Hitachi GMA-4020B MULTI DVD Drive

[Jerry Jones]

Has anybody heard anything more about Hitachi's GMA-4020B MULTI drive.

According to this article:

http://news.com.com/2100-1040-275411.html?legacy=cnet

...Hitachi was supposed to be shipping this new model this month.

It writes to three DVD formats:

1. DVD-R
2. DVD-RW
3. DVD-RAM

[Jerry Jones]

Panasonic also has such a drive.

Here's a photo that I believe was snapped at Comdex:

http://www.vwalker.com/news/0111/15_rambo/15_RAMBO1.jpg

[Jerry Jones]

And here's a photo of the Hitachi GMA-4020B:

http://www.vwalker.com/news/0111/15_rambo/15_RAMBO2.jpg

[Jerry Jones]

Apparently, the Hitachi drive will also be available under the LG label:

http://www.vwalker.com/news/0111/15_rambo/15_RAMBO3.jpg

[wkulecz]

Based on my tests back in October so many DVD players flat out rejected DVD-RW that adding it to one that does DVD-R and DVD-RAM is a real yawner for me. Unless Panasonic/Hitachi done something to make the burned DVD-RW more compatable than what I found with the Pioneer A03, I don't see the point. DVD-RW is at least 3X DVD-R in cost and making coasters was never a problem I had.

I also don't see its first offering under the third tier LG label as a positive sign!

Did they perhpas increase the DVD-R burn speed over the current DVD-R/DVD-RAM drive's 1X? This would be a redeeming factor.

How's your DVD-R burning going? Playback compatability in existing players is my main issue.

If I mailed you a blank would you burn me a disk to test?

--wally.

[Jerry Jones]

I'm going to be testing my Panasonic LF-D311 this weekend.
I have two blank Apple DVD-R discs and - as I recall - one blank Memorex. So it should be interesting.
(I've been quite busy this week.)

But - yes - the new Hitachi, LG and Panasonic "multi" drives are faster... 2X DVD-R, 2X DVD-RAM, and 1X DVD-RW.

Jerry

[Sciascia]

Don't bag on LG. I lived in Korea for a year and some of the stuff they have is so far ahead of the stuff in the states. I was really won over. I have owned about 15 different optical drives over the years and the best ones by far were the LG (3 different ones). I currently have a Ricoh Combo drive and it is the 2nd won that has been replaced with an RMA.

The problem with the products going to the states and what they have is that the import tax eats them up. No one would pay $900 for a microwave....

[Jerry Jones]

I have an LG CD-Writer in my computer at home and it works great so far... no problems at all.

Jerry