Considering Purchasing New DVD Burner

[Flawless115]

I'm considering purchasing a new burner, specifically this one, and was wondering if anyone owned this drive, and could tell me how this drive has worked out for them?

[dontasciime]

I have the GSA-H55L It's OK nothing special.

 

Have a look here http://club.cdfreaks.com/f91/lg-gsa-h55n-l...ns-here-214441/

 

 

Basically burn @8x results are good, higher than 8x and results start to drop down and full speed 20x is supposed to be not to hot compared with other LG models.

[Flawless115]

Well, at first I was considering a Lite-On, but I was looking at some of the PIPO scans using the Verbatim 16X DVD+R [MCC-004-00] media (which is what I typically use) and compared the different results from the different burners, and that's essentially how I arrived at this.

 

Right now, I only own a BenQ DVD DW 1640, but I'm afraid that it might be on it's way out soon, so I want to make sure I have another burner for when it dies.

 

I haven't purchased a burner that didn't already come with my PC in quite some time, so I'm not entirely up-to-speed as far as the latest models, specs, features, etc.

Edited July 30, 2008 by Flawless115

[dontasciime]

There are not many stinkers out there as long as you keep away from Samsung SATA (IMO) matshita/matsushita (IEO) and No name ATAPI 16x etc etc

[Cynthia]

Well, at first I was considering a Lite-On, but I was looking at some of the PIPO scans using the Verbatim 16X DVD+R [MCC-004-00] media (which is what I typically use) and compared the different results from the different burners, and that's essentially how I arrived at this.

If you are refereeing to the posted test in this forum - that test with a Lite-On is 2.5 years old and you should look at some recent models of various burners and go through posted scans over at CDFreaks instead for a more 'updated' view.

 

[Flawless115]

Well, at first I was considering a Lite-On, but I was looking at some of the PIPO scans using the Verbatim 16X DVD+R [MCC-004-00] media (which is what I typically use) and compared the different results from the different burners, and that's essentially how I arrived at this.

If you are refereeing to the posted test in this forum - that test with a Lite-On is 2.5 years old and you should look at some recent models of various burners and go through posted scans over at CDFreaks instead for a more 'updated' view.

 

Point taken...thanks!

[Flawless115]

OK. So, I wound up getting the GSA-H55N along with the Lite-On DH-20A4P-04. Now I have a question. I installed the drives and was doing some "testing" to make sure everything was in working order. One of the things I did was try different blank media to make sure both drives detected the media. When I went to put a Verbatim 2.4x (MKM-001-00) disc in the Lite-On, ImgBurn reported this:

 

I 13:19:01 Destination Device: [1:1:0] ATAPI DVD A DH20A4P 9P59 (D:) (ATA)

I 13:19:01 Destination Media Type: DVD+R DL (Disc ID: MKM-001-00) (Speeds: 4x)

 

Keeping in mind these discs are 2.4x, would it be advisable to burn them at 4x? I'm thinking that it's not, but wanted to get a second (or third, fourth, whatever) opinion. This is purely academic as I have other drives which report the correct write-supported 2.4x speed, but I'm very curious.

Edited August 5, 2008 by Flawless115

[cornholio7]

you could check the scans in the media section, these discs have been burnt at 8x with acceptable results

[Flawless115]

So I shouldn't be concerned that ImgBurn is reporting 4x as the supported write speed with this drive, while the media is supposedly only 2.4x?

[mmalves]

New drives are optimized for speed so that's probably why it only has strategy for 4x. The GSA-H55N, if I recall correctly, also starts at 4x for MKM-001-00.

 

By the way, my Samsung SH-S203B SATA burner produces much better burns on MKM-001-00 at 4x than it does at 2.4x. I've heard newer Pioneer burners also produce better burns at 4x on MKM-001-00s.

[mmalves]

So I shouldn't be concerned that ImgBurn is reporting 4x as the supported write speed with this drive, while the media is supposedly only 2.4x?

ImgBurn shows what the drive tells it, so that information comes directly from the drive. Even though the media manufacturer rated it for 2.4x a long time ago, burner manufacturers have found that it burns fine at 4x, 6x and even 8x at acceptable results

[Flawless115]

OK, that's good to know. Also, the GSA-H55N starts at 2.4x, but it also shows 4x as a supported speed.

[dontasciime]

OK, that's good to know. Also, the GSA-H55N starts at 2.4x, but it also shows 4x as a supported speed.

 

 

1.05 firmware is latest

 

http://www.noidea.f2s.com/dontasciime/GSA-H55N_1.05.7z

 

 

If you do update firmware take notice of percentage when updating if it gets to 10% and errors out it will still say 1.05 firmware on next reboot but you need to change ide or usb enclosure to use a different one to update drive 100%

[Flawless115]

OK, that's good to know. Also, the GSA-H55N starts at 2.4x, but it also shows 4x as a supported speed.

1.05 firmware is latest

 

http://www.noidea.f2s.com/dontasciime/GSA-H55N_1.05.7z

 

If you do update firmware take notice of percentage when updating if it gets to 10% and errors out it will still say 1.05 firmware on next reboot but you need to change ide or usb enclosure to use a different one to update drive 100%

I didn't include it in the post, but the drive came with 1.05. Thanks anyway.

Edited August 5, 2008 by Flawless115