same color.