http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=14511&PageId=7 Take a look at this link for DVD Burners Roundup from CDRinfo.com. This particlular link to this "Roundup" shows the best burns that the selected Burners had and with the media that gave them their best burn. In the case of your BenQ it was Ridisc DVD+R 16X @ 16X. I have never used this media before but you did ask what is the best 16x media to purchase for your BenQ 1640. Good luck with whatever decision you finally make.
Hey Sytyguy, Like you, I should get my BenQ 1640 (from newegg) tomorrow (paid almost as much for shipping as the drive itself . Glad to hear things are going well for you - I can't wait to do my own! I bought a 50 spindle of Sony DVD+R's (made in Japan - TY's maybe?) for $18, received today. Many movies ready to backup. With you guys to back me up - how can I not succeed?
sytyguy, I never doubted you. I just find it interesting and actually a bonus that the DW1640 is set to booktype +r media to dvd-rom by default. They obviously want the best playability and compatability with their drives and have taken extra steps to try to achieve this. Nobody has to convince me. I already love my benq. Plextor has a model that is a rebadged benq. The new sony is also a rebadged benq. Benq must be doing something right. Oh the link to dvd identifier was for capgeo to verify the booktype had been changed to dvd-rom on his backups after burning. Mort
@ lemmmer, you got yourself some Taiyo Yudens there buddy, welcome to AD~ the Sony 8x dvd+r (MIJ) as you stated are the YUDEN000T02 coded TYs, what a great way to start your burning journey~ good luck, let us know when you get your BenQ and make your first backup on those TYs docTY/doc Holiday~
Mort81, Sorry, sometimes I don't read everything carefully, due to being in a hurry, plus I work out of my house (software guy), and I always have several things going on at the same time. Anyway, looks like everyone's happy, and that's the main thing. Happy burning, Rich
After reading this thread and getting a lot of good info. about booktyping, I was actually able to contact the place I ordered the disks from and changed the order to: Taiyo Yuden DVD+R 4.7GB, 8X, $0.42 ea., 50-Pack. So I think now I'm set and I can't wait to try out my new burner and make sure that it does burn as a dvd-rom. You guys are great. I learned so much in one day that I can hardly believe it.
As I alluded to earlier, I got my disks and drives setup today. BenQ 1640 & TY's burned at 4x using Decrypter, Nero, & Shrink. My 2 year old daughter is now watching a perfect copy of Piglet's Big Movie that I am NEVER going to have to buy again because she uses it as a 1) frisbee or 2) a target to throw blocks and Lego's at (yes I bought this movie 3 times!) Chaulk one up for the good guys. I couldn't have done it without you guys. Thanks! *Huge pat on the back*
Keep in mind that there is a firmware upgrade for the Benq 1640 on their website, along with some patches to some other software, and then there is Benq's software if you didn't receive it with your drive (I did not). Happy burning, Rich
Thanks for all the good info. everyone. I just installed the benq1640 and a liteon dvd-rom. Copied my first movie(Longest Yard) took 15 minutes, used to take over an hour and now I can fire and forget with clone dvd, just put the original in the rom, the blank in the burner come back and it is done. I did not know about any of this until I read some of the responses. Everyone on here is great and I appreciate the opportunity to glean all this good information from the more experienced users out there. Thanks again. PS the 1640 does booktype to dvd-rom by default.
OK, i just installed the benq1640 and a liteon dvd-rom. It works great with clonedvd2, pretty much fire and forget. Thanks for all the good info. from everyone. I burned a disk and it only took 15 minutes, used to take over an hour. I'm still a little fuzzy on how to set the booktype. I've tried clcking on the link: I would use the benq booktype utility manager which can be downloaded with qsuite. Here's a link. http://www.benq-eu.com/serviceandsupport/downloads/downloads.cfm?... I keep getting the page not found error and actually went into the benq site and clicked on the ckeck firmware site and got page not found. Maybe there is a problem at benq right now. I also only received nero with the drive, is there something else Qsuite or something that people are talking about? How would I get that? I feel like I'm almost there. just need to figure out exactly how to booktype to dvd-rom from +r. Someone said that there 1640 automatically booktyped to dvd-rom. I just burned one and used identifier and got this result: disk&booktype: (dvd+r)-(dvd-rom) I'm assuming that means it was booktyped as a dvd-rom? Sorry for the long message, the new hardware did make an unbelievable difference
@capgeo - try here for Qsuite - http://benq.com/products/product.cfm?product=554&type=3&page=features
http://www.benq-eu.com/serviceandsupport/downloads/downloads.cfm?product=750 Qsuite for version 2 link that was given by another aD user a little while back. http://support.benq.com/front/BenqM...langu=null&ops=2756&GenMenu=&RootId=undefined Firmware as well.
capgeo, Your +r's are being booktyped dvd-rom according to what you posted from dvd identifier. You should already be good to go. The benq site is probably just temp down. Be sure to keep burn speeds to 4x.
@capgeo What firmware was in your BenQ when you got it? Did you purchase the OEM model from Newegg.com?
My 1640, received 2 days ago, shipped with BSHB from Newegg. Updated to the latest BSLB without issues.
@Lemmmer Was your's the OEM burner for around $40? They are showing two firmware updates, one for "Bulk" and the other for "Retail".
Thanks for the good info. I was able to download qsuite and it told me my firmware was bsjb. I'll check the site to see if there is anything newer. You guys are great. I actually got my drive from: Line Item Information: Item Number: 588170 Description: DVD Burner Model DW1640-0C3 BenQ DVD Burner Model DW1640-0C3 Quantity: 1 Price: $39.99 Good price. On a unrelated topic, after I installed the new drives, I have a buzzing sound now in the background even when there is nothing in the drives. Has anyone ever had that happen??
On the 1640 - mine was "retail" OEM for $38+/-. The latest firmware for the 1640 is BSLB. Download here: http://www.benq.us/serviceandsupport/Drivers/drivers.cfm?product=782 Capgeo - I would be suspicious of the noise. I have heard (on this forum) that, while BenQ's are generally superior drives, some of the ones made in some specific factories have been known to be not so reliable. If it continues, I would send it back to Newegg for another ASAP, they are pretty good about that. Mine was made in Malaysia, no problems, noises, etc., and has performed flawlessly so far.
