#48 - Apparently, there are some pretty serious compatibility issues with the Plextor PX-712SA/PX-716SA and some of the NEWER controllers. For example, from what I've read on various forums, the native nForce4 SATA controller has some pretty serious issues with burning CD's and DVD's. Plextor's tech support department has commented on the issue and blamed nvidia's SATA implementation/drivers. Check out this compatibility matrix from Plextor's website:
#47: Its a slow and painful process isn't it? We would all like to be done with those wide flat annoying IDE cables and hook ourselves up with the thin, easy to work with SATA cables.
The fact is, as long as the more critical [hard] drives are being manufactured with the IDE interface, there will still be a demand for the IDE interface on motherboards.
For optical drives, there really isn't a need for the switch to the SATA interface because 1)there wouldn't be any performance increases due to the limitations of current DVDR hardware and media, and 2)because the IDE interface is still around on motherboards.
I'm sure that once all HDD manufacturers have converted fully to SATA, optical drives will follow suit much more quickly since all we need is basically a SATA bridge. But until then...let us begin to give IDE an extended good-bye starting...nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-now!
...and speaking of the Plextor PX-716SA/SW (SATA), it has a customer rating of 2 out of 5 on newegg (based on 341 votes). Yet all but 3 of the 40 customer reviewers rate it 5 out of 5.
Apparently the drive needs an updated BIOS and an appropriate up-to-date motherboard to function properly. Maybe that's what caused the low customer rating?
On a side note, why is it that nearly all of these drives are still PATA, and not SATA? There's 3 such SATA drives listed for sale on newegg, the Plextor 712 in 2 different colors, and the Plextor 716. They are of course more expensive than most at $83 (with $20 mail in rebate) and $126 respectively.
I'm just wondering why we can't get rid of IDE altogether. Is a SATA interface more expensive to make? Can't be that big a difference looking at hard drive prices.
Sounds like things need to be standardized better if there are this many failures... any drive should work with any media as long as both the drive and the media are within spec.
i'm pretty certain that the benq dw1640 is better than the nec 3540a. maybe the 4550a will give the crown back to nec but the drive will cost a lot more since it will have lightscribe and the license for that must be expensive (there are no cheap lightscribe drives yet).
the new plextor is a joke. the 740a is a exactly the same as the dw1640. even plextools do not work on the plextor 740a (even though it is a "plextor" drive and they are included in the retail package).
i'm not sure if they've fixed it now but plextools don't work with the plextor 740a because of the above reason.
I have the toshiba SD-R5372V. Its cheap but not a great writer. Pretty slow. But you'll be fine if you use good discs. Just bought the LG yesterday, a bit faster than toshiba drive and lets me overspec writes.
Interesting, as I use almost only PRINCO media now (however, I have some small DVD-R made by Memorex and I can't wait to use them for something... too bad I don't know yet what to use them for
xsilver (or #16), my DVD writer (LG 4160, capable of DVDRAM, Dual Layer and so on) can write some media with no problems at 4x (the max rated speed) but gives consistent failures at 2.4x (which is any lower speed). I find out that using the same media but rated at 4x (well, it looks just the same but have certified speeds 1-8x) can burn at 4x and 8x with no problems (I haven't tested that media at 2.4x).
AGAIN, for those of you wondering why we did not include the Plextor PX-716 drive, we simply could not get a unit in time. HOWEVER, we do hope to include a Plextor unit in the next roundup.
For those of you wondering why we did not include the Plextor PX-716 drive, we simply could not get a unit in time. We do hope to include a Plextor unit in the next roundup.
Just imagine if these drives tried to burn generic media. The PI errors would be in the millions and half the drives cannot read the discs then.
Anyway burning 8x dvd is like 8 mins now so its fairly quick, just watch tv drink a beer and your done. Prefer a few more mins and half the number of PI errors anyway
I agree with the lynch mob above that the drives should be tested with a wider variety of media before crowning a winner. Also, the thing that I found most disturbing about the review is that it contradicts the recommendation made in the July 2005 storage guide from two days ago. I suppose the 1640 isn't yet available in the US and thus wasn't an option in the storage guide or maybe Anandtech hadn't yet received the 1640 to test. However, if I'd listened to the quote below from the storage guide and went ahead and bought an NEC 3540, I'd certainly be upset to see it perform poorly relative to a competing drive two days later. I guess that's the price you pay to be on the cutting edge...
"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the best DVD burner these days; NEC's 3540A"
I would like to have seen tests of how well a burned DVD would work in a DVD player? I regularly produce DVD's and to mass burning processes but reliability in set top DVD player is my highest priority.
