Hi all. Im about to buy a new DVD Burner, and been looking a bit around for one. I read some tests and from them BenQ seemed like good stuff. So i found this one, that i might buy, if its good?: http://www.pc-netto.dk/asp/index.asp?varernr=9J.B7F15.0B1&goto=productinfo (The language is danish, but i think you can read the stuff that matters, cant you?) I was actually looking at this first: http://www.pc-netto.dk/asp/productinfo.asp?varernr=9J.B5U15.0F2&goto=productinfo& but then i thought that i might aswell choose one with LightScribe, or am i wrong about that? Anyway, is the one from the first link a good buy, and if it isnt, could you direct me to something else maybe? Thanks in advance!
Hi, The BenQ 1640 that you were originally looking at is a 'modern day' classic. The 1655 has LS, but also improved chipset. At this moment in time there's not a lot between the two (apart from LS). The 1640s' f/w has matured well. The 1655 has yet to realise its full potential, but already is on a par with the 1640. I have the 1640, 1650(no LS) & the 1655. Unless you really want LS, you could get the 1650. The choice is yours, either way you won't be disapointed. BTW the illustration is not accurate for the 1655, see here. http://www.benq-eu.com/Products/storage/index.cfm?product=604
If you need the lightscribe: Definitely the Benq 1655 or the Lacie If no lightscribe: Definitely the Benq 1650. There's a few drawbacks to these quality benqs,unless you get a bum drive: 1) They won't die 2) They burn everything you slap in them. 3) After booktyping the plus format to dvd-rom: Good luck on finding a drive that won't recognize their booktyped backups.With this booktyping,you can ditch the dash format. 4) They perform better using quality media and a faster burn speed. 5) Dual Drives: Try rip and burn on the fly with these bad boys. Sweet! 6) Firmware Updates available very regularly 7) Pretty decent readers 8) Qsuite 2.0/2.1 with some nice programs. I am willing to accept all those drawbacks, LOL I've got 4 benqs now. Just think one model is great,they outdo themselves with the newer models. BenQuality!!!!!
Good Luck with that new benq. Post back when you get it installed. There's some sites I can link you to for the qsuite 2.0/2.1 utility and the firmware updates. Lots of good programs in the qsuite. I updated my firmware as soon as I installed it.It was a revision behind.
How is it again with these Internal DVD Burners, are they supposed to be Secondary Master or is it Primary Slave or what? Kinda forgot it, since its long time since i have changed something on my computer
Probably either/or-depending on your tower space and IDE ribbons. Look at the flat ribbons for the connectors.Some come with 3 connectors per ribbon.Some don't.If you have a center connector that is not being used,that'll be a slave or c/s. The end with the closest center connector goes to drive.The end furthest from that connector goes to the mobo. Some dvd-rw drives come with the flat 40 pin/80 wire ribbon. Use it if it does. I've got both my main pcs set as: Main harddrive: Primary master-Majority of pcs should be that way. The rest of the drives can be configured differently. Secondary Harddrive: Primary slave Dvd-rw drive-my ripper: Secondary master Dvd-rw drive-benqs: Secondary slave. I configured mine as how they fit into my tower.Both harddrives are very close,so I put them on the same ribbon-primary.Same with both dvd-rw drives. I've had each burner set as slave/master and same performance,as long as the jumpers are correct. Some brands of pcs may call for Cable select instead of slaving a drive or vice versa. I'd slave it first,then any issues: I'd cable select it. If you lack a secondary harddrive,then you could add that benq to that ribbon. You should be ok as long as you got the right connector of the ribbon and the right jumper settings. Should be a diagram on the back of that benq for the jumper settings. Very easy,probably takes me 2 mins to swap out a drive. How is your pc going to be configured? Dual harddrives? Dual Dvd-rw drives?
Ok i got it installed in the computer now.. It seems to work, but all i have tryed is to push it out, using the computer. Do you think you could link me all that software that i would be needing for it? Thanks in advance EDIT: Just checked the firmware, i have the BCDC one. I used a firmware update i found on the american BenQ site for the 1640 model, since 1650 werent there? Anyway it wouldnt let me update, so do you think you can link the firmware upgrade too?
@saugmon been reading your posts and it seems to me that you really enjoy benq. Is this the leader in burners? I am looking for a new one as well, and it looks like you know your stuff about burners. What is lightscribe with the benq? Somesort of enhanced feature specifically for benq. Can I install these externally as well as internally. I have a shelf right above my tower. Anyhow, if you could list what you think the best burners out right now are that would be great. And where would I get the best deal for these, online, in stores etc...thanks again.
