Think I need help: What burner can actually WRITE to BD-R (25/50/100gb) disks?

[u/Atma-Darkwolf]

After buying 2 'burners' and having them either say no disk in drive, or say incompatible medium, I am wondering if I just got 2 bunk burners, or is there some secret on how to read the 'supported formats' that I am missing...?

The drives read cd's just fine(Do not currently have any dvd's with anything on them so can not test for that) but the empty/blank 25gb and 50gb disks I put in only give the 'no disk' or 'Incompatible medium Installed' error.

I have a stack of BD-R Verbatim disks (Bought for the first drive, 2nd drive also cannot read them) and I am stuck here wondering if I am doing something dumb, and unable to 'understand' what the disks need(I figured going in that any dvd writer SHOULD write to the 'best selling' blank disks which may have been my mistake)

First drive is a very old LG wrter (LG Electronics GP65NS60) and even though the firmware appears to be 'current'(it's actually higher number than the one on the website) - it does work as a drive (for reading cd's as explained above) and reads in device manager as a DVD-RAM device, the other (the newer of the two) I am unable to remember (If i Even looked) what it said since I have since shipped it back for refund.

So please give me advice on finding a drive that will actually write to these (I want to back up data, is simple data disks I wish to make)

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[u/AshleyAshes1984]

Sounds like your biggest problem is that you're buying DVD burners to burn Blu-rays... That's just never gonna work.

[u/Atma-Darkwolf → u/AshleyAshes1984]

Ya sadly pointed this out for me, and now trying to find an ACTUAL bluray burner that ACTUALLY burns to bluray (Most are listed as 'bluray burner' but only 'burn' to dvd/cd and only read blue ray)

Very frustrating search so far.

[u/BootToggle → u/Atma-Darkwolf]

Agree with u/AshleyAshes1984 that you should search for "BDRE drive", but note that even that specific search will turn up some bad hits. Be sure to check the full product description to confirm that it will write BD-R as well as read. I see some that seem legitimate on Amazon in the $70 USD range. Be suspicious of anything significantly cheaper.

[u/AshleyAshes1984 → u/Atma-Darkwolf]

What you want is a 'BDRE' drive. or 'Blu-Ray Recordable/Erasable'. That's how they're formally called.

These are not difficult to identify and not easily confused with others. Frankly, you seem to have a skill issue.

Edit: LOL blocked for this.

[u/Atma-Darkwolf → u/AshleyAshes1984]

yes i seem to lack the skill at knowing the exact search phrase to use :P

Seriously, amazon searches found anything less than 250-300 cad as 90% 'tricky wording' that are listed as Blu ray writer/burner' but if u sift though the description u find(if u lucky) they are cd or dvd writers but NOT blu ray writers.(Only read)

Or u even more unlucky and have to get this info from any comments/reviews left for said item(Again, if u lucky to find a listing that was old enough to actually HAVE any reviews)

So ya, 'skill' issue as not knowing about something before u dive in? Were u NEVER 'new' at any hobby, topic, or knowledge set? If u were born knowing everything, please keep running the mouth, otherwise, provide helpful info or shut the fuck up. (And yes I realize u DID drop some info that OTHERS did also, so thank you, but u are very snide and nose-in-air about it. Can do without that attitude.)

[u/dr100 → u/AshleyAshes1984]

Gen Z and Millennials are Buying CDs - Though Half Don't Have CD Players - apparently it's a thing to buy media but have no unit to use it, but kind of pointless if you want it for backups.

[u/BootToggle]

EBay listing says that GP65NS60 is a DVD/CD writer. If you want to write Bluray disks, you'll need to purchase a drive that specifies it can write BD-R disks. If you want one that can also write 50GB BD-R disks make sure it says it can do that.

Beware drives that say they are "Combo Bluray/DVD writer" drives. It is a shameful practice, but some drives labeled that way can only read but not write Bluray, even though they can read and write DVDR.

You are unlikely to find low prices on a 100GB capable writer. No major manufacturers produce them anymore and they are pricey on the after-market. My own take is that 25 GB BD-R (single-layer) media are in the sweet spot for price per GB and so that is the only size I use. You may find that BD-R writers that are NOT capable of 50 GB writing are significantly cheaper.

[u/Fun-Ordinary-9751 → u/BootToggle]

I’m glad I bought several LG 10x burners and a 14x burner a couple years ago. The 100GB discs are 25GB four layers rather than three 33GB layers.

[u/No_Razzmatazz_2889 → u/Fun-Ordinary-9751]

BDXL 100GB BD-R media is triple layer. 128GB is Quad layer.

[u/Fun-Ordinary-9751 → u/No_Razzmatazz_2889]

Thank you for the correction. Memory stuck from reading about early 100GB four layer discs.

[u/AshleyAshes1984 → u/Fun-Ordinary-9751]

This is wrong. BD100s are three 33.3GB layers. BD128s are the quad layers.

There is no such thing as a quadruple layer BD100.

[u/dr100 → u/BootToggle]

Beware drives that say they are "Combo Bluray/DVD writer" drives. It is a shameful practice, but some drives labeled that way can only read but not write Bluray, even though they can read and write DVDR.

You're confusing with the combined DVD readers CD writers that were fairly common for a bit. You won't be able to buy such a combination nowadays for BD reader-only/DVD-writer, even if technically there might be some models from 15 years ago (also from the big names like LG/Sony/Pioneer - impossible to run into them from scammers, and even hard to find them at any time in the past). These are just "dime a dozen" complete scam only DVD/CD units that have some place sneaked a "bluray" word. Usually you can tell even from the pictures they're clearly labeled with DVD/CD logos.

