1. Retail Package - Installation
SONY
DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder -
Page 1
Sony
announced at the end of April a
new 8X DUAL burner, the "DRU-700A". The main difference
with the presently available series was the adoption
of Double Layer (DVD+R DL)
recording.
Our main interest is to see how the new Sony drive compared with the previous
series and most importantly, if and how DL writing works. Another important
issue would be writing quality and the various subtests. So, let's get cracking!
- New Features
The most important new feature of the DRU-700A is the ability to read/write
Double Layer DVD+R media.
The
Double Layer DVD+R system uses two thin embedded organic dye films for data
storage separated by a spacer layer. Heating with a focused
laser beam irreversibly modifies the physical and chemical structure of each
layer such that the modified areas have different optical properties to those
of their unmodified surroundings. This causes a variation in reflectivity as
the disc rotates to provide a read-out signal as with commercially pressed read-only
discs. Below is a picture showing the structure of a DVD+R DL media.
For more information about DVD+R DL technology, you can visit the DVD+RW
Alliance website or
Philips Research website.
The SONY DRU-700A also supports:
- Power Burn - the technology designed to prevent errors
in writing data by automatically setting up the optimum recording conditions
for the media, while automatically adjusting to the delay in data transmission
from a host PC. Even if data writing is interrupted due to delays in data
transmission from the host PC (buffer under-run), Power-Burn technology instantly
controls and accurately connects the interruption and resumption points of
the data recording to give continuous writing indispensable playback compatibility.
Power-Burn automatically optimizes recording conditions for the drive such
as the writing
speed and the strength of recording laser light, analyzing the disk quality
by reading pre-recorded.
In
terms of writing/reading speeds, the drive supports
8X (Z-CLV)
writing for both DVD±R and
4X (CLV) writing for DVD±RW
formats, while it can read DVD-ROM (pressed) up to 12X (CAV). The drive offers
40X (P-CAV) / 24X (Z-CLV) / 40X (CAV) specs for the CD formats.
- Specifications
Interface: |
E-IDE/ATAPI (Ultra DMA Mode
2) |
Writing Speed: |
DVD+R DL: 2.4X DVD+R: 8X /
-R: 8X, DVD+RW:4X,
DVD-RW: 4X |
|
CD-R: 40X, CD-RW: 24X |
Read Speed: |
DVD+R/-R/+RW/-RW: 8X
|
|
DVD-ROM: 12X, CD-R/RW: 40X |
Random Access: |
DVD: 130msec, CD: 135msec |
Buffer Size: |
2MB |
Supported Disc Formats: |
DVD: DVD single / dual layer ( PTP / OTP ), DVD-R ( 3.9 GB / 4.7 GB ), DVD-R multi-borders, DVD+R, DVD+R multi-sessions, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW
|
|
CD-R/RW: CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-ROM / XA, Photo-CD, Multi-session, Karaoke-CD, Video-CD, CD-I FMV, CD Extra, CD Plus, CD-R, and CD-RW
|
Supported Writing Types: |
DVD±RW: Disc-at-once,
Incremental recording, Multi-border recording, Restricted overwriting
|
|
CD-R/RW: Variable Packet, TAO, SAO, DAO, Raw Mode Burning & Over-Burn |
The specs don't indicate whether the drive supports Mount
Rainier for either of CD or DVD formats, but we will check this later. The
drive also uses the RPC II region control, allowing a user to change the drive's
region
at most 5 times, which however can easily be bypassed with various utilities.
Below are the drive's main specs as given by NeroInfoTool and DVDInfoPro:
Lastly, let's see what additional information KProbe software returns:
- European Retail package
The
European retail package includes the Sony DRU-700A, a quick install guide,
an IDE cable and mounting screws. Also included is an extra front
panel bezel, black color, which you can swap with the white bezel that comes
standard. Included software is Nero v6 OEM version. The device is
covered by a two year warranty. The total cost is expected to be around €165.00.
The retail package did not contain any media of CD/DVD format and unfortunately
no DVD+R DL.
Now let's take a look at the drive itself.
The Sony DRU-700A looks more or less the same as the previous 540A series
and it has all the appropriate logos indicating the supported formats. In
the front, the user will distinguish the DVD+R DL logo! SONY gives an additional
black bezel that can easily be mounted, making for a better match with
black cases.
On the rear panel you can see the analogue and digital outputs (SPDIF), the
IDE connector
and the power input. Our drive was manufactured during May 2004 in Japan.
Removing the screws and opening the drive's cover voids the drive's warranty.
For reference reasons, we post the following pictures. You can click on the mainboard
picture for a higher resolution image:
The SONY DRU-700A further incorporates (located on the underside of the controller circuit board), a high-speed DVD dual Optical Disk Controller chipset from MediaTek Inc. consisting of two CMOS ultra-scale integrated circuits, the MT1816E and MT1818E. The MT1816E is the front-end analog signal processor and the MT1818E is the servo control and Endec IC. The pickup system is the Sanyo SF-DB 10SA.
- Installation
The drive was installed as secondary master and under WindowsXP recognized
as a "SONY DVD RW DRU-700A". The drive arrived
with firmware VY02.
Below is a picture from Nero Burning Rom, showing the drive's specs.
For most recording tests, we used a newer unofficial firmware revision (VYC1)
and after all tests finished SONY released officially a newer (VY05) firmware. Be
aware however, that VY05 removes the option to set BookType Bitsetting, so
keep that in mind before upgrading!
In our tests, we will compare the drive with the Liteon SOHW-832S, and the
Plextor PX-708A.
- Testing software
In order to perform our tests we used:
- Nero CD-DVD Speed v3.00
- CDVD Benchmark v1.21
- ExactAudioCopy v0.9 beta5
- Nero Info Tool v2.21
- KProbe v2.1.0 (Reader: LiteOn LDW-811S firmware vHS0Q, Reading speed 8X CAV)
- PlexTools v2.14 (Reader: Plextor PX-712A firmware v1.02, Reading speed 8X CLV for CD-R)
- DVDInfoPro v2.54
- LiteOn Booktype Utility v1.0.6
- Nero Burning Rom v6.3.1.15
- Omnipatcher for LiteON drives v1.1.2
2. Transfer Rate Reading Tests
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 2
Transfer Rate Reading Tests
- CD Format
The Sony DRU-700A supports up to 40X reading speed. Below are the transfer
rate graphs, along with the comparison with the other two drives:
As we can see from our tests, the drive performs similarly with
the 832S with Mode1 Pressed disc and Mode1
CD-R media.
The 832S drive seems to be slight faster at most of the tests. The same
maximum speed for US-RW media is 32X.
- DVD Format
The DRU700A again was slight slower than the 832S, despite the fact that started reading higher, at both SL and DL test discs. The two layers of a PTP DVD-ROM disc are read sequentially with the drive
starting reading from the inner part of the disc, which is the beginning of
each layer, towards the outer range, for each layer.
