1. Features - Installation
Plextor
PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder -
Page 1
Constant increases in the capacity of the offered models, combined with higher transfer rates and enhanced reliability,
are probably those factors that mainly characterize the progress of technology in
the storage area. Taking into account this, we might easily conclude that the technology
underlying magnetic storage media (such as hard disks) has overcome the corresponding
progress in the optical storage area. However, optimistic announcements for
fast optical storage solutions based on high frequency laser technologies
(i.e., Blue laser, Blu-Ray) promise spectacular storage capabilities, although
pricing will be probably prohibitive for the average-user, at least at the early stages of their introduction.
Red laser DVD recording has already gone mainstream and will probably stay on
the scene for at least a couple of years more. Apart from the issue
of one DVD recording format dominating over another, the highest currently offered recording speed is definitely of a primary interest to most end users. BenQ / Philips, Pioneer, NEC and other manufacturers have announced
their upcoming
8x DVD recorders. However, it is Plextor who is the first to make this aggressive step forward by launching this
fall the PX-708A, the first 8x DVD+R recorder in the market.
The successor of the PX-504A model is a dual DVD writer, capable of 8x writing for
DVD+R, 4x for DVD+RW/-R, and 2x for DVD-RW. In addition, the drive is also a fast
40/24/40 CD-RW writer.
- Features
Most
of the Plextor users already know the VariRec feature, which can be applied during the creation
of audio CD-R discs. The user can select some settings during recording preparation in order to obtain a more
personalized sound tone. The feature is fully controlled within the PlexTools
software, available in the Plextor retail package, and works at 4x and 8x CD-DA
recordings.
Nero and other programs support this feature as well.
The
PoweRec technology ensures the quality of the CD and DVD recordings. Low quality
media are often the source of disc errors during high speed recording. PoweRec
checks the quality of the inserted CD/DVD media and automatically selects the
optimum (maximum) writing speed, giving the highest quality results.
Plextor PX-708A also supports buffer underrun errors for both CD/DVD media.
Of
course, the most awaited feature of the new Plextor PX-708A is the supported
higher reading / writing speeds. The new drive offers 8x DVD+R (6-8x Z-CLV) recording, the highest
DVD recording speed available today. It also writes DVD-R and DVD+RW at 4x
CLV. DVD-RW writing is kept at a 2x maximum, and DVD-ROM reading can be done
at 12x CAV.
This drive has also very impressive capabilities when viewed as a CD-RW recorder, offering
40 / 24 / 40 speeds.
- Specifications
Interface: |
E-IDE/ATAPI (Ultra DMA Mode
2) |
Writing Speed: |
DVD+R: 8X / -R: 4X, DVD+RW: 4X, DVD-RW: 2X
|
|
CD-R: 40X, CD-RW: 24X |
Read Speed: |
DVD+R/-R/+RW/-RW: 8X
|
|
DVD-ROM: 12X, CD-R/RW: 40X |
Random Access: |
DVD: 150msec, CD: 100msec |
Buffer Size: |
2MB |
Supported Disc Formats: |
DVD: DVD-ROM, DVD Video,
Multi Border (closed disc read only), Multi-session, DVD+VR, DVD-VR
(Read only) |
|
CD-R/RW: CD-DA, CD-Extra,
CD-ROM Mode 1, CD-ROM Mode 2, CD-ROM XA, Photo CD, Video CD, CD-I,
Multi-session,
CD-Text, UDF, CD+G |
Supported Writing Types: |
DVD+R/+RW: Sequential
write, Random access write, Multi-session and DVD+MRW (Mt. Rainier)
|
|
DVD-R/ -RW: Disc-at-once,
Incremental recording, Multi-border recording, Restricted overwriting |
CD-R/RW: Track-at-once, Disc-at-once,
Session-at-once, Multi-session, Fixed and Variable Packet Writing, CD-MRW
(Mt. Rainier) |
Apart from the specifications mentioned above, Plextor PX-708A supports Mount
Rainier for CD-R/RW and DVD+R/+RW (DVD+MRW).
Plextor PX-708A uses the RPC II region control, allowing a user
to change the drive's region at most 5 times. For our tests, we set the region
code to 2 (Europe).
Below you can see all the available CD reading speeds, according to the data
type of a disc. The maximum reading speed for CD-R/RW and audioCD is 40x
CAV:
The maximum CD writing speed for CD-R is 40x P-CAV and 24x P-CAV, when using
Ultra Speed CD-RW media:
Single layer DVD-ROM media can be read at 12x CAV, while DVD±R/RW
discs can be read at 8x CAV. As PlexTools report, DVD-Video will be played at 2x CLV
to avoid noise and vibration.
Below are illustrated all the available writing
speeds for DVD and the various supported media types:
- European Retail package
The
European retail package includes the Plextor PX-708A IDE drive, one E-IDE cable,
a quick install guide, an RMA form and a warranty card. As for all the Plextor
drives,
the PX-708A offers a 2-year warranty for Europe, Middle-East and Africa.
