Advantages: High DVD/CD compatibility after firmware update, it's Pioneer need another reason?
Disadvantages: Before flash update the drive sucks, 4 speed is dated now

.... And once again, the cycle of piracy starts all over. But this time the geniuses had a trick up their sleeves, they made sure this drive only wrote on one side of the disc and only to one layer, meaning we only got 4.7GB out of the whole thing. Ah well, nothing a bit of perserverance and moaning can't get you, the first of the double layer drives and media has already been released but that's another story. Hey before you get the wrong idea I do not condone software piracy. If you use hardware to copy whatever you like then that's up to you, but to be honest when you're caught the Police will have very little sympathy for you. So remember, crime doesn't pay and when it does it'll be you paying. This was the first DVD Re-Writer I ever had and basically it has served me well. Pioneer is a well known and respected name in the world... Read review

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Advantages: Hey you can write your own DVDS, Good Equipment
Disadvantages: Price, a bit noisey, copying to DVDS problems

...a slightly expensive thing to do when you're not sure if your carefully-authored creation is going to work properly when played back. And that's where Pioneer and their new DVR-A03 drive - the first IDE-interface DVD-RW drive to hit the market - comes into the picture. Pioneer DVR-A03 (DVD-R/RW Internal IDE Drive) Supplied with software that allows you to create both DVD Video and DVD-ROM discs, the DVR-A03 sells at the price of around £750 (though it can be had substantially more cheaply than that if you shop around). Indeed, my father bought mine while on Holiday in Australia (via Ebay Australia). Even more appealingly, though, the DVR-A03 is also a DVD-RW (rewritable) drive - meaning that you can test your magnum opus by burning it to a DVD disc that you can try out in your stand-alone player and then re-use. Suddenly, rolling your own... Read review

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Advantages: Very, very cheap; SATA; Fast; Reads/Writes most DVD formats
Disadvantages: Only comes in beige; No DVD-RAM writing (Read Only)

...Make: PIONEER Model: DVR-212D Specification: DVD±RW (±R DL) drive - Internal - Serial ATA - Read speed: 40x (CD) / 16x (DVD)/ 5x (DVD-RAM) - Write speed: 40x (CD) / 18x (DVD±R) / 10x (DVD±R DL) - Rewrite speed: 32x (CD) / 6x (DVD-RW) / 8x (DVD+RW) REVIEW I bought my Pioneer DVR-212D, a few days ago for just £11 inc. VAT, BRAND NEW, from eBuyer.com. I hope you agree that's an incredible price for a S-ATA DVD rewriter. I only really needed the Pioneer drive to aid in testing the functionality of another more current P-ATA DVD-RW drive that was exhibiting some very odd behaviour that I wasn't absolutely certain was the drive's fault, so I wasn't too fussy about it being highly specified. Having said that the pioneer handles all manner of read/write formats with the exception of writing to DVD-RAM and writing Lightscribe data... Read review

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Advantages: fast burner that burns +-r/rw media
Disadvantages: not a dual layer burner

...looking for a dvd burner then look no further than the pioneer dvr107 . this is an excellent quality burner at an affordable price typically around £50. The DVR-107: the high speed multiple format DVD/CD internal writer. The drive enables high-speed recording at 8x with high-speed DVD-R and 8x with high-speed +R media. Pioneer’s seventh generation recordable drive is designed for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to include in their PCs. It combines extended recording speeds with Precision Recording Technology to enhance disk compatibility and a wide range of multimedia and archiving applications burner specs Writes: DVD-R/DVD+R/CDR/CDRW 8x writing for DVD-R disc, 4x rewriting for DVD-RW disc 8x writing for DVD+R disc, 4x rewriting for DVD+RW disc 2x reading for DVD-RAM disc 24x writing for CD-R disc, 24x rewriting... Read review

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Advantages: Backs up 4.7GB of your important data
Disadvantages: None as yet

...On a never ending quest to improve my computer set up I decided I needed to purchase a DVD recorder drive of some sort. Backing up my important data using my CD-R drive was a time consuming operation which used four CD-R`s every time. I had been put off by the high price of DVD recorder drives while they remained fairly new but over the past few months prices have dropped to such an extent that a DVD recorder drive can now be bought for under £100. When I saw the Pioneer DVR – 106 drive available for £88 at Dabs.com I did not hesitate in ordering the drive which duly arrived just two days later. Now a problem that faces consumers when they decide to buy a DVD recorder drive is that there is more than one type of blank DVD media that can be recorded upon, these are DVD-R and DVD+R. Many people have argued long and hard extolling... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Very fast
Disadvantages: Not compatible with Kodak media... reliability issues

