UPDATED WITH BLACK FACE PLATE AND LOWER PRICE HOT!!!Optorite0203 Dual DVD+/- drive

[longshotz]

I got the black model for $197 total about a month ago--man, those prices are dropping fast... This optorite drive is indeed made by Sanyo. My 4 yr-old oem sanyo 12x cd burner is still burning away (of course I yanked it out and replaced it with this optorite). Sanyo was the first inovator of burn-proof technology and I don't see why hd-burn will not take a similar path in acceptance. Anyway, this is a great drive so far. I've made about 20 or so dvd backups with Fuji 4X dvd-r media. Can't seem to get my samsung 348b cdrw/dvd combo to read 4x media however...but my standalone Toshiba sd5700 dvd player plays it fine. I've burned a few tdk 48X cds using Nero HDBURN and it works great. DVDXcopy seems to like my optorite just fine. The newer DVDxcopy xpress version (3.0) now works with the optorite burner as well. Anyone know what the new firmware upgrade (2.11) does?

 

[Tot]

Originally posted by: wpenhall

Originally posted by: Tot
UPdate: They have the black ones for 170 now after coupon. So more power to the people who likes black faceplates.

At Live Warehouse? Still says $187 when I open the page...

Have to use a coupon. Check out the code opto17. I believe it lowers the price alittle. Otherwise, use the pricewatch to find the code to use.

 

[wpenhall]

Originally posted by: Tot

Originally posted by: wpenhall

Originally posted by: Tot
UPdate: They have the black ones for 170 now after coupon. So more power to the people who likes black faceplates.

At Live Warehouse? Still says $187 when I open the page...

Have to use a coupon. Check out the code opto17. I believe it lowers the price alittle. Otherwise, use the pricewatch to find the code to use.

Thanks - I hate to sound like a total newb, but how do you use pricewatch to find the code? I went to pricewatch.com and couldn't find DVD recorders.

Also - do you know exactly how much opto 17 takes off? Is it $17?

Thanks!

 

[Flair]

Instead of DVDXCopy you can always use DVDShrink/Nero combo. Works like a champ for me, and it gives you more flexibility on what to keep and what to delete.

 

[Tot]

It takes of 4 dollars. So from 163.90, price shown in pcsupplysource.com, you take off 4 dollars.

Price then becomes 159.90. Hope that is not confusing anymore.

And the code to use is PC030809 = taken off pricewatch

And, when you search, try dd0203 instead.


And for the black face plate, its 187 at livewarehouse.com. Apply opto17 promo code to take 17 bucks off. And hence you get 170.

 

[dowxp]

did anyone upgrade to 2.11 ? that flash wacked up my explorer.exe ; its very unstable. im not sure how..

 

[MysticMan1]

Originally posted by: wpenhall

Originally posted by: Tot

Originally posted by: wpenhall

Originally posted by: Tot
UPdate: They have the black ones for 170 now after coupon. So more power to the people who likes black faceplates.

At Live Warehouse? Still says $187 when I open the page...

Have to use a coupon. Check out the code opto17. I believe it lowers the price alittle. Otherwise, use the pricewatch to find the code to use.

Thanks - I hate to sound like a total newb, but how do you use pricewatch to find the code? I went to pricewatch.com and couldn't find DVD recorders.

Also - do you know exactly how much opto 17 takes off? Is it $17?

Thanks!

You can also get it black faceplates version at Newegg.com for $159.99 shipped, no coupon needed and the nonblack is selling for $154.99

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=&submit=Go&description=optorite

 

[avhokie]

Originally posted by: MysticMan1
You can also get it black faceplates version at Newegg.com for $159.99 shipped, no coupon needed and the nonblack is selling for $154.99

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=&submit=Go&description=optorite

I see $164.99 and $169.99

 

[wpenhall]

Originally posted by: avhokie

Originally posted by: MysticMan1
You can also get it black faceplates version at Newegg.com for $159.99 shipped, no coupon needed and the nonblack is selling for $154.99

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=&submit=Go&description=optorite

I see $164.99 and $169.99

That's what I get also. Did anyone read the Newegg reviews? A little scary, but lots of people here seem to vouch for this drive...

 

[Wildog]

The only bad review I saw was under the black faceplate one. I've got this drive and it's been a champ so far.

 

[b3b0p]

Can anyone confirm that this drive has 8MB Buffer like the specs say or not?

I read the review on CDRInfo and they said Nero only reported 4MB Buffer. Then I remember reading somewhere that the new firmware fixed that. Can anyone confirm it truly has 8MB or not?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Tot]

Does has 8 mb. Just that the firmware doesnt use the 8mb yet. Its 4mb the last I heard. And it seems that they"optorite" is going to eventually update the firmware to make use of the 8mb.



And updated link to newegg. 170 for black one and 165 for white one. Both seems to be combinable with a newegg baseball cap and has 10 discount. So for 170, you get cap and drive. And 165 you get cap and drive(white)


Just to confirm with previous poster, I see 169.99 and 164.99 at neweggs' site too.