The bundled CD/DVD mastering software comes from Ahead , and includes
Nero Burning Rom and Nero InCD for packet writing. PowerDVD by CyberLink is the
included DVD player software, and Pinnacle Studio 8 SE is available for video
editing / authoring.
The second CD-ROM available in the package contains PlexTools Professional
CD/DVD utility software and a detailed manual in several languages.
Let's take a look at the drive. The white front bezel with the black horizontal
line resembles to the first Plextor
DVD+R/+RW writer, the PX-504A. The identity of the drive is denoted with the
"PX-708A" logo at the right side of the loading
tray. According to Plextor, the black tray used reduces the optical distortion of the laser beam, while reading/writing.
In addition to the DVD+RW logo, the DVD-Rewritable and CD-RW Ultra Speed
labels, reveal the multiple capabilities of the drive.
The stereo mini jack for headphones or powered speakers allows you to listen
audioCDs. in this case, the volume can be adjusted by the volume control. Last,
a busy indicator lights up green when the device is active and yellow when
reading / accessing a disc.
On the rear panel you can see the analogue and digital outputs (SPDIF), the
IDE connector
and the power input.
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 basic chipset series might be familiar to some experienced users from
the Optorite DD0203 (Sanyo BPDV2) dual recorder.
- Installation
The Plextor PX-708A was connected to our test PC and was identified
as "PLEXTOR DVDR PX-708A" under
WinXP. All tests were done with firmware revision v1.01.
Although our database does not include the benchmarks of any other 8x DVD
writers, in the following pages we include, for comparison reasons, the results of some other dual DVD
writers, the Optorite DD0203 and the Pioneer DVR-A06.
2. CD Reading Tests
Plextor PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder - Page 2
CD Reading Tests
- Pressed CD results
The
above transfer rate graph on a 80min pressed data disc reveals the 40x CAV reading
strategy. Reading started at 18.60x and finished at 42.88x.
In the same task, the seek times are rather low and keep up with the drive's
specifications for CD's (<100 msec).
The random seek test gave a result of 84 msec. The 1/3 mode seeking was, as expected,
higher, at 106 msec, and the full seek gave an average of 155 milliseconds.
- CDR Media results
Regarding
the reading performance of the drive, it showed us the same good behavior as in the previous
test on the pressed data disc. Once more, the drive reached 42.84x speed in
the outer parts of the disc. The average reading speed was 32.29x.
The seek times were also low, and 162 msec were required for the full
seek test.
- ReWritable Media
Plextor
PX-708A supports
the 40x CAV reading speed when using rewritable media. For the reading test we used
24x Ultra Speed rewritable media by Mitsubishi Chemicals.
The performance was not much different than the one we had with CD-R media. The drive
read the disc at 18x~41.60x CAV and the average reading speed was 41.60x.
The seek times were also adequate, with only 88msec for the random seek and
162msec for the full stroke test. Below you can see the CDSpeed transfer graph:
3. CD Error Correction Tests
Plextor
PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder -
Page 3
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: 1077734
|
Errors (Loudness) dB(A)
|
Num: 52559
|
Avg: -73.4 dB(A)
|
Max: -18.2 dB(A)
|
Error Muting Samples
|
Num: 4504
|
Avg: 1.0 Samples
|
Max: 17 Samples
|
Skips Samples
|
Num: 2
|
Avg: 6.0 Samples
|
Max: 6 Samples
|
Total Test Result
|
71.4 points (out of 100.0 maximum)
|
Plextor PX-708A performed very well with the ABEX TCD-721R. As you can see
from the graph, the majority of the red spikes (error level) reach the -60dB(A)
only, and the total average level is -73.4dB(A). Although these errors have
nothing to do with any acoustical model, EAC author notes that Error Loudness
less than -60dB(A) most often do not produce audible problems to your speakers.
However, specific high peaks on the graph (max -18.2 dB(A)) could create some
problems, but generally the performance is high considering the severity of
the errors on the disc.
The total score for Plextor PX-708A is very good and reaches 71.4 points
out of 100.
- 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: 0.0 Samples
|
Max: 0 Samples
|
Skips Samples
|
Num: 0
|
Avg: 0.0 Samples
|
Max: 0 Samples
|
Total Test Result
|
100 points (out of 100.0 maximum)
|
In this test. the drive ripped the contents of the ABEX TCD-726 disc at full
speed, ignoring all the defected areas on its surface. Comparing the original
.wav file (not defected source) with the produced one (after ripping the defected
disc) gave no differences, which means that the drive mostly managed to rip
the defected disc contents
accurately. The score for this performance cannot be different than the absolute
score of 100.