The first layer of an OTP dual layer DVD-ROM is read exactly the same way as the first layer of the PTP disc we tested previously. The difference here is the reading strategy of the second layer of the disc. The beginning of the second layer is located in the outer part of the disc, so the drive starts reading from the outer tracks toward the inner part of the disc. The average reading speed is 6.26X (again 3~8X CAV).
The DRU-700A performs similarly with the 832S drive.
The 832S seems to rip CSS DVD-Video discs faster than the DRU700A.
- Appendix
Nero CD-DVD Speed Graphs
3. CD Error Correction Tests
SONY
DRU-700A Dual
DVD±RW Recorder -
Page 3
CD Error Correction Tests
In the following tests we check the drive's behavior when it comes to reading
scratched / defected discs. The test discs we use are the ABEX series
from ALMEDIO.
- ABEX TCD-721R
Errors total
|
Num: 960795
|
Errors (Loudness) dB(A)
|
Num: 50100
|
Avg: -73.7 dB(A)
|
Max: -35.8 dB(A)
|
Error Muting Samples
|
Num: 3073
|
Avg: 1.0 Samples
|
Max: 11 Samples
|
Skips Samples
|
Num: 0
|
Avg: 0.0 Samples
|
Max: 0 Samples
|
Total Test Result
|
76.8 points (out of 100.0 maximum)
|
C2 Accuracy |
99.7 % (out of 100.0% maximum) |
The 832S drive performed very well with the ABEX TCD-721R. The drive's
highest spike was at -36.0 dB(A) and the total score of 76.8 points is very
good. We
must also note that C2 accuracy reached 99.7%, an almost perfect score. The
total error count is also relatively low.
- ABEX TCD-726
Errors total
|
Num: 0
|
Errors (Loudness) dB(A)
|
Num: 0
|
Avg: -174.0 dB(A)
|
Max: -174.0 dB(A)
|
Error Muting Samples
|
Num: 0
|
Avg: 0 Samples
|
Max: 0 Samples
|
Skips Samples
|
Num: 0
|
Avg: 0 Samples
|
Max: 0 Samples
|
Total Test Result
|
100points (out of 100.0 maximum)
|
Unfortunately, EAC's analyzer software couldn't process the extracted wav
file, since it produced a flat line on the error graph.
- CD-Check Audio Test Disc
The CD-Check Test Disc is a very useful tool for evaluating the Sound Reproduction
/ Error correction capabilities of a CD player. The disc offers a signal combination
with disc error patterns to rate the drive's abilities to read music and reproduce
it completely. Five tracks on the disc contain a sequence of progressively
difficult tests. These tracks are referred as Check Level-1 through Check Level-5.
The
files are reproduced (played) through a software multimedia player (i.e.
Windows Media Player). Each level is considered as passed, if the tone coming
out
from the speakers is smooth, continuous without interruptions, skipping or
looping. The higher the Check Level passed, the more reliable the sound reproduction
of the tested device.
Error Level
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
Sony DRU-700A
|
5/5
|
5/5
|
5/5
|
0/5
|
0/5
|
The drive passed only the first three Check Levels of the test. The performance
reveals average sound reproduction and error correction. The fifth level
includes an error size of 1.500mm, and the drive produced many audible
clicks.
- Conclusion
The performance of the SONY DRU-700A was good, at least with the ABEX TCD-721R. The drive's abilities with the CD-Check Test Disc were limited to the 3rd Error level only.
4. DVD Error Correction Tests
SONY
DRU-700A Dual
DVD±RW Recorder -
Page 4
DVD Error Correction
Tests
In the following tests we examined the DVD reading capabilities of
the DRU700A drive with scratched / defected
DVD media.
For the tests we used CDVD Benchmark and Nero CDSpeed . The reference test
media
come
from
ALMEDIO.
- Single Layer media
ABEX TDR-821
This is a single sided, single layer DVD-ROM with a 4.7GB capacity, and its
surface has an artificial scratch of dimensions varying from 0.4 to 3.0 mm.
The following transfer rate picture comes from the CDVD Benchmark v1.21 transfer
rate test.
The Sony DRU-700A read the disc at 12X CAV and the scratched area did
not affect the reading speed. The disc was read accurately and no read errors
were
reported.
The performance reveals high error correction capabilities with scratched single
layer DVD-ROM discs.
ABEX TDR-825
This is also a single sided, single layer DVD-ROM of a 4.7GB capacity. The
data structure of the disc is exactly the same as that of the TDR-821, with
the difference that there are no scratches on it but defected areas of dimensions
ranging from 0.5 to 1.1 mm. There are also fingerprints sized between 65 and
75 micrometers.
As in the previous test, the disc was read without any "read errors".
There was a small drop in reading speed just before the fingerprint
defective area, but the test was finished successfully.
- Dual Layer media
ABEX TDR-841
This is a 8.5GB dual layer, single sided DVD-ROM disc with artificial scratches
of dimensions ranging from 0.4 to 3.0mm, in both layers.
The drive didn't have any major problems as the above graph shows.
ABEX TDR-845
The disc is a single sided, dual layer DVD-ROM disc of a capacity of 8.5GB.
The only difference between the TDR-845 and the TDR-841 is that the first includes
defected areas and fingerprints. The dimensions of the defected areas range
from 0.5 to 1.1 mm and the fingerprints are sized from 65 to 75 micro meters.
Here we notice the same behavior as with the single layer disc. When the
drive enters the fingerprint defective area, the reading speed drops for a
while but quickly regains speed and finishes the test without any problems.
ABEX TDV-541
The TDV-541 is a single sided, dual layer DVD-VIDEO disc, with a capacity
of 8.5GB.The disc is based upon the TDV-540 series which is designed for inspection
and adjustment of DVD-VIDEO players. The discs check the layer switch operation
from layer 0 to layer 1 and also include test pictures and test signals for
DVD sound files. The current TDV-541 checks also the error correcting capabilities
of the drive and includes scratches from 0.4 to 3.0 mm.
The reading process started at 3.54X and reached 8.45X at the 4.0GB point,
where the drive changed layer and reduced its reading speed till the end. No
serious problems were noticed, very small glitches but the result is good.
ABEX TDV-545
The
TDV-545 disc is based on the TDV-540 series. It is a single sided, dual layer
DVD-VIDEO disc with a capacity of 8.5GB. The TDV-545 includes artificial black
dots on the data surface, sized from 0.4 to 1.0 mm. It has also 65 - 75 micro
meters fingerprints.
Black dots and fingerprints on the disc's surface did not create any reading
problems, and the drive finished the task successfully.
5. Protected Disc Tests
SONY
DRU-700A Dual
DVD±RW Recorder -
Page 5
Protected Disc
Tests
- Reading Tests
To create the image of the various protected titles to the hard disk, we
used Alcohol 120% software and the appropriate settings, according to the protection
type of the inserted discs. Below you can see the duration of each process
as well as the transfer rate in each case, which should prove interesting
for all users.
