Thinkpads Forum

Looking for suggestions for a smallish (ie. travel size) DVD-RW USB burner for an X60s.

What about Lenovo's ThinkPlus USB 2.0 CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo II Drive? I know it does not write to a DVD, but does anyone know if they have a "Combo III" or anything similar that will write to a DVD? I'm basically comfortable with IBM/Lenovo's equipment and have had excellent results with them whenever I have had a problem with any of their hardware.

Don't want a double-layer or a blue lazer drive.

The part # you want is 40Y8638.

That's the fast new USB Super- multiburner which also writes double layer.

But it's $299 on the lenovo US site (only $179 in canada)

SkiBunny wrote: That's the fast new USB Super- multiburner which also writes double layer.

Thanks, but for what I want the DVD burner for, as I said in my OP, I do not want a double layer burner.

Any other suggestions?

First Light wrote:

SkiBunny wrote: That's the fast new USB Super- multiburner which also writes double layer.

Thanks, but for what I want the DVD burner for, as I said in my OP, I do not want a double layer burner.

Any other suggestions?

Yes you do, because it writes 8X, and the predecessor (from panasonic) wrote at a slow 2X rate and was known for its dvd burn errors.

It's the 40Y8628 burner or the combo which only burns cd's.

It also writes single formats DVD+R DVD-R DVD-RW.

Also comes with the software.

Or get the newegg one.

SkiBunny wrote:The part # you want is 40Y8638. That's the fast new USB Super- multiburner which also writes double layer. But it's $299 on the lenovo US site (only $179 in canada)

Hey SkiBunny, thanks for all your advice. I'm looking at this multiburner now and have a question.

On the Lenovo website it says: (1)No power adapter required for normal operation when connected directly to two USB 2.0 ports on supported computers ; and then it also says basically the same thing again: (2)Use with an available USB 2.0 port when using the included ac power adapter, or Two USB 2.0 ports when not using the included adapter.

Let's say I do not want to carry the power adapter with me, so my question is: I have never heard of using two USB ports for one device, so does the USB cable that comes with the multiburner have two USB connectors that plug into the laptop with both connectors blending into one cable that on the other end has one connector that plugs into the multiburner? <- not sure if I made myself clear here, but if what I have asked is not correct, I do not understand how this "you need 2 USB cables to use the multiburner if you do not use the power adapter, works?"

Sometimes the cables look like these:
http://www.cooldrives.com/usb-power-cable-mini-b.html

Hmmm. Interesting. That's how I envisioned the cable looking, but had never seen one. The picture and description matches what the Levano write-up on the drive said. Thanks for the link.

Does anyone know who makes the portable Lenovo USB drive we're discussing here? Plextor, NEX, Sony, Liton, Pioneer, etc., etc.?

As SkiBunny said above, Lenovo sells it for $300. It (the Lenovo model) is likely available elsewhere for less - but as we all know, the original mfg may market it under their own name and sell it thru web sources for substantially less.

First Light wrote:Hmmm. Interesting. That's how I envisioned the cable looking, but had never seen one. The picture and description matches what the Levano write-up on the drive said.

Does anyone know who makes the portable Lenovo USB drive we're discussing here? Plextor, NEX, Sony, Liton, Pioneer, etc., etc.?

Actually, my Lenovo USB Super Multi-Burner external drive comes with 2 separate USB-to-mini USB cables of unequal length (~16" and 27.5"). They are bundled together with a velcro strap. The cables are a bit stiff and I find the difference in length clumsy, since the X60s has 2 USB ports on the same side that can be used for connection. One cord is for power and the other data, and the drive won't work with only one plugged in.

The drive itself is made by TEAC, model DV-W28PU-A.

ozmann wrote:The drive itself is made by TEAC, model DV-W28PU-A.

Is the enclosure made by them too?

I was just wondering if the enclosure would accept any slimline drive.

ozmann wrote: The drive itself is made by TEAC, model DV-W28PU-A.

Thanks for the info on the cable. I've spent an hour searching the web looking for the TEAC drive you referenced and continually hit a blank wall. As close as I could come was on the TEAC website where they list a DV-W28ea Slim DVD-RW, but the physical size as well as the specs on this drive are different than the physical size and specs of Lenovo's 40Y8638 that SkiBunny recommended.

Any ideas where the DV-W28PU-A might be available?

First Light wrote:

ozmann wrote: The drive itself is made by TEAC, model DV-W28PU-A.

Thanks for the info on the cable. I've spent an hour searching the web looking for the TEAC drive you referenced and continually hit a blank wall. As close as I could come was on the TEAC website where they list a DV-W28ea Slim DVD-RW, but the physical size as well as the specs on this drive are different than the physical size and specs of Lenovo's 40Y8638 that SkiBunny recommended.

Any ideas where the DV-W28PU-A might be available?

From Lenovo?

Anyway, this seems to have about the same spec as the lenovo:
http://www.teac.co.jp/dspd/product/opti ... 28ead.html
Just need to find an appropriate enclosure for it.

Maybe the "PU-A" is just an OEM model number for the same unit.

Thank you for posting that TEAC link. I had once bookmarked the link for my TEAC CD-RW, but lost it. I was able to find it through yours:

http://www.teac.co.jp/dspd/product/opti ... w216e.html

Right now I'm feeling optimistic...

Both drives have the same dimensions: Yes
Both state the same interface: Yes

So...do you think I could swap out my W216E for the W28EA?

fingers crossed...

Thinkpad760XD wrote:
So...do you think I could swap out my W216E for the W28EA?

fingers crossed...

