Well I am in an indecisive mode. When I bought my first BenQ 162I External burner in March of this year and it was an open box and I purchased an extended warranty on it for 3 years. This was at Future Shop here in Canada. I wrestled with it for several weeks with it working off and on using Nero or 1 Click DVD Copy and Any DVD. ( 1 Click DVD Copy is on the other notebook) Finally it went through the motions except it would not recognize a disc in the drive "F". I had called BenQ support who are very good and they advised me to click on the My Computer Icon and onto drive "F" and it kept saying to insert a disc. I was advised to take it back to the store. Which I did and got another 162I and had it from April til yesterday. It has been working fine, using DVD Shrink and some hiccups with Clone DVd, both proggys used in conjunction with Any DVD. Then I purchased a Hauppauge Win TV PVR USB 2 and did 6 successful conversions from analog to digital. Then Friday night the 162I after I burned a regular DVD backup and tried to play it back in the burner with both Windows Media Player and Intervideo 4 and there was nothing in spite of the fact that Shrink seemed to go through the whole process. I tried it on my standalone player and nothing. Went to my siblings with the burner and tried another dvd backup and same thing. Message after playback in the burner "F:\is not accessible. incorrect function. It would not play as well in the notebook CD\DVD ROM Burner. "My Computer" indicated it as a CD Drive F. So, frustratingly I went back to the store with the 2 backup dvd's in hand and they checked the dvd's on their computer and there was no content. They gave me another 162I manufactured in February 2005, the last one was manufactured in January 2005. I got home and we discussed the fact that this is now the 3rd 162I. We have not set it up. The main reason we decided on the BenQ was the Book Management DVD ROM creating ability, however now we are becoming very reticent about BenQ. We really like this program of Book Management and DVD ROM burning as we have never had a back up fail on any of our 5 family standalone players, all of various ages, brands and from cheap to home theatre. We have been cruising the Net and have been looking at the Sony DRX older 720 and as well the newer 800 UL. There didn't seem to be too much difference, however members would know. After shopping today we are really confused. We understand that Sony comes with Nero, which BenQ did as well. We went to several stores. None of whom could understand the capability of BenQ in creating a DVD in ROM so that the backup can be virtually universally read. We only spoke to one store that said that the Sony models could do the same via the Nero program as the sales rep said there was a choice to burn in DVD ROM. However, he said that Sony supports only their own DVD R+ and that the sales rep who himself owns the 720 UL said that he had to burn in R- for older DVD standalone players and I told him that had not been an issue with the 162I and that we had a good supply of Maxell R+. He thought that the Sony would burn on them, however he said it was touch and go if DVD ROM would work with our other notebook that we hook up the burner to and use 1 Click DVD Copy. So I was wondering if there is a member that has knowledge of what Sony 720 and 800 can burn on. We don't want to be switching between R- and R+ and guessing how old our family standalone players are when we send our backups in the mail. With the BenQ we have not had to buy anything but R+ and click on the Book Management exe. and insure the media is in ROM and minimize it to the task bar while the Burner is creating a Disc. What bothers us with the BenQ is that we are on our 3rd one and this last time as the better half noticed the black box that is part of the A/C connector to our surge bar had a very strong smell like burned plastic. That is why we are in an indecisive state and have not taken it out of the box. If we knew that the Sony could do the exact same function and we did not have to worry about the age of our families players and guess on R+ or R-, as making a mistake with a backup and the kids are waiting for the mail and then it does not work is sad. I hope that there are members out there who know something about the Sony's and Media type needed and DVD ROM. (Can it burn in DVD ROM on the notebook that has Shrink, Clone DVD and the other notebook with 1 Click DVD Copy all both with the Any DVD program)??? We would have to pay a bit more but if the reliability is there and it can do the same job we would change simply for the fact that we are tired of unhooking and returning. We look forward to comments as right now we are very confused now being on our 3rd External DVD Burner and not even a year has gone by. When we bought it we were told it was really simply a 1620 in an external case and we thought that was great, but something seems not quite right. Regards, (Could it be the enclosure??? use of the Hauppauge???
