SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model SH-S203N LightScribe Support - OEM

Pros: Burns cleanly, has LightScribe (not Litescribe, not Light-scribe...), SATA interface, no useless audio connectors, jumpers, or 40-pin connectors hogging space, and NO riplock (see below)!

Cons: Had an issue with LightScribe practically locking up my computer (by hogging the SATA controller) while burning a label, but that seems to be fixed after switching my ICH9 controller to AHCI mode instead of IDE-compatible mode. Now EVERYTHING is faster! Check your BIOS (but put your boot drive on another controller first!)!

Overall Review: This drive is great. It has no Riplock, meaning it can read pressed CDs and DVDs at full speed - perfect for, uh, "backing up" DVDs. Other drives, like LG, need a firmware hack (MediaCodeSpeedEdit - MCSE) to remove the limitation. Not needed here, it doesn't exist! Clean burns, too... I don't care for speed since slower burns are better (and I use 8x Taiyo Yuden media). Get this drive for the win! :)

Pros: Works. Except for the stuck region 2 DVD setting... see below. Took two stars off for that problem, which cost me a few hours of trouble.

Cons: DVD play is stuck on Region 2 (UK). It cannot be changed by XP or Vista using the usual Device Manager properties selection process -- player just gives an error on attempts to change region. Google search indicates several others buying this drive from Newegg have had the same problem.

Updating the Firmware from Samsung did not help. I had to hassle around for a few hours, downloading utilities, patching and the burning my region-free patched firmware. If you do not know how to do this, take caution. Check your region setting when it arrives. Windows Media Player and the OSX DVD player (using my hacked Mac OSX 10.5.2) will not permit playing a region 1 (USA) disk until you reset the firmware region code. And flashing the Firmware with a patched BIOS does void the warranty, so they say.

Overall Review: None