- 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
|
Plextor PX-708A
|
5/5
|
5/5
|
5/5
|
5/5
|
0/5
|
Plextor PX-708A passed the first 4 Check Levels of the test. The performance
reveals very good sound reproduction and error correction. The fifth level
includes an error size of 1.500mm, and the drive gave back audible clicks.
- Conclusion
Test Disc
|
Reading Speed
|
Score
|
ABEX TCD-721R
|
Max
|
71.4
|
ABEX TCD-726
|
100
|
Average Score
|
85.7
|
Combining the two scores from the tests we estimate an average total
score of 85.7 points out of 100. This is the best score we
have ever experienced from a drive. Plextor PX-708A managed to read
severely scratched discs with a high accuracy. This is of major importance for users interested in the reliable reproduction of discs , and this drive seems to outperform most other drives on the market today, including some CD-RW recorders.
4. DVD Reading Tests
Plextor
PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder -
Page 4
DVD reading tests
In the following charts we also include the results of two other DVD writers that
support 12x CAV DVD-ROM reading. These are Pioneer DVR-A06 and Optorite
DD0203.
- Single Layer PTP DVD-ROM (Click
for CDSpeed results)
Plextor PX-708A started the reading task at 4.99x and finished at 12.15x,
resulting to an average reading speed of 9.09x. In the same task, the Optorite
drive was slower at 8.81x, and the Pioneer DVR-A06 is the faster reader in
this test achieving 9.52x.
Plextor PX-708A performed well in the seek tests with DVD-ROM discs. The drive
was very fast in the random and 1/3 reading tests, attaining times around to 100 msec, while
it was slower in the full mode with 190 msec. The Optorite DD0203 drive gave approximately
the same results, while the Pioneer DVR-A06 is slower, especially in the full seek
mode.
- Dual Layer PTP DVD-ROM (Click for
CDSpeed results)
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.
Plextor PX-708A limits the reading speed to 8x with dual layer DVD-ROM
discs. The reading speed in the beginning of
the disc was
3.38X and
the ending
speed
was
8.01X.
The
drive used the CAV reading strategy, as you can see in the CDSpeed test link.
In the same task, the Pioneer A06 was slightly faster with a 6.16x
average reading speed. The Optorite drive is the slowest reader since it supports
only 4.5x CAV reading.
In addition, the seek test gave the Plextor drive the lowest seek times
among the rest drives:
- Dual Layer OTP DVD-ROM
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 transfer rate graph is smooth and each layer was read at 3.37x~8x
CAV.
- DVD Ripping Tests
We measured the DVD ripping speed of Plextor PX-708A using the DVD Decrypter
software. The DVD Video title is the "Matrix" pressed DVD.
Plextor PX-708A supports by default 2x DVD Video reading, in order to avoid noise and
vibration. The drive ripped the DVD movie files to the hard disk at 2,707 KB/sec,
and the Pioneer drive performed in a similar way. Optorite DD0203 is faster
in this test with 5,846 KB/sec.
However, pressing the eject button for 3 seconds (no disc inserted) will enable DVD ripping at higher speeds. In this case, the average ripping speed for the same movie reached the 8,957KB/sec (6.5X).
- DVD Recordable / Rewritable reading Tests
The chart below shows the Nero CDSpeed results with the following media:
Plextor PX-708A supports 8x CAV reading for the DVD±R/RW formats.
The CDSpeed tests confirmed it and each disc was read flawlessly at 6x average.
Optorite and Pioneer drives are slower due to lower supported reading speed.
5. DVD Error Correction Tests
Plextor
PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder -
Page 5
DVD Error Correction
Tests
In the following tests we examined the DVD reading capabilities of
Plextor PX-708A 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.
Plextor PX-708A read the disc at 12x CAV and the scratched area did not affect
the process. The disc was read accurately and no read errors or 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. The reading
speed was not reduced when the drive read the defected areas, and 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 gave back uncorrectable read errors in the heavily scratched areas
and the reading test was terminated from the first layer of the disc. The results
were confirmed through the Windows Explorer since the disc contents were not
accessible.
Although the drive finished successfully the ABEX 821 reading test, which
has the same
scratches
for
a single
layer, it seems to face serious problems with the scratched double layered media.
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.
As
in the corresponding test with the ABEX TDR-825 (defected single layer DVD-ROM),
the disc was read accurately. The average reading speed for each layer was
6.06x, but the seek times were increased.
According to the results we have gathered until now, Plextor PX-708A can easily read scratched
/ defected single layer DVD-ROM discs, reads adequately the defected (fingerprints,
black dots) dual layer discs, but needs to be improved when it comes to reading
dual layer scratched
DVD-ROMs.
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 3.5x until the 2.0GB address of the test disc,
where the drive lowered the speed in order to read the scratched area. Although
the first layer was read, not easily however, the second layer was even harder
for the drive. CDSpeed gave a read error and the test was terminated, as you
can see in the screen shot above.
