i was gonna say that. bought an open box yeaterday for $89. and also if benq is only $40, does it come with any software? what about paying for shipping? this version of nero (sony's) has more features than either the mad dog (nec) or microadvantage (aopen) drives i have bought this year, ie: showtime actually plays dvds and recode is included. plus it seems to work with the hp 300i in the other bay as well... full versions of nero cost $50+. i can't stand sony myself, but as long as i can get a year out of this drive i am good -- the gdr-8160 that it replaces gave out after at least three years of ripping/watching bliss
i was wrong, the hp 300i is excluded form burning with this version of nero :(
this is the same exact thing they did with b recorder gold (?)
and why do REVIEWERS ALWAYS leave this IMPORTANT detail out???
oh so, people are just gonna shop hot deals and only have one rewriter in each computer?
a dvd-rom costs $20! but a dvd burner costs $40 and DOES BOTH.
sony is just as cheap and stanky as ever :( (i also own a dre infested ps2)
back to the drawing board...
1. In the MKM 01RD30 (DVD-R Dual Layer) graphs, the Sony drive and some of the other drives are missing.
2. Also, the CD-R section of the review has a broken link to the first graph -- It says "Click to enlarge" but there is no image to click on. The graph (Nero CD Speed CD-R write speed vs. time) is in the http://images.anandtech.com/reviews/storage/sony_d...">supplemental zip file, though.
My comments on this drive vs. its virtual twin, the BenQ DW1640:
As I see it, the only major reason to buy the Sony over the BenQ is the software bundle. The Sony includes Nero Burning ROM SE (version 6), which has more functionality than the feature-reduced Nero Express that comes with the BenQ and most other burners. I'll admit that the average user probably would be satisfied with Nero Express, but if you're a power user who doesn't already own a full-featured burning program, you might want to consider the Sony.
The retail BenQ comes with QSuite, which has a bunch of tools that are useful in their own right, but in my opinion Sony comes out ahead on software.
The Sony's blue-accented white front panel and black replacement bezel may sway those who care a lot about aesthetics. However, if you're just looking for a drive that matches your dark case, you can just get the black-faced BenQ.
Another thing to consider is that Sony is offering a http://www.sonyburners.com/media/pdfs/CDDVDdrive20...">$20 mail-in rebate on this drive through the end of the year, and that combined with other discounts may bring the drive closer in value to the BenQ. For example, this week the Best Buy in my area is advertising it for $100 with a $30 store MIR in addition to the $20 manufacturer's rebate, so it's $50 after rebates. That is quite competitive with the BenQ, especially after considering the software differences.
"Now, Sony has changed their chipset to that used in BenQ’s DW1640 as well as Plextor’s PX-740A."
Thats interesting.
"But we all know that the performance of a drive depends on not only its hardware, but also its firmware. The DRU-810A comes with the 1.0a firmware, which is also the latest and the one that we used in our testing."
Ok, so you used the BenQ 1640 and Plextor PX-740A as the benchmark so what firmware versions were they?
"Sony has switched chipset manufacturers, yet again; this time, using not only the Philips Nexperia chipset with the PNX7860E recording engine and TZA1047HL analog pre-processor, which we found in the BenQ DW1640A as well as the Plextor PX-740A, but also the exact same circuit layout."
Exact same circuit layout. So how about exact same firmware for the test? If you examine the BenQ 1640 firmware, from the BSJB release on, you can see that they reference the SONY DVD RW DRU-810A.
Both errors can occur during the burn process. The data is fine beforehand, but sometimes the burn process has errors. PI errors are almost always correctable - the media format is made to handle such errors. PO errors occur when there are too many PI errors in one area. For music, it's still usually okay, but data CDs can be useless if they have many (any) PO errors.
quote: They're $30 items, do they need to be reviewed? Doesn't seem worth the effort.
Perhaps because no-one wants to spend $90 going through THREE burners or $120 through FOUR burners before finding the ONE burner that has broad media compatibility with few recording errors, at a decent speed.
Some burners work great --with two brands of media only, and are horrible with the rest. Some burners don't work at their claimed max burn-speed with 90% of the high-speed media out there. Some burners write media well, but read it poorly. And since blank media is rarely manufactured by the vendor on the label (i.e. Verbatim, who has used MCC, Moser Baer, Taiyo Yuden, and perhaps others to supply their media, and this is similar to other vendors' track records) how do you know what media you're getting? The only solution is to get a burner that does a good job with most media.
I don't know about you, but I think reviewing a $30 burner is definitely worth it. And by-the-way, I don't think I've seen a quality burner for less than $40 at this point, and for me that's still money I don't want to piss away.
I had been wondering about these questions for a while. Whatever happened to the dream of having a system with no more regular ATA? Why is nobody except Plextor using SATA for the connection?
