Samsung SD-816BRPS 16x Internal IDE DVD-ROM Drive

Features:

• Internal IDE DVD-ROM drive
• Reads DVDs at 16x, reads CDs at 48x
• 512 KB buffer
• Average access times 110 milliseconds for DVDs, 90 milliseconds for CDs
• Compatible with Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0, Me, and 2000

Accessories:

Memorex 4.7GB 4x DVD-R Media (10-Pack)

Customer Reviews:

great dvd drive [Posted on 2003-10-13]
This is so nice. It has amazing seek time and is friendly with scratched cds. it came with power dvd and i was watching movies with 5.1 surround sound in no time.

I should have brought this sooner... [Posted on 2003-12-30]
I've had this drive for a while. I brought it to replace a dead Toshiba drive(SD-M1502) which was pretty good while it lasted. But, it stopped reading DVDs. I should have noticed a problem when it couldn't read discs it played before...

Installing this drive took me less than 15 minutes, if you take away unplugging the computer, opening it up, and putting the cover back on. Just slide in the drive, screw it in place, plug in the cables, and you're set. You don't even have to install drivers! Windows detects it automatically.

When I powered up and used it I was pleasantly surprised. First off, it's quiet. I had to strain to hear it spin just to make sure it could read the discs. Well, it reads every disc it says it supports, and every movie I threw at it, slightly scratched or not! It even plays movies that my Toshiba choked on.

A positive benefit here is that this drive has upgradeable firmware. If Samsung releases a new version of it just go to their website, download, and install. It's a great thing to have because every now and then some compatibility issues might arise. They aren't very common though.

Pros:
1) Relatively new - released in 2003
2) Super-quiet
3) Upgradeable firmware
4) Reads DVD-RAM discs
5) Comes with PowerDVD XP
6) Huge buffer for smooth playback of DVD movies

Cons:
1) It takes a fraction of a second more to pick up the disc when it's inserted, but it's barely noticeable.
2) If you listen very very closely, you might hear a very quiet clicking sound when it's reading. Again, it's hardly noticeable, and it doesn't deter from enjoying something like a movie.

I consider this one of the best DVD-ROM drives out there right now. Comparably, the Lite-On drives are good as well, but there are some annoyances like spinning-up noise and such. The newer Toshiba drives are good too, but they have a speed lock for watching DVD movies, so the picture tends to stutter.

For this drive, Samsung took the best attributes and put them together. It's very inexpensive for all the work it does, it supports reading DVD-RAM discs, it has no spinning-up noises, and a 512KB buffer. If you're looking for a stable replacement that's sure to last for quite a while, this drive is the winner.

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