Recommended DVD writer?

[boren]

My DVD writer shows signs of retirement, so I'm looking for an alternative.

Mandatory requirements:
- Good writing quality
- Good reliability
- Perfect audio ripping
- Not region locked (RPC1 or with available RPC1 firmware)

Nice to have: Support for backing up protected discs

Thanks!

 

[jkauff]

Most DVD writers are about $20, and are all made by the same factories in China.

This one looks different:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827118075

Description says all parts are Japanese, and it supports the (expensive) M-Disc archival media, in case you need to access your data a thousand years from now. I have a different Sony Optiarc model, and I've been pleased with the quality. No longer available, unfortunately.

 

[boren]

I was not aware of M-Discs. Thanks for pointing this out. It seems like a worthwhile feature. This drive from LG also supports it and costs les than the Sony.

 

[boren]

Are there any Samsung writers that support M-Discs? The archival reliability of these discs is supposed to be an order of magnitude (or two) better than regular discs.