Pioneer DVR-108D - Crowning a new Champion
by Kristopher Kubicki on August 31, 2004 12:02 AM EST- Posted in
- Storage
Final Thoughts
Without a doubt, this is the best DVD Recorder that we have tested to date. We are looking forward to catching a glimpse of some of the BenQ and NEC solutions in the upcoming weeks, but until we can obtain samples, we have to claim the Pioneer DVR-108D as our recommendation for best DVD recorder. The nearly identical NEC 3500A specifications excite us, and we are anticipating looking at the drive later this month. Particularly, the drive may have promise for those interested in bit setting capabilities (which are not supported in the DVR-108D).When compared to our reigning DVD recording champ - the Plextor PX-712A - the choice becomes even simpler. While we have enjoyed many months of Plextor's service as a standard against which to measure our other drives, the DVR-108D outperforms the PX-712A in every test that we have. Considering the additional features like dual layer and DVD-RAM, we really find it difficult to find a fault with the drive. And just to make everything all the sweeter, the Pioneer drive retails well under $100 on our RealTime Price Engine.
We look forward to testing our Pioneer DVR-108D with more 16X media as it becomes available, but until then, the drive can remain our number one 12X DVD burner - even if it is marketed as a 16X unit.
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DarthRanger - Saturday, September 4, 2004 - link
Hi Kristopher -Saw your post to my question; so you're saying Plextor has a d/l DVD RW? I checked Plextor-America's site and didn't see a D/L model there. Can you point me to a link?
Thanks,
Darth Ranger
Bozo Galora - Saturday, September 4, 2004 - link
Well well, quite a hodge podge of opinions and corrections.First of all the "retail" version with "honeycombed" casing to lower noise is not out yet. Its PART number is DVR-A08XL.
DVR-108 is the name of the drive and DVR-108D is the bare drive OEM bulk PART number.
I got that info from the cdrinfo article touted above, which does seem to be a lot more informative, and paints a lot less rosy picture of the drive.
http://cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?...
After reading AT review, I had actually written a check to edazz.com for 5 of them ($89 shipped). Thanks to comments here, I ripped up the check and am now on hold again.
As far as the Plextor being $30 more expensive, pricegrabber.com has it for ~$122 at several vendors with 2 dif $30 rebate coupons noted, good until Oct.
So then I went to cdrlabs.com and saw one of the the new Liteon 16X will have a USB port version...
"Also available in an external version around October, the SOHW-1633SX offers an integrated USB 2.0 port for easy, flexible connectivity, and is ideal for users ‘on the go’."
"Fewer mistakes than usual" comment by belzer - heh heh. Quite an indictment.
I really need some DVD burners badly, but I guess I have to wait this stuff out.
And will have to take future AT optical reviews with a grain of salt - so to speak.
kcma - Friday, September 3, 2004 - link
I never read Anandtech's optical storage reviews, why? Because any burner reviews without tests on protected media is not worth my time reading. I browsed through the article quickly and once again, no tests are done on ripping and burning protected titles. If I was wrong because I browsed too quickly, I apologize. I would love to see this changed though, Maybe future articles can include these tests?bendixG15 - Thursday, September 2, 2004 - link
Okay;;Is there a diference between the modelDVR-108 asnd the DVR-108D ????
KristopherKubicki - Thursday, September 2, 2004 - link
Questar: The ridata media is pretty terrible. I havent seen another burner that burns it well either.Then again, look at some of our other dual layer tests that cant even burn the good MKM stuff.
Kristopher
mud - Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - link
"but since dual layer media still costs several dollars a disc"Can someone tell me where I can find dual layer media at that price!?
Questar - Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - link
A drive that FAILED half of the +R9 tests is considered the best drive you have ever tested?!?WTF was an average drive then??
KristopherKubicki - Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - link
Belzer youre correct, ill have that changed.Kristopher
Belzer - Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - link
Congratulations, fewer mistakes in this reveiw than usual. Here is a major one though:"CMC MAG F01
This is an Imation disc rated at 8x write speeds."
If this was rated 8x, which I doubt, it must be a mistake in production. CMC MAG F01 is the MID for CMC Magnetics 4x certified discs. If you had really tried a CMC Magnetics 8x disc, MID CMC MAG E01, you would actually have been able to try the burner @16x speed as it allows overspeeding on this media.
KristopherKubicki - Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - link
DarthRanger: I am guessing you didnt read the review.Kristopher