Game Title |
Protection Scheme |
Duration |
Reading speed |
PSX "NBA Jam Extreme" |
Lybcrypt |
3:23 min |
445 sectors/sec |
Serious Sam The Second Encounter |
SafeDisc v.2.50.051 |
9:32 min |
586 sectors/sec |
VRally II |
SecuROM v.2 |
3:02 min |
1889 sectors/sec |
The DRU-700A drive performed similarly with the other drives. Unfortunately,
it cannot skip read errors quickly, giving a high reading time for a SafeDisc2
protected
disc.
- Writing Tests
The Sony DRU-700A supports the DAO-RAW writing mode. For checking the
drive's EFM correction status, we used 3 different game titles with different
SafeDisc 2 versions having the latest software patches installed. After making
the images of the various titles onto the hard disk, we burned them (maximum
speed) with Alcohol 120% v1.9.2.1705. Two different discs were created for
each title; one with the "Bypass EFM error" enabled and one more
with the function disabled.
- Fifa 2004 - Safe Disc v3.1x
- The Sims Superstar - Safe Disc v2.9x
- The Sims Unleashed - Safe Disc v2.8x
- Serious Sam Second Encounter - Safe Disc v2.51.021
- Max Payne - Safe Disc v2.51.020
The table below shows the results of the attempted backups and whether they worked (game installed / played normally), or not.
Drive |
Fifa 2004
SD v3.1x |
Sims Superstar
SD v2.9x |
Sims Unleashed
SD v2.8x |
Serious Sam-Second Encounter
SD v2.50.051 |
Max Payne
SD v2.51.020 |
EFM OFF |
EFM ON |
EFM OFF |
EFM ON |
EFM OFF |
EFM ON |
EFM OFF |
EFM ON |
EFM OFF |
EFM ON |
Toshiba
SD-M1502 |
No
|
No |
Yes
|
Creative CD5233E |
Yes |
SONY DRU700A |
Yes |
The drive's full Safedisc2 backup capabilities reached only up to v2.8x. The
drive will produce partially working backups with the newest v2.9x and v3.1x
builds.
6. DAE Tests
Sony
DRU-700A Dual
DVD±RW Recorder -
Page 6
DAE Tests
- Pressed and CDR AudioCD
The Sony DRU-700A supports up to 40X CAV DAE speed. When using a pressed
AudioCD and its CD-R copy, with EAC, we measured the following results:
The DRU-700A's DAE reading speed is almost identical with the other two
drives.
As EAC
reports,
the drive caches DAE, supports accurate stream and can report C2 error information.
- Advanced DAE Quality
The Sony DRU-700A received a score of 100 (perfect) in the Nero CD Speed
Advanced DAE test. CDSpeed showed that the average reading speed is 27.83X,
and
that
the drive supports reading of
SubChannel
data. Leadin / Leadout data and CD
Text.
- Reading 90/ 99mins AudioCDs
7. Protected AudioCDs
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 7
Protected AudioCDs
For the test procedure we used three audio discs with different
audio copy protections. The ripping process for all protected Audio
discs was carried out with Exact Audio Copy v0.9beta5.
The tested protected Audio discs were:
- Sony's Key2Audio from "Celine Dion - New Day Has Come"
- Cactus Data Shield 200 from "Natalie Imbruglia - White Lilies Island"
The Cactus Data Shield 200 protected CD contains artificial errors that are
not easily bypassed by readers, while the Key2Audio protected CD contains
a second session,
causing problems for readers when they try to read the Table Of Contents (TOC).
The sequence of tests are:
- Recognition of the inserted disc (Yes/No)
- Ripping all wavs (with EAC's Burst Mode) to the hard disk with copy&compare function.
- Hearing the produced wavs for any click/skips.
The DRU-700A recognized the 12 Audio tracks of the CDS200 protected disc,
and with the "Retrieve Native TOC" option removed, recognized
the 13th data track.
The test results are shown in the following table:
|
Key2Audio |
CDS200 |
SONY DRU-700A |
Ripping process completed, Read&Test CRC comparison same for all tracks |
Ripping process completed, EAC reports timing problems, Read&Test CRC comparison not the same for all tracks |
The SONY DRU-700A will rip both Key2Audio/CDS200 protected
audio discs. Both discs were recognized and their contents were ripped
at the maximum speed. However, the drive may not rip 100% accurately
CD200 protected discs since EAC reported timing problems and at the same
time, the Read&Test
CRC check comparison was not the same for all tracks. No problems were
noticed with Key2Audio discs.
- Cactus Data Shield 200.0.4 - 3.0 build 16a (Aiko Katsukino - The Love Letter)
This
is a "special" CDS200 build, since it doesn't contain any artificial
errors during the ripping process. Most problems occur when trying to write
the ripped wav files, since the produced CD-R disc contains C2 and CU errors!
This "problem" is rumored to be connected to specific
chipset weaknesses..
We ripped the disc contents with EAC and burned the produced wav with the latest Nero version as AudioCD+CD-Text. The burned media was checked for C1/C2 errors with PlexTools/KProbe software using Plextor PX-712A (firmware v1.02) and LiteOn LDW-811S (firmware vHS0Q).
|
CDS 200.0.4 - 3.0 build 16a |
SONY DRU-700A |
Reading performed without any errors, writing produces few C2 spikes |
- C1C2 Error rate from PleXWriter PX-712A (8X CLV reading speed)
- C1C2 Error Rate from LiteON LDW-811S (32X CAV reading speed)
- BETA/Jitter Error rate from PleXWriter PX-712A
The C1/C2 error graphs indicate that the drive didn't manage to produce
a 100% error free disc.
Lets try to extract all wav files with the Plextor PX-712A and PlexTool DAE Error Correction 5th Level enabled:
No errors were reported after extracting all files, despite the high C2
spike reported by PlexTools at around the 46 minute mark. The drive's
error correction
mechanism corrected
the errors.
8. CD Recording Tests
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 8
CD Recording Tests
The SONY DRU700A supports 40X CD-R and 24X US-RW recording speeds.
The drive
supports 8X, 16X (CLV), 24X, 32X and 40X (P-CAV) writing speeds. Below are the recording speed as detected from Nero Burning Rom.
Its quite possible that due to the PowerBurn system, the maximum burning speed reduced down to 32X or even 24X. User can disable it and get the maximum writing speed. This can be done under Nero Burning Rom->Choose Recorder->Options->Un-check Generic PowerControl Enabled.
Another utility that can be used to check the maximum speed of the inserted media comes from LiteON, SONY owns LiteON, with the name
"SMART-BURN Media Check Program":
According to Nero CDSpeed the drive reached the maximum 40X speed. The test started at 18.51X and finished at 41.89X having an average speed of 31.65X. Click on the image below to see the whole graph.
