Samsung slot-loading DVD burner supports 8cm discs
By Nilay Patel 
posted May 17th 2007 2:29AM
posted May 17th 2007 2:29AM
A huge problem with the all those sweet DVD camcorders is that any machine with a slot-loading DVD drive (cough, Apple) totally chokes on 8-centimeter discs. Well, Samsung's got you covered with its new SE-T084L external burner, which it's touting as the world's only slot-loader to accept the format in addition to standard 12-centimeter discs. The bus-powered USB 2.0 burner features a seek time of 130 milliseconds, and record speeds of 8X DVD±R, 6X DVD+R DL, 4X DVD-R DL, 8X DVD+RW, 6X DVD-RW, and 5X DVD-RAM. For some reason, Sammy only announced this thing today, but they've been shipping since April for $150 -- maybe it wanted us to focus on those snazzy Blu-Ray burners instead?
Wii, anyone?
Yup, the Nintendo Wii beat Samsung to the punch.
yup. .the Wii might not record on them but its been doing this for ages.. weird thing for samsung to try and claim..
I'm just surprised that Engadget didn't point out this rather obvious fact in the post.
I thought of the Wii too, but remember, it doesn't have a DVD drive, and it certainly doesn't have a burner. As far as Apple's slot-loaders, while they may accept 80-cm media, it is unsupported and can damage the drive: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58641
Other slot-loading drives that accept 8cm discs:
Pioneer DVR-K07
Teac DV-W28SLC
The Pioneer drive has been shipping from the end of last year (in Japan anyway).
Samsung, liars?
But I think the Samsung may quilify as the first standalone 8cm compatable slot loading DVD drive.
I had iMacDVse back in 2001 and I read somewhere that the slot loading DVD drive takes 8 cm disks if you load in the middle. I did not have 8 cm disks and never tried to confirm this.
Considering how small it is, wouldn't you consider Wii to be stand alone?
I've never tried it, but I'm pretty sure Macs will play 8cm discs just fine.
I bought a Clarion head unit for my car in 1996 that accepted 3 inch discs. While it's not a DVD drive, it is a slot loader. My parents had a slot loading CD drive, made me wonder why they never made them more mainstream.
Plextor PX-716AL accepts 8cm disks too, and has been out forever, being first announced in 2/2005. But granted, it is a desktop drive.
Looks like another unconfirmed story- just like the Apple release date story.
I think the more impressive thing is that this puppy is bus powered.
Newegg.com has it for $99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827151147&ATT=27-151-147&CMP=OTC-Froogle
The slot load DVD-ROM and CD-ROM drives from the iMac CRT series and Ti PB were able to use the smaller (round!) discs. These drives all had guides that would align the disc properly. The newer drives Apple uses make you insert the disc nearly all the way before it will grab it. This is supposed to prevent you from inserting the smaller discs.
The CD player that came stock with my 2001 Focus would also read these discs just fine...it positioned the disc once it was all the way in.
Most user manuals state whether or not a drive will work....but Samsung is far from the first.
/Apple Service Tech
When will some make a drive that just supports the 8CM disks.
It would kick ass for UMPCs, 3.5" bays to replace floppies, and even allow portable devices a generic format to show SOny how the PSP UMD SHOULD have been done.