#20, I hope your reply was a joke, seeing as that's what Princo media generally is --a joke. It's cheap crap, and a major rule of DVD burning is that if you use crap media, you'll get crap results.
We do miss Plextor drives and will definitely include the new 16x unit in our next roundup. We have been using PlexTools for a while now and the only drive that will work with the software is a Plextor drive. Maybe its time we update our Plextor unit though :).
As far as media testing goes, we chose MCC/MKM and Ritek media because of their track record with us. However, nothing is set in stone and we would be happy to hear any suggestions for future reviews.
#17, from what i read, the dw1640 is not yet available in the us (just barely made it to the uk recently). if you really want one you can get the plextor 740. it's a 1640 with a plextor badge (hence the higher price).
Welcome to rock-bottom competition where items are cheap and completely worth what you pay for them - ie 'not much'. What a pile of crap.
Also would have liked acoustic tests of the drives - are any of them louder when reading different media? Some drives can be very loud when reading a DVD-ROM and that's bad if you want to play a movie on your PC.
I agree - no Tayo Yuden - review is useless.
I dont need 16X media - I use made in Japan 8X +R Fujifilm TY002 and burn at 16X reliably with Pioneer 108-109 and Plextor 716A.
8X Fujifilm -R MIJ TYG02 always burns at 12X
Anyone buying cheap crap Taiwan media deserves what he gets.
Okay, so we see the latest generation of drives with their latest firmware installed. However, tested with only a handful of medias? How about comparing those to that of Taiyo-Yuden discs? It'd be interesting to see how they stack up when compared to the more commonly affordable discs.
Looks like the past of the burners was great, their present is... well, see #3
I think there is no reason to wonder, as I payed three years ago one and a half ($100) for a Teac CD burner that worked perfectly than for the LG 4160 burner that has strong media preferences
It most certainly can be crappy media from Ritek. Since they changes their media to AZO their media is crap. Look at the inner ring and notice that there is media seperation from poor manufacturing. The sad part is they were great started to sell like mad then went shotty but people still buy them. If you want reliable DL media buy Memorex or even better Verbatim. I will never buy another Ritek disc after a near 100 pack nightmare. One disc even seperated completely down the middle. Sad Pure Sad.
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trance - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link
Ordered mine from NCIX.com. Still haven't recieved it yet though...Gage8 - Wednesday, July 20, 2005 - link
"Any clue as to when the new BenQ will be available?"That's my question. It seems like the BenQ is the drive to have...yet no one has it.
trance - Sunday, July 17, 2005 - link
Any clue as to when the new BenQ will be available?vtqanh - Saturday, July 16, 2005 - link
No Plextor drive? What kind of optical drive review that doesnt include a Plextor drive?USAF1 - Friday, July 15, 2005 - link
#48 - Apparently, there are some pretty serious compatibility issues with the Plextor PX-712SA/PX-716SA and some of the NEWER controllers. For example, from what I've read on various forums, the native nForce4 SATA controller has some pretty serious issues with burning CD's and DVD's. Plextor's tech support department has commented on the issue and blamed nvidia's SATA implementation/drivers. Check out this compatibility matrix from Plextor's website:http://www.plextor.com/english/support/media_712SA...
See any nForce4 boards on there? I imagine compatibility issues would explain the two star newegg rating.
PuravSanghani - Thursday, July 14, 2005 - link
#47: Its a slow and painful process isn't it? We would all like to be done with those wide flat annoying IDE cables and hook ourselves up with the thin, easy to work with SATA cables.The fact is, as long as the more critical [hard] drives are being manufactured with the IDE interface, there will still be a demand for the IDE interface on motherboards.
For optical drives, there really isn't a need for the switch to the SATA interface because 1)there wouldn't be any performance increases due to the limitations of current DVDR hardware and media, and 2)because the IDE interface is still around on motherboards.
I'm sure that once all HDD manufacturers have converted fully to SATA, optical drives will follow suit much more quickly since all we need is basically a SATA bridge. But until then...let us begin to give IDE an extended good-bye starting...nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-now!
Anton74 - Thursday, July 14, 2005 - link
...and speaking of the Plextor PX-716SA/SW (SATA), it has a customer rating of 2 out of 5 on newegg (based on 341 votes). Yet all but 3 of the 40 customer reviewers rate it 5 out of 5.Apparently the drive needs an updated BIOS and an appropriate up-to-date motherboard to function properly. Maybe that's what caused the low customer rating?
Just wondering.
