Conclusion:

The Hitachi/LG BH20L is capable of burning Blu-ray discs up to 6x. While it is not the fastest Blu-ray burner available, it is cost effective and reliable. Add in the ability to write CDs and DVDs, as well as to label discs with LightScribe, and this is a well rounded Blu-ray burner.



There are advantages to having a Blu-ray burner in your system, such as watching Blu-ray movies, making your own Blu-ray movies, and archiving large(r) amounts of data. Some will point out that it is still cheaper to put your data onto hard drives for archiving, and I won't disagree. Cost aside, a Blu-ray disc should last longer than a hard drive as there are no moving parts to fail.

There are just a few down sides to the Hitachi/LG BH20L Blu-ray burner; which aren't necessarily limited to just the BH20L. The first is the need to update the firmware before being able to use the drive with Windows 7. New technology such as this often requires updates until it is perfected. Running a quick firmware update is relatively painless, but may be something an inexperienced user might not be comfortable doing. Other than that, while a 6x burner may be adequate for many looking to take their first steps with Blu-ray technology, but it is from the fastest available. If time is critical, a 12x burner might be more appealing as you will theoretically cut your burn times in half.

While the price of Blu-ray technology is still rather high, it has come down in the past year and is becoming a more economical option. The Hitachi/LG BH20L Blu-ray burner is available at Geeks.com for $134.99. While this does make it the most expensive Blu-ray drive on their virtual shelves, it should be noted that their other choices are all refurbished units while this one is new. Checking Google's shopping pages shows that the Geeks.com deal is the best one out there on the BH20L. But, digging further will show that there are other new Blu-ray burners available that offer faster speeds at a lower price.

If you are in the market for a Blu-ray burner, the Hitachi/LG BH20L is worth considering. Given the price and performance, it earns the Bigbruin.com "Recommended" award.



Pros:

» Reliably burns Blu-rays, DVDs, and CDs
» Met expected burn speeds
» Supports LightScribe disc labeling
» Geeks.com has a great deal on this model

Cons:

» Not the fastest
» Have to update firmware before burning
» OEM drive includes no software or accessories
» Other faster burners available for less money

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