 

[b3b0p]

Originally posted by: Tot
Does has 8 mb. Just that the firmware doesnt use the 8mb yet. Its 4mb the last I heard. And it seems that they"optorite" is going to eventually update the firmware to make use of the 8mb.

Wow! If this drive is exactly as the specs say, like the 8MB Buffer, then this is a killer deal at PC Supply Source or NewEgg. I might just get one.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Tot]

I updated original post with link to firmware update. Website doesnt say what the firmware fixes. So please report if you discover what is fixed. Thanks.



Software update BHA site

firmware update for dd0203 with XP/2000

 

[conehead433]

Quote

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by: Tot
Does has 8 mb. Just that the firmware doesnt use the 8mb yet. Its 4mb the last I heard. And it seems that they"optorite" is going to eventually update the firmware to make use of the 8mb.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actually the 209 firmware supposedly fixed the cache. Not sure what the 211 firmware is supposed to do.

 

[MysticMan1]

Originally posted by: avhokie

Originally posted by: MysticMan1
You can also get it black faceplates version at Newegg.com for $159.99 shipped, no coupon needed and the nonblack is selling for $154.99

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=&submit=Go&description=optorite

I see $164.99 and $169.99

Ooops! my mistake.

 

[MysticMan1]

Originally posted by: b3b0p
Can anyone confirm that this drive has 8MB Buffer like the specs say or not?

I read the review on CDRInfo and they said Nero only reported 4MB Buffer. Then I remember reading somewhere that the new firmware fixed that. Can anyone confirm it truly has 8MB or not?

Thanks,
Chris

What it says in that CDRinfo.com review is Optorite released a new firmware v2.09. According to the company, the newer version solves the faulty buffer indication of the buffer size through Nero (4MB), when there is actually 8MB on the drive., so the problem is with NERO incorrectly reporting the buffer as 4MB not with the Optorite drive.

 

[b3b0p]

Check the 7/21 review at NewEgg on the Optorite

...in the Nero drive properties it states it only has 4MB buffer after the firmware flash it states 8MB.

Can anyone else confirm this?

Chris

 

[Tot]

b3bop,

Dont worry about the 4mb or 8 mb buffer. The drives works well even with 4mb. If you search the forum, you would see a previous thread started by conehead... and in that thread this issue has been beaten so badly that its basically treated as a non issue. And as the CDRlab review showed, eventhough the drive is recognised to have 4mb of buffer in nero, the drive still perform its function. No coaster due to buffer underrun. Hence the point in question is pretty non-issue. If and when the firmware enables the extra4mb,(which I think has already been confirmed by the review at newegg and conehead433 himself. I would say that if you think the price is right, go for it buddy.



If you have not read the other thread I suggest you do, maybe then you be able to find lots of other confirmation.

 

[austin316]

Originally posted by: sync
The drive is rated at 12X for reading. I tried ripping a disc and got 1X. Has anyone else tried ripping with this drive?

I know it goes faster than 1x reads, but its definetely not that great as a ripper/reader. Using DVD decrypter to rip a movie, the optorite took about 23 minutes, whereas my 16x Lite-on only took about 15 minutes. Hope this info helps. As for the drive itself, it rocks. Dual format, DVDs in about 10-12 minutes, zero coasters.

 

[sync]

Originally posted by: b3b0p
Check the 7/21 review at NewEgg on the Optorite

...in the Nero drive properties it states it only has 4MB buffer after the firmware flash it states 8MB.

Can anyone else confirm this?

Chris

I have the latest firmware and Nero shows 8 MB.

 

[MysticMan1]

Originally posted by: b3b0p
Check the 7/21 review at NewEgg on the Optorite

...in the Nero drive properties it states it only has 4MB buffer after the firmware flash it states 8MB.

Can anyone else confirm this?

Chris

Dude, what do you want? Do you want someone to swear on a Bible that the drive has a 8MB buffer?

If you're that worried about 4MBs of buffer then you shouldn't buy this drive.

 

[longshotz]

Originally posted by: sync

Originally posted by: b3b0p
Check the 7/21 review at NewEgg on the Optorite

...in the Nero drive properties it states it only has 4MB buffer after the firmware flash it states 8MB.

Can anyone else confirm this?

Chris

I have the latest firmware and Nero shows 8 MB.

Updated to 2.11 yesterday from 2.09. I haven't noticed anything obvious. I have the black model and Nero info tools reports it as 8MB buffer so that should put your concerns to rest...

 

[glim]

i purchased this burner from newegg and it works fine with the b's recorder software it came with, but nero 6.0.0.9 gives me a "drive in use by another process" whenever i try to burn with it

i flashed the bios to 2.11 and it supposedly worked fine, but when i opened the dvflash program it said "open i/o driver error" then continued

anyone know what the deal could be?

 

[glim]

found an old 5.5.10.42 nero on kazaa and it now works fine.....dont know whats up with the 6.0.0.9 but i dont think i'll ever switch