Recommend a "budget" 8X DVD burner please

[LawyerRon]

I've got the new LiteOn 8X dual DVD burner in my home system and it's a great drive.

However, I'm looking for something a bit cheaper for a "budget" system I'm building for a friend on a tight budget. Any suggestions? The drive must be 8X and dual format.

[Redfallon]

The liteon 8x I have seen for like, $99 if I remember correctly. I don't know if I've seen an 8x for much less than that, if any at all...Sometime in April I believe Plextor is releasing a 12x DVD burner, that should cause the other's to follow and the 8x prices will probably drop.

[Rick Hall]

Take a seriously look at he LG 8042B. I have 3 LG burners and have never had a problem with any of them.

[casey]

agree with Rick
I have 3 LG GSA 4040b's and just last night installed the new GSA 4082.
running the 4040's since August 2003 and not 1 hiccup yet.
also fitted approx 7 to customers PC's and have not had any problems. (they don't like cheap media Princo/Memorex though)

[Rick Hall]

I am using Memorex + and - in my 4082B all the time and have no problems at all.

[not important]

The LG 4082B is $101.50+ $5 shipping and The Lite-On 811/851S is $88.50 + $4 shipping at Newegg.

[Rick Hall]

However, for the difference in price you get DVD-RAM 3X besides the + & - burning at 8X each.

Most people here look at the Liteons but I will always buy LG over Liteon until I find that LG has gone downhill. Right now I feel that LG has the best burners on the market beside Plextor and Pioneer which are considerably more expensive, although I do not think that Pioneer are as good as they once were.

[casey]

Originally posted by Rick Hall I am using Memorex + and - in my 4082B all the time and have no problems at all.

Have not tried them in the 4082 yet but the 4040 would only write them @ 2x for the -R. these were made by CMC Magnetics. There was a short period where some Tayo Yuden made Memorex DVD's were sold.
CMC is known for seroius quality problems CD's and DVD's and I have experienced this myself.
The forums a www.DVDRhelp.com is also full of problems with Memorex branded disc's.
I'll stick to my Verbatim disc's Japan. Singapore, India orTaiwan manufacture, all good.
also Maxell, TDK, Ricoh...

[casey]

Originally posted by Rick Hall However, for the difference in price you get DVD-RAM 3X besides the + & - burning at 8X each. Most people here look at the Liteons but I will always buy LG over Liteon until I find that LG has gone downhill. Right now I feel that LG has the best burners on the market beside Plextor and Pioneer which are considerably more expensive, although I do not think that Pioneer are as good as they once were.

I agree with you on this one though, LG is all I use when building systems DVD, CDRW or DVD Writers. You cannot even compare the build quality of a Liteon to a LG.
I have fitted at least 120 LG units to systems and have had two duds (writers from the same batch)
the only LG units I do not use is their CD Roms, their DAE suck.