Anton
Anton74 - Thursday, July 14, 2005 - link
On a side note, why is it that nearly all of these drives are still PATA, and not SATA? There's 3 such SATA drives listed for sale on newegg, the Plextor 712 in 2 different colors, and the Plextor 716. They are of course more expensive than most at $83 (with $20 mail in rebate) and $126 respectively.I'm just wondering why we can't get rid of IDE altogether. Is a SATA interface more expensive to make? Can't be that big a difference looking at hard drive prices.
Anton
Miggle - Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - link
BTW, how come the sony 800A wasn't reviewed? Its being sold here but I chose the LG drive over itRMSe17 - Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - link
PuravSanghani, sorry didn't see your first post when I postedQuanticles - Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - link
Sounds like things need to be standardized better if there are this many failures... any drive should work with any media as long as both the drive and the media are within spec.semo - Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - link
i'm pretty certain that the benq dw1640 is better than the nec 3540a. maybe the 4550a will give the crown back to nec but the drive will cost a lot more since it will have lightscribe and the license for that must be expensive (there are no cheap lightscribe drives yet).the new plextor is a joke. the 740a is a exactly the same as the dw1640. even plextools do not work on the plextor 740a (even though it is a "plextor" drive and they are included in the retail package).
i'm not sure if they've fixed it now but plextools don't work with the plextor 740a because of the above reason.
nserra - Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - link
#27 LoneWolf15If recorder record crap media and read crap media = good recorder
If recorder record crap media and don’t read crap media = bad recorder
If recorder don’t record crap media and don’t read crap media = bad recorder
50 DVD-R 8x Princo crap's same price of 25 DVD of other manufactures
My NEC drive has difficulties reading Princo media, LG not a problem. Writing OK on both writers.
Miggle - Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - link
I have the toshiba SD-R5372V. Its cheap but not a great writer. Pretty slow. But you'll be fine if you use good discs. Just bought the LG yesterday, a bit faster than toshiba drive and lets me overspec writes.Calin - Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - link
"What no PRINCO media, useless review!"Interesting, as I use almost only PRINCO media now (however, I have some small DVD-R made by Memorex and I can't wait to use them for something... too bad I don't know yet what to use them for
Calin - Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - link
xsilver (or #16), my DVD writer (LG 4160, capable of DVDRAM, Dual Layer and so on) can write some media with no problems at 4x (the max rated speed) but gives consistent failures at 2.4x (which is any lower speed). I find out that using the same media but rated at 4x (well, it looks just the same but have certified speeds 1-8x) can burn at 4x and 8x with no problems (I haven't tested that media at 2.4x).Dennis Travis - Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - link
Can't you people read?Samus - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
funny they have no plextor in their review.USAF1 - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
You REALLY should have included a Plextor... ;)PuravSanghani - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
AGAIN, for those of you wondering why we did not include the Plextor PX-716 drive, we simply could not get a unit in time. HOWEVER, we do hope to include a Plextor unit in the next roundup.Regards,
Purav
IceWindius - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
Wheres the damn Plextor 716A in the review???? Thats like blasphemy!PuravSanghani - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
For those of you wondering why we did not include the Plextor PX-716 drive, we simply could not get a unit in time. We do hope to include a Plextor unit in the next roundup.Purav
DrZoidberg - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
Just imagine if these drives tried to burn generic media. The PI errors would be in the millions and half the drives cannot read the discs then.Anyway burning 8x dvd is like 8 mins now so its fairly quick, just watch tv drink a beer and your done. Prefer a few more mins and half the number of PI errors anyway
USAF1 - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
I agree with the lynch mob above that the drives should be tested with a wider variety of media before crowning a winner. Also, the thing that I found most disturbing about the review is that it contradicts the recommendation made in the July 2005 storage guide from two days ago. I suppose the 1640 isn't yet available in the US and thus wasn't an option in the storage guide or maybe Anandtech hadn't yet received the 1640 to test. However, if I'd listened to the quote below from the storage guide and went ahead and bought an NEC 3540, I'd certainly be upset to see it perform poorly relative to a competing drive two days later. I guess that's the price you pay to be on the cutting edge..."It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the best DVD burner these days; NEC's 3540A"
USAF1 - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
timmiser - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
I would like to have seen tests of how well a burned DVD would work in a DVD player? I regularly produce DVD's and to mass burning processes but reliability in set top DVD player is my highest priority.-Tim
RMSe17 - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
How come Plextor 716 wasn't part of the reviewed drives? Isn't it supposed to be one of the best?LoneWolf15 - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
#20, I hope your reply was a joke, seeing as that's what Princo media generally is --a joke. It's cheap crap, and a major rule of DVD burning is that if you use crap media, you'll get crap results.PuravSanghani - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
We do miss Plextor drives and will definitely include the new 16x unit in our next roundup. We have been using PlexTools for a while now and the only drive that will work with the software is a Plextor drive. Maybe its time we update our Plextor unit though :).As far as media testing goes, we chose MCC/MKM and Ritek media because of their track record with us. However, nothing is set in stone and we would be happy to hear any suggestions for future reviews.