...Having a few problems with this drive. It doesn't want to burn my Kodak 16x -R media at more than 12x... and it keeps failing when burning the DVD unless I drop the speed. It seems to burn OK at 4x, 6x and 8x. Funny thing is that it does consistently burn the disk OK at 12x with some files. With other files it consistently doesn't. When the problem occurs the cache seems to empty and then the disk ejects before the error message comes up. Pioneer came up with a whole heap of suggestions... none of which seem to apply to my situation... I'm pretty sure it just needs a firmware update as Kodak is not listed in the approved media list. I guess I can try some other media just to check if the problem exists with all media or only with the Kodak media. Unfortunately I don't have any other media at the moment... and specifically use... Read review

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Advantages: 16x DVD burning, cheap, fast, reliable
Disadvantages: 16x and Dual layer discs expensive

...We've all heard of Pioneer. If you haven't then you should come out from under that rock. Anyway, the review is of my Pioneer DVR-108BK 16x Dual Layer DVD ReWriter. Simply put, it's an optical drive that you would normally put in your computer that would enable you read from and write to DVD and CDs. The 108BK model is the OEM (non-retail) and Black model equivalent of the A08BK model. This just means it doesn't come with a comprehensive user guide, a pretty box, cables and software because well, I don't need those things anyway. I have plenty already. I think for this model, there's also the difference of the retail version having a honey comb top, meaning it has bumps in the shape of honey combs, which reduces vibrations. I can't seem to find the retail version right now o it wasn't even an option when I bought the drive so I'll settle... Read review

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Advantages: Compact, Excellent sound, attractive and slimline, versatile, multifunction remote
Disadvantages: Only SCART connectors for inputs, Adaptor needed for non-scart stuff

...Recorder (DVD recorder) with the TV. Output on the Video is composite, on the DVR is Composite/S-Video/RGB. This is a very versatile little unit. Other connections are for the 5 surround speakers that are powered by the amp. There is also a subwoofer outlet for a POWERED Subwoofer. This Amp is NOT designed for passive subwoofers. I don't use a sub as the sound to me is overblown. Remaining connections are:- 75 Ohm FM antenna, AM antenna loop, AC mains input, DVD coax socket, DVD optical socket and a DVR/TV optical socket. I told you it was versatile. There is also a "control socket" to allow linking several Pioneer units to share controls. To be honest I don't use this facility despite also having a Pioneer DVD player. **** IMPORTANT ****** On some DVDs you may find that the voices sem to have disappeared. DON'T PANIC, I solved... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Chock full of features for a great price!
Disadvantages: No inbuilt Dobly/DTS decoders no DVD+R support.

...DVD has taken-off in the UK, and many people - many of used to the simple yet flawed VHS tape are considering taking the plunge and entering the DVD format. Never feat Pioneer is here, for a DVD newbie - or someone who wants the convenience of DVD without the expense this offering from Pioneer is perfect. Pioneer helped invent the DVD format, and nowadays they make (in my opinion) the best DVD format hardware around. Check out my Pioneer DVR106D review! Pioneer have also bowed to pressure (and market demands) for an entry-level DVD player with great features and the slim-line design that expensive models had enjoyed. Pioneer DV454-S ------------------------------------------------------------------- Important Features: -->Slimline design (only 5.5cm high!) whic is both ergonomic and great looking! -->MP3 CD: MP3 Data... Read review

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Advantages: Reliablity, good brand, cheap
Disadvantages: Fairly old technology now, only lasted a year!

...I’ve had my Pioneer 105/A05 for over a year now and I’ve been more than happy with it. At the time a paid a princely sum of £160 for this piece kit, these days you can get a similar spec DVD writer for £50. The basic specifications of the drive are: Write Speed: DVD-R 4X, 2X, 1X-CLV DVD-RW 2X, 1X-CLV CD-R 16X,12X,8X,4X-CLV CD-RW 8X,4X-CLV Read Speed: DVD-ROM (Single) Max. 12X CAV (Dual) 8X CAV DVD-R, DVD-RW 2X (Older Media) DVD-R, DVD-RW 6X (High Speed DVDR Media) Video CD 4X CLV CD-ROM Max. 32X CAV CD-RW Max. 32X CAV CD-Audio Max. 32X-CAV My drive was OEM so it came with no cables or instructions but it was a synch to install. People are often afraid of upgrading their PC’s but I often say that if you can put a piece of flat pack furniture together you can do most jobs on your PC. OK... Read review

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