For the burning tests we created a 80min data compilation through Nero Burning
Rom recorded the data on a 700MB disc. The SONY DRU-700A finished the task in
3:19 minutes, for the maximum 40X writing speed, three seconds slower than the 832S model.
The
writing performance varies according to the inserted media, as our tests showed. The SmartBurn system will lower the writing speed if the media ID code is not placed at the drive's firmware. Below is a chart demonstrating all recording times with various media.
The best performance came from Mam 80min 52X media with 196secs (3:16mins) with SmartBurn disabled, since when enabled, allowed only 24X for the specific disc. The higher higher recording time comes from TraxData 80min 52X media with 201secs (3:21mins).
- Other features
Overburning writing |
Up to 99min |
CD text reading/writing |
Yes |
SONY DRU-700A supports the 16X CLV, 24X Z-CLV rewriting speeds, with Ultra Speed Rewritable Media (US-RW). The drive also writes at 4X CLV with NS CD-RW and 10X CLV with HS-RW discs.
Below you can see the Nero CD-DVD Speed writing simulation test with blank 24X US-RW media by Mitsubishi Chemicals.
The drive starts the writing task at 16.04X and reaches the maximum 24X at 14:00 mins address of the disc. According to CDSpeed, the average writing speed is 22.54X.
We also used Nero Burning Rom in order to burn a data disc with 24X US-RW media by MCC. The data compilation we burned had a size of 651 MB and the duration of the recording process was 4:08 minutes.
- CD-RW Mount Rainier Tests
We used Philips Mount Rainier Validation Suite v2.2 to test the drive's compliance with the Mount Rainier format. All three scripts loaded in the Validation Suite (mandatory command set, Light R'n'R and Heavy R'n'R) but for some reason the Mount Rainier Suite didn't worked as supposed too.
9. 3T Jitter Tests
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 9
3T Jitter Tests
On this page you can
see the 3T
Pit & Land Jitter graphs using various media burned at 40X CAV writing
speed.
- 3T Pit results
The recording quality of the drive was good with half the media while with
the other half it was quite bad (note the readings for BenQ, Fuji and MPO which
all reached 55nsecs). This indicates that the drive needs a new firmware release
for better compatibility with all media brands. Traxdata
displayed the best writing quality.
- 3T Land results
Once again the above results show the same situation with the Sony recorder,
where we have poor results with the same media as before.
10. C1 / C2 Error Measurements
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 10
C1 / C2 Error Measurements
We measured the C1 / C2 error rate on the recorded discs we burned at the
various supported writing speeds. The software we used was PleXTools Professional
v2.14, and particularly the built-in Q-Check utility. The reader was the Plextor
PX-712A (firmware v1.02)
BenQ 80min 52X CD-R @ 40X (PowerBurn Enabled)
CMC Magnetics 80min 48X @ 40X (PowerBurn Enabled)
Fuji 80min 40X @ 40X (PowerBurn Enabled)
MPO Gold 80min 52X @ 40X (PowerBurn Enabled)
Promedia 80min 52X @ 40X (PowerBurn Enabled)
Verbatim 80min 52X @ 40X (PowerBurn Enabled)
TraxData 80min 52X @ 40X (PowerBurn Enabled)
TY 80min 48X @ 40X (PowerBurn Enabled)
- Summary
The SONY DRU-700A needs to improve its writing quality with CD-R media. With
specific media we noticed high C1 and more importantly C2 errors, which can
be corrected by the drive's error correction capabilities, but we feel the
performance should be
better.
- Appendix
Media Label |
ID Code |
Manufacturer Name |
Lead Out TIme |
ProMedia 80min 52X |
97m26s66f |
CMC Magnetics Corporation |
79m59s71f |
MPO GOLD 80min 52X |
97m25s07f |
Moulage Plastique de l'Ouest |
79m59s71f |
CMC Magnetics 80min 48X |
97m26s66f |
CMC Magnetics |
79m59s71f |
BenQ 80min 48X |
97m22s67f |
Daxon Technology |
79m59s74f |
TY 80min 48X |
97m24s 1f |
Taiyo Yuden |
79m59s72f |
Verbatim 80min 52X |
97m34s23f |
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation |
79m59s73f |
TraxData 80min 52X |
97m15s17f |
Ritek |
79m59s70f |
Fuji 80min 40X |
97m26s45f |
Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. |
79m59s73f |
11. DVD Recording Tests
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 11
DVD Recording Tests
- Writing Performance
The SONY-DRU700A supports
DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW writing. The maximum supported speed for the DVD±R
is
8X (6X~8 Z-CLV) and 4X CLV for DVD±RW
media. Nero Burning Rom reported speeds are shown below. Notice that the drive
burns CLV at 4X & 6X writing speeds for both DVD±R
formats.
By using Codeguys "OmniPatcher for LiteOn DVD Writers", we can see which media codes are supported for ±R/RW formats and at which recording speeds (for VYC1 firmware):
- 8X DVD+R
- AML 002
- BeAll000 P80
- CMC MAG E01
- CMC MAG F01
- DAXON AZ2
- DT-D03 004
- INFODISC R20
- INFOME R20
- ISSM 01
- LD S03
- LONGTEN 002
- MAXELL 002
- MBIPG101 R04
- MCC 003
- MPOMEDIA 080
- MUST 002
- NANYA CHX
- NANYA CLX
- OPTODISC OR8
- Philips 081
- PHILIPS C08
- Plasmon c01
- PRODISC R03
- RICOHJPN R02
- RITEK R03
- SKYMEDIA R03
- SONY D11
- YUDEN000T01
- YUDEN000T02
- 8X DVD-R
- CMC MAG. AE1
- DAXON008
- FUJIFILM03
- GSC003
- MBI 03RG30
- MCC 02RG20
- MXL RG03
- OPTODISCR008
- Plasmon1A
- PRINCO8X01
- ProdiscF01
- ProdiscS04
- RITEKG05
- RITEKG06
- SONY08D1
- TTG02
- TYG02
It is possible that with Codeguys "OmniPatcher
for LiteOn DVD Writers" a user can change the maximum recording speeds
for lower rated media, and burn them at 8X or 6X. More on this later...
By using Nero CD-DVD Speed's "create disc" function with TY's
8X DVD+R media, we are able to see the 8X Z-CLV recording technology in
use on the SONY DRU-700A recorder.
The drive starts writing at 3.96X until 0.8GB where it shifts to just above
6X, and then at 1.5GB it shifts to 8X and stays there till the end.
The average writing
speed is around 7.19X. This recording strategy is used
for both DVD±R formats.
Depending on the inserted media, the drive adopts a different writing
strategy that leads to lower writing time. Using an Intenso 8X DVD+R media
we can see
a slightly different Z-CLV implementation, which is faster (7.52X average),
due to earlier speed shifts.
As we said, the above strategy occurs with specific media, however there
is the option to permanently change this with Codeguys "OmniPatcher
for LiteOn DVD Writers" :-)
- Burning Tests
We burned 4315MB of data on various DVD±R, DVD±RW media.
