Full-Steam-Ahead DVD
Prices are down and speeds are increasing. We review seven of the latest burners.
Center stage: Six new DVD burners, from (left to right) LG, Samsung, Pioneer, Lite-On, Sony, and Plextor. The LG and the Pioneer earn Best Buys.
Ultrahigh-capacity discs, such as those promised by the Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD formats, are enticing; but like any fresh technology, they're going to be expensive when they first reach store shelves. That doesn't mean, however, that you have to wait to pack extra gigabytes onto your discs affordably.
Today's conventional DVD burners can deftly handle writing two layers of data onto a disc, and they can do so significantly faster (by nearly a third, if you pick the right drive) than they could just six months ago. In recent months, drive manufacturers have increased the write speeds of dual-layer DVD-R and double-layer DVD+R burners from their original speeds of 2.4X to 6X and 8X, respectively; and each type should eventually hit the same 16X maximum write-speed ceiling as write-once single-layer DVD drives.
Just as important, prices for the two-layer media used in the dual- and double-layer drives are finally showing signs of dropping. For example, you can now purchase a five-pack of 2.4X DVD+R DL discs that sold for $25 six months ago for about a third of that price. And 8X DL media is coming this fall (see "Firmware Update Required?" for more).
Rewritable speeds have also jumped up a notch, from 4X to 8X for DVD+RW, and from 4X to 6X for DVD-RW. Discs formulated to receive data at those speed ratings, however, remain rare (they're so scarce, in fact, that we conducted our DVD+RW tests with early production-level 8X discs from Verbatim). We expect to see appropriate-speed media trickling onto the market in limited quantities by the time you read this, though.
We evaluated five of the latest internal IDE DVD burners--Lite-On's $75 SHW-1635S, Pioneer's $90 DVR-R100, Plextor's $105 PX-740A and $155 PX-716AL (a slot-loading model), and Sony's $100 DRU-810A--and two external drives, LG's $180 Super-Multi GSA-2166D and Samsung's $200 WriteMaster SE-W164C. All seven drives made our chart, which includes three previously tested models, Asus's DRW-1680P, Samsung's TS-H552U, and Plextor's PX-716UF. Our Best Buys, though, went to two of the newcomers, the Pioneer and the LG.
Most of the new drives had identical specs, including 16X single-layer DVD-R and DVD+R and 8X DVD+RW. All of the drives support double-layer writing at faster speeds to 2.4X media, the first generation of DVD+R DL media to ship last year. But five of the seven products claim to deliver double-layer DVD+R at 8X; the Samsung advertises 5X writes; and the Plextor PX-716AL bills itself as a 6X writer. Across the seven drives, all but two feature 4X dual-layer DVD-R support (the same speed as the currently available media). The Pioneer DVR-R100's spec promises 8X performance, and the Plextor PX-716AL pledges 6X.
In this article:
Performance Gains
Compared with the drives in our August DVD burner chart, performance results this time around improved dramatically. Plextor's PX-740A and Sony's DRU-810A each posted record-setting times during write-once tests, using both single- and double-layer media. Using 2.4X double-layer Verbatim media to burn at a faster speed (in this case, 8X) than the media is rated for, these drives bested the times of their predecessors (the Plextor PX-716A and the Sony DRU-800A) by more than 10 minutes, completing our test burn in about 40 percent less time. In our experience, however, the Sony device required a rest between double-layer burns; otherwise, as Sony confirmed, the drive's thermal protection circuit would automatically step down the write speed to prevent the drive from overheating.
Some other drives rated at 8X for double-layer DVD+R didn't achieve such lofty results. For example, Lite-On's SHW-1635S performed more like a 4X drive in our tests. According to Lite-On, in spite of its specs the drive is designed to suppress the burn speed, so as not to write faster to slower-rated media; the company says this approach minimizes the potential for burning an error-riddled disc. (For more on faster double-layer writing, see "Firmware Update Required?").
Though we've tested drives in the past that counted 8X DVD+RW among their specs, this month we saw the first true 8X packet-writing performance, delivered by Plextor's PX-716AL. This drive burned our 2.64GB batch of test files and folders to 8X DVD+RW Verbatim media in a blistering 6 minutes, 30 seconds. The speed boost could help you complete your backups in a little over half the time required by the previous generation of 4X-rated drives and media.
