Fall 2004 DVDR Roundup: Dual Layer and 16X DVD+R
by Anand Shimpi & Virginia Lee on November 1, 2004 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Storage
LG GSA-4160B
LG always sparks our attention, since they design and build one of the few truly universal DVD burners available. 5X DVD-RAM support is an enormous addition to the DVD-RAM community, and the GSA-4120B introduced in May was the only burner capable of high DVD-RAM speeds. Unfortunately, media then (and now) still seems to plague the DVD-RAM community, although that hasn't stopped LG from producing a tri-format recording solution.LG is completely unique in the sense that most of its components are designed around chipsets and servos exclusively used on LG-Hitachi burners. We don't see recorders with the same controllers for sale under different brand names, like we do with the Pioneer 108D (ASUS DRW-1604P) or the NEC 3500A.
| LG GSA-4160B 16X DVD-/+RW Drive | |
| Interface | PATA |
| CD Write Speed | 40X, 24X 16X, 8X, 4X |
| CD Rewrite Speed | 24X, 16X, 10X, 4X |
| CD Read Speed | 40X MAX |
| DVD-R Write Speed | 8X, 6X, 4X, 2X, 1X |
| DVD-RW Rewrite Speed | 4X, 2X, 1X |
| DVD+R Write Speed | 16X, 12X, 8X 4X, 2.4X |
| DVD+RW Rewrite Speed | 4X, 2.4X |
| DVD+RAM Write Speed | 5X, 3X, 2X |
| DVD+DL Write Speed | 2.4X |
| DVD Read Speed | 16X MAX (ROM) 8X MAX (-/+R, -/+RW) 5X MAX (RAM) |
| Supported Modes | DAO / DAO-RAW 16 & 96 TAO SAO / RAW SAO, RAW SAO 16 & 96 Packet Write Multi-Session |
| Supported Formats | DVD+R (DAO, incremental, seq) DVD+RW (random) DVD-R (DAO, incremental, seq) DVD-RW (restricted overwrite) CD-R, CD-RW, CD-ROM, CD-DA, Mixed Mode, CD Extra Photo CD, CD Text, Bootable CD, UDF |
| Access Time | CD: 125ms DVD: 145ms DVD-RAM: 165ms |
| Buffer | 2MB |
Even though the GSA-4160B has slower DVD-R write speeds than most of the other drives in our roundup, the ability to write DVD-RAM discs sets it apart from all of our other burners. DVD readers are starting to adopt DVD-RAM reading much better than they have in the past. So, if you can find DVD-RAM media for cheap, it certainly makes an attractive feature addition.
Click to enlarge.
Unlike most of our other DVD recorders in the roundup, the GSA-4160B does not advertise 16X DVD-R write speeds. Although, we question how necessarily relevant that specification is, since no 16X DVD-R media exists yet anyway. Below, you can see what Infotools reports:
Inside, our GSA-4160B looks identical to the GSA-4120B, all the way down to the SKUs on the chips itself.
Click to enlarge.
The flash memory located on the left side of the PCB appears to be the only major change. You may recall that our older GSA-4120B utilized a 2MB Fujitsu flash solution, while the GSA-4160B incorporates a Macronix MX29LV160BT TSOP instead. The performance advancements in this drive almost certainly come from the more mature firmware, rather than newer components.
We had positive feelings for the GSA-4120B, and if LG-Hitachi corrected some of the minor write strategy issues while adding 16X DVD+R write capability, this drive will give all of the top tier manufacturers a run for its money.
Feel free to download the performance graphs for the GSA-4160B here.
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Maverick215 - Monday, November 1, 2004 - link
1) where are the 8x disc quality tests, it seems you only did -r, 16x, and DL2) who cares about DL at $10 a disc I have to quote you, "read/write capabilities are not really useful in applications for the common end user."
3) who cares about 16x
a)it's not readily available
b) will likely be more expensive when it is
c) no realized speed improvement (your review states 11.9x max for 16x and 11.88 max for 8x media @ 12x (again we don't know the burn quality of this 8x@12 burn but you gave the result)
given these I'd have to say "read/write capabilities are not really useful in applications for the common end user." again.
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And to just take one drive here, the benq, you used a BETA firmware, it might be fair if you used a BETA of a upcoming release, but you used a BETA that is 3 public releases and atleast 5 weeks old. you consider NEC more mature, why not give Benq etc a chance to mature? At the very least you could say all burners were updated as of xyz date, at least we would have a reference point. And we could then understand that infact you started doing this comparison 5 weeks ago.
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That minor point aside. If you really care what is applicable to the "common end user" then why not more 8x media with the price of said media and then that media's burn quality tests(16x has a use here in comparing burn quality). 8x is what's most readily available, 8x@12x is comparable burn speed to 16x.
Sorry but this review just leaves me with an empty feeling. Perhaps I am alone in my opinion, but I can live with that.
Reflex - Monday, November 1, 2004 - link
Nice to know I made the right choice a month and a half ago when I grabbed the 3500A. It wasn't anything more than me looking for a bargain for a Media Center PC, so I just lucked into the best drive it appears.BTW, where do you find the latest firmware for this stuff? And are there any good reccomendations on softare, seeing as OEM drives don't come with it usually...
AkumaX - Monday, November 1, 2004 - link
don't really care about speed, but which burner has the best COMPATIBILITY and RELIABILITY in terms of burning? the 108D or the 3500A or something else?mkruer - Monday, November 1, 2004 - link
So I take it DVD+R/RW won the format wars. BTW that would be a good article in itself. Why IS there a difference between the two formats (that’s -R vs +R)KristopherKubicki - Monday, November 1, 2004 - link
Most of the drives we reviewed are the OEM versions - they pretty much all look identical (flat, beige/black, one button).Kristopher
PuravSanghani - Monday, November 1, 2004 - link
OCedHrt: Errors have been fixed for your viewing pleasure :)Operandi - Monday, November 1, 2004 - link
xsilver: If the drive is a re-badge then just say so in the artical, I don't think a picture is required.My point is simply that if your going get pics of the drives you should be taking pics of the portion people will be looking at. Other pics are fine but not geing bezel shoots dosn't make any sense to me.
OCedHrt - Monday, November 1, 2004 - link
Hmm dunno how to edit. The CD-R write speed for the Pioneer between the graph and the table at the end is also different.OCedHrt - Monday, November 1, 2004 - link
The description for the Ritek G05 read test doesn't match the graph at all. One of them is wrong.xsilver - Monday, November 1, 2004 - link
I think the circuit pcb thing is a good idea -- some drives a just rebadges of other drives? (asus?) so to tell you look that the pcb / insides