After checking the supported media list, we noticed that almost all 4X rated
media could burn only at 4X, while most 8X rated media at 8X. For
the 'normal' recording tests we used the 8X rated media, burned at 8X for the
DVD±R
formats.
The best recording times for the DVD-R format came from Maxell's 8X media
with 9:17mins. All other 8X rated DVD-R media had higher recording times (check
below).
With DVD+R media, the lowest burning time came from Intenso's 8X DVD+R media
at 8:30mins. We did notice a high variation in the burning times of 8X
DVD+R media, which can be explained by the drive's ability to adapt its writing
strategy (shifts in writing speeds) depending on the inserted media.
Below are all the burning results for the various media types used.
Disc Label |
Disc Information |
Max Allowed Writing Speed |
Total Recording Time (mins) |
That's 8X |
TYG02 |
8X |
9:27 |
Verbatim 8X |
MCC 02RG20 |
8X |
9:32 |
CMC 8X |
CMC MAG. AE1 |
8X |
9:17 |
TraxData 8X |
RITEKG05 |
8X |
9:18 |
Noname |
RITEKG06 |
8X |
9:27 |
Maxell 8X |
MXL RG03 |
8X |
9:17 |
Promedia |
ProdiscS04 |
8X |
9:28 |
Memorex 8X |
CMC MAG. AE1 |
8X |
9:28 |
MKM 4X RW |
MCC 01RW4X |
4X |
14:27 |
TraxData 4X RW |
RITEK W04 |
4X |
14:26 |
Disc Label |
Disc Information |
Max Allowed Writing Speed |
Total Recording Time (mins) |
Plextor 8X |
YUDEN000T02 |
8X |
9:05 |
Verbatim 8X |
MCC003 |
8X |
9:07 |
Intenso 8X |
PRODISCR03 |
8X |
8:30 |
Promedia 8X |
AML002 |
8X |
8:58 |
Memorex 8X |
CMC MAG E01 |
8X |
9:12 |
Traxdata 8X |
RITEK R03 |
8X |
9:05 |
3A 8X |
Plasmon1C01 |
8X |
9:27 |
3A 4X |
POMSC001002 |
4X |
14:14 |
MKM 4X RW |
MKMA02 |
4X |
13:49 |
TraxData 4X RW |
RICOHJPNW11 |
4X |
13:52 |
- DVD Overburning Tests
In order to test the drive's DVD overburning capabilities, we used two media
types, one 4X DVD-R from Traxdata and one 8X DVD+R from Plextor. As you can
see from the screenshot below, the
drive refused to start the test with DVD-R media,
while with DVD+R media, it started but when it reached 4.38GB, stopped with
an error message.
Hence, the SONY DRU-700A cannot overburn with either of DVD±R format.
- DVD+MRW Tests
We used MRW Validation Suite 2.2 by Philips to test the compliance of the
drive with the Mount Rainier DVD+MRW format. For the test
we used 4X DVD+RW media from TraxData and 2.4X DVD+RW media from Sentinel.
The test was terminated immediately after starting, prompting us to insert
a blank
DVD+RW
disc. We have seen the same behavior with other drives as well and is most
probably a program bug, so when a newer version is released, we will
update our review.
12. KProbe/PlexTools Scans - Page 1
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 12
KProbe/PlexTools Scans - Page 1
In the following screenshots you can see the PI/PIF scans for the DVD+R/RW media we burned with the SONY DRU-700A.
The software we used for all measurements were:
- KProbe v2.1.0, and the reader is
a LiteOn LDW-811S with "HS0Q patched" firmware, being able to read DVD±R/RW media up to 8X CAV. All scans have been performed at 8X with PI/PIF Sum8. Note that LiteOn drives cannot report PO but PIF errors, despite what KProbe reports.
- PlexTools v2.14, and the reader is a Plextor PX-712A with v1.02 firmware. All scans have been performed at 2X CLV with PISum8.
Comparing the KProbe/PlexTools scans we can see major differences in the
reported PI/PIF error rates. The primary explanation is that we have two
different readers, with different pickup/chipset combinations, scanning at
different reading
speeds (8X CAV for KProbe, 2X CLV for PlexTools). It's interesting to see the
disc scanned at low & high speed, since when the error rate increases at
a specific area on the disc, it should appear in both scans...else it
would be, perhaps, a reading glitch of the tested reader.
Note: PI/PIF errors only give us a quick look at the error
rate of the burned media. Those scans should be taken not as the absolute criteria
of the burning quality but as an indication level.
3A 4X DVD+R @ 4X
3A 8X DVD+R @ 8X
Intenso 8X DVD+R @ 8X
Memorex 8X DVD+R @ 8X
Promedia 8X DVD+R @ 8X
Due to high PI error rate, we got freezes of picture when inserted to a PS2
TraxData 8X DVD+R @ 4X
TY 8X DVD+R @ 8X
Due to high PI error rate, we got freezes of picture when inserted to a PS2
Verbatim 8X DVD+R @ 8X
MKM 4X DVD+RW @ 4X
TraxData 4X DVD+RW @ 4X
- Summary
The PI/PIF scans showed that with some specific media, the drive produced
good quality, whereas with other media it wasn't so good. Newer firmware can
improve writing performance. The best results came with Intenso 8X which
also gave the
lowest
recording time!
- Appendix
Disc Label |
Disc Information |
Max Allowed Writing Speed |
Total Recording Time (mins) |
Plextor 8X |
YUDEN000T02 |
8X |
9:05 |
Verbatim 8X |
MCC003 |
8X |
9:07 |
Intenso 8X |
PRODISCR03 |
8X |
8:30 |
Promedia 8X |
AML002 |
8X |
8:58 |
Memorex 8X |
CMC MAG E01 |
8X |
9:12 |
Traxdata 8X |
RITEK R03 |
8X |
9:05 |
3A 8X |
Plasmon1C01 |
8X |
9:27 |
3A 4X |
POMSC001002 |
4X |
14:14 |
MKM 4X RW |
MKMA02 |
4X |
13:49 |
TraxData 4X RW |
RICOHJPNW11 |
4X |
13:52 |
13. KProbe/PlexTools Scans - Page 2
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 13
KProbe/PlexTools Scans - Page 2
In the following screenshots you can see the PI/PIF scans for the DVD+R/RW media we burned with the SONY DRU-700A.
The software we used for all measurements was
- KProbe v2.1.0, and the reader is a LiteOn LDW-811S with "HS0Q patched" firmware, being able to read DVD±R/RW media up to 8X CAV. All scans have been performed at 8X with PI/PIF Sum8. Note that LiteOn drives cannot report PO but PIF errors, despite what KProbe reports.
- PlexTools v2.14, and the reader is a Plextor PX-712A with v1.02 firmware. All scans have been performed at 2X CLV with PISum8.