The test results were confirmed when we tried to play the DVD Video files
of the disc in our test PC, with CyberLink PowerDVD software. Playback froze
by the end of the first layer (below 4.0GB address), and many skips occurred.
We did not manage to playback the rest of the movie (second layer).
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 surface did not create any reading
problems, and the drive finished the task successfully.
6. Protected Disc Tests
Plextor
PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder - Page 6
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 is more interesting for all
users.
Game Title |
Protection Scheme |
Duration |
Reading speed |
PSX "NBA Jam Extreme" |
Lybcrypt |
1:09 min |
1309 sectors/sec |
Serious Sam The Second Encounter v1.07 |
SafeDisc v.2.60.052 |
2:29 min |
2231 sectors/sec |
VRally II |
SecuROM v.2 |
3:10 min |
1809 sectors/sec |
Plextor PX supports reading of subchannel data information from data/audio
tracks. The drive was fast with all the protections, and especially with the
the SafeDisc v.2 disc, where some competitive DVD writers (Pioneer A06, Optorite
DD0203) were very slow.
- Writing Tests
Plextor PX-708A 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 with the latest software patches installed.
After making the images of the various titles to the hard disk, we burned them
(maximum speed) with Alcohol 120%. Two different discs were created for each
title; one with the "Bypass EFM error" enabled and one more with the function
disabled.
In the table below you can see whether the produced backups were working
(game installed / played normally), or not.
Drive |
Game Title |
SD2 Build |
Settings |
Bypass EFM Error |
No Bypass |
Plextor PX-708A |
Serious Sam - The Second Encounter v1.07 |
v.2.60.052 |
OK |
OK |
The Sims - Unleashed |
v2.80.010 |
OK |
OK |
The backups were tested in many CD-RW and DVD-ROM drives, and both installation
and playability worked flawlessly.
7. DAE Tests
Plextor
PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder - Page 7
DAE Tests
- Pressed and CDR AudioCD results
Plextor PX-708A supports the 40x maximum DAE speed. Below you can see
a CDSpeed transfer rate test with a pressed audio CD:
According to CDSpeed, the average reading speed with this disc was 31.61x,
and the reported seek times were adequate.
We ripped the contents of same audio disc to the hard disk with CDDAE software.
The drive gave an average ripping speed (burst mode) of 29x for the pressed
disc
and
29.2x
for a copied on CD-R.
Drive |
Pressed Audio Disc |
CD-R Audio Disc |
Plextor PX-708A |
29X |
29.2X |
Optorite DD0203 |
26.7X |
26.8X |
Pioneer DVR-A06 |
23.1X |
21.2X |
- Advanced DAE Quality
Plextor PX-708A got a 100 score (perfect) in the Nero CD Speed Advanced
DAE test. The CDSpeed showed that the average reading speed is 29.80X, and
that
the drive supports reading of
SubChannel
data. Leadin / Leadout data and CD
Text.
- Ripping of 99mins AudioCDs
Tested drives |
Ripping up to |
Plextor PX-708A
|
99min |
- Reading/Ripping Protected AudioCDs
For the test procedure we used two audio discs with different
audio protections. The tasks we tested is both recognition and
ripping to the hard disk. The software we used is the Exact Audio Copy.
* Pressed Audio disc protected by Sony Key2Audio (Celine
Dion - New Day
Has Come)
* Pressed Audio disc protected by Cactus Data Shield 200 (Natalie
Imbruglia - White Lilies Island)
|
Key2Audio |
CDS200 |
EAC |
Plextor PX-708A |
OK |
OK |
Pioneer DVR-A06 |
Recognizes disc contents but cannot
rip tracks |
OK |
Optorite DD0203 |
OK |
Recognizes disc contents but cannot
rip tracks |
Plextor PX-708A is fully compatible with protected
audio discs. Both discs were recognized and their contents were ripped accurately
at the maximum speed.
8. CD-R Recording Tests
Plextor
PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder -
Page 8
CD-R Recording Tests
Pioneer PX-708A
supports 4x, 8x, 16x (CLV), 32x as well as the maximum 40x P-CAV writing speeds.
The
writing speed in the beginning of the disc is 19.92x and increases until the
56:00:00 address of the disc, where it reaches the maximum 39.90x. For the
rest of the disc, the writing speed is kept at 39.90x.
According to CDSpeed, the average writing speed with a 80min disc is 33.34x.
- Recording Times
For the burning tests we created a 80min data compilation through Nero Burning
Rom recorded the data on a 700MB disc. Plextor PX-708A finished the task in
2:58 minutes, when we selected the 40x writing speed. The
performance is adequate and can be compete many other drives, including some
CD-RW burners.
Below you can see the best writing times of Plextor PX-708A at 8x, 16x, 32x
and 40x. In each case, the PoweRec feature was enabled:
- Other features
Overburning
|
Up to 99min
|
CD text reading/writing
|
Yes
|
9. Writing Quality Tests - 3T Jitter Tests
Plextor
PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder -
Page 9
Writing Quality Tests - 3T Jitter Tests
We used 80min 48X CD-R media by Taiyo Yuden and burned the same AudioCD project
at 8x, 16x, 32x and 40x. In the following page you can
see the 3T
Pit & Land Jitter graphs.