I don't know if I can help you much,especially in the external dvd-rws,but some of the sony burners are re-badged lite-ons.These have the bitsetting capability to booktype,with lite-ons own booktyping utility. Here's a link for the Litey's and the Sony rebadeged liteys and the 720a and 800a are rebadged liteys. http://codeguys.rpc1.org/firmwares.html Here's a link for that lite-on booktyping utility,if my link still works: http://downloadhttp://www.liteonamericas.com/us/d_combo.htm Having 3 different burners,especially quality benqs,sounds like something else is wrong.Maybe your enclosure.I am no expert on external burners and try to avoid them. What brand name and speed rate of blank plus media are you using?
I use Maxell R+ or Sony R+ Media, mostly the former as Sony is not that common up here and pricey and BenQ's phone support said Maxell, Sony, TDK or Imation is the only brand that has been tested and used successfully and again they are R+. I have been creating a DVD letting the program either 1 Click DVD Copy on my one notebook or Nero on my other as well as DVD Shrink do the job. Perhaps I am wrong there?? I appreciate very much your info on Sony. The thing I did not like about Sony that the sales rep said was that the Sony 800 supported Sony Media only and it had to be R- and I have a huge purchase of Maxell R+ in jewel cases that work excellent with BenQ's 162I until the unit quits. I have never had a coaster, only when the unit bites the dust and now this is my 3rd unit in 6 months plus a few days since my other exchanged unit March 25. I will go and read your links and wondered if it is true that Sony only operates well with its own R- Media as if this BenQ goes i will be stuck with all of these Maxell R+ that work swell on this burner and that BenQ recommends. I hope that you may have some knowledge on the Sony Burner and its required Media use. Respectful regards.
Benq recommends the plus format because majority of their burners feature bitsetting capability to booktype the plus format to dvd-rom. This booktyping turns the plus format into dvd-rom,therefore fooling those stand alones and pc drives that may favor plus,dash,both,or none.. Dvd-rom is the more universal format for those drives to play backups. My booktyped backups from both my 1620s are recognized by a lot more dvd drives than my dash backups,so it works out great for me. I'll take all those maxell plus discs you have, LOL Here's some of their MID codes: +4x-Ricohjpn-r01 +8x- Maxell-002-00 ,made by hitachi of japan +8x- Ritek-r03, Made in taiwan by Ritek. All very good quality media and over 99% success rate on both my benqs. The sony +8x performs just as well as any of those maxells,verbatim data life plus +8x,and the fuji +8x yudens! I disagree with benq regarding Imation and TDK as good discs. Cmags are likely on the majority of those 2 brands so they are ill advised. Standalone players will have a harder time with those cmags.I can burn cmags ok,but their lower quality shows on my stand alones. Sony: Quite a few of those drives are lite-ons,which have the bitsetting capability also.You can click that codeguys firmware link and see all the rebadged liteys for sony dvd-rw drives. So the plus format backups should perform better than the dash on those liteys. Recommending their own media? Many ps2 consoles have trouble with the sony media. I've got a buddy who can't use sony,and quite a few threads the last week or so with the same trouble. It's all the different manufacturers of media using the sony brand name. Those yudens may work good,but then next batch will be SonyD11 and trouble may arrise.Check out the dvd-r media forum that's near the top of the page for dogbombs list of media codes. You'll see some of the many different MID codes for the same and different brand names.