Comparing the KProbe/PlexTools scans we can see major differences in the reported
PI/PIF error rates. The primary explanation is that we have two different readers,
with different pickup/chipset combinations, scanning at different reading speeds
(8X CAV for KProbe, 2X CLV for PlexTools). It's interesting to see the disc
scanned at low & high speed, since when the error rate increases at a specific
area on the disc, it should appear in both scans...else it would be, perhaps,
a reading glitch of the tested reader.
Note: PI/PIF errors only give us a quick
look at the error rate of the burned media. Those scans should be taken not
as the absolute criteria of the burning quality but as an indication level.
CMC Magnetics 8X DVD-R @ 8X
PlexTools report read error around 3.6GB
Disc doesn't recognized at PS2
Maxell 8X DVD-R @ 8X
Memorex 8X DVD-R @ 8X
PlexTools report read error around 3.6GB
RITEK G06 8X DVD-R @ 8X
ProMedia 8X DVD-R @ 8X
TraxData 8X DVD-R @ 8X
Disc recognized at PS2, jerky playback occasionally
TraxData 8X (G06) 8X DVD-R @ 8X
TY 8X DVD-R @ 8X
Verbatim 8X DVD-R @ 8X
MKM 4X DVD-RW @ 4X
TraxData 4X DVD-RW @ 4X
- Summary
The writing quality of the drive with DVD-R can be considered as average,
where again with some media the drive performed very well but with others very
badly. Good
results came with RITEKG06 and Maxell's 8X DVD-R media. Its can easily be
seen that most problems occur either at the inner or outer areas of the
disc.
- Appendix
Disc Label |
Disc Information |
Max Allowed Writing Speed |
Total Recording Time (mins) |
That's 8X |
TYG02 |
8X |
9:27 |
Verbatim 8X |
MCC 02RG20 |
8X |
9:32 |
CMC 8X |
CMC MAG. AE1 |
8X |
9:17 |
TraxData 8X |
RITEKG05 |
8X |
9:18 |
Noname |
RITEKG06 |
8X |
9:27 |
Maxell 8X |
MXL RG03 |
8X |
9:17 |
Promedia |
ProdiscS04 |
8X |
9:28 |
Memorex 8X |
CMC MAG. AE1 |
8X |
9:28 |
MKM 4X RW |
MCC 01RW4X |
4X |
14:27 |
TraxData 4X RW |
RITEK W04 |
4X |
14:26 |
14. DVD+R DL - Page 1
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 14
DVD+R DL - Page 1
The SONY DRU-700A is one of the first writers that supports the DVD+R DL
format. Currently, two media ID codes are supported with firmware, namely Mitsubishi
Chemicals (MKM 001) and Ricoh ( RICOHJPND00) DL media. Hopefully, with new
firmware, more
media ID codes would be supported such as the upcoming RITEK and CMC Mangetics
DL media.
The retail package didn't included any DL media, and SONY didn't provide us
with any media for testing. After contacting Verbatim Europe, we managed to
get some media for our tests. Note that at least for Europe, DL media
comes
in a 5 pack and is not available in single discs.
Below is the Verbatim DVD+R DL Media ID, as reported from DVDInfoPro software:
- DVD+R DL BookType Setting
SONY doesn't provide any utility to set/change the DVD+R DL booktype setting, which is important since the drive comes with the DVD+R DL as default booktype. As we have seen from previous tests, the DVD-ROM booktype highly improves compatibility. Using KProbe's Bit Setting utility we managed to change from Normal (DVD+R DL):
to the desired DVD-ROM.
- Writing Tests
We burned one DVD+R DL disc with DVD-Video content and DVD-ROM BookType
setting. As the source we used "Gladiator Movie - Special Edition" disc1
with total size of 6.86GB. First, we transferred the movie to the HDD with
DVD Decrypter, stored in ISO format (single file). Afterwards, we used CopyToDVD
v3.0.19 to burn
the image and selected the SONY burner.
After pressing"OK", the burning procedure started but only after
a delay of 36secs (disc recognized 36:39, burning started
37:15):
and finished after 38:35 mins. The average speed was 2.28X
as reported by the CopyToDVD software.
For comparison, we post some burning times with other DL writers,
which all burned the same content ("Gladiator Movie - Special Edition" disc1),
using CopyToDVD software:
Drive |
Time (mins) |
BenQ DW830A |
39:14 |
NEC 2510A |
37:17 |
LiteON SOHW-832S
DVD+R DL BookType |
38:33 |
LiteON SOHW-832S
DVD-ROM BookType |
38:36 |
SONY DRU-700A |
38:35 |
The SONY drive performed well, but the best recording time comes from
the NEC 2510A.
15. DVD+R DL - Page 2
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 15
DVD+R DL - Page 2
- Writing Quality
In order to test the writing quality of the burned DVD+R DL DL, we again
used the LiteOn SOHD-167T and Plextor PX-712A drives.
The results were very good with the lowest PI error rate we have seen from a DL burn:
Pressed movie
The Beta/Jitter graph seems very good also, you can see the layer change
from the drop in the Jitter value.
The reported PI error rate reached the 280 limit and Nero CD-DVD Speed
is far from being perfect. Using the LiteON SOHD-167T at 6X reading speed,
and KProbe v2.1.0 we saw a much higher error rate than PlexTools reported.
Of course the PI error trend line looks the same, however the CDSpeed graph
looks better than Plextor PX-712A, even with some glitches: ?????????
Pressed movie
Mitsubishi Chemicals 2.4X DVD+R DL
- Compatibility Matrix
For our compatibility tests, we used the burned DVD+R DL with DVD-ROM booktype
disc and PowerDVD v5.0 for PC drives. We moved forwards and backwards around
the layer change to ensure that the movie can playback without any glitches
or skips.