- 3T Pit results
Generally the drive did not introduce high 3T pit jitter with the specific
media. The highest 3T pit jitter was reported from the discs recorded at 40x,
in the outer tracks. In these areas, the jitter reached
the 37nsec, which should be an acceptable level, although the Red Book limit
is 35msec. The 8x, 16x and 32x recorded discs gave very good results.
The average
3T Jitter values for all recording speeds are illustrated in the following
table.
- 3T Land results
The average 3T Land results are slightly increased over those in the previous
measurements of the 3T Pit Jitter. In this case the 32x and 40x discs gave
higher jitter especially in the outer part of the disc, where the writing speed
was
32x and 40x, respectively (Z-CLV).
The maximum reported jitter value was 39ns, and come from the measurements
of the
32x and 40x recorded disc, again in the outer tracks of the disc.
The 8x writing speed also seems to produce jitter marginally higher than 35nsec,
and the 16x speed is more preferable when you write your audio CDs.
- Conclusion
Recording Speed |
Average 3T Pit Jitter (ns) |
Average 3T Land Jitter (ns) |
> 35ns |
Max 3T jitter values (ns) |
8X |
30.90 |
36.61 |
Yes |
28 Pit, 37 Land |
16X |
29.07 |
32.29 |
No |
31 Pit, 33 Land |
32X |
28.93 |
35.20 |
Yes |
32 Pit, 39 Land |
40X |
27.39 |
36.20 |
Yes |
37 Pit, 39 Land |
Plextor PX-708A generally gave good results in the jitter measuring tests.
The 40x writing speed introduced the highest jitter values in the outer areas
of the disc, where the jitter reached the 39nsec. Writing at 32x produced
low 3T pit but higher 3T land jitter. However, those values probably do not
affect the quality of your recordings.
In the following page we check the C1 and C2 error rates of the same discs,
to come up with safer results.
10. Writing Quality Tests - C1 / C2 Error Measurements
Plextor
PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder -
Page 10
Writing Quality Tests - 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 is the PleXTools Professional,
and particularly the built-in Q-Check utility.
However, the Q-Check functions
are not active with the Plextor PX-708A used as a test disc reader, possibly
because the drive does not retrieve C2 error information. For this reason,
we used the Plextor Premium as a reader for retrieving the error
rate information. The charts below illustrate the Q-Check graphs for various
CD-R media.
- Taiyo Yuden 48x recorded at 8x
- Taiyo Yuden 48x recorded at 16x
- Taiyo Yuden 48x recorded at 32x
- Taiyo Yuden 48x recorded at 40x
Below you can see more information about the CD-R media we used in this
test.
Disc
|
ID Code
|
Capacity
|
Taiyo Yuden 48X
|
TaiyoYuden 97m24s01f
|
79:59:72
|
SKC 48X
|
97m26s26f
|
79:59:73
|
TDK 48X
|
97m15s05f
|
79:59:74
|
Mam Golden Dye 52X
|
Mitsui 97m27s58f
|
79:59:74
|
- Summary
Media
|
Recording speed |
C1 |
C2 |
CU |
Avg / Sec |
Max / Sec |
Total |
Avg / Sec |
Max / Sec |
Total |
Avg / Sec |
Max / Sec |
Total |
Taiyo Yuden 48X |
8x |
0.7 |
20.0 |
3367.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
16x |
0.7 |
15.0 |
3337.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
32x |
0.7 |
14.0 |
3365.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
40x |
0.7 |
17.0 |
3472.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
SKC 48x |
40x |
1.3 |
24.0 |
6308.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0
|
0.0 |
Mam Golden Dye 52x |
40x |
5.4 |
38.0 |
25663.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
TDK 48x |
40x |
2.0 |
19.0 |
9485.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
The results with Taiyo Yuden media are very good for all the supported writing
speeds. The C1 error rate is low, and no C2 or CU errors were reported.
Although none of the discs had gave any C2 / CU errors, we could mention that
the Mam 52x discs gave the highest amount and level of C1 errors.
11. CD-RW Writing Tests
Plextor
PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder
- Page 11
CD-RW Writing Tests
Plextor PX-708A
supports the 24x P-CAV maximum rewriting speed, with Ultra High Speed rewritable
media. The drive also writes at 4x CLV with NS CD-RW and 10x CLV with HS-RW
discs. Below you can see the CDSpeed writing simulation test with blank 24x
US-RW media by Mitsubishi Chemicals.
The
drive starts the writing task at 20.04x and reaches the maximum 24x before
the 10:00 min address of the disc. According to CDSpeed, the average writing
speed is 23.79x.