also to add/chime in regarding the Sony drives...i currently use a Sony dru-710a with OFFICIAL Sony BYX4 firmware, i do ALL my booktyping needs with NERO, i naturally HAD to use a different program to do this as i was not willing to cross-flash my Sony with the Liteon's firwmare at the time~ the sony dru-710a = liteon sohw-1633s (which i also happen to have and i am able to booktyp on THAT drive using liteon's booktyping utility that saugmon mentioned above) so...onto YOUR problem/question...the Sony DRU-800a = Liteon's SOHW-1693S (which i HAPPEN to own and enjoy), i use the Liteon booktyping utility on THIS drive as well for great compatibility on my standalones... 2ndly, the comment about Sony burners ONLY using Sony media is a bunch of BS~!! i currently have 2 ACTUAL SONY BRANDED burners right now and can use everything from Taiyo Yuden, Verbatim, Maxell, Ritek...i ONLY stick to GOOD media as the Sony's DID have a hard time reading and writing to the CMC MAG manufactured crap as is present with SOME Memorex, HP, Philips, and TDK~ so, i would personally suggest you stay away from the last 4 i mentioned. i PERSONALLY hate TDK's own manufactured media..the TTG01/TTG02/TTH01, etc...my Sony despises this CRAP and i try to warn ANY Sony owners to avoid this media by TDK~ my other drives (pioneer dvr-109/nec3520a/liteon1633s/liteon1693s) ALSO do NOT like the TDK media i mentioned above... so anyways, sorry about the rant...from my experience Appa, my Sony branded drives like the Maxells (the made in japan ones) that you mentioned you had the dvd+r format~ i naturally booktype ALL my dvd+r media to dvd-rom for compatibility reasons...also, the rep that told you Sony drives will only use the Sony dvd-r media is DEAD WRONG, that misinformed fool should actually do some research before giving you FALSE info like that~ while ALL my drives are internal, i don't know much about the external enclosure thing, but, i DO know about the actual drives that are PUT INSIDE those enclosures...i have gone through about a dozen different drives in my days of burning, so, i am semi-familiar with most of them minus the Plextors which i have yet to try~ i even picked up the Benq 1640 (which i have YET to try yet) as per saugmon and catfreak's suggestions...will try it out when one of my drives that i currently use NOW dies on me~ so, i cannot really comment on anything Benq related at this point in time. so, to sum it all up...Sony drives CAN and WILL use media other than Sony's own brand..in EITHER the dvd-r or dvd+r format, i really wouldn't believe what these "sales rep" tell you at these retail stores as often times they don't know $hit about anything in their department~ good luck on your decision... docTY
Thankyou experienced ones for the comments, really heartily appreciated and I sincerely mean that! (The Noob Blues brother!!) Just a couple of last queries, with the Sony 800 UL does the proggy that it comes with allow the DVD-ROM burning like the BenQ 162I Book Type Management exe. that one can access from Benq's support site or get from their Phone Support in Irvine California who will send it via e-mail to you?? And in reference to this, will my Maxell R+ Media work as well with the Sony and my backup media not be an issue with all of my families 5 different standalone dvd players. Lastly, I use a PCMCIA card to convert from 1.1 to 2.0 USB. I have 2 cards, one that I started out with that goes into the slot and hooks to any back USB port. Then I have a powered one that goes into the slot that connects into my Power Bar. I bought and used the latter the most as I have a Canon LIDE 80 scanner and it has no A/C power connection and so I was concerned about the battery life on my notebook that was fluctuating since my scanner was working off the notebook and so I opted for principally using the powered PC Card which like the former is a virtual no name brand in that all it says is "USB 2.0 Hi-Speed CardBus Adapter, 32 Bit PC Card. When I talked to BenQ I asked about compabibility issues with PC cards and their units and they were not familiar with my type query. As I was wonderint if a better known card like a Belkin perhaps would potentially resolve the issues that seem to cause my external burners to up and fade into the sunset. I spent today out checking some stores and talking to techies and none seemed really certain about PC cards. All asked if my USB Canon LIDE 80 scanner worked from the card and it does, though I don't use it all that much. BenQ said that their only real experience has been with true 2 USB notebooks and could not comment on PC cards and so as a Noob here I wondered if anyone knows of issues with PC cards that could