I have an extensive DVD video library or original DVD movies. I mean, it is very, very large. As large as Blockbuster, almost.

And I would like to back up my Library to DVD's with as high of quality as is possible. Could someone please tell me what is the best DVD burner for this purpose ? Also, what is a realistic number for the number of DVDs a burner will produce before it fails due to "wearing out" ?

100 ? 1000 ? More ?

Thanks in advance for any help in this regard.

Really, all you have to do is browse around this forum and find that folks here like the following:

BenQ DW1620
Plextor PX-716A
NEC ND-35xx Series
LG GSA-4163

I have used the first three listed and have one of each. My favorite is the Plextor, but I but a BenQ in one of my other PC's and it is just as reliable for burning. The NEC lives in my wifes PC and does not get much use anymore because of a lack of official support for bitsetting.

I have come to realize that bitsetting is an important need for compatibility with older set top DVD players. I put videos of the kids at xmas and special events and send them to my folks. When I burned them with the NEC, my folks could not get them to work. It was very hard to convince them to get a new DVD player even though I offered to flip the bill (they were used to the remote). Instead, I used that $100 bucks to get a Plextor PX-716A. It allows bitsetting +R5/9 media to DVD-ROM for compatibility. It has also proven to be a great reader and CD-R drive (the BenQ could be a little better in those areas -- but a BenQ is available at about half the cost of a Plextor).

Browse around this forum and look what others had to say.

(in reply to Billy_Brethren)

Sith,

Thanks for the response. This is eactly the kind of information I was hoping to get.\

So I understand there are compatibility issues with DVDs.

quote:

It allows bitsetting +R5/9 media to DVD-ROM for compatibility.

Can you tell me where I can find more about "+R5/9 media". So far, I undertand that there is a "+" and a "-" format. I read some history and learned that Pioneer invented one and someone else (I forget who) invented the other and they are competing. I imagine it is like Betamax vs. VHS.

But I have never heard of "5" vs. "9" before. Is this referring to the single layer vs. double layer/ old vs. new / 4.7 Gig vs. 9.-something storage capacity in DVDs?

If so I hae some questions. I have heard that the DVD used by the major movie companies are "pressed" and that they are all 9 GByte, and it is only recently that writable 9 GByte, double layer DVDs have been available.

So how does this "play out" when it gets to Mom & Dad's DVD player ? IS there a differenece between the double layer media made by the major movie companies and the double layer media I can buy at Newegg.com ?

And the way the text was arranged "+R5/9" makes me wonder. Is there something special about "+R" that doesn't also apply to "-R" ?

You get a sense of where I am at, and what I am trying to figure out. Please help in any way you can. No need to write a novel, I am very motivated and will read any link posted.


Thanks in advance.


EDIT ****

My friend just told me that by "old" (as in DVD player), this issue would only apply to players that were about 5 years old, and that it is very unlikely that a significant number of people would have compatibility issues with the "new" media. Is this true ?

(in reply to SithTracy)

You can bit set +R media to DVD-ROM. -R media cannot be bit set.

5/9 are just shortened (and rounded) ways to describe 4.7GB and 8.4GB (single layer/dual layer) media.

As far as the five year old players... Don't count on it it. I have a 1½ year old set top player that will not recognize +R media (unless it is bit set to DVD-ROM during the recording process). Check the mfg web site and your owners manual of your set top player.

Most pressed DVD's are Dual Layer... so roughly 8.4GB... Mostly for extras, previews, and other languages. About the only DVD's I've felt the need to backup were Disney movies for the kids... I've got some young demanding kids and they want their Toy Story NOW. Disney suck for putting 10 - 20 minutes of crap before a movie... I'm not interested and my kids aren't either. Those were ideal to improve with DVD Decrypter and DVD Shrink. Need info on those programs, review cdrinfo.com and this forum...

No matter what drive you use, you're going to wear it out from the sounds of it... Might be a good idea to cheap it up with a BenQ... Check NewEgg for the DW1620 Pro (OEM) model and get yourself a copy of the free programs DVD Decrypter and DVD Shrink... also get a full version of Nero 6 Ultra Edition... If you go for the BenQ, make sure you bookmark The Unofficial BenQ Site... It may come in handy.

I still prefer the Plextor, but if cost was an issue for me, the BenQ would be just fine.

Happy burning!

(in reply to Billy_Brethren)

Sith,

Thanks again for more data.