rasmusl: Don't update the fw to the benq 1640. Here's the site I got my 1650 fw update: benq 1650 fw: http://support.benq.com/front/BenqM...langu=null&ops=null&GenMenu=&RootId=undefined halfhere: When I first began burning dvds in my pc,I just had a basic Khypermedia +8x. I had compatability issues with a tv dvd burner a year before that,so I knew stand alone players were picky from that tv recorder's backups. Same is true with pc dvd burners. After buying an I/0 Magic 16x writer which was a Benq 1620,my stand alone compatability issues disappeared.Dvd shrink will use nero6 to do the booktyping on the benq 1620. Not so with the 1640. My dad had trouble playing my dash benq backups,but booktyped were fine. I hated having to remember keeping backups from certain burners from certain standalones like plus on dads,dash on mine. Booktyping them took care of that,and no need for the dash. So I get my old pc running and buy another I/O Magic 16x.This was built by EMPA of Middle East FIZO and pure crap. Dash way outperformed the plus. Even after booktyping them. Then I ordered a genuine benq 1620 and I had 2 burners who's backups could play just about anywhere. Then I added a 3rd pc and ordered the 1640. One bad thing about the 1620, They will overburn majority of 8x media at 12x and 16x if left on max. My single drive pc was limited to 2x/2.4x/and max.If I slapped a Sony +1x-8x at max,it'd burn it at 16x. Slow 2.4x burning give too many errors. Using quality media,These burners perform better at 8x and 12x burnspeed. Now I got the 1650 in my main pc,1620 in my backup athlon 3000+,a 1640 in my 598 mhz celeron/and I got my dad's backup pc fixed and threw in my newest 1620 in her. My original 1620 still performing strong with over 3000+ backups at a 99.9+% success and over 300+ on the fly without a single coaster. Between all 4 of my Benqs,and not counting mfg defective discs: I avg 1 coaster out of 500. That's usually a playback coaster.Burn coasters-about 1 out of 800+: All using high quality Ritek/Taiyo yuden/Maxell hitachi/verbatim/and sony plus format media of 8x or higher. My HP 640C lightscribe,came bundled with my main pc: It had about 20% coasters even with maxell hitachi and verbatim, very poor compatability,and way too many crc errors. I use that drive strictly for ripping/playing/and lightscribing.No backups. Poor quality backups,but decent lightscribing. Going from All 7 pc dvd-rw drives and tv burner,there's huge stand alone compatability differences between the non benqs and the Benqs.Booktyping is the biggest asset for Benq. Lightscribing: Go for a good model#. I'd get the 1655 or the model# that lacie has. Lite-on has one,haven't heard much about it.Definitely avoid any HP burners,lightscribe or non lightscribe models.You get a distinguished looking disc,but the silver shiny inkjet printables look even better. Plus I really like full hubs,and haven't seen full hub LS media. Stand alone compatability is more critical to me than Lightscribing. Benq gives you the best bang for money. Check out Meritline.com and Newegg.com just got the 1650s in. I love newegg.com,very good store to order from and great prices.I got my 1640 there last fall for $37 including fed ex. External:You can buy an already external drive or go the route of an internal drive that is placed into an external enclosure. The enclosure route is the way I'd go if I had to. Benq uses UDMA5. Someone posted you need UDMA4 to go the external enclosure route.So I'm not the best person to advise the external drives.I know a lot of peeps put the NEC 3550 in an external case and works very good.It can even be flashed with hacked firmware for booktyping in case you have a few players that give you a no disc error on it. I'm definetely for the internal dvd-rw drive route.Any extra room in that pc,definetely slap a benq internal.Even if you have to remove an old cd-rw or cd-rom drive. These benqs burn cds very good. Top Drives: Plextor 716-also makes a very good external drive-A lot more $ Benq 1640 Benq 1650 Sony Dru-810-rebaded benq 1640 Plextor 740A- Lightscribe-and rebadged benq 1655 Benq 1655- Lightscribe Nec-3550 and higher. Pioneer 110 There a few very good LG and Lite-on models.
Wow you really know your stuff about burners. So your saying the benq 1650 is the next best thing besides the plextor. Do I need the Lightscribing, you briefly mentioned it, what advantages/disadvantages does it have, or is it becomming legacy now? Right now I am using a 16x memorex dual layer. I am using that one of my computers right now. The other computer that I work with has a NEC. I am going to completely rebuild my machine but as far as top notch burners, that is why I contacted you. Now I hate their media (memorex) and won't even go near that stuff. I use TY's and Verbs, However I ran out about 1yr ago and got this thing (memorex burner)on the fly and have had not one problem with it at all. Not even one coaster, which I am very amazed at and the scan results are excellent. Which I am sure most of that is due to the media used as well. Any way besides the point I know that the Memorex burners aren't too good and now that I got some money, I want to get out there and purchase an excellent burner. I have been experimenting with my buddies benq and have been very impressed with the performance. I think I have made my decision. Newegg/meritline here I come. Thanks again.
Lightscribe: It's hard to explain what they look like. They are unique.Kinda have a bronze look,with light brown and dark brownish colors.A little 3D look to them.I am disappointed with my HP 640c. I've got nero now,and will try that labeling software to see if there is any improvement. Mine has a blurry look to them,while my dad's HP 640c gives a better quality picture. They are unique but I get a much better picture quality-and color with shiny Inkjet printable media.You need an epson stylus r-series printer or certain models of canon to print directly onto your discs. Memorex outsources their drives,as well as their media. There are some decent memorex burners,but you never know which manufacturer's model# you'll get.. The firmware version may help narrow it down.
saugmon the firmware you linked me to is the BCDC that my drive already have. Isnt there any newer than that then, and my drive simply came with the newest or what?
Ok Well its just nice to get it with the latest firmware, hehe. Thank you all for your help, the drive seems to be excellent, and its booktyping works perfectly, which my former drive's didnt (even though it was said to be able to booktype) Thanks again
No problemo rasmusl. Just keep that link bookmarked for future updates. Benq does update their firmware quite regularly. Some of the other brand names do,but the majority of them very rarely have an update. My benq 1650 had an older fw version. I updated to the latest as soon as I installed it. Did the same with my 1640. On my original 1620-which was sold for I/O Magic 16x, It had B7C9 firmware. I had no issues with it,but when B7V9 fw was out,I finally updated it.That's a slew of updates inbetween that I skipped. I've never had any fw issues on any of my benqs.They will burn just about any plus format media you throw at them. Not so true with the dash.