cause the BenQ burner problems that I described earlier and then a final quitting of the unit?? As I mentioned I have yet to install the new exchanged unit and wonder if I should take it back and get the Sony 800UL if it will be a heartier burner as 3 162I's quitting in 6 months plus seems a little strange and taking them apart etc.to return them is a pain. Is Sony a better recommended Burner? I talked as I mentioned to Benq Phone Support and they indicated that indeed the 162I is a 1620 in one of their enclosures, however did not know about useage with the PC card. They said definitely don't go out and purchase a 1620 and put it in an enclosure or I will experience worse problems than now. That the burner will operate, however have quirks that I will have to call them about and not like the experience!!! I am sort of leaning toward getting a Sony 800 UL instead of this exhange BenQ that I have if it can burn my Maxell R+ Media and be playable on the families 5 different brands and vintages of standalone players. Especially if Sony is a hearty brand?? and has a good program that comes with it to do Book Management. Am I confined to this proggy or can I use One Click DVD Copy or Clone DVD which both I have but not installed on the same notebook, however really appreciate because of their user friendliness and so do my family members and better half. Can these proggys via the Sony program allow them to operate in Book Management DVD ROM? Presently all I do if I use either of them is click on BenQ's Book Management Icon on my Desktop, insure it is set for DVD ROM creation and minimize the proggy to my task bar and simply create a DVD, and the backup works in all 5 of our family players as mentioned. I am sorry to ask these final 2 queries, it is the frustration of being a Noob and wondering if I should go back to the store with full confidence and ask for the Sony and know it will do the identical backups that will be playable on the family players and use my Maxell R+ media and not have a problem with a PCMCIA card. Also if any member thinks my cards are not good, please advise. The techies today checked them out and said they were fine, it is just that I have seen that Belkin PC Cards get a better rating and a brand SIGG which no one here in Canada, at least Vancouver knows anything about. They tell me a PC Card is a PC Card forget about the brand, however I have had such a strange history of problems with my external BenQ burners that I am looking at all connections to the notebook. there is only one other PC brand up here and that is IO Gear which I could find little info on in surfing the net and that is about it on PC Cards. I greatly appreciate your comments and look forward to what you may have to say further about the Sony's 800 UL, PC card, my Maxell Media and the ability of my backups to play on the family's 5 different brands and ages of burners. (which my BenQ burner does with great succes until it quits burning!!) The sales rep at Future Shop simply indicated that I would have problems figuring out whose player my Maxell R+ would work on and did not know if my 1 Click DVD Copy nor my Clone DVD on our other family notebooks could use the feature that you have discussed in this thread of DVD ROM burning. I have dished out $ for these programs so that the younger members can use the burner on their notebooks which also are 1.1 USB and they like the ease of use of the programs. Again, thankyou for your time and your input, it will indeed be fundamental in me making a decison on whether to take the exchanged 162I back and get a Sony 800 UL. And by the way what is a Litey?? Does it have benefits???? Respectful regards
hi Appa, hehe, a "litey" is short for a Liteon drive~ that's what I, amongst many others refer to liteon drives for short~ anyways, back to your dilemna about getting that Sony or another Benq replacement... well, i have a feeling MY opinion will be the OPPOSITE of saugmon's as HE IS one of THE MOST experienced members with Benq drives that i KNOW OF here on AfterDawn, but, i have had just about as much experience as him in regards to Sony/Liteon drives so, that leads me to MY opinion of which way you should go...i would go with the Sony~ while i DID mention to you that i don't know much about the external enclosures and those external drives, the internals of said enclosure DO in fact have the drive that i AM familiar with inside~ the Sony DRU-800A = Liteon SOHW-1693S (which i currently OWN), the Sony 800UL that you are deciding about is in actuality the Sony DRU-800A/Liteon SOHW-1693S [bold]inside[/bold] an EXTERNAL ENCLOSURE using the Liteon Booktyping utility that saugmon linked you above, i CAN and DO