The PX-716AL's stellar test results are even more impressive when you compare them with the times we recorded for the other six 8X DVD+RW-rated drives in our tests: None of those burners reached their advertised 8X speeds, peaking instead at speeds closer to 4X or 6X.
A potential cause of this sluggishness is the drive's firmware (software installed in flash memory on the drive), which contains instructions detailing how the drive should write to specific media. Typically you can update the firmware easily with a download from the drive manufacturer's Web site. We suspect that every drive maker whose drive spec calls for 8X +RW will make the necessary firmware adjustments once media starts to ship in volume, and will issue a free update to increase performance, so you won't be left behind if you buy a drive today.
Features, Not Just Speed
Slot machine: Plextor's PX-716AL swaps out the standard tray for a slot.
Several of this month's drives have unusual features, or mixes of features, that make them stand out from the crowd. For example, the LG is the sole drive we tested for this chart that writes to noncartridge DVD-RAM media. If you have one of the many living-room DVD recorders equipped with DVD-RAM (from Panasonic, JVC, and Samsung, among others), you'll find this capability great for playing back or recording from DVD-RAM discs. (If you use cartridge media, you can always remove a DVD-RAM disc from its cartridge before using it in the LG drive.) DVD-RAM discs are handy because they are seamlessly interchangeable between PC drives and set-top DVD-RAM recorders (DVD±RW media may be less so).
The unique feature of the Lite-On SHW-1635S is its short profile. Its smaller design makes this inexpensive, high-performance model suitable for use in compact computers from vendors such as AOpen and Shuttle.
Plextor's chic PX-716AL is the sole slot-loading burner on the chart--and the first such burner we've tested. Its design resembles what you'd find in an automobile CD player or on a Mac Mini, and it looks cool, making this drive ideal for use in a customized home entertainment center PC. You'll pay a premium for the gee-whiz factor, though: At $155, this internal drive is nearly as pricey as the external models we reviewed. Though the PX-716AL costs more than its PX-740A stablemate, the product's high price is only partly due to its slot-loading mechanism. This drive also offers a host of other features related to Plextor's firmware and PlexTools software, including PowerRec, which lets you define the laser's strength settings; Secure Recording, for password-protecting your data; and Silent Mode, which enables quieter DVD playback.
Although Hewlett-Packard's LightScribe technology is gaining ground, the LG is the only drive we tested this month that supports it. (Three others we considered for this ranking--previous chartmakers from HP and LaCie--incorporate LightScribe as well, but all were hampered by painfully slow double-layer write performance.) LightScribe employs the drive's laser to etch a label onto a specially coated disc; when you finish burning your data, you can flip the disc over and proceed to burn your label. Plextor, Lite-On, and Sony all have plans to add LightScribe to their next-generation drives, due later this year.
Software proved to be another differentiator among the drives on our list. Nero's disc-burning suite continues to rule among the DVD burners on the chart. Five of the seven newcomers this month use a version of Nero's OEM software, and two of the holdovers, from Asus and Samsung, use Nero as well. The Nero versions vary from vendor to vendor; visit "The Skinny on Burner Bundles" for more information on software bundles. Pioneer continues to offer the most jam-packed software bundle of the bunch: The DVR-R100 comes with Ulead's DVD MovieFactory 4 SE suite, VideoStudio 9 SE, CD & DVD Picture Show 3 SE, and Photo Explorer 8.5 SE; in addition, the Pioneer device bundles the complete version of NovaStor's comprehensive backup software, NovaBackup 7.2, which sells for $50 as a stand-alone package.
Among the current crop of DVD burners, some of our picks rank high in spite of their firmware glitches. Two of our favorites are Sony's DRU-810A and Plextor's PX-740A--though Sony's package has the edge with a slightly beefier version of Nero's software. Our Best Buy nods, however, go to Pioneer's internal DVR-R100, which combines a stellar software bundle with reasonable performance, and LG's external Super-Multi GSA-2166D, a high-performance drive that does most everything, including LightScribe labeling and writing to all DVD formats.
Jon L. Jacobi and Melissa J. PerensonDitch the Pen for a Cool Disc Labeler
Rimage's stylish, upright 360i prints labels using its black and color inkjet cartridges.
Tired of handing out your high-quality work on hand-scrawled discs? For a more professional look, you have a number of labeling options, at a range of prices. At the baseline are adhesive labels you can apply to your disc, after printing the label on an inkjet or laser printer. We don't recommend such labels, however; even with the assistance of plastic guides that often ship with label packages, it is difficult to apply adhesive labels evenly. And a label that isn't perfectly even could throw the disc out of balance when it spins in a high-speed drive.
