Hi.
I sold my old DVD-RW and now will go to buy a new one really fast. (Don't like the bay hole in my case )
I read some reviews and user's posts but like to hear about your choise between some of these models.

Benq 1640
Optiacr 7173A
Plextor 760A

I know that some could say to go for the Benq 1655, but here is very difficult to get Benqs. When the 1655 reach the market, in other countries is almost out. Here just Pixm@ni@ got it.
Plextor and NEC are easy to get, and NEC is very cheap. I can put my hand on the new Optiarc for 35 €uros.
The problem is, despite the money, Plextor has the fame of top burners, but I read too much people saying that the quality is downhill from the 708.
Optiarc is a very new drive and very difficult to get some user reviews.
I really need a good DVD - CD burner. Don't spend too much time doing media scans, but really need to get a burner that do good jobs with relative good media. I never use the cheap media, but try to find good quality / price relation.
Feel free to write any advice you have.

Thanks

Still wait for any sugestion.
I was check some reviews about Plextor 760A and Benq 1640, and previews (Nec Optiarc AD-7173), and the concept points to all of them are very good burners.
Plextor got fame to be very good material, but I found too many users with problems on models after the 708, even too much people with the "new" PX-760A totaly died.
The Optiarc AD-7173 got a good preview but can't find users talking about it. I now NEC burners got good support with official firmwares and good options with cracked, but Optiarc??? the site is still almost an image, and I can't figure where or when firmwares will appear.
The Benq 1640, I know is good, but of course is a bit old model, but I can't find the 1650 easily, and I know there are newer models coming for them very soon.

Thanks for your help

If you are interested in optiarc burner, check this thread

If you are interested in doing quality scans of your burned media, maybe a liteon or a plextor drive are better options.

geno888
Thanks for the link. I already check it and all I try to know is about the 3 burners.
I never was an expert or do too much quality scans, all I want is a reliable drive, that do good quality burns in DVD and CD-R, with good media. I never like to use cheap supports.
People love Benqs, but I don't like the idea to buy a drive that is almost "discontinued", because here I can't find new models. Even the 1655 is almost impossible to get.
I like Plextor since my old CD recorder, but have the idea that in the DVD burners area, they lost the famous quality, and now I find to much threads about plextor problems.
The Optiarc looks fine in the preview. In the past I got a couple of Nec drives and never got big problems with any. Here I can get it for a very cheap price, but... could be a good drive? support? Sony with the hands on Nec material??? is very confusing, I can't find too much information about this new burners

In the past weeks I was looking for a really good burner regardless of brand that can do good burning on any media. I don't know about Optiacr but Plextor, NEC & BenQ are like what you've said they either lack of something or reliability issue. And I end up with Pioneer 111D that burned excellent so far. The only thing that Pioneer miss out is the Bitsetting feature and quality scan but these are not the feature you're after anyway.

Make your life easy and just get the Pioneer 111. Bitsetting is available if you need it, with the 8.26 firmware from Buffalo.

I've already upgraded the firmware of my 111D to 111L 8.26 but still no Bitsetting.

I have/had a Pioneer 111-D but it was defective (AKA stopped reading CDs and data disks..) However, it did it within 30 days of purchase and is being replaced. It is extremely easy to use and have not had any quality issues with anything that was burned prior to the device failure.

In the forum there are many complaints about recent plextor drives; some had a drive broken after six months only. I never had a plextor DVD burner, so I can't say you about my personal experience.

Also liteon are good drives, with lower prices. If you have doubts about benq, then a liteon or a sony (most of sony drives are rebranded liteon) can be a good choice.

I have yet to see a problem with bitsetting (+R) and the 8.26 firmware, or any Buffalo firmware for that matter. Why do you think yours is not working?

I've not checked those burned DVD-+R yet. By the way did you use the firmware from 111L or 111. I've upgraded mine to 111L 8.26 firmware, should I change it to 111 firmware to enable the bitsetting ?

TDB 8.26 bitsets automatically on +R and +R_DL

the 111L is a Buffalo version of the Pioneer. Their firmware is the only one that bitsets +R. It won't do +RW and there is no need for -R or -RW. Stay with the 8.26.

Could you explain what bitsetting is and just what its benefit is?

Bit Setting will let you set a code on the disk (usually DVD+R, DVD+R DL and DVD+RW) so that it is identified as a DVD-ROM by readers. DVD-ROM is the most compatible format out there, it would seem, as pressed disks that come from commercial factories are in that format. Since the properties of DVD+ disks are similar enough to actual DVD-ROM disks, this "slight of hand" seems to work much of the time.

As for the actual drives - the Plextor 760 does not do bit setting on DVD+RW's, I believe, so that coupled with the high cost seems to make it a no-go for some potential buyers out there.

The BenQ 1640 is a great drive - I like mine VERY much - but it has trouble reading some disk formats, such as the finalized DVD-RW video recordings from my Panasonic DMR-ES15. In addition, firmware development seems stagnant on all BenQ drives due to the Lite-On buyout of their optical unit.

I just went through this whole eval process and found that the Lite-On SHM-165H6S seems to be a very good option.

I just got mine the other day and testing has been very positive. Burn quality is quite good, media compatibility in terms of reading seems excellent (it even reads those DVD-RW disk from the Panasonic), it's feature-laden and in the retail package you get all the goodies for around $30-$35 USD at Newegg and other places.

So, if I may be so bold, I might suggest considering the Lite-On drive as an option.

Best of luck.