I am assuming that the phrase "bit set" means to (in some way) convert one format to another. In the case you refer to, "+R" media is being converted to another format "DVD-ROM" which is the standard for the household DVD player. I also assume from this that neither a "+R" or a "-R" DVD will not play until they have been "bit-set" (converted?) to DVD-ROM.

Have I said this right ?

And I can appreciate the "improvements" you might want to make for your purposes; my focus is making as perfect and high quality of a copy as I can. I did some research on the top four DVD burners. The Plextor review was rather odd, like a dog that has bared teeth and growling, and his tail is wagging also. I didn't know which end to believe. The price was almost twice that of the others, yet the reviewer kept going on about the "high quality" that Plextor is known for and how it was worth it.

But when you got into the actual data from the Reviewer's tests, he had almost nothing but bad things to say about the Plextor. There were some areas where the Plextor was "best" (I think it was in DVD write speed), but in almost all other areas the Reviewer was unhappy. And I am not so sure that the negligable difference in write speed justifies the almost doubling in cost. I might pay twice as much for twice as fast, but I won't pay twice as much for 10% faster. I can wait an extra 45 seconds.

The issue of "wearing it out" is valid. I would prefer to purchase a burner with a real good warranty, if such an animal exists. One thing I haven't seen in the comparison's of these "top 4" DVD burners is warranty & service. Seems to me that a slower DVD burner with a 3-year warranty beats a slightly faster DVD burner with no warranty at all.

How old is your Plextor, how many DVDs have you burned on it and has it given you any trouble, mechanically ?

Thanks again.


EDIT ***

I just spent some time cuising New Egg looking for the double layer media and couldn't find any. Yet I am reading articles/posts describing the media's existance. Is this stuff so new that it can't be purchased yet? I am looking to get a sense of price. How much is this stuff per disk, anyways?

(in reply to SithTracy)

Basically, bit setting allows a piece of +R5/9 media to appear as a pressed DVD-ROM to a set top player or older DVD-ROM that cannot read +R media. In the case of the BenQ, it also allows +RW media emulate a DVD-ROM.

Bit setting does not work on DVD-R/-RW media... that is only for plus (+) media.

The Plextor was reviewed very early and has improved with firmware upgrades. It likely needs to be re-reviewed as this site often does... I think emperor said this may happen after the 1.05 firmware release in late March/early April.

I've had my Plextor since January and probably burned a 100 spindle of RiData 8x media and a 50 spindle of Verbatim 8x media on various projects (data backup, converting home movies to DVD, backing up a few disney movies to get rid of the feature length junk before the movie plays).

Also, you may want to re-think getting dual-layer media... For the most part it is very, very expensive and has been hard to find locally for me. DVD Shrink does a great job of compression, especially when you take out the unneeded extras shoved on a retail pressed movie.

I would imagine you'll get a standard year on any warranty on just about any optical drive on the market. I've only ever used Plextor's back in the old SCSI days and they were good. Considering the cost of the BenQ, when it goes bad, I'll likely just toss it and buy a new drive.

(in reply to Billy_Brethren)

quote:

Bit setting does not work on DVD-R/-RW media... that is only for plus (+) media.

I tookthis to mean that -R/-RW media cannot be played on a standard (home) DVD player, but I have a friend that disagrees. He says that he has gotten a copied DVD on -R media to play on his DVD burner. Have I misunderstood what "bit setting" is, or is my friend mistaken ?

Also, I found some mention on the internet that a media was suitable for "authoring". What is authoring ?


Thanks in advance.

(in reply to SithTracy)

Sorry for Double posting, but this really doesn't fit with the previous post. I went looking around for some other DVD burners, just to get a sense of what was available and found a fairly reputable-looking web-site that listed it's "Top 5" DVD burners and they didn't even list the Plextor.

http://compreviews.about.com/cs/opticaldrives/tp/aatpdvdburners.htm

The 5 listed there are:

Toshiba TS-H552B
Lite-On SOHW-1633S
NEC ND-3500A
LG Electronics GSA-4160B
Pioneer DVR-A08XLA (DVR-108D)

The 4 listed in this forum are:

quote:

BenQ DW1620
Plextor PX-716A
NEC ND-35xx Series
LG GSA-4163

I understand the BenQ is on the list for it's low-cost. What I don't understand is why the Pioneer (which I read somewhere was the company that invented the "-R" media) isn't even listed. Although the review I read was pretty poor, it got beat by another brand in the "-R" catagory, as I recall...

