Summer 2005 16x DVDR Roundup

The Test

Our benchmarks include a few tests to show the performance of each of our test drives. We first use Nero CD-DVD Speed to create a data disc, which tests the write capabilities/performance of the drive. We then run a transfer rate test to benchmark the read capabilities as well as verify the data on the disc.

Finally, we use our Plextor PX-712A drive to read the media for PI/PO errors. According to the ECMA standard...

A row of an ECC Block that has at least 1 byte in error constitutes a PI error. In any 8 consecutive ECC Blocks, the total number of PI errors before correction shall not exceed 280.

A row is 182 bytes long where the last 10 bytes contain PI (Parity Inner) information. An ECC block is 208 rows long where the last 16 rows contain the PO (Parity Outer) information. This gives us a maximum possible PI error amount of 208 errors per block and for 8 blocks after each other, this sum is of course 8 times higher giving a maximum possible amount of 1664 PI errors.

If a row of an ECC Block contains more than 5 erroneous bytes, the row is said to be “PI-uncorrectable” or PIF (Parity Inner Failures).

In any ECC Block, the number of PI-uncorrectable rows should not exceed 4.

Now, some writers may create discs with more than 208 PI errors and they are not necessarily unreadable, but they are not the best quality discs around.

Our test bed:

AMD Athlon64 3500+ (2.2Ghz)
Giga-byte GA-K8NXP-SLI
NVIDIA 6600GT SLI Edition (single 128MB card)
1GB (512MBx2) Corsair XMS4400
Plextor PX-712A, Firmware v1.07

Microsoft Windows XP SP2
Nero CD-DVD Speed 4.00
PlexTools Professional XL 3.03

The Competition

	Firmware	Access Time (CD/DVD)	DVD +/-R Write	DVD +/-RW Write	DVD +/-R DL Write	CD-R/RW Write	CD/DVD Read	Buffer Size
BenQ DW1640	BSHB	120ms/ 120ms	16x/16x	8x/6x	8x/NA	48x/32x	48x/16x	2MB
LG GSA-4163B	A104	125ms/ 145ms	16x/16x	8x/6x	4x/NA	40x/24x	40x/16x	2MB
NEC ND-3540A	1.01	120ms/ 140ms	16x/16x	8x/6x	8x/6x	48x/32x	40x/16x	2MB
Pioneer DVR-109D	1.55	120ms/ 130ms	16x/16x	4x/6x	6x/NA	40x/24x	40x/16x	2MB
Sony DRU-720A	JY03	140ms/ 135ms	16x/16x	8x/6x	4x/NA	48x/24x	40x/16x	2MB
Toshiba SD-R5372	TU55	100ms/ 120ms (200ms DVD-RAM)	16x/16x	8x/6x	5x/NA	48x/24x	48x/16x	2MB