CDR Tests

- Procedure

We tested both drives with Nero v5.5.6.4, Ahead InCD v3.14, CloneCD v3.2.3.1 and, Padus DJ v3.50.818 software. We used various of media for performing our tests: Creation 74/80mins 16x, Maxell 74min 12x, Mitsubishi Chemicals 74/80min 24x certified, Mitsui 74min 24x certified and Ricoh's 74min HS-RW.

- 74min CD-R Tests

We created a "DataCD" job with data slightly more than 74mins (74:03:65). We burned the same job with all 4 CDR-W drives:

The Freecom Traveller gets the second position in this test with 602secs. The drive is faster than both PleXWriter PX-S88TU/CyQve RW8080A by 9 and 5 seconds respectively. The TEAC CD-W280PU is the top performer with 598secs.

- 80min CD-R Tests

In our normal burning tests the 80min CD contains slightly less than 80min data (79:55:46):

Freecom Traveller II seems to be slightly faster than the other drives, although the differences are very small.

- Writing Quality Tests

We used Creation's (Plasmon based) 16x certified media for our writing quality tests. We used Nero 5.5.6.4 and all CDs were Audio CDs with 74:51:27 in size. The produced CDs, were measured from DigitalDrives and results are illustrated in the following tables:

Freecom Traveller II gave a low average C1 error rate meaning that the recording quality is high. Among the drives above, Cyqve RW8080A has produced the lower C1 error rate. The following graph comes from Creation 74min 16X media:

- Overburning Tests

The drive doesn't support overburning.

- Battery operation

We plugged the Freecom power module on the drive and started the battery charge operation. The betteries were left to charge for 6 hours, as the manual recommends. Then we connected the drive to the PC and started an audio CD playback. Unfortunatelly the playback did not last more than 30 minutes and the drive stopped any operation, until we plugged the external power back. Freecom claims that the battery will keep you company up to 4-5 hours but the real life test results showed the oposite.

- CD-Text Results

Freecom Traveller II can read CD-text but cannot write audio CDs with CD-text.

- CloneCD Writing Tests

The CloneCD v3.2.3.1 reports that the Freecom Traveller II drive doesn't support the DAO-RAW but only the SAO-RAW features. This mean it will not backup Securom 2/PSX Libcrypt protected CDs. Users will not have problems with Safedisc 1, LaserLock 1/2 protected CDs..

- SD2 Support
For the SD2 test we used the "No One Lives For Ever", "Max Payne" and "Emperor Battle of Dune" game titles. We used the Freecom drive as reader/writer. The produced backup did worked at some of the tested drivevs. Therefore it can produce partial working SD2 CDs. Note that drive SD2 ability might not work with newer SD2 protected titles, since they need a fully DAO-RAW 96 writer to backup them.

- 8cm mini CDs

Freecom Traveller II supportst writing/reading of 8 cm mini CDs.