We also used Nero Burning Rom in order to burn a data disc with 24x US-RW
media by MC. The data compilation we burned had a size of 651 MB and the duration
of the recording process was 3:41 minutes.
- Packet Writing Tests
We used InCD and Mitsubishi Chemicals 24x US-RW media for all
Packet Writing tests. The quick formatting of the media took 32sec. The formatted
disc had
530mbs
of
free space.
We copied a 403 MB file (403.147 KB) from a Hard Disk (on the same PC as the
writers) to the formatted RW media through the Windows explorer (drag
and drop).
|
Duration |
Average speed |
Read |
3:47 min |
11.84X |
Write |
5:00 min |
8.96X |
The Optorite DD0203 gave an average
writing speed of 7.8x and is slower than the Sony drive while the Pioneer DVR-A05
is ranked at the third place with 5.6x. In the reading part, the Optorite drive
is the fastest among the rest drives reaching a speed of 7.6x.
- Mount Rainier Tests
Plextor PX-708A supports the Mount Rainier format with CD-R/RW media. The
drive's compliance is also confirmed by the Mount Rainier Validation Suite
v2.1 by Philips. All three scripts loaded in the Validation Suite (mandatory
command set, Light R'n R and Heavy R'n R) were passed successfully by the drive.
We formatted a 24x US-RW disc under the Mt Rainier format. The format was
very fast and we immediately started the drag' drop process, with the same
file as in the normal packet writing test. With the background formatting in
full progress, we show you the reading / writing performance:
|
Duration
|
Average speed
|
Read
|
7:21 min
|
6.09X
|
Write
|
16:36 min
|
2.67X
|
Both reading and writing speeds are low since the background formatting
forces the drive to write or read on the inserted disc as well as to resume
the formatting.
12. DVD Recording Tests
Plextor PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder - Page 12
DVD Recording Tests
- Writing Performance
Plextor
PX-708A supports
DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW writing. The maximum supported speed for the DVD+R is
8x (6x~8x Z-CLV), 4x CLV for DVD-R, 4x CLV for DVD+RW and 2x CLV for DVD-RW
media.
Currently no 8x certified DVD+R media are available in the market. Plextor
suggest the usage of some existing 4x DVD+R media for burning at 8x speed. In the
table below are illustrated all the suggested DVD media for recording:
Recommended Media |
Recording Speeds |
Disc Manufacturer |
DVD+R (4.7 GB) |
8X, 4X, 2.4X |
Verbatim/Mitsubishi Chemical, Taiyo Yuden, Ricoh |
DVD+RW |
4X, 2.4X |
Verbatim/Mitsubishi Chemical, Ricoh |
DVD-R |
1X-4X |
Verbatim/Mitsubishi Chemical, Taiyo Yuden, Maxell, TDK |
DVD-RW |
1X-2X |
Verbatim/Mitsubishi Chemical, TDK, Victor (JVC) |
We
used a 4x DVD+R disc by Ricoh, in order to check the 8x writing strategy of
the drive. The software we used is Nero CDSpeed, and its "create disc" function.
Plextor PX-708A started writing at 6.03x, and kept this speed until the
0.7 GB address of the disc, to accelerate to 8x. Unfortunately the drive dropped
the writing speed again before finishing writing, and finished the task at
4.03x.
We repeated the test with Verbatim 4x DVD+R media, but again, the writing
process started at 6x and soon it was reduced to 4x, without reaching the
maximum 8x in any part of the test.
Below is a CDSpeed screenshot with 4x DVD+R media by Ricoh:
Below is a screenshot of CDspeed writing test with 4x DVD+RW discs by Ricoh:
- Burning Tests
We burned 4315MB of data on various DVD±R, DVD±RW media.
We used the maximum allowed writing speed for each disc, with the PoweREC feature
enabled. The best recording times are illustrated in the following table. For
comparison, we
also include
the
writing
times of
Optorite DD0203 and Pioneer DVR-A06:
DVD Recording Tests (max speed) |
Drives |
DVD-R |
DVD-RW |
DVD+R |
DVD+RW |
Plextor PX-708A |
14:36 (4X) |
28:35 (2X) |
7:53 (8X) |
14:06 (4X) |
Optorite DD0203 |
14:48 (4X) |
29:22 (2X) |
14:27 (4X) |
23:25 (2.4X) |
Pioneer DVR-A06 |
15:48 (4X) |
29:04 (2X) |
14:54 (4X) |
21:46 (2.4X) |
Verbatim 4x DVD+R media was burned at 8x and gave the best writing time
(7:53 min). The Plextor 4x DVD+R disc was also recorded at 8x but the total
burning
time was higher (10:58 min), revealing that the drive dropped the writing speed
at 4x by the end of the process.
Plextor PX-708A finished the same writing task with Ricoh 4x DVD+RW discs
in 14:06 min, a very fast performance for 4x DVD+RW recording.
