Using Alcohol 120% on three protected discs, with the appropriate settings depending on the protection type of each disc, we measured the duration and transfer rate of the protected media. The results are given below.

Not much has changed from the previous drive, the 1693S. Ripping speeds are more or less the same and in keeping with tradition, LiteOn drives continue to be fast safedisc rippers.

The LiteON SHW-1653S 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 (at maximum speed) with Alcohol 120% v1.9.2.1705. Two different discs were created for each title - one with the "Rectify Sub-Channel Data" 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.