anyone know what model the I/O magic 16x burner is at Circuit City on friday...Videohelp gives it 3 different options(benQ...optorite...BTC) on what it could be...Does anyone know a way to tell which is which?

I/O Magic

$19 and does it involve a rebate? If it's 19 out the door grab it! Otherwise go to Newegg.com and get what you want!

no rebates...staples has a similiar drive also that could be made by btc...I would rather not have to go through the return process after thanksgiving if this thing is a BTC...the other models...I would keep

How could you go wrong with a full retail pack for $19.99?

For $15-20 more you can get a NEC or Benq from Newegg that you know will do good burns as opposed to a drive that MIGHT do good burns. I have one of those bargains sitting in my closet, so my $20 is sitting in the closet while my $35 is hard at work in my computer. A deal is not a deal unless you can benefit. I guess you can sell it on Ebay, but I imagine there will be some others for sale as well.

its a crap shoot. i have an i/o magic. its a benq 1620. but that was back in the day when the box stated that dl burn was 2.4x. the btc drives had a dl burn speed of 4x. don;t know if thats still true today, but i thought it seemed as if i/o magic was doing more btc than benq.

i have a friend w/ and "emprex" 16x BTC model.It sux....He got it for free about 2 months ago and he had me look in CdFreaks for better firmware...no discs he did w/ the stock firmware would gel...I found the A089 firware for it and since it does ok...No buffer issues but is picky about the media it likes...it hates 16x memorex(cmc mag m01)...likes 8x memorex(cmc E01)...its weird...I would rather not fumble w/ the return hassle and xmas lines here after thanksgiving...I'll look for the DL burn speed and if it's 4x I'll pass on it...both staples and CC have the same model options basically but I'll check and see for myself.

If it is a rebadged BenQ1620 it can probably be crossflashed. I am going to check it out. I'll get back to you all.

Staples has a Digital Research 16x max double-layer dual-format internal DVD drive after rebates for $19.94 on Black Friday. I purchased one in mid-October for $39.95. Both prices were after rebates but rebates can be entered through the Internet at Staples. The burner is a Lite-On SOHW-1693S (16X8X4X/16X6X4x/16X/+48X24X48X DVD-Dual Drive).

I don't see why it would be a 1620, I don't think their still in production.

its after rebates

NOS..(new old stock)...gettin' rid of there old inventory..

The new stock of the I/O Magic burners look like this, with a part number of IDVD16DL. There are two sizes, the larger has no serial number printed outside, smaller one does, but starts with a 'P', which, in the past, have been BTC drives.


The old ones are IDVD16DD. From the ads, it is the older ones, and the ones I saw all had the infamous 48x CD and 4x +R9 burn speeds, indicating BTC drives.

along w/ the box features and serial numbers....how bout tryin the drive speed...I noticed that the BTC drive doesn't have -DL support...that could be a way to see also(if your lookin for a 1640 or a lite on)..also..-RW speeds vary also...

1620
40xCDR CAV
24xCDRW PCAV 16xDVD-R CAV
4xDVD-RW CLV
DVD-RDL
16xDVD+R CAV
4xDVD+RW CLV
4xDVD+RDL CLV


1640
48xCDR CAV
32xCDRW PCAV
6xDVD-RW CLV
4xDVD-RDL CLV
16xDVD+R CAV
8xDVD+RW ZCLV
8xDVD+RDL PCAV
16xDVD-R CAV

Lite on 1693
48xCDR CAV
24xCDRW ZCLV
6xDVD-RW CLV
4xDVD-RDL CLV
16xDVD+R CAV
8xDVD+RW ZCLV
4xDVD+RDL CLV
16xDVD-R CAV

I/O magic pictured above
48xCDR CAV
24xCDRW PCAV
4xDVD-RW CLV
DVD-RDL
16xDVD+R CAV
8xDVD+RW PCAV
4xDVD+RDL CLV
16xDVD-R CAV

I the one with the L in stores now? I hope thats the lite-on drive , I'm going for one in the morning, what the heck

I read on another site that says there is a rebate!

http://www.dealtaker.com/index.php?showtopic=43809

I'm not going now

Im looking at the ad now for CC for the DFW area and it says Reg. $79.99 - $30mfg rebate -$30. CC Rebate =$19.99.

I was going to get out for BF untill I got the ads in morning paper and all the stuff has rebates. So now I am not going.

that 20 dollar drive is a web only deal if you read it

The Only two items that are worthwhile in BF sale at Circuit City are:

1) Digital Max Stand Alone DVD Recorder for $74.99

2) Lite-On Stand Alone DVD Recorder for $149.99

The rest are with so much gimick of rebates from this and that.

u do know that digital max is liteon right?

Is that stand alone one or DVD burner for computer?.

I just got back from Circuit City the Drive is an I/0 Magic IDVD16DL. I have been looking all day and cannot find out what drive it is, I mean rebadged. I got it for 19.99USD out the door, no rebates. If anyone has any information on this drive please let me know. I can always return it, but for 19.99USD out the door, it might be worth a shot. The firmware is A089 so I believe it is a BTC burner. MFG 9/05 China.

that's a BTC drive...the giveaway is the firmware...AO89....sorry man....it's actually the best f/w for that drive

I paid 19.99 out of the door and it has a 30.00 rebate on the receipt. So maybe they are paying me 10.00USD to buy it. I don't even know if it is worth installing.

20 bucks aint bad out the door, for some reason thats not what the ad said, but then again CC is known for the computer srew ups

i own that btc drive, with a089 its a very good cheap drive for the price