The following pictures come from Nero, after successful burnings with Verbatim
4x DVD+R, Taiyo Yuden 4x DVD+R, and Ricoh 4x DVD+RW media. The amount of data
is the same for all the tests.
- Verbatim 4x DVD+R
(8x recording)
- Taiyo Yuden 4x DVD+R
(8x recording)
Plextor PX-708A selects the maximum allowed recording speed according to
the inserted blank DVD discs. In the following table you can see the maximum
permitted writing speeds with various
media.
Disc Label |
Disc Information |
Writing Speed |
TDK 4x DVD+R |
RICOHJPNR01 |
8x |
TDK 4x DVD-R |
TTG01 |
4x |
Maxell 4x DVD+R |
MAXELL 001 |
4x |
Maxell 4x DVD-R |
MXLRG02 |
4x |
Verbatim 4x DVD+R |
MCC 002 |
8x |
Verbatim 4x DVD-R |
MCC01RG20 |
4x |
Ritek 4x DVD-R |
RITEKG04 |
4x |
Plextor 4x DVD+R |
YUDEN000T01 |
8x |
Pioneer 2x DVD-RW |
PVCW00V00245 |
2x |
Ricoh 4x DVD+RW |
RICOHJPNW11 |
4x |
Ricoh 4x DVD+R |
RICOHJPNR01 |
8x |
- DVD+RW Packet Writing
Plextor PX-708A supports packet writing with DVD+RW and DVD-RW media. To test
the performance in the DVD+RW format, we formatted some Ricoh 4x DVD+RW discs
and started the drag'n drop process, using
an 1GB
file. With the background formatting in
full progress, we wrote down the reading / writing performance.
For the DVD-RW format we used a 2x DVD-RW by Pioneer. The performance of
the drive is illustrated in the table below:
|
2x DVD-RW
|
4X DVD+RW
|
Read
|
1.32X
|
1.37X
|
Write
|
0.9X
|
1.26X
|
Although the media we used support the higher available writing speeds for
each format, under packet writing the performance is lower than in the case
of normal writing. In case of DVD+RW, this can be explained by the fact that
the background formatting process was running in parallel with our tests.
- DVD+MRW Tests
We used MRW Validation Suite 2.1 by Philips to test the compliance of the
Plextor PX-708A with the Mount Rainier DVD+MRW. For the test
we used 4x DVD+RW media by Ricoh. The test was terminated immediately after
starting prompting us to insert a blank
DVD+RW
disc.
In addition, we did not manage to format the DVD+RW disc through the latest
version of InCD by Ahead. We initially thought that the problem is located to the software by Ahead. According to latest information, the PX-708A is not DVD+MRW compliant, at least with the specific firmware installed.
13. Writing Quality Tests - PI / PO Error Measurements
Plextor PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder - Page 13
KProbe PI/PO
quality results
In the following screenshots you can see the PI/PO scans for various 4x DVD-R/+R
and DVD-RW/+RW media, recorded with Plextor PX-708A at the maximum speed.
The software we used for the measurements is the KProbe v1.1.14, and the reader is
LiteOn XJ-HD165H. The specific methodology is very depended on the drive we
use as a reader, and the reliability of the PI/PO provided output is also not
technically confirmed. As a result, we cannot safely come up with absolute
results,
but we are
allowed
to compare
the behavior
of
the
drive
with
various
DVD recordable/rewritable
media.
The recordable discs we used come from Hitachi-Maxell, Pioneer, Philips, TDK,
Taiyo Yuden, Mitsubishi Chemicals, Verbatim and Ritek. More information about
each disc type is available in the bottom of the page.
- Plextor (TaiyoYuden) 4x DVD+R (Recorded at 8x)
- Verbatim 4x DVD+R (Recorded at 8x)
Media |
Code |
Verbatim 4X DVD-R |
MCC01RG20 |
Verbatim 4X DVD+R |
MCC 002 |
Maxell 4X DVD+R |
MAXELL 001 |
Maxell 4X DVD-R |
MXLRG02 |
TDK 4X DVD-R |
TTG01 |
TDK 4X DVD+R |
RICOHJPNR01 |
Pioneer 4X DVD-R |
PVCR001002 |
Ritek 4X DVD-R |
RITEKG04 |
Philips 2.4X DVD+R |
RICOHJPNR00 |
Maxell 2X DVD-RW |
JVC_VictorW7 |
Maxell 2X DVD-RW |
PVCW00V00245 |
14. Conclusion
Plextor
PX-708A dual DVD±RW recorder -
Page 14
Conclusion
Pros
|
Cons
|
- 8x DVD+R writing
- 4x DVD+RW/-R writing
- 40/24/40 CD-RW
- Adequate CD seek times
- Fast CD-R/RW/DVD-ROM/DVD±R/RW reading
- High error correction with defected /
scratched CD-R media
- 40x max DAE
- Supports audio protected discs
- Good CD-R writing quality
- Creates working backups of SafeDisc v.2.80
- Overburning up to 99min
- Supports CD-Text (reading/writing)
- Supports 99min audio discs
- Mount Rainier support for CD
|
- Low error correction performance with dual
layer scratched DVD-ROM / DVD Video
- Problems writing at 8x with Ricoh 4x DVD+R
media
- DVD seek times could be lower
- Limited media support for 8x DVD+R writing
- Excessive heat while operating
|
The new Plextor PX-708A definitely stands out and above most other DVD
writers on the market, offering the highest writing speeds for DVD recording,
dual DVD format support, and excellent performance as a CD-RW drive as well.
