Should I bother with a dual-layer DVD writer?

T

timeOday

In looking at the Sunday specials today, I see three tempting options
for writing DVDs.

1) OfficeMax has a"Mad Dog Dominator" DVD+=R and CD-R/RW drive for $30
after rebate. Obviously the appeal here is price. But I once got a
cheap CD-RW drive like this and it is a bit flaky. But $30!

2) Circuit City has a $70 after rebate Lite-On SOHW1213S. Lite-On has a
positive connotation in my mind, and the reviews are good - very
quick (12x), good media compatibility.

3) BestBuy has the HP dvd530i dual-layer drive for $100 (no rebate
necessary). This is a pretty new product. HP *claims* good media
compatibility
<http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2004/040720b.html>
but who really knows? Currently dual-layer media are rare and super
expensive, so the dual-layer feature would be for future use only. It's
8x for single layer and only 2.4x for dual-layer. Speed isn't too
important to me, but the twice the data capacity for only $30 more would
be nice - if DVD+R DL ever catches on, that is. I have an old HP CD-RW
drive that has been reliable with good compatibility, but it's probably
too old to be very relevant.

So... is Dual-Layer worth it?
 
C

CJT

timeOday said:
In looking at the Sunday specials today, I see three tempting options
for writing DVDs.

1) OfficeMax has a"Mad Dog Dominator" DVD+=R and CD-R/RW drive for $30
after rebate. Obviously the appeal here is price. But I once got a
cheap CD-RW drive like this and it is a bit flaky. But $30!

2) Circuit City has a $70 after rebate Lite-On SOHW1213S. Lite-On has a
positive connotation in my mind, and the reviews are good - very quick
(12x), good media compatibility.

3) BestBuy has the HP dvd530i dual-layer drive for $100 (no rebate
necessary). This is a pretty new product. HP *claims* good media
compatibility
<http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2004/040720b.html>
but who really knows? Currently dual-layer media are rare and super
expensive, so the dual-layer feature would be for future use only. It's
8x for single layer and only 2.4x for dual-layer. Speed isn't too
important to me, but the twice the data capacity for only $30 more would
be nice - if DVD+R DL ever catches on, that is. I have an old HP CD-RW
drive that has been reliable with good compatibility, but it's probably
too old to be very relevant.

So... is Dual-Layer worth it?

I'd wait a while -- let somebody else be the hero and bring the price down.
 
A

Abe

If you're in the market for a new writer, buying a DL unit is fine.
Then, when the DL media come down in price you can start using it.
 
S

S.Heenan

timeOday said:
In looking at the Sunday specials today, I see three tempting options
for writing DVDs.

1) OfficeMax has a"Mad Dog Dominator" DVD+=R and CD-R/RW drive for $30
after rebate. Obviously the appeal here is price. But I once got a
cheap CD-RW drive like this and it is a bit flaky. But $30!

2) Circuit City has a $70 after rebate Lite-On SOHW1213S. Lite-On
has a positive connotation in my mind, and the reviews are good -
very quick (12x), good media compatibility.


Newegg has the Pioneer108 on sale this weekend for $86USD. Lite-On and NEC
would be my second choices.

8.5GB DL DVD will be an interm technology to fill the gap before Blu-Ray is
a reality.
 
A

Arno Wagner

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage timeOday said:
In looking at the Sunday specials today, I see three tempting options
for writing DVDs.
1) OfficeMax has a"Mad Dog Dominator" DVD+=R and CD-R/RW drive for $30
after rebate. Obviously the appeal here is price. But I once got a
cheap CD-RW drive like this and it is a bit flaky. But $30!
2) Circuit City has a $70 after rebate Lite-On SOHW1213S. Lite-On has a
positive connotation in my mind, and the reviews are good - very
quick (12x), good media compatibility.
3) BestBuy has the HP dvd530i dual-layer drive for $100 (no rebate
necessary). This is a pretty new product. HP *claims* good media
compatibility
<http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2004/040720b.html>
but who really knows? Currently dual-layer media are rare and super
expensive, so the dual-layer feature would be for future use only. It's
8x for single layer and only 2.4x for dual-layer. Speed isn't too
important to me, but the twice the data capacity for only $30 more would
be nice - if DVD+R DL ever catches on, that is. I have an old HP CD-RW
drive that has been reliable with good compatibility, but it's probably
too old to be very relevant.
So... is Dual-Layer worth it?

