DVD+R Media
We have a total of 4 types of DVD+R media tested with the PX-740A. They are as follows:MCC 004
Looking at the speed graph, we notice how similar this graph is to one using a BenQ drive. Since the technology used is basically identical, we are not surprised to see this happen. The write to MCC 004 media was completely successful, but only reached a top speed of 12x.
Philips C08
Memorex media isn’t the highest in quality and we sometimes get chills down our backs when we aren’t working with the top-of-the-line media, but the PX-740A didn’t disappoint. We tested the Philips C08 media, which is the older 8x media, and were not surprised to see the results here. The drive started its write at 5.68x and jumped to 8x at about the 0.4GB mark of the disc using the P-CAV method.Here, again, the transfer shows a successful write and a read up to 16x on this medium quality media.
Ritek R04
During the write process, the PX-740A only reached up to 12x using the P-CAV method. It attained 12x at the 2GB mark and carried that speed until about 2.7GB were written, and then dropped to 11x. The drive then steadily increased back up to 12x speed and carried that speed from the 3.5GB mark to the end.
VDSPMSAB 001
And now, the lower quality media. This media is old and one of the lowest quality brands that we could find out there. It is a 4x media, so we did not expect much out of it and we didn’t get much either. During the write, the drive stuck to the 4x speed and looked like it performed the write successfully.But looking at the read graph, the drive gave up on reading the media just after the 2.2GB mark. Obviously, this was not a successful write. The PX-712A would not read the disc past about 1.75GB, and it did manage to pick up 262,565 PI errors within that first 1.75GB section.
The screenshots of Nero’s CD-DVD Speed and Plextor’s Plextools can be downloaded here.
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n7 - Thursday, August 4, 2005 - link
Moral of the story: The BenQ DW1640 still pwns :)Heck, it's good enough that Plextor (who is really quite a joke nowdays) is using the BenQ drive :)
quanta - Wednesday, August 3, 2005 - link
The Mt.Rainier spec has been around for a while now, and it still doesn't support Mt.Rainier? So much for a manufacturer with 'high end' optical drives. But then again, what do you expect from someone ?http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?p=1000879#...">suing PxLinux developer with DMCA?Den - Wednesday, August 3, 2005 - link
Why is it that the drive being reviewed is not in most of the error rate graphs? And I think the headings are with the wrong graphs for some of the article too. This is pretty sloppy work even by web standards...Den - Wednesday, August 3, 2005 - link
Just to be more specific, no plextor on the error rate graph for MCC 03RG20 on page 5, or Ritek 008 (DVD+RW) on page 6, or c1 or c2 errors on page 8.semo - Wednesday, August 3, 2005 - link
that sentence does not sound right to me...surely the dw1640 gives more bang for the buck if it is cheaper and since the plextools does not even work with the 740a (because of the dumb rebadging).
shabby - Wednesday, August 3, 2005 - link
I bought the 1640 for $53 cdn, its impossible that it costs even more in the states.LX - Tuesday, August 2, 2005 - link
Since hardware-wise this drive is the same as the BenQ DW1640, it may make more sense to buy the BenQ (cheaper) and flash it with either the latest BenQ or latest Plextor firmware (yes, it works)dmxlite - Tuesday, August 2, 2005 - link
Flashing the 1640 with the 740 firmware works? Cool. I'll keep that in mind, since it looks like the 740 firmware is a bit better in some cases than the 1640's.WooDaddy - Tuesday, August 2, 2005 - link
Ok... I think we've been scammed yall. Dual layer media has been out for prolly 2yrs now and it is still $4-5 a pop. For the same amount of time, single layer has dropped almost 70%. I'm really tired of all these new burners that are expensive to actually use (for dual layer).It's like having a Ferrari for $20k but gas costs $5k a gallon.
andrep74 - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
Blame all the people that decided to steal DVDs using Netflix or Blockbuster, renting them as fast as they could for $15/mo and ripping the ones they _would_ have bought, burning them to DVD-(+)R instead.In reality the only (obvious?) use for DL-DVD is making exact copies of commercial DVDs, including the menus and extra features that were usually ignored during the above process; now DL carries an extra "tax" to help movie companies recover their "losses".
So, yeah, some assholes won in the short term, but now we _all_ pay for their theft in the long term. Don't think others' actions don't affect you.