LG DVD-RAM/R - GMA-4020B Any good?

[cerebros]

I'm looking for a RAM drive for archiving my data and storing large WIP files (mainly because of being able to use double sided RAM discs for the larger capacity).

CHeapest about seems to be the LG which can be bought in an OEM version from Dabs for £123 (inc VAT), so I'm wondering if anyone has any feedback on this drive (can't seem to find any myself although i could be using the wrong search criteria).

Also, anyone know if these drives can be made multi-region in case my current read-only drive packs in?

[eddie_talbot]

I've got one of these, and I like it.

First I found the DVD-RAM driver a bit flaky in Win2K, however I re-installed Win2K and everything now works fine. I've burnt various types of discs with Nero without any problems. To avoid problems with low quality media I have stuck to quality branded media.

The main thing that attracted me to this over the Pioneer was the DVD-RAM compatability which allows me to read discs produced by my standalone Panasonic E50 recorder, and not only this it's cheaper !

[cerebros]

Hope you're still following this thread...

Does the LG drive accept Caddy-based discs? Was looking at the specs for the successor, the GSA-4040b, and that looks like it will only take caddyless discs, and from the pics i've seen of the 4020's tray, it's not clear that it'll take caddies. Which would be a bit of a pain, as from the little research i've done, you can only get double-sided RAM discs in caddy form.

[gunrock]

I have a Panasonic/Matsu****a LFD311 which is a DVD-R/RAM drive. It comes with some very good drivers for Windows 2k which I use and I've had no problems with them at all.

I find that the write speed is acceptable and that the read speed is excellent.

I got it for 165 pounds in Jan this year, but it's cheaper than that now.

Steve

[salacious]

I have previously read that LG drive only works with caddyless DVD-RAMs. You can remove DVD-RAMs from the caddy (is this the difference between Type I and Type II) but this seems a bit wasteful.

The most popular DVD-RAM drive is the Panasonic but it doesn't let you write to DVD+R/RW like the LG drive. At least the new LF-D511 supports DVD-RW.

[cerebros]

Originally posted by salacious
I have previously read that LG drive only works with caddyless DVD-RAMs. You can remove DVD-RAMs from the caddy (is this the difference between Type I and Type II) but this seems a bit wasteful.

Yeah, Type 1 are the fixed caddy variety. The reason I want this sort is that it just gives the disc that bit more protection, which you lose if you're taking the disc in and out of the caddy all the time.



The most popular DVD-RAM drive is the Panasonic but it doesn't let you write to DVD+R/RW like the LG drive. At least the new LF-D511 supports DVD-RW.

I understood it that the 4020B only did the "-" formats. The forthcoming 4040B apparently does ALL formats ( -R. -RW, -RAM, +R, +RW), but won't take caddies...