Re: [Dvdrtools-users] Pioneer DVR-105 or Sony DRU-500A?

[Robert M. Stockmann]

On Fri, 14 Feb 2003, Richard Smith wrote:

> I would like to know which of these two drives is a
> better purchase.  The posters at
> http://www.disqworld.com claim that the Pioneer does
> not work with cheap media and that the Sony is far
> superior.  However, the Sony is still nearly
> impossible to find in my country, while the Pioneer is
> available now and is cheaper than the Sony.  On this
> list, A E Lawrence claimed that the Pioneer *does*
> work with cheap media.  I don't know who to believe.

I use a Pioneer DVR A05 with firmware 1.21 and redhat linux 7.3
and kernel 2.4.19. I use cdrtool-2.0 with a patch which
enables DVD-R(W) burning without limitations. 
( ftp://crashrecovery.org/pub/linux/cdrtools/ )

I also use cdrecord.prodvd when i need to lower the burning speed
from say 2x to 1x when using really flakey media. To enable the
DVD Pro part you need to load the provided key into your environment
before burning.

I have used princo 2x,1x DVD-R recordables with mixed succes, but the
batch i bought was unluckily of bad quality. To put it more directly : also
when burning with typical windows burn programs like Nero or dvdecrypter
i got the same failure rate. Lately i use the following recordables with 
very good results:

DATAWrite (DATAsafe MEDIA Ltd.) 4x DVD-R (RITEK G.04)    
(www.datawrite.co.uk)

for good prices look at :

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdmedia.php?order=manufacturer

Here is a report of that media :
http://www.dvd-recordable.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=
225&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

> 
> As I understand it, dvdrtools does not support the
> Sony.  Is this correct?  So if I bought the Sony I
> would be required to use some non-free software
> (cdrecord-ProDVD).  I don't like non-free software. 
> Is dvdrtools likely to support the Sony in the near
> future?  I don't mind delaying my purchase for a few
> weeks.
> 
> Which of these two drives is a better for a free
> software user?

Well don't know about the Sony, but once you have the right media for
reasonable price the Pioneer DVR A05 is rock solid. 

Robert
-- 
Robert M. Stockmann - RHCE
Network Engineer - UNIX Consultant
crashrecovery.org  address@hidden