Compatible USB/Firewire Optical Drives

mysticode · #1 10-16-2007, 10:11 PM

Let's try to compile a list of known working and not-working USB and Firewire alternatives to the ridiculously-priced Sony Firewire drive. When adding drives that work, please include the following:

Manufacturer:
Model:
Type (USB/Firewire):
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N):
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N):
UX Model Tested With:
Other Notes:

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________

Manufacturer: Samsung
Model: SE-S184
Type: USB
Can Create Recovery Discs: Y
Can Boot Recovery Discs: Y
UX Model Tested With: UX380N
Other Notes: Includes LightScribe

Manufacturer: I-O Data
Model: DVRP-UN8PL2
Type (USB/Firewire): USB 1.1 & USB 2.0
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Yes
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Yes
UX Model Tested With: UX50
Other Notes: This drive is the I-O Data slim DVD+\-R/RW/RAM with LabelFlash (LightScribe).

Manufacturer: NEC
Model: ND-3550A
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): untested
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): untested
UX Model Tested With: UX90S
Other Notes: Boots Windows XP CD's perfect

Manufacturer: Sony
Model: DRX-S50U
Type (USB/Firewire): USB 2.0
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Y
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Y
UX Model Tested With: UX380N
Other Notes: Didn't work on UX until two registry keys deleted per http://www.iq.sony.com/SRVS/CGI-BIN/...ARSET_TOP=TRUE

Manufacturer: Philips
Model: SPD3100
Type (USB/Firewire): USB 2.0
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): ?
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): ?
UX Model Tested With: ?
Other Notes: Reported as working great - not sure what has been tested

Manufacturer: I/OMagic
Model: TED80Y
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Y
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): ?
UX Model Tested With: ?
Other Notes:

Manufacturer: Dekcell
Model: USB Slim External Rewriteable CD and DVD +/- RW Drive, DVD Burner
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): N
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): N
UX Model Tested With: UX280
Other Notes: Didn't work on the UX

Manufacturer: ASUS
Model: DRW-1608P3S
Type (USB/Firewire):
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Y
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Y
UX Model Tested With: UX1XN
Other Notes: IDE drive hooked up to a IDE - USB adapter

Manufacturer: HP
Model: 840D (EXTERNAL)
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): N
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): N
UX Model Tested With: UX380N
Other Notes: Didn't work on the UX

Manufacturer: Iomega
Model: Super DVD
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): N
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): N
UX Model Tested With: UX380N
Other Notes: Didn't work on the UX

Manufacturer: NEC
Model: AD-5540A
Type (USB/Firewire): USB case
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): not tested
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): not tested
UX Model Tested With: UX1XN
Other Notes: USB case for this notebook dvdrw... very cheap case from ebay (HK seller)... uses 2 USB ports (2nd one for power - so no power from mains)... works fine in Windows XP but not tested yet to boot from it...

Manufacturer: Sony
Model: DRX-S70U
Type (USB/Firewire): USB 2.0
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Y
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Y
UX Model Tested With: UX380N
Other Notes: Nice aluminum case , only $100.

Manufacturer: Sony
Model: DRX-820U
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): YES
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Will be tested.
UX Model Tested With: UX390N
Other Notes: N/A

Manufacturer: LG
Model: GSA-E50L
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Yes
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Yes
UX Model Tested With: UX280P
Other Notes: Ultra thin 8X speed. Needs NO AC ADAPTOR! Runs straight from USB. Lightscribe capable.

Manufacturer: Pacific Digital
Model: A62JA7 DUAL DVD
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Y
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Y
UX Model Tested With: UX490
Other Notes:

Manufacturer: Pioneer $79.00 on ebay
Model: DVR-K05
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Unkown
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Unknown
UX Model Tested With: UX280P
Other Notes: Thin Desing 1/2" hight 8X speed 4X DVD burn + Double ... no AC adaptor USB powered has dual USB cables for extra power .. ALSO: ... will not operate with one USB cable when UX is out of the Dock .. assume batteyr powered UX port is not powerfull enough? .. runs on one USB cable with the dock ... but runs consistantly better with both cables plugged in.

Manufacturer: Freecom DVD RW Recorder LS Pro
Model: KLGAAE, Part num 29086.
Type: This works perfectly either USB2 or firewire.
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Yes
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): yes
UX Model Tested With: UX390

Manufacturer: HP
Model: dvd1040e
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): not tested
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): will boot windows from startup. Do not have recover to test.
UX Model Tested With: UX50
Other Notes: Its also on sale right now at Circuit City for $69.99

Manufacturer: Pioneer
Model: DVR-X122
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Yes
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Booted WinXP disc
UX Model Tested With: UX380N
Other Notes: Requires the infamous registry edit, after that it worked like a charm with the backup utility. Don't forget to hit Fn+F11 during power up (when vaio screen appears) to boot from the drive

The registry edit (which is a general problem with Vaio laptops)
1- Open registry editor (Start>Run, type regedit, hit enter)
2- Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
3- Take its backup (File>Export)
4- Delete keys named 'Upperfilters' and 'Lowerfilters', do not touch the '.bak' ones..
5- Restart..