Probably you can swap it. Or you could just use one of these (looks very similar to the thinkpad one):
http://www.centrix-intl.com/details.asp?productid=433
or, cheaper but uglier:
http://www.centrix-intl.com/details.asp?productid=435

On the other hand, why bother when you could just buy (almost) the same specs (M a t s u s h i t a) fully assembled for about $70?
http://www.centrix-intl.com/details.asp?productid=2564

You could also check meritline.com and dealnews.com is worth keeping an eye on....

Lev

PS: I didn't see the W28EA for less than $160 anywhere.
PPS: If you do decide to put a drive in an enclosure yourself, check the dimensions. Some are 9mm thick, some are 12mm thick.

I have the older USB 2.0 drive in the nice IBM enclosure which I'd like to upgrade. It is the Teach DV-W22PUB.

Any ideas on what could be a good replacement to fit in the same enclosure?

Alternately, what would be the best portable drive out there in the $100 range (+ enclosure price)?

TIA

lev wrote:

Thinkpad760XD wrote:
So...do you think I could swap out my W216E for the W28EA?

fingers crossed...

Probably you can swap it. Or you could just use one of these (looks very similar to the thinkpad one):
http://www.centrix-intl.com/details.asp?productid=433
or, cheaper but uglier:
http://www.centrix-intl.com/details.asp?productid=435

On the other hand, why bother when you could just buy (almost) the same specs (M a t s u s h i t a) fully assembled for about $70?
http://www.centrix-intl.com/details.asp?productid=2564

You could also check meritline.com and dealnews.com is worth keeping an eye on....

Lev

Wow...thanks for those links. All of those are great deals. The enclosure I have is backward compatible to almost everything, so I thought it was ideal, but I'd really only use USB or firewire, so those are real tempting.

This cleared up a lot of misgivings I had too:

http://www.centrix-intl.com/slimcompati ... ibilty.htm

lev wrote:PS: I didn't see the W28EA for less than $160 anywhere.
PPS: If you do decide to put a drive in an enclosure yourself, check the dimensions. Some are 9mm thick, some are 12mm thick.

Yeah. Although if I did use the microsolutions enclosure I have, I could use the TEAC we had discussed. It's 12mm high.

I noticed this too:

http://www.teac.co.jp/dspd/product/opti ... 28sla.html

I hate slot loaders, but some may not. (Especially if they find one cheaper)

I checked with a company that sold lots of drives and they said this one had the lowest error rate and was the best. I think this might be the drive that Apple uses...

Panasonic UJ-85J is a front slot loader.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDe ... ode=175305

Just ordered one because my IBM drive just broke.

You should buy a Plextor PX-608CU.

It's a Plextor. Thats enough!
Powered from the usb port, discman size.

http://www.plextor-europe.com/products/ ... e=PX-608CU

dfumento wrote:I checked with a company that sold lots of drives and they said this one had the lowest error rate and was the best. I think this might be the drive that Apple uses...

Panasonic UJ-85J is a front slot loader.

It's a common drive. I hope you weren't planning on watching foreign DVDs on it, though.

pdudas wrote:You should buy a Plextor PX-608CU.

It's a Plextor. Thats enough!
Powered from the usb port, discman size.

http://www.plextor-europe.com/products/ ... e=PX-608CU

Wow, I'm impressed; it looks like a nice machine. The few prices I've found are pretty high, though.

lev wrote: I hope you weren't planning on watching foreign DVDs on it, though.

Just ones with subtitles, not dubbed.

smvp6459 wrote:

pdudas wrote:You should buy a Plextor PX-608CU.

It's a Plextor. Thats enough!
Powered from the usb port, discman size.

http://www.plextor-europe.com/products/ ... e=PX-608CU

Wow, I'm impressed; it looks like a nice machine. The few prices I've found are pretty high, though.

Here in hungary it's about 150US$ . It is not so much....

Well I'm in the US and Google'd the Plextor PX-608CU and found three vendors with prices ranging from US$90 to $188. But when I followed up by going to the websites advertising these drives, none seemed to have it. Is this a new drive?

First Light wrote:Is this a new drive?

Press release was September 18, 2006:
http://www.plextor.com/english/news/press/608U_pr.htm

Techonweb has it in stock for $180 - $30 MIR = $150 until Nov 30:
http://www.techonweb.com/products/produ ... 396&src=PG

hyperslug wrote:

First Light wrote:Is this a new drive?

Press release was September 18, 2006:
http://www.plextor.com/english/news/press/608U_pr.htm

Techonweb has it in stock for $180 - $30 MIR = $150 until Nov 30:
http://www.techonweb.com/products/produ ... 396&src=PG

That is a different drive. For a start it weighs 80% more and is a different shape.

(PX-608U vs PX-608CU)

PX-608CU was announced in Europe on 2006-Aug-22, when it was scheduled to be available from 2006-Oct. It is still not mentioned at all on the Plextor USA website.

(For comparison, it took 9 months between the PX-608U being announced in Europe, and it being announced in the USA).

dfumento wrote:

lev wrote: I hope you weren't planning on watching foreign DVDs on it, though.

Just ones with subtitles, not dubbed.

I think he meant the region of the firmware on it. It may be flashable with RPC firmware, if it's out there. (Usually is)

Thinkpad760XD wrote:

dfumento wrote: Just ones with subtitles, not dubbed.

I think he meant the region of the firmware on it. It may be flashable with RPC firmware, if it's out there. (Usually is)

That was my point. Panasonic/Matshita are notorious for not having tweaked firmwares available.

lev wrote:

Thinkpad760XD wrote: I think he meant the region of the firmware on it. It may be flashable with RPC firmware, if it's out there. (Usually is)

That was my point. Panasonic/Matshita are notorious for not having tweaked firmwares available.

I was just joking around....

Check this unit out. It looks pretty good as a low cost pre-built slim USB 2.0 DVD burner....
http://www.techonweb.com/products/produ ... ?id=D05253