4x DVD+R/RW Roundup - Page 6

DVD reading tests

- Test Method

We used Nero CDSpeed to run DVD tests. The test discs were one single sided, single layer DVD-ROM, one single sided, dual layer DVD-ROM, and one disc from each one of the DVD-R/RW, and DVD+R/RW and formats.

According to PleXTools software, both drives support 5-12x CAV DVD-ROM (single layer) reading, and 2-5x CAV for the DVD+/-R/RW discs. DVD Video is played at 2-5x CAV.

- Single Layer DVD-ROM reading

The drives started reading at 4.90x and finished at 11.90x. The average reading speed is around 8.90x for both drives.

The specifications of both drives give them a 140msec average seek time for the case of the DVD-ROM discs. In our tests the drives gave the same results in all the seek modes. In the Random seek test the result was 116msec, and around 180msec for the Full seek mode.

- Dual Layer DVD-ROM reading

(CDSpeed graph for Mitsumi DW-7801)
(CDSpeed graph for Plextor PX-504A)

The drives support 7x CAV (3-7x) reading speed for the dual layer DVD-ROM discs. The average reading speed for each layer is 5.44x.

The seek time results are increased for the dual layer DVD-ROM discs. Although the random seek test gave the same times as in the single layer DVD-ROM test, the 1/3 seek time was approximately 145msec. In addition, the Full seek performance was even lower, with 231msec for the Mitsumi DW-7801TE and 236msec for the Plextor drive.

- DVD Ripping Tests

We measured the DVD Ripping speed using the "Matrix" DVD Video title and DVD Decrypter.

Both drives ripped the DVD files at an average speed of 2835-2840kb/sec. The performance is low, and is translated to a 2.3x average speed.

- DVD reading Tests

Both Plextor and Mitsumi drives support 2-5x CAV reading for the DVD+R/RW formats.

• DVD-R
• DVD-RW
• DVD+R
• DVD+RW

In the screenshot above you can see the CDSpeed graph of Mitsumi DW-7801TE with DVD+RW media. The drive had problems to read the entire disc, and slowed down reading in many cases, after the 2.1GB address of the disc.

Plextor PX-504A

• DVD-R
• DVD-RW
• DVD+R
• DVD+RW

Plextor PX-504A also had the same problem as the Mitsumi drive with the DVD+RW disc.

In the following chart you can see the average reading speeds of both drives with 4x DVD-R/+R, 2x DVD-RW, and 2.4x DVD+RW media. All the media come from Verbatim.

The drives had a similar behavior and the average reading speed for the DVD-R/RW and DVD+R is approximately 3.71x. In case of DVD+RW, both drives had problems as we mentioned previously, and gave a lower performance.