What DVD Burners do you recommend?

[Doug Gabriel]

I'm looking into getting one, any suggestions?

[possessed]

I recommend Plextor and Lite-On. Get a Plextor with Plex-tools packaged with it and you will have tons of control over the drive but at a price. Get a Lite-On if you need a reliable burner that is inexpensive. I've used Plextor exclusively since I bought an Iomega drive in 2000. The only problems I've had were related to age and over usage. Don't expect them to last forever.

Go to www.newegg.com and read reviews and order from them. Best site on the net for computer parts IMO. I've thrown lots of $ at them and always had great packaging and fast shipping.

Good luck!

EDIT:
Welcome to the Den. Great shows and tons of help here. :wave:

[direwolf-pgh]

had no issues with the sony 16x dvd drive

[Tubular]

I have used Pioneer and Lite-On and never burned a coaster with either. Make sure you get a Dual Layer DVD burner. This way you will be able to burn both the vast majority of shows that are single layer and the low # that are dual layer. Verbatim makes the best blank DVD's from what I've read (both single and dual layer).

[possessed]

Verbatim makes the best blank DVD's from what I've read (both single and dual layer).
You obviously have never used Taiyo Yudens. But there is already a thread devoted to the best media so I digress. :)

[Tubular]

According to KoolKat on the "did I get ripped off?" thread:

"1 Official TY Made In Japan
2 Verbatim AZO with TY dye Made In Japan
Or
3 Panasonic with TY dye Made In Japan
All you'll get from me......all act the same but #1 is a little more expensive.Well a lot more actually "

If the Verbatim AZO's use Taiyo Yuden dye they should be just as good right?
Also on the Verbatim AZO DVD+R spindle I bought is says "Made in Taiwan." Are these not as good as ones made in Japan? Lastly, does the company that makes the dye matter, or is the type of dye used what is important?

[Tubular]

Oh and the Verbatim DVD+R dual layer AZO's I bought were made in Singapore.

[spiritinaphoto]

According to KoolKat on the "did I get ripped off?" thread:

"1 Official TY Made In Japan
2 Verbatim AZO with TY dye Made In Japan
Or
3 Panasonic with TY dye Made In Japan
All you'll get from me......all act the same but #1 is a little more expensive.Well a lot more actually "

If the Verbatim AZO's use Taiyo Yuden dye they should be just as good right?
Also on the Verbatim AZO DVD+R spindle I bought is says "Made in Taiwan." Are these not as good as ones made in Japan? Lastly, does the company that makes the dye matter, or is the type of dye used what is important?
Yeah, Japanese media is the best. Taiwanese is okay if you're in a pinch (make certain it's a good name like Verbatim if you must go with something Taiwanese).

[Tubular]

Why does it matter where it is made if the dye is the same? Better standards/tolerances in Japanese factories or something?

[spiritinaphoto]

Why does it matter where it is made if the dye is the same? Better standards/tolerances in Japanese factories or something?
Yeah, it's their manufacturing standards.

[Tubular]

According to: http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm

Verbatims are 1st class media (out of 4 classes), whether they are made in Taiwan, Singapore, or India.

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=129850

I read that the ones made in Singapore are better than the ones made in Taiwan and India. I also read that Verbatim makes the best DVD+R Dual Layer discs of any company (the ones I got were made in Singapore).

I used to buy Japanese made Fujis, and these discs identify as Taiyo Yuden in DVD Identifier in my drive. But the Taiwanese Fujis I bought identify as Prodisc (2nd class). The Taiwanese Verbatims identified as MCC004 (1st class).

So I guess I'll stick with Verbatim DVD+R DL and try to find some Japanese Fujis (Taiyo Yuden TYG-01, TYG-02, or YUDEN000T02) or Taiyo Yuden branded DVD+R discs.

Last thing, I read this about some TY discs:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16817294007

"Pros: The "Taiyo-Yuden" reputation

Cons: Most decidedly junk! Expensive for such garbage with PI errors on NEC3650A of > 3000 and PI failures >200 and burn quality of 0 as per Nero 7.0. Consistently poor burn quality.

Other Thoughts: I have had reasonably good results on TYG-01 and have heard only good things about TYG-02. TYG-03 is relatively new on the block and is thriving on the Taiyo Yuden name alone. I don't think for long though. The 16x media is garbage and is certainly not worth the expense. I would suggest Verbatim (MCC) media that has given me very high quality burns consistently. If you are a hard core Taiyo fan, go with the 8x (TYG-02) media that seems to have an established track record. Don't touch these wtih a 10 foot pole."

[Tubular]

Just found one of the five best DVD discs ever made according to digitalfaq, Japanese Made Taiyo Yudens (YUDEN00T02) for sale here $40 for a 100 pack cake box.

http://www.supermediastore.com/taiyo-yuden-silver-thermal-8x-dvd-plus-r-media.html

[spiritinaphoto]

Last thing, I read this about some TY discs:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16817294007

"Pros: The "Taiyo-Yuden" reputation

Cons: Most decidedly junk! Expensive for such garbage with PI errors on NEC3650A of > 3000 and PI failures >200 and burn quality of 0 as per Nero 7.0. Consistently poor burn quality.

Other Thoughts: I have had reasonably good results on TYG-01 and have heard only good things about TYG-02. TYG-03 is relatively new on the block and is thriving on the Taiyo Yuden name alone. I don't think for long though. The 16x media is garbage and is certainly not worth the expense. I would suggest Verbatim (MCC) media that has given me very high quality burns consistently. If you are a hard core Taiyo fan, go with the 8x (TYG-02) media that seems to have an established track record. Don't touch these wtih a 10 foot pole."
Yeah, I've never used the 16X media--my burner can burn at 18X, but I've never had that burning of a desire to try it and the faster media costs more. Of course, I heard that you can use the 8X (TYG-02) at speeds higher than they're rated for (that's what people did when the 12X burners came out and there wasn't any media rated for that speed).

[AAR.oner]

thanks for that info Tubular

i can vouch for TYG01, TYG02, and YUDEN000T02 discs -- have used them exclusively over the past coupla years and had almost no issues...haven't used the new TYG03s, seems i'll have to avoid em in the future unfortunately

[trustthex]

Whew... just caught up with this thread and hadnt really looked at which tys i purchased from supermediastore this weekend... fortunately they are YUDEN000T02s