Manufacturer: PLEXTOR
Model: PX-716UF
Type (USB/Firewire): Firewire (S400)/USB 2.0
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Y
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Y
UX Model Tested With: UX380N
Other Notes: FAST !!!

Manufacturer: Lite-On
Model: SOHW-1633SX
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Yes
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Yes
UX Model Tested With: UX390N
Other Notes: Had a problem burning the recovery discs at first. Enabled the administrator account and the dvds burned fine.

Manufacturer: LaCie DVD±RW with LightScribe, Design by F.A. Porsche
Model: No model number, the drive itself appears to be a Samsung S162L
Type: USB
Can create Recovery Disks: Y (docked)
Can boot Recovery Disks: not tested, but can boot XP media docked
UX model tested with: UX 490N
Other Notes: Undocked the drive is recognized but won't boot.

Benz145 · #2 10-17-2007, 01:10 AM

Sounds good, I'll sticky this thread and help you update your post. As people post more drives.

GauBan · #3 10-17-2007, 01:19 AM

Manufaturer: I-O Data
Model: DVRP-UN8PL2
Type (USB/Firewire): USB 1.1 & USB 2.0
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Yes
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Yes
UX Model Tested With: UX-50
Other Notes: This drive is the I-O Data slim DVD+\-R/RW/RAM with LabelFlash (LightScribe).

This model not only come in lush shiny black but also able to wrtie full speed when running from Bus Power instead of main. Infact I have never used the mains adapter for mine.

Sull86 · #4 10-17-2007, 01:24 AM

Manufaturer: NEC
Model: ND-3550A
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): untested
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): untested
UX Model Tested With: UX90S
Other Notes: Boots Windows XP CD's perfect

ruler · #5 10-17-2007, 05:38 PM

this weekend I tried hooking up my NEC DVD-RW to a USB to IDE converter cable and I was able to burn an image of my entire hard drive. Took a little longer then usual, but wasnt terribly slow. I am thinking of getting another one to use on the go heres a link to some similar ones I found on newegg

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...n=usb +to+ide

Yeggster · #6 10-19-2007, 06:05 PM

I purchased a "Dekcell USB Slim External Rewriteable CD and DVD +/- RW Drive, DVD Burner" on line and it would NOT work properly with the UX280.

It would work fine with some tweaking on my desktop .. but it never worked properly on the UX

technogeekchris · #7 10-19-2007, 06:19 PM

I have a SONY DVD DRIVE for sale. hehehhe

steffcip · #8 10-19-2007, 09:07 PM

Manufaturer: ASUS
Model: DRW-1608P3S
Type (USB/Firewire):
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Y
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Y
UX Model Tested With: UX1XN
Other Notes: IDE drive hooked up to a IDE - USB adapter

I am also going to try a laptop drive NEC AD-5540A when I get my USB adapter (which should be in the next few days)

twlmeal · #9 10-21-2007, 12:44 PM

No go for two external DVD burners I own. They have been fine with VISTA on other machines.

Manufaturer: HP
Model: 840D (EXTERNAL)
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N):
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N):
UX Model Tested With: UX380N
Other Notes:

Manufaturer: Iomega
Model: Super DVD
Type (USB/Firewire): USB
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N):
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N):
UX Model Tested With: UX380N
Other Notes:

dhayden · #10 10-23-2007, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GauBan

Manufaturer: I-O Data
Model: DVRP-UN8PL2
Type (USB/Firewire): USB 1.1 & USB 2.0
Can Create Recovery Discs (Y/N): Yes
Can Boot Recovery Discs (Y/N): Yes
UX Model Tested With: UX-50
Other Notes: This drive is the I-O Data slim DVD+\-R/RW/RAM with LabelFlash (LightScribe).

This model not only come in lush shiny black but also able to wrtie full speed when running from Bus Power instead of main. Infact I have never used the mains adapter for mine.

thanks for this wonderful sticky. i was wondering if other external drives worked. the sony one is way to damn expensive. i tried to do a google search for this io data dvrp un8pl2 and came up empty.

can we include where purchased and how much. possibly a hyperlink to the drive would be greatly appreciated.

thanks everyone for the great site and sticky.dan

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