In the following tests, we checked the DVD reading capabilities of the Plextor PX-760A drive with scratched / defective DVD media. For our tests, we used CDVD Benchmark and Nero CDSpeed . The reference test media comes from ALMEDIO.

ABEX TDR-821

This is a single sided, single layer DVD-ROM with a 4.7GB capacity, and its surface has an artificial scratch varying in dimensions from 0.4 to 3.0 mm.

The following transfer rate picture comes from the CDVD Benchmark v1.21 transfer rate test.

The PX-760A managed to read without a hitch, all the way to the end of the test, without any drops in speed, although the max reading speed was not achieved, with the drive reaching only 8X reading speed.

ABEX TDR-825

This is also a single sided, single layer DVD-ROM of 4.7GB capacity. The data structure of the disc is exactly the same as that of the TDR-821, the only difference being that there are no scratches on it. Instead, there are defective areas, ranging in dimensions from 0.5 to 1.1 mm.

There are also fingerprints sized between 65 and 75 micrometers.

Once again the disc was read flawless, very smooth graph, but 8X maximum reading speed again.

- Dual Layer media

ABEX TDR-841

This is an 8.5GB dual layer single sided DVD-ROM disc with artificial scratches ranging in dimensions from 0.4 to 3.0mm, on both layers.

Both Layers were read successfully, with 12X maximum reading speed.

ABEX TDR-845

The disc is a single sided, dual layer DVD-ROM disc of a 8.5GBcapacity. The only difference between the TDR-845 and the TDR-841 is that the former includes defective areas and fingerprints.

The dimensions of the defective areas range from 0.5 to 1.1 mm and the fingerprints are sized from 65 to 75 micro-meters.

Very good performance, no errors were reported and 12X reading speed was reached again.

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 on the TDV-540 series which was designed to inspect and adjust DVD-VIDEO players. The disc checks the layer switch operation from layer 0 to layer 1 and also includes test pictures and test signals on DVD sound files.

The current TDV-541 also checks the error correcting capabilities of the drive. It also includes scratches from 0.4 to 3.0 mm.

The drive managed to complete its reading of this test media, but with a severe cost in speed. Drops in reading speed occurred in both layers, and in general, the drive did not do a good job with this disc.

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 meter fingerprints.

Back on track again with nice steady reading. The drive managed to read flawlessly the 545 test disc.

- Summary

Overall, very good DVD error correction capabilities were reported from the Plextor PX-760A drive, with the exception of the TDV 541 test disc. The TDR 821 and TDR 825 discs were read at speeds slower than maximum, while the rest were read at the maximum available.