In one of the last issues of the c't magazine (german) they did
burning quality tests on dual-layer burners. Seems they are
all pretty experimental at the moment, burners and media as
well. Looks like a public beta test to me. Only participate
if you have too much money and do not intend to put anytjong
impotant on a dual-layer disk.

Arno
 
L

luminos

Arno Wagner said:
In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage timeOday






In one of the last issues of the c't magazine (german) they did
burning quality tests on dual-layer burners. Seems they are
all pretty experimental at the moment, burners and media as
well. Looks like a public beta test to me. Only participate
if you have too much money and do not intend to put anytjong
impotant on a dual-layer disk.

Arno

I have done some personal but extensive tests with dual layer video and data
burning. Don't bother....at least for now.
 
J

J. Clarke

luminos said:
I have done some personal but extensive tests with dual layer video and
data
burning. Don't bother....at least for now.

What problems did you encounter?
 
D

David Chien

1) DL discs are very expensive at this time. DL is only worth it if you
have a specific need for DL discs.

2) But with Pioneer A08 drives at $86 or lower (www.newegg.com sale),
you can't go wrong with a 16x DVD+/-R Burner that burns 4x to DL as well
for the difference between that and a dirt-cheap <$30 regular DVD burner.
 
L

luminos

I used a number of authoring programs: DVD Author, Nero, MovieFactory etc.

Ritek DL was hopeless. Data could not be read back .. splotches in the dye.

Verbatim: Writes and reads well on devices *that support* dual layer. I
have access to about 10 stand alone players. Only half of these played the
discs. Some would start to play and then stall, others would give up at the
layer change, still others would not even see the disc. The Pioneer 107
will not even read DL, but I hear new firmware is just out to enable it.

Since I am writing discs that I take between computers for computer
projection, the format is just too undependable. And my results were
similar to those (about 50% compatability) posted on the net (do a Google on
dual layer compatability to find it).
 
L

luminos

David Chien said:
1) DL discs are very expensive at this time. DL is only worth it if you
have a specific need for DL discs.

2) But with Pioneer A08 drives at $86 or lower (www.newegg.com sale), you
can't go wrong with a 16x DVD+/-R Burner that burns 4x to DL as well for
the difference between that and a dirt-cheap <$30 regular DVD burner.

I completely agree here. I got the drive and a DL disc for under $100.
 
S

S.Heenan

luminos said:
I used a number of authoring programs: DVD Author, Nero,
MovieFactory etc.
Ritek DL was hopeless. Data could not be read back .. splotches in
the dye.
Verbatim: Writes and reads well on devices *that support* dual
layer. I have access to about 10 stand alone players. Only half of
these played the discs. Some would start to play and then stall,
others would give up at the layer change, still others would not even
see the disc. The Pioneer 107 will not even read DL, but I hear new
firmware is just out to enable it.

Pioneer 107 firmware
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/article/0,,2076_4249_39099161,00.html#Firmware
 
T

Toshi1873

In one of the last issues of the c't magazine (german) they did
burning quality tests on dual-layer burners. Seems they are
all pretty experimental at the moment, burners and media as
well. Looks like a public beta test to me. Only participate
if you have too much money and do not intend to put anytjong
impotant on a dual-layer disk.

I paid $80 for a DL burner (shrug). Really wasn't that
much more expensive then a single-layer burner.
 
T

Toshi1873

logos1 said:
I used a number of authoring programs: DVD Author, Nero, MovieFactory etc.

Ritek DL was hopeless. Data could not be read back .. splotches in the dye.

Verbatim: Writes and reads well on devices *that support* dual layer. I
have access to about 10 stand alone players. Only half of these played the
discs. Some would start to play and then stall, others would give up at the
layer change, still others would not even see the disc. The Pioneer 107
will not even read DL, but I hear new firmware is just out to enable it.

Even though I have a DL drive now, I don't expect to
start using DL media until they are being sold at the
local stores here. Sounds like a lot of manuf defects
still.
 
S

shawn

Toshi1873 said:
I paid $80 for a DL burner (shrug). Really wasn't that
much more expensive then a single-layer burner.

Well I'm about to pick up a burner. I'll probably go with the Liteon
812S which is a single layer burner, but it has the ability to be
upgraded to a dual layer through new firmware. It's not supported by
Liteon, but it has been reported to work, and most importantly the new
firmware provides greater media compatibility which is the most
important feature to me.
 
F

Frank Liu

Toshi1873 said:
I paid $80 for a DL burner (shrug). Really wasn't that
much more expensive then a single-layer burner.

It's not the burner is the DL disc. $10 for a DL disc or coaster.

Frank
 

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