The results are shown below:
Drive |
Firmware |
DVD+R DL Booktype |
LiteOn SOHW-812S |
vUSOJ |
Playback is perfect |
LiteOn LDW-811S |
vHS0Q |
Disc size recognized under CDSpeed but not disc contents under Windows |
LiteOn SOHC-5232K |
vNK07 |
Playback is perfect |
Panasonic LDF-511 |
vA112 |
Playback is perfect |
Philips DVDR824P |
vP1.2 |
Not recognized |
Pioneer DCR-111 |
v1.26 |
Playback is perfect |
Pioneer A06 |
v1.07 |
Playback is perfect |
BenQ DW822A |
vB3HC |
Not recognized |
Samsung SH-W08A |
v1S30 |
Not recognized |
Plextor PX-712A |
v1.01 |
Playback is perfect |
Pioneer A07 |
v1.12 |
Not recognized |
Optorite DD405 |
v1.50E |
Playback is perfect |
Optorite DD203 |
v2.25 |
Playback is perfect |
Ricoh MP5125A |
v1.27 |
Playback is perfect |
Ricoh 5308D |
v1.B2 |
Playback is perfect |
NEC 2500A |
v1.07 official |
Playback is perfect |
LiteOn LTD-163D |
vGH5S |
Playback is perfect |
LiteOn LTD-165H |
vCH11 |
Playback is perfect |
Pioneer DVD-500M |
v1.02 |
Not recognized, drive makes noises |
Pioneer DVD-106S/2 |
v1.22 |
Playback is perfect |
Pioneer DVD-116/S2 |
v1.22 |
Playback is perfect |
Toshiba SD-1502 |
v1012 |
Playback is perfect |
Toshiba SD-1612 |
v1004 |
Playback is perfect |
Toshiba SD-1712 |
v1004 |
Playback is possible, several skips |
Toshiba SD-1802 |
v1034 |
Recognizes disc size under CDSpeed but not disc contents under Windows |
TEAC DV-516E |
v2.01 |
Not recognized |
BTC BDV-316B |
v0.47 |
Playback is perfect |
From 27 drives that are capable of reading DVD media, we had the following
results:
|
DVD+R DL
(DVD-ROM BookType) |
Perfect Playback |
19 (70.37%) |
Medium/Low/No Playback |
3 |
Not recognized at all |
6 |
In addition, we tested with a few DVD players:
Player |
DVD-ROM BookType |
PS2
SCPH-5004 series |
Playback is perfect |
Waitec DVD-X4 |
Disc recognized, playback is jerky |
Waitec Vision-HR |
Disc recognized, playback is jerky |
LiteON LVW-5001 |
Playback is perfect |
LiteON LVW-5005 |
Playback is perfect |
Kiss DP-1504 |
Disc isn't recognized |
16. DRU700A vs. SA300 - Page 1
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 15
DRU700A vs. SA300 - Page 1
For checking exactly what the DRU-700A reports, we used three different
media, burned with other recorders. Those three media have been measured with
the
well known AudioDev SA300 DVD CATS system at 1X.
The drive reports only PI/PIF errors, we will compare those measurements at various reading speeds:
Please note that the posted results are only valid for the specific tested DRU-700A
drive. Using another drive can produce totally different results. Be aware!
#1st Test Disc - PISum8/PIF Comparison - 8X Reading speed
The PIF error rate trend line looks like the SA300, however with totally different
value level. ?????
#1st Test Disc - PISum8/PIF Comparison - 6X Reading speed
#1st Test Disc - PISum8/PIF Comparison - 4X Reading speed
With this test disc, all reading speeds 8X, 6X, 4X showed that at the end of the disc, the PI/PIF error rate increases. The SA300 system also measured similar performance. Its rather interesting that the 4X reading speed gave the "worst" results with the same trend line for PI/PIF errors but with higher values than the 8X speed...
17. DRU-700A vs. SA300 - Page 2
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 17
DRU-700A vs. SA300 - Page 2
For checking exactly what the DRU-700A reports, we used three different media,
burned with other recorders. The three media were then measured with
the well known AudioDev SA300 DVD CATS system at 1X.
The drive reports only PI/PIF errors, we will compare those measurements at various reading speeds:
Please note that the posted results are only valid for the specific tested DRU-700A
drive. Using another drive can produce totally different results. Be aware!
#2nd Test Disc - PISum8/PIF Comparison - 8X Reading speed
#2nd Test Disc - PISum8/PIF Comparison - 6X Reading speed
#2nd Test Disc - PISum8/PIF Comparison - 4X Reading speed
- Conclusion
All reading speeds gave the same error rates, indicating that the disc
is in perfect shape, however the CATS results show the opposite. We cannot
recommend
using
the DRU-700A for scanning DVD media even at 8X.
18. DRU-700A vs. SA300 - Page 3
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 18
DRU-700A vs. SA300 - Page 3
For checking exactly what the DRU-700A reports, we used three different media,
burned with other recorders. The media was then measured with the
well known AudioDev SA300 DVD CATS system at 1X.
The drive reports only PI/PIF errors, we will compare those measurements at various reading speeds:
Please note that the posted results are only valid for the specific tested DRU-700A
drive. Using another drive can produce totally different results. Be aware!
#3rd Test Disc - PISum8/PIF Comparison - 8X Reading speed
#3rd Test Disc - PISum8/PIF Comparison - 6X Reading speed
#3rd Test Disc - PISum8/PIF Comparison - 4X Reading speed
- Conclusion
All reading speeds gave more or less the same results, the disc is in good
condition, no problems noticed. Of course, the reported PI error rate is very
low compared with the SA300 series.
19. DRU-700A vs. SA300 - Page 4
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 19
DRU-700A vs. SA300 - Page 4
We didn't use KProbe v2.1.0 for the scan since all the times we tried, it
froze at 50%, at either the ASPI or SPTI layer. We didn't manage to set 4X
reading speed
, only 6X and 8X using the latest Nero CD-DVD Speed.
Please note that the posted results are only valid for the specific tested DRU-700A
drive. Using another drive can produce totally different results. Be aware!
#4th Test Disc - PISum8/PIF Comparison - 8X Reading speed
#4th Test Disc - PISum8/PIF Comparison - 6X Reading speed
- Conclusion
The drive reported a low PI error rate with the used DL media, close to what
CATS showed. We can say that the drive may be used for DL scans with good results.
20. BookType Setting
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 20
BookType Setting
As was said earlier, SONY doesn't provide a BookType Setting for the DVD+R/+RW
formats. You can use alternative utilities mainly aimed at LiteON
users (LiteON Booktype Utility & KProbe). Please
note that with VY05 firmware, SONY has REMOVED the ability to set BookType
Bitsetting, be warned before installing it.
With KProbe, under Tools->Bitsetting, the user can view the current Disc
Type and change the BookType to either DVD-ROM/DVD+R/+RW. Unfortunately, Bit
Setting
isn't supported with DVD-R media:
Lets now try changing the Bit Setting for DVD+R media, the current Booktype
is normal (DVD+R):
After pressing the "Set" button, the booktype changed to DVD-ROM:
21. Conclusion
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 21
Conclusion
The SONY DRU-700A is along with the LiteON SOHW-832S and NEC 2510A drives,
the first ever recorders that support DVD+R DL writing. The drive's
performance
was good in some tests, but can be improved in others.
Listing the negative points, the drive's biggest drawback is the
lack of Booktype Bitsetting with the latest official firmware. Our tests have
shown that
DVD+R
DL writing needs DVD-ROM booktype to improve compatibility. SONY not
only doesn't offer a utility, but also doesn't support it in the latest
firmware. Another issue is that the drive's general performance could be better
although newer
firmware can fix this. Finally, the retail package doesn't include any blank
DVD+R DL media.
On the positive side, the drive has very good CD/DVD error correction, can
backup SD2 2.8x builds and has no problem with protected Audio discs. A big
plus for the drive, is the fact that many utilities used by LiteON's unofficial
community can also be used with the DRU-700A drive offering many "unique" features/utilities
(KProbe, Media speed hacks, RPC1 utilities, overclocking, etc...).
