which will be the better all around drive for all media and all formats?? i was leaning towards the 203b but everyone is telling me not to use anything but top shelf media in the sammy?? i use a lot of mid line stuff due to the kids ruining them often…
i want it to do it all well… not perfect in any one area but all around good…
thanks
Hi 
I have a LH-20A1S & several 203(B)(N)'s.
Of the two for burn speed/quality, I’d go with the 203.
However given your comments re: media.
Then maybe you should consider (if available to you) the Pioneer DVR-215(D).
This along with the 115(D).
Not only are they quicker than the Lite-On.
But quality is better than the Samsung.
The Pioneer copes with a wider range of media too (quality wise).
is the sammy really that bad with mid line media?? for my good stuff i use ty or verbatim but for things like blue’s clues and stuff like that they get thrown around so much i just buy regular maxell or ativa etc usually cmo stuff…
For most Single layer DVDs you shouldn’t have a problem with the sammy, but Dual layer Media is another world… I had some RICOH DVD+R DL from best buy (DYNEX) … the sammy made coasters out all but two discs and those that half way worked got choppy and froze around the layer break… The LITE ON 20A1H that I have burnt the SAME Media great with great playback success in many standalones… RITEK(Sony) and Verbatim worked okay in the sammy… but the LITE ON has burnt EVERYTHING I put in it…
If you like me, to have a drive(Samsung) waste my money by making coasters while another drive (Lite ON) burns the same disc fine. My DVD burner is NOT gonna tell me whats its NOT gonna burn… It better burn whatever I decide to buy. Its just a no brainer to me… I’ll never buy another Samsung drive… and another thing the TOP NOTCH firmware support by the great Code KING for the LITE ON Drives is unmatched and it’s great to always have some new firmware patch to look forward… hope this helps…
how about reading scratched discs… this is another thing i have to contend with all the time since as i said they just throw the blue’s and pooh’s around lol… they are little so i know they dont realize it but thats why i use cheaper media so if i need to i can always just make another and say here go have fun lol…
will the lite on do as well with cd’s as the sammy with the same situation mixed media in it… like the office depot branded cdr’s etc… same deal with these ill make them a mickey song disc or whatever and they will use it as a coaster half the time lol… i know they prob should know better but one of them is only 2…
thanks again
I’ve used mid-range media on my Sammys (RICOHJPN R03, CMC MAG. AM3), albeit at 8x, and they turn out very well. 
Although I do think, even from using the 110D and now the 115D, that Pioneer shine with mediocre media.
However, here’s another spanner in the works. Sammies are excellent for reading dodgy or scratched discs.
So ultimately, it’s your choice.