Page 1 of MIRROR DVD+R+RW INTERNAL DRIVE - £149.99

If anyone`s interested go to pcworld.co.uk.

thinking of buying one , are they any good?

The main thing to think of when buying this is the price of the discs. Unless someone can tell us of somewhere very cheap?

I couldn`t see any less than £1. I know DVD -R are around 40p or less for the latest, so for me I would prefer one that can use that format.

To be honest it seems like the -R format must be winning, because their discs are more plentiful in different brands and cheaper.

I too am on the lookout for a cheap sub £200 DVD writer, and I`m drawn to the A05, but I still think it`s a bit too pricey, because I think prices will fall a lot in the new year with more competition.

Anyone know of a place to get dirt cheap +R discs?

D.

Savastore.com are doing the pioneer DVR-105 for £189 if you would rather use DVR

but as of yet you cannot use unbranded media at 4X with A05

why is A04 more expensive tho, is it because of this?

i bought 2 a05 £215 each now i see em at the fair for £180 bargain really good writer over previous a03 a04

The A05 has been deliberately restricted from using cheaper 4x media by Pioneer, some say after being bribed to do so. There`s been a lot of fuss for them to change this with a bios update, but no joy from Pioneer thus far.

I think the price of the A05 will come down pretty quickly this year, once stock shortages are worked out.

Seems to me the best drive to use anyway, as I`m not too bothered about having to burn for longer if it`s cheaper media and has burn proof.

D.

The firmware upgrade for Pioneer drives has been out since November :

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/hs/pioneer.html

Perhaps you could point us to the link which offers a firmware update to the A05 or 105 which we were on about, that lets us use 4x cheap media and actually works?

Thanks.

D.

From http://www.dvdwriters.co.uk/ (News 26/12/02)

Pioneer have released a new firmware version v1.21 for the new Pioneer A05 DVD writer:

Media Table on v1.21 for DVR-A05/105:

Table 1:

PVC001001"""
MCIG01
TDKG010000d9
MCC 00RG200""
TDKG02000000
MXL RG01
MEI 00V001""
TAIYOYUDEN
RITEKG02
RITEKG03
CMC00RG200
CMC MAG.
SONY
LGE02
PRODISCG02
PVCR001002""
MCC 01RG20""
MXL RG02
TTG01
TYG01
MCI4XG01
MEI 00V002
FUJIFILM02

Table 2:

JVC/VictorT7
MCC0000002Y1
TDK301sakue3
TDK302saku=3
TDK401saku=3
TDK501saku]3
JVC/VictorT7
PVCW000002A9
PVCW000001Q9
MCC 00RW11N9
SONY000000U9
PVCW00V00245
PVCW00D002K9
JVC_VictorW7

Table 3 (for CD-R and CD-RW):

HS"
ACER HS"
GIGA HS"
Gen LO"
ACER LO"
GIGA LO"
General"
SAST""""
MBIPH100
MBIPH90"
MBIPH"""
PRINCO""
LD 32XPH
LD 24XPH
LD 32XCY
LD 24XCY
FORNET""
PHILIPS"
GIGACY74
GIGACY80
GIGAS PH
ACER CY"
ACER PH"
ACER48XP
SKC CY""
SKC PH""
RITK R80
RITK R74
RITK G74
RITK G80
RITKJS74
RITKJS80
RITK K74
RITK K80
RITKSH74
RITKSH80
PRODISC"
CMC 73""
CMC 71""
SONY""""
SONY 40X
SONY 48X
TDK R63"
TDK R74"
TDKR8025
TDKR8015
TDK74NEW
TDK80NEW
TDK48XPH
YUDEN40X
YUDEN"""
RICOH"""
RICOH40X
PVC 74""
MITSUI63
MITSUIRG
MITSUI24
MITSUI N
M SAZO74
M SAZO80
M SAZOHG
M SAZHGX
MAXL R74
MAXL DAT
MAXL NEW
MAXL PH"
KODAK"""
KODAK80N
FUJI PH"
FUJI CY"

Firmware available at http://wwwbsc.pioneer.co.jp/product-e/ibs/device_e/dev00001r_e.html

Happy ? :-)

This item was edited on Thursday, 2nd January 2003, 01:43