digital research drive at BB

[rmdir]

The product description for item # DRCDRW481648 mentions one of the features is SmartBurn, does this mean it's a Lite-On drive?

[cfitz]

It means there is a decent chance it is a LiteOn. SMART-BURN is LiteOn's trademark, but sometimes the rebadgers apparently print up a big run of boxes and switch drive suppliers before the old boxes are used up. So there is a chance you might not find a LiteOn in there, even though SMART-BURN does, in general, indicate LiteOn. Unfortunately you can't be 100% sure until you buy, open it up, and see.

cfitz

[dhc014]

CDRW481648 could indicate a BTC or a Benq drive...

[rmdir]

any way to know by looking at the box? i.e. stickers with part number that can indicate the mfr? I'd hate to get stuck with a POS drive, and I don't think they would take to it kindly if I bring my Xacto knife in and start cutting boxes open.

[cfitz]

Again, there is no way to know for %100 for sure. The SMART-BURN piece hints at LiteOn inside, since it is a LiteOn trademark. The CDRW481648 hints at something other than LiteOn inside, since LiteOn never made a 48x16x48 drive. But then sometimes you might open up the box and see "you got a free upgrade" to a 48x24x48 (which could be a LiteOn again) or even a 52x24x52 (it isn't unheard of, and this could also be a LiteOn - or not).

What is the return policy at the store where you are thinking about purchasing?

And, of course, if you want to be 100% sure you are getting a LiteOn, order from www.newegg.com, where you can buy an OEM LTR-48246S for $47 or an OEM LTR-52246S for $48, plus $6 shipping:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.a ... 14&order=1

cfitz

[cfitz]

Well, I don't work for Best Buy, so I can't say with authority, but it looks like you can return a CD-RW drive, even if opened, without penalty:

http://www.bestbuy.com/InfoCenter/Gener ... &cat=470#3

By the way, did the box itself say "SMART-BURN" and "SMART-X" on it? Or are you relying on the description on the Best Buy web site? Although the text of the web site uses those terms, I don't see anything about "SMART-BURN" or "SMART-X" on the picture of the box from the website, and the drive on the box (not that this is any guarantee either) is not a LiteOn:



Web sites are wrong sometimes.

cfitz

[KuoH]

The one I got, which was probably 6 months ago, was a BenQ drive. Needed several firmware upgrades before it would do 48x reliably.

KuoH

[nutxo]

i got one,.in the box was a 52x rather than a 48x, it was a benq that would only write at 32 no matter what media i put in it. the seek times were horrible and cpu usage was high. the only thing good i can say about the drive is the thing is cheap, it even feels cheap what ya hold it in yer hands and looks cheap when ya cant see jumper diagram becuase its stamped so lightly

Im just gonna get anouther lite on,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,