Since I am a newbie posting on this site, I was wondering if anyone has information on which DVD-RAM drive that I can replace the original (Panasonic LF-ETS311R) with? I found some sites (in Japanese, which I am not REMOTELY conversant in) that had replacement drives indicated (the Panasonic LF-D321JD, very expensive and hard to find). Knowing that the RD-XS series has multiple replacements (LG seeming to be the best in multiple newer drive catagories), does anybody know of a reasonable update to this order style DVD burner (1X DVD-RAM)? I put in a Sony DRU-170C and it did not register anything.

I did not find any other postings about this older (2003) DVD recorder. I would appreciate anything valuable that any of you may have on this matter.

Thanks from da beach!!!

Are you sure that the XS32 help thread doesn't also have info about this one?

Are you sure that the XS32 help thread doesn't also have info about this one?
I have gone through what I think is the entire spread of the posts and have not noticed anything listed specifically for my RD-X2. The burner on my model is different than the XS series, which is well documented on how to replace. Again, I just tried the Sony burner, not any other model since I don't have a lot of expendible income to test out models that most likely will not work. I did read in the XS posts that Sony burners would work in those models with no modification (or maybe I misread, as I only put in a bare burner with no computer installation prior, nor any firmware update - again the RD-X2 has no listed firmware update from Toshiba).

I know, a bit long-winded, but if you have some information that has been validated, that would be MOST helpful.

Thank you!!

I seemed to have checked all of the messages regarding the XS series and nothing comes up about the X2 (from 2002-03). I would love to know if someone has successfully updated the burner in this unit, since the XS ones can be readily available. Also, is there a firmware update? I looked throughout Toshiba's "vast" inventory, but found nothing for this model (again, some for XS stuff). Let me know if I am missing something, namely, can I make an aftermarket burner work in this unit that isn't third (?) generation (ie slow and unreliable).

Thanks!!

The 2003 models are basically orphaned, with the 2004/5s not far behind them. They were incredibly pricey when new and did not sell in huge numbers, especially the Toshibas which had way less shelf exposure than Panasonics at the time. Mfrs have no particular motivation to stock parts for these "ancient" machines because it is not cost-effective to provide repairs. The mfr attitude, and the attitude of the average consumer, is "why pay $200-300 to repair a 2003 recorder that can't even burn todays media when I can buy an entire new 2009 model for the same outlay?" Aside from us lunatics on AVS, very few people prize the performance or features of older units enough to pay the absurd repair costs: the days of handing a local tech shop $55 to replace a worn belt in a VCR are long gone.

Do not be overly-swayed by the threads discussing Toshiba XS burner repair: you have to filter those many posts and read between the lines. Nobody is simply dropping a new off-the-shelf $25 burner into these units and getting full functionality: mishaps, backfires and lost features abound. If you're very lucky, you might be able to track down a similar-model Matsushita (Panasonic) drive thats close enough to the RD-X2 to allow swapping the drive controller boards: this is how some of us extend the life of 2003-4 Pioneers. But the only sure-fire cure is Toshiba factory service, and if they say they can't repair your RD-X2 you need to accept that and give it a decent burial. Digital really bites sometimes:(.