TOSHIBA SD-R5002

Review Pages

1. Conclusion
2. DVD Recording Tests
3. RW/Packet Writing Tests
4. CDR Tests
5. DVD Error Correction Tests
6. CloneCD Reading Tests
7. DAE Tests
8. DVD Reading Tests
9. CD Error Correction Tests
10. Introduction
11. Data Reading Tests

Toshiba SD-R5002 IDE DVD-R/RW - Page 11

Conclusion

Positive (+)

Negative (-)

- Very fast CloneCD reader
- Good seek times for CD/DVD
- High DVD ripping speed
- Can read DVD+R/+RW discs
- Good DVD error correction/reading quality
- C2 error information is present and with high accuracy according to the EAC test
- Creates accurate backups up to SafeDisc v.2.80.x builds
- Supports reading up to 98 min
- Supports overburning up to 95 min
- Supports reading of SubChannel data
- Supports CD-Text (reading/writing)
- Complete retail package (CD/DVD-R/RW media, and Video Authoring software)

- Writing at 16X seems impossible
- CD-R writing quality could be better...
- Average CD error correction capabilities
- Cannot "handle" any audio protected disc
- Low DAE ripping speed (16X max)
- Low HS-RW reading speed (12-20X)
- 4X DVD-R recorders are currently sold

Toshiba SD-R5002 performed adequately in the most of the tests and the results were confirmed by the drive's specifications. The supported 2X DVD-R recording speed allows users to write 4.7GB of data in less than 30 minutes, in a good variety of DVD-R media. The DVD-ROM reading speed is 12X CAV, which is high enough, and 8X for the dual layer DVD-ROMs. Reading of DVD+R/+RW media is also not excluded but in a lower speed. As for the DVD ripping, the drive is one of the fastest in the market with 9170 KB/sec.

The drive did not have any difficulties to read the ABEX DVD-ROM test discs, and the corresponding error correction tests gave no read errors. In some cases the drive lowered the reading speed in order to maintain reading accuracy, with successful however results.

Toshiba kept the good tradition of its drives as fast CloneCD readers. The drive is very fast with all the CD protections and can create working backups even of Safedisc v2.80.x discs. The 32X reading speed for CD-R is high enough and the seek times are low for a drive in this category. As for the CDDA format, the drive is not so fast and the speed is limited to 16X. The HS-RW reading speed could also be higher than the supported 20X. Staying in the reading part for the CD format, we could say that the error correction capabilities of the drive are average and the DAE quality could be also improved. As for the audio protections, the drive will disappoint users since it cannot handle the "Key2Audio" and "Cactus Data Shield 200" modes.

As a last note for the performance of the drive, we can add that the writing times at 16X exceeded the expected limits for the specific speed and possibly the drive wrote the 80 minutes of our data compilation in 12X instead of 16X, with all the different media we tested.

The Toshiba SD-R5002 has better performance than DVR-A04 and lower retail price making it a safe buy for all those to wish to enter DVD recording with a low priced recorder.