I think I know the answer now that I own the Plextor SATA DVD burner. Virtually no motherboards support it. The drive worked fine for a while, but apparently something changed that doesn't allow the drive to work anymore. It passes the internal test burn, but won't do anything in Windows except read discs.
Maybe if some other companies would make drives like this there would be some BIOS patches to motherboards to allow them to work. Really annoying. I don't want the big fat ribbon cables anymore.
Have you tried getting in touch with Plextor? For as much as you paid for that drive, I'm more than willing to bet they'd replace it.
That being said, I'm still waiting for AT to review the PX-716(S)A. How that drive has been out for so long and not gotten a review from them is beyond me.
I once heard from a tech support rep that while SATA supports removable media drives, there is no standard for media change notification. If that's true, then I don't see how there can be a SATA media-burning standard.
Maybe Anandtech could look into this and post a blurb about it in their next DVD burner roundup? I'm sure many people would be interested.
The only thing I have from Sony in my house is an old PS1 and a very old camera(Hi8) that I got from my father when he bought a new DV camera. The PS1 I am happy with,exept it has not been turned on in 2 and a half years(my fault, no time), and the camera, well it works and that is all, I use it frequently, but it is because I can't aford anything better.
Well lets see here...Sony $100+, Benq $40...hmm..once again as is the case all the way across the various product lines, Sony trys to command a premium for their name. Bah..humbug. The very reason I don't have any sony products in my home. There products are general OK..but a lot of companies make OK products and for much less $.
Sony has matched the performance, but I still say that the BenQ 1640 is the best drive available. It has all around great performance and is one of the least expensive units on the market.
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unclebud - Wednesday, November 2, 2005 - link
i was gonna say that. bought an open box yeaterday for $89. and also if benq is only $40, does it come with any software? what about paying for shipping? this version of nero (sony's) has more features than either the mad dog (nec) or microadvantage (aopen) drives i have bought this year, ie: showtime actually plays dvds and recode is included. plus it seems to work with the hp 300i in the other bay as well... full versions of nero cost $50+. i can't stand sony myself, but as long as i can get a year out of this drive i am good -- the gdr-8160 that it replaces gave out after at least three years of ripping/watching blissunclebud - Thursday, November 3, 2005 - link
i was wrong, the hp 300i is excluded form burning with this version of nero :(this is the same exact thing they did with b recorder gold (?)
and why do REVIEWERS ALWAYS leave this IMPORTANT detail out???
oh so, people are just gonna shop hot deals and only have one rewriter in each computer?
a dvd-rom costs $20! but a dvd burner costs $40 and DOES BOTH.
sony is just as cheap and stanky as ever :( (i also own a dre infested ps2)
back to the drawing board...
thanks for some of the review?
drewdc - Wednesday, November 2, 2005 - link
The review contains a couple of errors/omissions:1. In the MKM 01RD30 (DVD-R Dual Layer) graphs, the Sony drive and some of the other drives are missing.
2. Also, the CD-R section of the review has a broken link to the first graph -- It says "Click to enlarge" but there is no image to click on. The graph (Nero CD Speed CD-R write speed vs. time) is in the http://images.anandtech.com/reviews/storage/sony_d...">supplemental zip file, though.
My comments on this drive vs. its virtual twin, the BenQ DW1640:
As I see it, the only major reason to buy the Sony over the BenQ is the software bundle. The Sony includes Nero Burning ROM SE (version 6), which has more functionality than the feature-reduced Nero Express that comes with the BenQ and most other burners. I'll admit that the average user probably would be satisfied with Nero Express, but if you're a power user who doesn't already own a full-featured burning program, you might want to consider the Sony.
The retail BenQ comes with QSuite, which has a bunch of tools that are useful in their own right, but in my opinion Sony comes out ahead on software.
The Sony's blue-accented white front panel and black replacement bezel may sway those who care a lot about aesthetics. However, if you're just looking for a drive that matches your dark case, you can just get the black-faced BenQ.
Another thing to consider is that Sony is offering a http://www.sonyburners.com/media/pdfs/CDDVDdrive20...">$20 mail-in rebate on this drive through the end of the year, and that combined with other discounts may bring the drive closer in value to the BenQ. For example, this week the Best Buy in my area is advertising it for $100 with a $30 store MIR in addition to the $20 manufacturer's rebate, so it's $50 after rebates. That is quite competitive with the BenQ, especially after considering the software differences.
Prahs - Sunday, October 30, 2005 - link
From the article:"Now, Sony has changed their chipset to that used in BenQ’s DW1640 as well as Plextor’s PX-740A."
Thats interesting.
"But we all know that the performance of a drive depends on not only its hardware, but also its firmware. The DRU-810A comes with the 1.0a firmware, which is also the latest and the one that we used in our testing."
