Ok,
I've noticed that most don't like Memorex. I am so new to this it's not funny. Sorry. At any rate, where we bought them from we can't take them back to. Why? Because we bought them when they were on sale ...while we were out of town. I have a Samsung SH-W08A. I updated the firmware. The disc still doesn't work. I am told to insert blank media. What does that mean? I looked up on Samsung's site and my DVD burner can burn up to 8X. I use DVDClone2 and set it for 8X and then tried it with 4X. Still doesn't work.
If I try a different brand, which I'm not against. What speed? Does the 4X 8X 16X really matter? 16X are the cheapest. But what if I can't get them to work?
Try to return them anyway, explain that your DVD burner can't handle them, get an in-store credit for the sale price. Most stores are pretty lenient if you have your reciept and just want to exchange them for something similar. Your burner may not be able to handle the newer 16X media. Look for the older 8X media on-line, or spend the $30.00 or so at Newegg.com and get a faster 16X Lite-on or Pioneer. Unfortunately as technology progresses, slower things get left in the dust. If the drive's firmware isn't updated to deal with the newer stuff, it can't write onto the newer disks. My oldest kid is the happy owner of my very first DVD burner, a Sony DRU-500A, still burns, but can't handle the faster stuff anymore.
8X Verbatim are currently available at www.supermediastore.com for a reasonable price for a quantity of 200, (If you live in the states that is) Be careful if you buy the valueline media, they can come in either 8X or 16X, some stores still advertise the older 4X media but reports from people who have bought them recently say that the stockpile of 4X is completely exhausted but now and you won't find anymore.
So, your options are as follows, stick with the known 8X media, shell out the $30.00 or so and get a new burner, keeping the old one as a DVD reader/CD burner.
By not issuing newer fw updates,it's a way that the manufacturer is telling you to update to a newer burner.Get a quality drive.Some of these quality drives update their firmware very frequently.
Plextor,Lite-on,LG,and if you can find any Benqs in the 1640A or 1650A
Or,you'll have to locate the older/slower speed media which is getting very scarce or extinct. If you have a Bestbuy,they had some of the Verbatim Digital Movie quality discs in the slower speed.
Thank you so much! Yes, it's the firmware. I tried to return my dics but couldn't. I am just going to trade with my dad. He has the older, slower, going extinct media. Found an LG 18X for $29.99. I love LG.
Has anyone else had a good experience with LG? Or would you recommend something else?
Hopefully I will be able to stay ahead of the curve.
I have had no experience with LG drives, this is my current drive, not sure if they will be in stock again,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106014 a few of the other regulars have this drive,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106042 but one is reporting trouble with TYG-02 disks not giving the high quality scans that he is used to with the previous drive,scan results The LG has good reviews, the only Con I see is that it has no software with it, but if you have been burning DVD disks, you probably already have all that you need, like Nero, CloneDVD or whatever your program of choice is, so I don't see that as a negative.
Just a little info to help you with more options.
I haven't used LG drives either. Should be a decent drive.LG drives are suppose to booktype the plus format media to dvd-rom. This comes in handy for a higher stand alone compatability rate.
I personally haven't owned an LG, but my brother sings high praises for his. He has had it for almost two years and over 200 DVD back ups and no problems yet (knock wood) :-)