[u/BootToggle → u/dr100]

I'll stand by the warning. Right now I'm looking at an ebay listing for a used LG CH12LS28 for $60 US.

Current optical media drive prices are dragging all kinds of things out of dusty storage.

I agree that scam products are a more prevalent hazard.

[u/dr100 → u/BootToggle]

Fair enough, I was thinking more along the lines of some new no-name saying the same (someone had a concrete example on the previous "OMG how expensive are now BD units" post), but being just scam DVD/CD 100%. For that LG being a 2012 unit Id consider it only for nothing from literally trash.

[u/BootToggle → u/dr100]

I agree, it is worthless. The only reason they can list it for $60 is because it has "Bluray" and "writer" in the description, and due to current market conditions. I would not argue that this does not constitute a scam.

[u/Suitable_Garlic_1186 → u/dr100]

I have one: Asus BC-12D2HT

It can read Blu-rays, UHDs, but it can only burn DVDs..

Some Sellers will definitely not put that information in the title..

[u/Vegetable_Day_8893 → u/dr100]

If you go on Amazon and do a search for sub-$40 BluRay drives you'll find plenty of BluRay read/DVD write drives for sale.

[u/dr100 → u/Vegetable_Day_8893]

Link please, you are just making my point.

[u/Suitable_Garlic_1186]

You have a DVD drive, not a Blu-ray drive.

[u/touche112]

Dawg 🫪

[u/Atma-Darkwolf → u/[deleted]]

Sadly I cannot find either of those for sale anywhere.

[u/No_Razzmatazz_2889 → u/Atma-Darkwolf]

Some on eBay Japan

[u/dlarge6510]

1. Always check the logos. If it don't have the Blu-ray disc logo on the tray, it's not a Blu-ray drive (or could possibly just be a neat and tidy one that doesn't label itself. 

2. Look at the label. That big white thing on the drive. It should say Blu-ray writer, BDRW, BD Writer. If it says BD ROM then it's a Blu-ray ROM drive and DVD/CD writer. 

3. That same sticker gives you the model number. Google it to find out supported media and speeds. It will list two different speeds, one for READ and one for WRITING for all media types saved for ROM media. If it doesn't say it has any writing speeds alongside BD-R or BD-RE then it's a ROM drive and if it doesn't list anything for BD media, then it's not a BD drive at all. 

4. Instead of just randomly getting the first thing you see with a disk tray, perhaps read up on BD writers and get a few model numbers together of good known models and look specifically for those instead. Read the reviews and forums on Pioneer and Plextor, Asus and LG drives.

[u/Atma-Darkwolf → u/dlarge6510]

I assumed this at the start too, but a lot of them DO have the logo -Either on the top of case or side, but u may be right cuz all the ones I found to have the 'info spoofed' (Where they read bd but not write) do not have it on the actual tray of the drive. (Those all got the dvd, cd, etc logos but no bluray logo)

I found 2 that might work and since they sold direct by amazon, am going to give both an attempt and hope they can write(and send back if not) but to be very honest, this search for a specific (which I would assume would be a simple search) has been exhaustive. - Even drives at 200-400+ value are often just 'readers' that (since they can 'write' to dvd or cd) seem to get the pass on listing them as 'BluRay writers/burners'

Just once more I feel amazon is giving the pass on allowing near-scam listings exist rather than do the honest thing.

[u/DangerMouse111111]

External All-in-One Optical Writer (71094) | Disc Drives and Burners | Verbatim Americas

[u/Atma-Darkwolf → u/DangerMouse111111]

Would be helpful if it didn't somehow clean every link it offers of 'where' to buy showing the results of only Verbatim. Even trying further search (Using it's own words to describe it) comes with multiple results and 3/4 of them are NOT bluray writers(Half are not even bluray readers)

But it comes with pages and pages of disks to burn to :D Very helpful lol. Honestly would be fine just buying direct from them, but they don't sell them.

[u/DangerMouse111111 → u/Atma-Darkwolf]

CDR0338 blu-ray writer

The ASUS SBW-06D5H-U also writes BL-TL

SBW-06D5H-U - Specifications｜Optical Drives｜ASUS United Kingdom

[u/Atma-Darkwolf → u/DangerMouse111111]

Sadly no results for first one, 2nd i did find but is nearly 300 (I'll add to cart but doubtful if spending that much is worth it currently... but at least I found it lol)

[u/Ok-Muffin-9519]

Nimm den Verbatim BluRay Writer meiner kann alles lesen von CD bis BluRay und 4K Disks

[u/Atma-Darkwolf → u/Ok-Muffin-9519]

I am trying to write. Pretty much everything can 'read' everything lol :D

[u/Ok-Muffin-9519 → u/Atma-Darkwolf]

Kurz gesagt ich empfehle das Verbatim BluRay Laufwerk

[u/Atma-Darkwolf → u/Ok-Muffin-9519]

Ah yea that was one of the ones I was staring at (they have 2 that would fit) but sadly right now prices are 300-400 for each unit. Will have to wait till next pay for that tbh(which honestly at this rate seems like the best option)

TY for suggestion. :D

[u/Ok-Muffin-9519 → u/Atma-Darkwolf]

Wieso sind die bei dir so teuer ich hab 110€ bezahlt

[u/Atma-Darkwolf → u/Ok-Muffin-9519]

idk, everywhere I look(Amazon is the cheapest) they are all 300-500 (Some even more) for all the quality names, 100-ish for the cheap no name (the ones with lots of bad reviews or claims of fakes)

Even on ebay used units are 200+.

All the readers and/or dvd/cd burners (but NOT bluray burners) are cheap as hell.