I just picked this up at Best Buy and so far it has produced nothing but really bad burns. I have used 5 different brands of DVD +R media and all are scanning horribly.
This drive isn’t listed on Sony’s website and there are no other posts for this drive. Does anyone know who made this thing? Lite-On? BenQ?
which firmware?
what does the drive label say?
are you able to scan with nero cd-dvd speed?
is the faceplate liteon or benq like?
without knowing anything, i tink it’s a benq dw1650 rebagde. if it has lightscribe, it could be a dw1655. but let’s find out first what it really is.
Opus-Croakus is right Best Buy has them for 89.99 internal drives. Sony 820A. I have no idea what they are because I couldn’t open the box.
The BB Site states it has 5X DVD-RAM Writing. Guess that it means that’s it the NEW DW1670. The spec on the site don’t show it to be a DQ60 !!! In addition, the picture looks like a BenQ…
Firmware is version 1.0a
Manufacture date is January 2006.
Can’t scan with nero cd-dvd speed.
The faceplates look much like the dru-810a.
Wish I could tell you more. I am at work and the burner is at the house.
(1) Does it have the standard BenQ Cooling Vents ???
(2) Does it have DVD-RAM Read & Write ???
Yes and yes
From Opus_Croakus answers of YES and YES to the above teo questions, my best guess it’s the NEW BenQ DW1670 that was displayed at the LV show !!!
Because this is a rebadged, usually the sticker on Sony drives will say Sony (DRU-820A) instead of BenQ like in I/O Magic OEMs.
the 1650 isn’t released to the US market, and sony rebadges the 1670. nice.
An older Lite-on drive and Kprobe
Picked up one of these 3 days ago, been wondering what was inside.
There is a 820A now 
I just picked up 810A a few days back. Damn. 
Okay no worries. 810A is working just fine 
But if there is a 820A, why doesn’t it show here…
It does - right at the top.
Also check this post out
http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=166054
That dude has had great success with this burner.
could be dq60