Testing Media Quality - Page 27

Comparison

After we compared almost all CD checking software let's see their features/abilities:

- Utilities that check the idegrity of a pressed/burned disc:

The question that arises is which testing software we should use to check the integrity of a burned disc. The CD-Check software will cover your needs, since it checks the disc for read errors, can check files with CRC checksum, compare with the data placed in HD and also recover them. Best of all its free!

The Nero CD Speed is the defacto software for measuring a drive's performance for the industry, but can also be used to check your media with its "ScanDisc" test...

ArrowKey may advertise both CD-R Diagnostics and CD-R Inspector as two very strong media checking utilities but from our tests, they missed to report damaged discs. Their cost is high enough, since at the same time, other software can cover user's needs. Especially, CD-R Inspector's price ($120) is high, since Nero CD Speed can do the same tasks (and probably better) for free!

CD-Roller should be looked from users since it constantly keep improving. It has similar recover capabilities to the CD-R Diagnostics in a lower price.

PlexTools is a special case, since it works only with Plextor drives but it offers CD checking capabilities.

Disc Inspector is rather old software from ECI that was very popular in the past. ECI no longer sells it's and can check ECC/EDC errors of either a Data/Audio disc. It also works smoothly with older drives.

EclipseSuite is a utility that skips end users and is mainly used for measurements in duplicators. It offers full checking in both logical and physical levels, something that no other utility offers. Its price is high enough to be used only by professionals!

Lastly, ScanCD and Sector Scanner are not really worth to occupy your time since their options/features are really limited.

- Utilities with the ability to measure C1/C2 errors of a pressed/burned disc

All the above utilities offer more advanced checking methods and designed for the so-called "power" users. The WSES is the most complete CD-R checking software, offering C1/C2 errors, ATIP, BETA and other measurements, found in expensive testing equipment. It works mainly with LiteOn drives and partially with MediaTek based drives. Its biggest negative is that works only under plain DOS mode.

CD-Doctor is a new utility that can report C1/C2 errors from SANYO and LiteOn drives, and for now, available only in Japanese language. The software is offered for free.

CD-R Tools can be useful. It's free, works with almost all drives but only under DOS. Not many users will like the DOS commands but with some practise it's easy to use.

Nero CD Speed will become an interesting solution in the near future, since its C1/C2 error reporting is still in beta stage.

Lastly, UM Doctor series is commercial software that works only with SANYO based drives and its price/availability making it forbidden for end users.