I had/have a "Lite-On" CD/DVD for a while and it caused many problems with my computer system from the moment I installed it. So, from this experience I can see why it isn't on "this" forum's short-list, but I do wonder why somone else might like it.

Is this some kind of industry politics ? Or are there objective standards that are just different.

Another thing I wonder is I have noticed that some DVDs will write the DL media at 4X and some at 2.4X. Is the "." in "2.4" a decimal (meaning the speed is somewhere between 2X and 3X) or does the decimal function like a switch, meaning that the burner can perform at either 2X or 4X ?

It seems odd that a speed would be a decimal like 2.4.

(in reply to Billy_Brethren)

I vote for the Benq 1620, arguably the most bang for the buck currently in DVD+/-RW drives. The Plextor is no better for a lot more money at most places.

(in reply to Billy_Brethren)

Billy - No one said that -R media won't work on some of the set top players, it's just that +R media bit set to DVD-ROM provides more compatibility.

The BenQ can be upgraded to 4x DL writing with a firmware upgrade... Avoid LITE-ON DVD burners at all costs, they are not very good. Sure, their CD-RW drives were pretty good, but for some reason they have not been very successful at DVD+/-R/RW.

Not sure what you want to do??? Go to NewEgg.com and get a BenQ DW1620 Pro and update the firmware... You won't be making a bad choice and there are quite a few people in this forum that will agree and be able to help you along the way... It's a drive that is a hair over fifty bucks U.S. and is worth every penny. Sure, I prefer the Plextor and folks can argue which is better and they have valid points -- I do have a BenQ DW1620 and an NEC ND-3500A... All fine drives but the BenQ and the Plex are the ones I prefer.

Now - Stop asking questions, get you a drive and come on back and share your experiences, questions, concerns or what ever. You are thinking about it too much. You've read through the forum, now it's time to make a purchase. What are you waiting for?!!? The BenQ is the best bang for the buck. I am confident that is the drive you need.

(in reply to digitaldoc)

LOL

Roger. (Waves arms erratically)

"We hear and obey...We hear and obey...."

(in reply to SithTracy)

Okay, I just now completed the purchase for a "BenQ" DVD burner.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=27-101-632&depa=0

I guess first I want to make sure that I purchased the "right" one. Also I am bragging.



Now the next question is which media to buy. I want to quickly move into "full scale" production, and am aware I will probably lose a few blanks in the early stages of the learning curve.

What is the best, in terms of reliablity and reasonable cost, DVD media to use with this burner ?

I looked up what was being offered at New Egg, and the "per disc" cost varied between about 30 and 40 cents. Articles that I have read indicate that some burners "like" certain media more than other media. Is the BenQ like this, and if so, which media does it "like" ?


Thanks in advance.

(in reply to Billy_Brethren)

To save ALOT of posting, simply READ the review for the BenQ here on the website, as ALL of your questions have been previously covered in either posts, or in the review. Thank You.

(in reply to Billy_Brethren)

quote:

...simply READ the review for the BenQ here on the website...

I have ran several searches using words like "BenQ", "review", "1620" in various combinations and can find nothing that looks like a "review". Could you please post a link to whatever information you are referring to ?


Thanks.

(in reply to MP3Mogul)

I suppose you meant BenQ 1620. Below is the link to it:

http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=11657

There are two reviews about the BenQ 1620 burner at CDRinfo, this one above is the latest. However if you need to read more about the BenQ you'll find links in this one for the older review.

(in reply to Billy_Brethren)

Thanks for the links to the reviews. I read them both, and bookmarked them for future reference as I cannot see how I could have found them without someone giving me a direct link.

Along that same line, I could not find any mention in either reviews about which media performs better (or worse) with the BenQ1620. The reviews didn't even mention which meda they used to perform the tests, as far as I could see.

And I searched this forum for threads that discussed this issue, using search-words like "media", "BenQ" and "1620" and could find no threads pertaining to the questions I asked earlier in THIS thread.

Is it ME, or is there a problem with the search engine. I don't want to be a pain in the a**, but I would like to read about compatibility issues (if any) between the media and my soon-to-be-arriving BenQ1620. Could someone paste me a link or two, or give me a class in finding things on this forum ?


Thanks again.

(in reply to Iggy)