CD/DVD Drive Purchase

Hi
I have a Sony PCG FRV25 notebook and the cd-rom has been going a bit crazy lately; some disks it reads sometimes and some it doesn't read at all. So I have decided to purchase a new one but I am at a complete loss what kind to get and from where.

I have looked into replacing it with another sony one but they are super expensive for some reason.

I am looking for a drive that is CD-RW and DVD player; DVD +-R is something I wouldn't mind but I'd rather have a CD-RW/DVD that is compatible with a wide variety of disc manufacturers and is not DVD +-R.

Any suggustions?

 

From the looks of it on Amazon, a regular laptop drive should fit, but hard to say without looking at it. Might want check in with Sony if it is under warranty. If you have to take the case off which in alll likelyhood you will, it may void your warranty. I did it on my old Compaq. HP said it would not affect my warranty, but they wouldn't cover the new drive. Sony may be different. I personally am partial to NEC drive. My 6500 has taken every thing I have put in it. Plus it is the fastest burner I have seen. The newest NEC is the 6650. Goes for a little under $100 on NewEgg. Master/slave can also some times be an issue. You may want to contact Ultradrives.com. They specialize in laptop drives. They might know what will fit, but I don't sell NECs. Good Luck.

 

I bought a Sony drive for my old laptop similar to this one off of Newegg. Worked beautifully. I never had a problem reading/burning discs. It was also very responsive and I was very satisfied with it.

The one zazonz posted is also worth checking out.

 

So I have purchased the Sony DVDRW DWQ-58A Slim drive and now I got to wonder what are the best DVD discs to buy for it. Is +R better then -R?

 

Well, it pretty much goes like this - "+R" format is for data storage - more reliable than -R because it writes the data 'deeper' into the disc. "-R" format is better for movies, as it's more compatible with DVD players. Data is written closer to the surface, so it is not as reliable.

Personally, I just buy whatever is on sale. Memorex is a good brand.

 

DVD+R has better error correction. On some drives, DVD+Rs can be bitset meaing the drive will mark them so your DVD player sees it as a DVD-ROM making them nearly 100% compatible. I pretty much use DVD+Rs, but my PS2 loves junky DVD-Rs for some reason. I think which ever discs you use, it is better to get some form a quality manufacturer like Taiyo Yudens or Mitsubishi Chemical. Good Luck.

 

Two more questions: is this drive dual layer? Some sites say it is and others don't. Also who is the OEM of this drive, I know it says sony but they probably get it from someone else.

 

The DWQ-58A is a dual layer drive. Dual layer discs have two layers that contain data greatly increasing the storage capacity. The discs are much more expensive, but the number of projects that will require them is small.

 

Right on about getting good quality discs. I know Memorex mostly uses good manufacturers.

If the project you're doing needs a double-layer disc, I would just use two DVDs to save money. I have a dual layer burner but I have yet to burn a DL DVD.

 

Memorex tends to use better manufacturers on smaller packages of discs like five packs. When you buy a large spindle, they tend to use crappier makers like CMC Mag.

 

The problem that I am having right now is to due with media codes. I did some reading on digitalFAQ.com and they say that OEM switch between factories that they use to make DVD's; some factories are good others bad.

Unfortunately the only way that I know of to find this information is to buy the disk and have Nero read the DVD info.

Is there a way of telling the media code before I buy the DVD's?

 

I think if you want to be sure, buying from a reputable store online is probably your best bet. Rima.com is very good. You can look them up on VideoHelp.com, but as noted, they can vary from spindle to spindle. I know blank FujiFilm DVDs marked Made in Japan are Taiyo Yudens, some of the best blanks one can buy. That is usually what I get when they go on sale at BestBuy.

 

So what do you recommend, buying 100 or 50 or less at one time? I ask because I've known of cd-r drives that work with some manufacturers but not others. I don't want to end up with 100 DVD's that my burner does not have the license to burn.

 

If you are buying online, I'm sure you could buy a smaller quantity, like 25, to test them out before buying more.

 

Poking around the internet it looks like the best way to go is to go to a store and find disks made by TY. Very well Fujifilm it will be, thanks for your help.