As a last word, we would like the price of the drive to be lower since competitors
drives, such as NEC and LiteON, are already at lower prices...
- The Good
- Front bezel can be changed with the included black colored
- Good DVD writing quality with some DVD±R media
- Can backup SafeDisc2 v2.8x protected discs
- Very good CD & DVD error correction
- Can overburn up to 99mins
- High C2% accuracy
- Supports protected Audio discs (CDS200, Key2Audio)
- Supports BookType BitSetting for DVD+R/+RW/+DL formats (prior VY05)
- Can be used for DVD media error measurements
- Big unofficial community support (KProbe, Media Speed hacks, RPC1 utilities)
- The Bad
- High price compared to other competitors DL recorders
- Writing quality with many 8X DVD±R media needs improvement (could be fixed with firmware upgrade?)
- Doesn't accurately backup SafeDisc2 v2.9x+ protected discs
- Doesn't support reading of DVD-RAM media (could be fixed with firmware upgrade?)
- Retail package doesn't include DVD+R DL media
- Doesn't support BookType BitSetting for DVD+R/+RW/+DL formats (with VY05)
- Doesn't support DVD±R overburning
- Doesn't accurately backup "Aiko Katsukino - The Love Letter",
Audio protected disc
- Like to be fixed
- CD-R/DVD-R writing performance with various media
- High C1/C2 errors with specific media at 40X
22. Firmware Hacks - Page 1
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 22
Firmware Hacks - Page 1
It is possible with the use of "OmniPatcher for LiteOn DVD Writers", to change the maximum supported writing speed for every supported media as listed in the drive's firmware. Why someone should consider doing this? Simply cause there are some media that can be burned "safely" at 8X even are only 4X rated.
Why SONY hasn't already added those media ID codes to 8X is not known, but
since there is the possibility from end user to change it, we performed a series
of tests. Please note that the following changes are not supported by SONY
if you decide use them at your OWN RISK. Also our final verdict is not affected
from the following tests, you can say its an appendix area for experienced
users. Read on...
- Media Speed hacks
Assuming you already know how the OmniPatcher software works, we changed several
media types either from 2X/4X to 8X. The process is a rather test and trial,
change speed, burn media, check error rates, compatibility and decide its successful
or not. Below are two screenshots from the OmniPatcher software:
Let's see which media ID codes are changed and the burning results. We inserted
each burned disc at a PS2 and checked the recognize process among with playback
problems.
Media Brand |
Media ID Code |
Default supported writing speed |
Boosted writing speed |
Burn Time |
PS2 Compatibility |
CMC |
CMC MAG R01 |
2.4X |
8X |
8:32 |
Ok |
CMC |
CMC MAGF01 |
4X |
8:55 |
Doesn't recognize inserted disc |
MCC |
MCC002 |
4X |
8:59 |
Ok |
MMore |
MBIPG101R03 |
4X |
9:16 |
Ok |
TraxData |
RICOHJPNR01 |
4X |
9:14 |
Ok |
TY |
YUDEN000T01 |
4X |
9:26 |
Ok |
The burning results were encouraging meaning no coaster was noticed. With some media, the drive lowered the recording speed at the end to 6X or even 4X as we seen from Nero's burning speed indicator. Below are the KProbe/PlexTools scans for each burned media.
CMC Magnetics 2.4X DVD+R @ 8X
CMC Magnetics 4X DVD+R @ 8X
PlexTools report read error around 1.3GB
MCC 4X DVD+R @ 8X
MMore 4X DVD+R @ 8X
TraxData 4X DVD+R @ 8X
TaiyoYuden 4X DVD+R @ 8X
- Summary
Judging from the PI/PIF scans results we can "boost" several media
from 4X to 8X with good results, MCC, MMore and others. Is rather interesting
that while KProbe scans are quite well, PlexTools seems to disagree..
23. Firmware Hacks - Page 2
SONY DRU-700A Dual DVD±RW Recorder - Page 23
Firmware Hacks - Page 2
Let's see which media ID codes are changed and the burning results. We inserted
each burned disc at a PS2 and checked the recognize process among with playback
problems.
Media Brand |
Media ID Code |
Default supported writing speed |
Boosted writing speed |
Burn Time |
PS2 Compatibility |
3A 8X |
POMS3A |
4X |
8X |
9:41 |
Ok |
Mam |
MAM4XG02 |
4X |
9:29 |
Ok |
MMore |
MBI 01RG20 |
4X |
9:34 |
Doesn't recognize inserted disc |
TY |
TYG01 |
4X |
10:05 |
Reading error after 1/3 of movie started |
CMC |
CMC MAG. AF1 |
4X |
9:28 |
Doesn't recognize inserted disc |
N-Tech |
MXL RG01 |
4X |
9:55 |
Doesn't recognize inserted disc |
ProMedia |
AML |
4X |
9:38 |
Ok |
TraxData |
RITEKG04 |
4X |
9:33 |
Doesn't recognize inserted disc |
TraxData |
RITEKG04 |
4X |
6X |
11:11 |
Movies freezes at Chapter2 |
Verbatim |
MCC 01RG20 |
4X |
8X |
9:33 |
Doesn't recognize inserted disc |
TDK |
TT01 |
4X |
9:46 |
Ok |
BenQ |
SONY04D1 |
4X |
9:29 |
Ok |
TY |
TAIYOYUDEN |
2X |
10:02 |
Doesn't recognize inserted disc |
TY |
TAIYOYUDEN |
2X |
6X |
11:15 |
Ok |
TEAC |
MCI4XG01 |
4X |
8X |
9:20 |
Doesn't recognize inserted disc |
Below are the KProbe/PlexTools scans for each burned media.
3A 8X DVD-R @ 8X
BenQ 4X DVD-R @ 8X
CMC Magnetics 4X DVD-R @ 8X
PlexTools reports read error and stops measuring around 4GB
Mam 4X DVD-R @ 8X
MMore 4X DVD-R @ 8X
PlexTools reports read error and stops measuring around 4GB
N-Tech 4X DVD-R @ 8X
PlexTools reports that media is empty (blank)!!!!!
ProMedia 4X DVD-R @ 8X
TDK 4X DVD-R @ 8X
TEAC 4X DVD-R @ 8X
PlexTools reports read error and stops measuring around 3.5GB
TraxData 4X DVD-R @ 6X
PlexTools reports read error and stops measuring around 4GB
TraxData 4X DVD-R @ 8X
TaiyoYuden 2X DVD-R @ 6X
TaiyoYuden 2X DVD-R @ 8X
PlexTools reports read error and stops measuring around 1.6GB
TaiyoYuden 4X DVD-R @ 8X
PlexTools reports read error and stops measuring around 3GB
Verbatim 4X DVD-R @ 8X
PlexTools reports read error and stops measuring around 1.6GB
- Summary
The results speak themselves, only one media, even 2X rated, managed to burn
with good quality at 6X.