booktype my 1693S's dvd+r media to dvd-rom~ however, in order for YOU to use this utility, you WOULD have to cross-flash the Sony into the Liteon, if that makes any sense... you WOULD be using modified firmware and cross-flashing your Sony drive in order to USE the Liteon Booktyping utility... THIS can be a hassle AND would VOID your warranty for your Sony~ so, please take this into consideration before going with the Sony...this would be my ONLY reason to NOT recommend the Sony, as it involves cross-flashing and that could be risky if you do not know what you are doing...in THIS case, IF what you desire is BOOKTYPING ABILITY, and nothing else really matters, THEN go with the Benq drive~ it's difficult for me to really suggest or recommend between the Sony and the Benq as BOTH are quality drives, i just happen to have MORE experience with the Sony/Liteons than i do with the Benq, hence my bias. perhaps saugmon can add to this...his opinion, i am foreseeing him saying to go with the Benqs and i don't blame him... IF your Benq's have been DELIVERING for you Appa, then stick with what works, i KNOW that having to replace 3 identical drives is a pain and puts a thorn in your side and a bad taste in your mouth about Benq, BUT, you stated that WHEN THE BENQs worked, it produced successful backups that worked in all 5 of your home players...if this is your MAIN criteria on deciding, using something that HAS worked in the past and gave you the results you sought after..then i guess Benq is the answer~ good luck, i look forward to hearing your final decision... docTY
Thankyou all so very much for communicating your very knowledgeable and experienced comments regarding both brand of burners ( and in a form that a learning Noob can grasp!!! ). I phoned Sony Tech support in Iowa yesterday 1 - 800 - 588-3847. I must say the tech was very obliging. At first he was doubtful as to whether my Maxell R+ media would work with the 800 UL, however he talked to other tech's and said that they should burn. His major skepticism was in respect of whether my backups would play on all of the 5 family standalone players. He was surprised about the Book Management of Benq and looked it up on his computer and was going to read about it later. I decided that I will go with the BenQ and if it bites the dust in a short time I will go with the Sony at that time and get a Techie friend to do the "cross flashing" and repost at this site. My hope right now is that I simply picked 2 lemons from the tree and that I will now be 3rd time lucky!!!?? I got an email from BenQ again and their concern was the converter box attached to the A/C cord smelling like burned plastic, which even the store tech noticed. As their email indicated, the problem with the converter is that it is in a complete sealed plastic box and so one can't really understand what caused the smell to be so strong. The exchange BenQ unit that I have is made in Malaysia as was the other; only this one was made in Feb 2005 and the malfunctioning one was made in January. Probably not much difference though. I understand from Sony that their new model the external 810 will be out soon, so I guess that is why the DRX 800 UL is on sale at the Future Shop for $169 Cdn compared to $199. I really was tempted to get the Sony, its simply that my backups are used on diverse standalones and when the Sony Tech sounded a little skeptical about the Maxell R+ and then said perhaps I should get a supply of R- and experiment (a voice in the back of my mind said, i think i will give a new BenQ a go!!). Though he did say he thought the Maxells should work I didn't exactly feel too confident and the Sony sale was over yesterday and I don't like to buy under pressure. My extended warranty is until 2008,so I will wait and see what happens with this unit now and be optimistic. I also went out shopping and phoning around regarding the PCMCIA cards and no one seems to know much about whether there are different qualities or not as I was wondering if the PC card could be a factor in my demise with my burners. Up here in Canuck land there is not much to choose from, simply no name brands made in Taiwan. The only brand name I stumbled across was the brand IO Gear, however couldn't get too many comments about the quality. I thankyou all once again for your ongoing interest and support and I will hook up the unit tonight and see what happens and enjoy the long Thanksgiving weekend on our Gobble Gobble day!! Again many thankyous and i remain with fingers crossed!! Respectful regards, Cleary
enjoy the weekend and let us know how it works out for you, give the new Benq another shot...3 times MIGHT be a charm~ good day to you~ docTY