If you're buying a new drive and covet slick labeling, look for drives that feature LightScribe laser-etching technology. You'll need to have both a LightScribe-capable drive and appropriate media to generate LightScribe's polished-looking monochromatic labels. Unfortunately, a full-disc, graphics-intensive LightScribe label can take 20 minutes or more to burn. According to LightScribe, faster label-etching speeds and solid-color media are coming later this year or early next.
If you already have a burner, you have two affordable labeling choices. Epson's $100 Stylus R200 or $150 Stylus R300; and a thermal printer such as Primera Technology's $150 Signature Z1. The Epson R300 took just 3 minutes to fill the surface of an inkjet-printable disc with a 3-megapixel image. Most media manufacturers offer spindles of inkjet-printable CDs and DVDs at little to no extra cost as compared with standard discs. You can even choose between matte or glossy surfaces; however, neither surface is smudge-proof if moisture gets on it. The Primera is quick, too, but it's limited to single-color printing (special media isn't required, but you'll be best off using media with a blank top-surface, which may mean you'll need to buy thermal-printable media). The Primera can do basic icons, but its limited resolution makes it a better choice for text than for graphics.
If you need to produce batches of discs with professional-looking labels, consider an all-in-one disc duplicator and labeler, such as Rimage's 360i and Primera's Bravo II Disc Publisher. The Rimage, which sells for $1750, integrates a Plextor PX-716A DVD burner into a stylish, upright 25-disc duplicator. The unit connects via USB 2.0, has an HP-based inkjet printer built-in (with separate black and color cartridges), and uses a slick but proprietary software package to design labels and burn discs.
The Bravo II, which lists for $2700, also uses the Plextor PX-716A, includes a two-cartridge inkjet printer, and connects via USB 2.0. Its horizontal design has a larger footprint than the Rimage's; but for that real-estate investment, you get a 50-disc capacity and a clear window cover so you can observe the process. The Primera contains optional networking software, and ships with SureThing CD Labeler Primera Edition and Adobe PhotoShop and Illustrator design templates.
M.J.P.Firmware Update Required?
Optical drives can continue to evolve even after you have taken them home from the store. Drive makers regularly issue firmware updates to support new media manufacturers as well as to improve performance--by boosting write speeds a notch, for example.
Our experience in writing to double-layer DVD+R media offers a perfect example. Four internal drives we tested--the Lite-On SHW-1635S, the Pioneer DVR-R100, the Plextor PX-740A, and the Sony DRU-810A--list 8X DVD+R DL as a spec, but only the Plextor and the Sony achieved 8X-caliber write speeds with the available 2.4X DVD+R DL media. The Pioneer was about 3 minutes off the Plextor and Sony's pace, and--according to the manufacturer--the Lite-On drive's firmware purposely suppressed its speed. (LG's external GSA-2166D also claims 8X support, but the company told us it would need a firmware upgrade to do so; we did not test it.)
Before we went to press, the PC World Test Center received a limited number of early production 8X DVD+R DL discs from Verbatim; these discs lacked a stamper ID code, which some drives may require to write at maximum speeds. Nonetheless, we took the media for a spin (without updating the firmware on our shipping drives).
Though all of the burners we tested (except Lite-On's) burned to 2.4X media at significantly faster than 2.4X speeds, the results with the faster-rated media were reversed. The only drive that distinguished itself with the new 8X media was the Lite-On SHW-1635S. With the 8X media, just as with the 2.4X media, we had to let the Sony cool down between passes before it would write a second 8X disc at full speed. (Plextor's PX-740A had a similar, but less severe, problem with overheating.) The Pioneer DVR-R100 is not configured out of the box to record to 8X DVD+R DL discs, says Pioneer. Instead, the drive reduced its write speed to the lowest common denominator (in this case, 2.4X). As a result, it wrote our 7.9GB test disc in 45 minutes.
Although the practice is not new, we wish drive makers would tell buyers that a firmware upgrade is required to achieve the high-speed action clearly advertised on box specs. (Pioneer told us that it will issue an upgrade, but only when 8X DVD+R DL media is in mass production later this year.) For more on firmware updates, see "The Mysteries and Joys of Firmware Upgrades."
J.L.J.