The supported 8x DVD+R writing offers impressive recording times, the lowest
we have ever experienced from a DVD writer. Our 4.38GB DVD movie file was burned
in only 7:58 minutes. The drive also burned the same files to a 4x DVD+RW disc
in less than 15 minutes. However, we would like to see a more stable behavior
when writing at 8x, since the drive slowed down its speed and in most cases finished writing
at a lower speed. This occurred with both Ricoh and Taiyo Yuden 4x DVD+R media.
These are among those suggested by Plextor for 8x writing. The explanation for this is mostly
the PoweRec feature, that lowers the writing speed to maintain higher quality.
Wider availability of 8x DVD+R media is expected in the next couple of months
and
the Plextor development team
is
currently
concentrating
its efforts to support the a widest possible range of media.
The PI/PO measurements on the Taiyo Yuden 4x DVD+R (recorded at 8x) showed
that the error rate was higher in the outer areas of the disc, while in case
of the Verbatim 4x DVD+R (8x) disc, the error rate is lower. This is probably
due to the fact that the Verbatim disc was not recorded at 8x but partially
at 6X ~ 4X. Recording at 4x gave very good results.
In the DVD reading part, Plextor PX-708A is very fast with both single layer
and dual layer DVD-ROM's, as well as with DVD-R/-RW and DVD+R/+RW. For DVD
Video discs the drive keeps the reading (and ripping) speed at 2x, in order to avoid
high vibrations, according to Plextor. Pressing the eject button as described in the DVD reading page, will make the drive read/rip at faster speeds.
The DVD error correction tests showed that PX-708A is capable of reading accurately
the single layer ABEX DVD-ROM discs (defected / scratched) but has problems
with the corresponding dual layer discs. The CDSpeed reading test with the
ABEX TDR-841 (dual layer, scratched DVD-ROM) was terminated in the first layer
of the disc. The situation was the same with the dual layer DVD Video test
disc. On the other hand, normal DVD Video discs were accurately read and played back
in our test PC.
Moreover, the PX-708A is a fast CD-RW writer. With 40/24/40 capabilities,
the drive is a very fast reader with CD-R/RW discs, supports 40X maximum DAE,
and writes fast and accurately on CD-R media. The 3T jitter measurements were
very positive and the discs had low C1 / C2 error rate, for all the writing
speeds.
In addition, the drive showed excellent error correction with defected CD-R
media and finished the EAC suite tests giving some of the best scores we have
ever had from a CD reader.
Plextor PX-708A is available in the market at a price of $250~280, with a
2-year warranty for Africa, Europe and Middle East. The upcoming 8x writers
from Philips / Benq, Pioneer, NEC and Sanyo are expected to rise
the competition and drop prices to even lower levels. We are sure that Plextor
will resolve some minor issues that currently keep the drive away from absolute perfection,
with future firmware upgrades. For know the PX-708A deserves our Editor's Choice
Award.
15. Writing quality tests - updated
Plextor PX-708A DVD±RW - Page 15
Writing quality
tests - updated
After many requests from our readers we flash our PX-708A recorder with the
latest available firmware, the v1.06, and we made some extra recording tests.
This time the software we used for our measurements was Kprobe v.2.1.0 and
the reader LiteOn LDW-811S. The reading speed was set to maximum and the ECC
at 8.
BenQ 4X DVD+R( recorded at 8X)
BenQ 4X DVD-R( recorded at 4X)
CMC 8X DVD+R( recorded at 8X)
Traxdata 8X DVD+R( recorded at 8X)
Traxdata 4X DVD-R( recorded at 4X)
Verbatim 4X DVD+R( recorded at 8X)
Media |
ID |
BenQ 4X DVD+R |
DAXON AZ1 |
BenQ 4X DVD-R |
SONY 04D1 |
CMC 8X DVD+R |
CMC MAG E01 |
Traxdata 8X DVD+R |
RITEK R03 |
Traxdata 4X DVD-R |
RITEK G04 |
Verbatim 4X DVD+R |
MCC 002 |
The writing quality has been improved while the drive supports more media.
Certified 4X DVD+R media burned at 8X. The writing quality is also good here.
However there were some cases, with the BenQ media, where the PI/PO levels
were increased. Once you are using well known brands you won't have any problems.