DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

**retiredcaps** · 08-17-2015, 03:15 PM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

Originally posted by bigbeark

What's the option, buy a better
$50 unit?

CD/DVD writers are regularly being given away free on kijiji either standalone or with older P4s that everyone deems as too slow today. Check yours.

Best DVD writer I ever used was a Pioneer 109.

And yes, I use Lubuntu and it works great.

**goontron** · 08-17-2015, 03:17 PM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

let me give you a tip. Get the ISO for PLoP and burn it. Even to one of those card sized disks. It will let you boot from USB or PXE if your MOBO doesn't support them. Then carry around Bootable Linux Distros on flash drive. It'll even make a Pentium II boot a USB distro. Even screwy drives seem to load the first MB. (size of iso is 557k)

**Topcat** · 08-17-2015, 03:55 PM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

I still have some plextor optical drives that were made in Japan..... Those still work 15 years+ later. The chinese plextors? I need not elaborate any further other than they're long since recycled.... all the same chinese garbage.

**stj** · 08-17-2015, 04:07 PM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

Originally posted by retiredcaps

Best DVD writer I ever used was a Pioneer 109.

unfair comparison, afaik that was a slot-loading scsi drive.
i have the cdrw version.

i also have a few scsi plextor 40max and a few scsi plextor burners, and a few nec ide burners.

because keeping a small stock of the real quality stuff is just common sense.

**lbwlow** · 08-18-2015, 03:04 AM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

I always stay away from especially "Samsung" optical drive. I have seen unit that failed right out of the box. Some of my old Samsung optical drive are either vibrating very badly or the rubber sponnge (what they called it, I have no idea) start to deteriorate and leave a trail of the mess at the center of my disc.

**Th3_uN1Qu3** · 08-19-2015, 02:33 PM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

When burning discs was the big thing, i used to have a stack of dead LG, Asus and Samsung drives. Once i bought my first Lite-On i never had to buy another optical drive again. Both of mine still work top notch 7+ years later. Hardly use them anymore but if i need them they are there.

**joshnz** · 08-19-2015, 09:07 PM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

Originally posted by Th3_uN1Qu3

When burning discs was the big thing, i used to have a stack of dead LG, Asus and Samsung drives. Once i bought my first Lite-On i never had to buy another optical drive again. Both of mine still work top notch 7+ years later. Hardly use them anymore but if i need them they are there.

Lite-On seemed to work ok I use a lg drive now

**c_hegge** · 08-19-2015, 09:10 PM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

Lite-on have always been the worst for me. Every 2nd one I see has a jammed tray. I always use Samsung in new PCs, and rarely have problems.

**mathog** · 08-19-2015, 10:08 PM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

Originally posted by c_hegge

Lite-on have always been the worst for me. Every 2nd one I see has a jammed tray.

Do you really mean jammed, or just that the rubber O ring has rotted and fallen off? That happens eventually to every drive that uses that mechanism. Easy enough to fix - if you can find a similarly sized O ring to replace it. These never seem to be available anywhere local though.

**stj** · 08-20-2015, 03:08 AM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

the tray belt is more of a problem if the drive is not used for a long time because it warps to the oval shape it's held in and then hardens
it's a bit of a problem on some xbox360's too.

**c_hegge** · 08-20-2015, 04:45 AM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

Originally posted by mathog

Do you really mean jammed, or just that the rubber O ring has rotted and fallen off? That happens eventually to every drive that uses that mechanism. Easy enough to fix - if you can find a similarly sized O ring to replace it. These never seem to be available anywhere local though.

Jammed completely. The only way to get the tray open is to press the eject button and then force-eject it with a paperclip in the hole. If you can get it out the first centimeter or so, then the motor will then eject the tray the rest of the way and close it with no problem. I've seen it occasionally on Samsung and LG drives too, but nowhere near as much as Lite-on.

**stj** · 08-20-2015, 05:57 AM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

are the runners greased under the tray?

i'v noticed a couple of mfr's not bothering to grease the tray anymore.
the other thing i'v seen is the laser assembly not dropping because the magnet in the hub clamp is so strong that it holds the mechanism to the top casing!

**lti** · 08-20-2015, 11:15 AM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

I have one Lite-On and one Samsung drive that stick. The Samsung drive drops the laser and motor assembly before sticking.

**Th3_uN1Qu3** · 08-20-2015, 06:04 PM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

Never had any problems with the trays on mine either, guess i just got lucky. But a working tray is no good if the laser's dead.

While they were the worst desktop drives, on the other hand, i have found LG drives to be the most reliable notebook opticals. Every other brand's laptop drives drop like flies, including Pioneer. Don't think i've seen too many Lite-On laptop drives though.

**Heihachi_73** · 08-20-2015, 07:27 PM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

I have too many drives to list. Actually, I lie, they are already listed here, and the list is growing every time I find another PC!

I recently found a Lite-On SHM-165P6S inside a dual P2 system, which had the tray faceplate torn off. It now sports a Writemaster logo from a dead Samsung SH-W162C drive. Good thing both drives were DVD burners.

**mockingbird** · 08-20-2015, 08:16 PM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

What I find with Lite-ON drives is that if you re-cap them before they start to exhibit problems, they last long. But once the tray starts sticking I usually can't bring them back.

They always use half height 16V 100uF or 220uF which need special replacements that match.

I know it's not very scientific, but it's just my experience.

**stj** · 08-20-2015, 08:19 PM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

that's a sad list,
not only is there no plextor's, but you dont have a pioneer slotloader.
those are probably the most solid built professional drives ever.

**Uranium-235** · 08-22-2015, 03:20 AM

Re: DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

heh, i had a pioneer 108 back in the days when they made them decent quality

I mostly get ASUS burners. have had no customers complain of problems, but one fail on me by never staying shut

DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

DVD-RW Optical Drives. Why so crappy?

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