Opinions on best DVD-Burner for a red laser

[Cenobite9]

I'm looking at building a high powered red laser but I am not user what DVD burner to buy for the diode. Any suggestions on a good cheap drive that is known to use the 5.6mm diodes as opposed to the 3.8mm ones? I want to make sure I can use my aixiz modules without having to modify anything.

 

[rpaloalto]

Why not just buy a pre extracted diode like a LPC 815
LPC-815 660nm red laser diode - $12.99 : Modwerx Shop

Modwerx also sells the LPC 815 still in the sled
LPC-815 20x DVD burner laser lens assembly w/ red laser diode [LPC-815] - $9.99 : Modwerx Shop

 

[Benm]

LPC sounds very viable in deed.. those provide pretty rugged diodes, although they are open can and prone to dust problems for that.

If you want to adhere to the 5.6mm form factor, i doubt there is any worthwhile improvement. Diodes in larger form factors like c-mount or TO-3 go up to much higher power ranges, but beware of multimode diodes that will prove more difficult to collimate into a neat beam.