Ok, so you used the BenQ 1640 and Plextor PX-740A as the benchmark so what firmware versions were they?
"Sony has switched chipset manufacturers, yet again; this time, using not only the Philips Nexperia chipset with the PNX7860E recording engine and TZA1047HL analog pre-processor, which we found in the BenQ DW1640A as well as the Plextor PX-740A, but also the exact same circuit layout."
Exact same circuit layout. So how about exact same firmware for the test? If you examine the BenQ 1640 firmware, from the BSJB release on, you can see that they reference the SONY DVD RW DRU-810A.
mindless1 - Saturday, October 29, 2005 - link
Several references in the review to what Sony "did", but it brings up a big question:Did Sony actually do any of this, or did they merely slap their badge on yet another LiteOn drive as they have for years?
n7 - Friday, October 28, 2005 - link
BenQ DW1640 is still the king :DNothing beats it for price/performance.
vailr - Friday, October 28, 2005 - link
Could the author add a brief explanation of what a "PI error" is?And why these aren't corrected before the burn occurs?
TIA
JarredWalton - Friday, October 28, 2005 - link
PI = Parity InnerPO = Parity Outer
Both errors can occur during the burn process. The data is fine beforehand, but sometimes the burn process has errors. PI errors are almost always correctable - the media format is made to handle such errors. PO errors occur when there are too many PI errors in one area. For music, it's still usually okay, but data CDs can be useless if they have many (any) PO errors.
Ian@CDRlabs - Friday, October 28, 2005 - link
CD's don't have PO errors. They have C1 and C2 errors.Questar - Friday, October 28, 2005 - link
Another burner review.They're $30 items, do they need to be reviewed? Doesn't seem worth the effort.
LoneWolf15 - Monday, October 31, 2005 - link
Perhaps because no-one wants to spend $90 going through THREE burners or $120 through FOUR burners before finding the ONE burner that has broad media compatibility with few recording errors, at a decent speed.
Some burners work great --with two brands of media only, and are horrible with the rest. Some burners don't work at their claimed max burn-speed with 90% of the high-speed media out there. Some burners write media well, but read it poorly. And since blank media is rarely manufactured by the vendor on the label (i.e. Verbatim, who has used MCC, Moser Baer, Taiyo Yuden, and perhaps others to supply their media, and this is similar to other vendors' track records) how do you know what media you're getting? The only solution is to get a burner that does a good job with most media.
I don't know about you, but I think reviewing a $30 burner is definitely worth it. And by-the-way, I don't think I've seen a quality burner for less than $40 at this point, and for me that's still money I don't want to piss away.
GoatMonkey - Friday, October 28, 2005 - link
I had been wondering about these questions for a while. Whatever happened to the dream of having a system with no more regular ATA? Why is nobody except Plextor using SATA for the connection?I think I know the answer now that I own the Plextor SATA DVD burner. Virtually no motherboards support it. The drive worked fine for a while, but apparently something changed that doesn't allow the drive to work anymore. It passes the internal test burn, but won't do anything in Windows except read discs.
Maybe if some other companies would make drives like this there would be some BIOS patches to motherboards to allow them to work. Really annoying. I don't want the big fat ribbon cables anymore.
RyanVM - Friday, October 28, 2005 - link
Have you tried getting in touch with Plextor? For as much as you paid for that drive, I'm more than willing to bet they'd replace it.That being said, I'm still waiting for AT to review the PX-716(S)A. How that drive has been out for so long and not gotten a review from them is beyond me.
nullpointerus - Friday, October 28, 2005 - link
I once heard from a tech support rep that while SATA supports removable media drives, there is no standard for media change notification. If that's true, then I don't see how there can be a SATA media-burning standard.Maybe Anandtech could look into this and post a blurb about it in their next DVD burner roundup? I'm sure many people would be interested.
Niv KA - Friday, October 28, 2005 - link
The only thing I have from Sony in my house is an old PS1 and a very old camera(Hi8) that I got from my father when he bought a new DV camera. The PS1 I am happy with,exept it has not been turned on in 2 and a half years(my fault, no time), and the camera, well it works and that is all, I use it frequently, but it is because I can't aford anything better.deathwalker - Friday, October 28, 2005 - link
Well lets see here...Sony $100+, Benq $40...hmm..once again as is the case all the way across the various product lines, Sony trys to command a premium for their name. Bah..humbug. The very reason I don't have any sony products in my home. There products are general OK..but a lot of companies make OK products and for much less $.Stefan - Friday, October 28, 2005 - link
Sony has matched the performance, but I still say that the BenQ 1640 is the best drive available. It has all around great performance and is one of the least expensive units on the market.Darkmatterx76 - Saturday, October 29, 2005 - link
all that and no lightscribe... *sigh* I've been waiting for a good drive with everything plus lightscribe...