Looking for a decent internal DVD burner...

[Jim O'Dell]

...for my new computer build, in the 25-40 dollar range. The last couple I've bought for my wife's computer were Pioneer and they have been good units.(the first one was dropped and quit burning but still reads, I think) But I read on one of the computer forums that Pioneer now re-badges a Lite-On unit. Don't know if it is true or not. If so, reviews on the Lite-on are mixed and that doesn't thrill me.
So, what brand and model have you purchased recently (in the last year) that you are happy with. Even include ones you tried but didn't like. Thanks! Jim.

[Dan Hintz]

Pretty much every manufacturer out there rebadges someone else's drive as their own at one point or another. The only way you can know it is made by them is to watch the forums where people discuss tearing them down and backtracking the chips and PCB model #s. Pioneer is usually good, so I would stick with them. $25 is pretty low, though, so for my money I would probably set my limit a bit higher to better ensure a decent drive.

[Bill Huber]

Just like Dan said, there may be a name on the outside but who knows who made it. I have used Sony, LG, Philips, HP and a few others. I have not had problems with any of them and I have 2 LGs that are going on 4 years old and have burnt a lot of CDs and DVDs. I would make sure at this point to get a double layer drive, they do hold a lot of data. When I was selling computers I would buy Philips a case at a time and must have sold 150 or 200 of them and never had one come back.

I myself do not see any need to for Lightscribe, it takes a long time to burn the image on a disk and the disk do cost a little more. When I have done wedding DVDs I print the labels on my Epson print and the put them on, just like the looks much better.

[Brian Effinger]

I have a pioneer, but it was purchased 2 or 3 years ago. I've had no problems with it. I also have a sony in my old back up computer (my main one before my current computer) that is at least 6 years old, and have also been happy with it. I want to say, I've paid around $40 or $50 for them, but am not completely sure.

[Chuck Wintle]

get an LG or Pioneer...hard to go wrong with either choice.

[Myk Rian]

I have very good luck with Memorex burners. The one I have now is Lightscribe capable, double layer DVD, does it all.

[Stephen Tashiro]

Can you get a drive that will burn the Blu-ray format in that price range?

Isn't "Lightscribe" the technology of burning a cover pattern on the top of the DVD blank? That's always seemed a useless technology to me - a good way to waste the life of your laser.

[David G Baker]

Don't know if they are still making drives but in the past I had very good luck with Plextor brand drives.

[Jim O'Dell]

Thanks guys! Plextor is still out there. I saw a deal on the OEM version of the Pioneer for under 20.00. Lightscribe and double layer. Probably gone now, and would require another trip to Dallas. Retail version is 39.95. Thanks for the info. It helps to see that several of the brands are holding up well. That eases my mind. I've had several Sony's in the past, and for some reason, they didn't hold up well. Although the Sony DVD/CD ROM only in my now old computer is still doing well.

By the way, I am sending this from the new computer. It is amazing! Jim.

[paul cottingham]

Don't know if they are still making drives but in the past I had very good luck with Plextor brand drives.
+1 for plextor

[Curt Harms]

Working off the theory that the inventor of a technology generally know how to make a good unit (think Bosch & jig saws), I've been using Phillips and had good luck.

[Dan Hintz]

Working off the theory that the inventor of a technology generally know how to make a good unit (think Bosch & jig saws), I've been using Phillips and had good luck.
Sounds good from a 10,000 foot view, but they came up with the hardware design... doesn't necessarily make them good at driver design, and you kind of need both. Not saying their drivers aren't good, just that you have to look at the whole picture.

I used to love HP printers because their hardware was always top notch, but their drivers sucked serious wind. Now their hardware is losing ground, IMO, and the steadily increasing prices on their ink has pushed me away from them.

[Bryan Morgan]

I had a recent (although somewhat ongoing issue) with burners. We have a pile of DVD duplicators and robots, automated printers, etc... We recently had to refurb 2 of the duplicators because they were giving random problems or some drives wouldn't burn at all. We tried a host of different brands and the only one that worked reliably was Pioneer. We used to swear by LiteOn but they changed something in their product and now they are junk. On one of the duplicators we actually put one from each brand and looked at the media that it produced. Just looking at the discs (we use taiyo uden, not crap) you could visably see the disc burned on the Pioneer was more pronounced. We've been fighting these duplicators for a few months. We'd put in LiteOns, send it out... it would come back. Put in Sonys, it comes back. We did this a number of times until I finally said Enough! I've always used Pioneers at home and while they cost a little more I've never had an issue with them. We sent all the other stuff back and got the equivalent Pioneer models (which are actually hard to find... we had to buy from a few sources). Duplicators haven't been back since.

This is my experience, others will probably vary.

PS. No matter what anyone says, I would avoid the cheap Samsungs like the plague! :)

[Lloyd Kerry]

No offense, Bill, but I think most people should avoid putting a label on a DVD, if it's off just a hair, the disk will be out of balance. But you're right, Lightscribe disks cost more. Sharpies work well! ;-)
Jim, I've used Samsung burners for years and have had good luck with them. There's a website NCIX.com, who have both a website in Canada (where I am) as well as the U.S. Here's a Samsung Dual Layer:
http://www.ncixus.com/products/?sku=39427&vpn=SH-S222A%2FBEBE&manufacture=Samsung&promoid=1280 for under 20 bucks. I've been buying from them for years, service is great.
Oh, and make sure you order the right type for your PC- the newest have a SATA connector, the older ones use an IDE cable to your motherboard.

[Jim O'Dell]

Yeah, I need SATA, which is why my old Sony DVD ROM won't work. I think I'll go with my first choice, the Pioneer since I too have had good luck with them, bad luck with Sony CD writers. (and I'm a Sony fan) Just wish I had jumped on the Pioneer OEM unit for under 19.00 when I could have. :( But they are rotating brands at or below 20.00 every email I get, so it will go back on sale.
Thanks for the help! Jim.

[Greg Portland]

Don't know if they are still making drives but in the past I had very good luck with Plextor brand drives.
Plextor is still out there but they are no longer worth the price premium. Their old drives still command a high price on ebay, etc.

Jim: Go to Newegg & sort the burners by customer review.