Thanks,
Purav
Dennis Travis - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
I loved the review. Only thing I would like to eventually see is the latest Plextor 16X drive tested so I can compair it to the other new drives.sprockkets - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
In a way yes, 23#, where are the pics of the drives and the insides if you like that stuff like the last review? Just a media test?If you like verbatim that is Mitsubishi Chemicals. An 8x dvd+r disc from Memorex came up as MBIPG101/R04.
valnar - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
Compared to the quality reviews CDRInfo.com and CDFreaks.com puts out, this review was next to worthless.vaystrem - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
You're using PlexTools - why no comparison to Plextor DVD burners?semo - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
#17, from what i read, the dw1640 is not yet available in the us (just barely made it to the uk recently). if you really want one you can get the plextor 740. it's a 1640 with a plextor badge (hence the higher price).nserra - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
What no PRINCO media, useless review!yacoub - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
And yeah, FWIW, I only buy Memorex or Sony media, and I usually burn at one or two speed notches below the max listed for the drive.yacoub - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
Welcome to rock-bottom competition where items are cheap and completely worth what you pay for them - ie 'not much'. What a pile of crap.Also would have liked acoustic tests of the drives - are any of them louder when reading different media? Some drives can be very loud when reading a DVD-ROM and that's bad if you want to play a movie on your PC.
danidentity - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
Is the DW1640 even available for sale yet in the U.S.?xsilver - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
isnt the errors going to be much lower on a new drive but burning at lower speeds -- I dont think buying an old gen drive is a good ideaBozo Galora - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
I agree - no Tayo Yuden - review is useless.I dont need 16X media - I use made in Japan 8X +R Fujifilm TY002 and burn at 16X reliably with Pioneer 108-109 and Plextor 716A.
8X Fujifilm -R MIJ TYG02 always burns at 12X
Anyone buying cheap crap Taiwan media deserves what he gets.
JetBlack69 - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
Any information about how loud the drives where while reading the discs? I'm in the market for a DVD burner and I'd like a drive that's quiet.semo - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
btw, any news on the nec 4550a?semo - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
no taiyo yuden media tests?i personally don't like 16x media. tyg02 dye burned on the dw1640 @ 8x give really good results. i think you can also overspeed to 12x.
keitaro - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
Okay, so we see the latest generation of drives with their latest firmware installed. However, tested with only a handful of medias? How about comparing those to that of Taiyo-Yuden discs? It'd be interesting to see how they stack up when compared to the more commonly affordable discs.gdtaylor - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
I'm still waiting for affordable Dual Layer media.Calin - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
Looks like the past of the burners was great, their present is... well, see #3I think there is no reason to wonder, as I payed three years ago one and a half ($100) for a Teac CD burner that worked perfectly than for the LG 4160 burner that has strong media preferences
IceWindius - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
Hah, I love my Plextor 716A with the newest firmware that does 6x DL burning.HDTVMan - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
It most certainly can be crappy media from Ritek. Since they changes their media to AZO their media is crap. Look at the inner ring and notice that there is media seperation from poor manufacturing. The sad part is they were great started to sell like mad then went shotty but people still buy them. If you want reliable DL media buy Memorex or even better Verbatim. I will never buy another Ritek disc after a near 100 pack nightmare. One disc even seperated completely down the middle. Sad Pure Sad.sprockkets - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
The NEC model 3540 says on newegg it can do 8x DL. They list the older 3520A model for $38.No error graph for the 2.4x DL on reads for the NEC drive?
marcuri - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
when the hell are we going to see burners that can do 8x DL? been waiting for one of those for awhile.....g33k - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
Yup, it looks like you might be better off buying a last gen drive. It might take a while for the firmware updates that may improve these drives.From the looks of it, NEC and Pioneer are no longer the best drives. BenQ has that title now.
Beenthere - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
Doesn't look like ANY of these drives are worth buying with so many errors.SOD, DD. Rushed to market CRAP !!!
quadcity - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
"Special thanks to BenQ for supplying us with the DW1640."nutxo - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
Where did they acquire a benq 1640?