Burnt Offerings: High speed DVD Burners tested

By Steven Turvey, RMIT Labs
05 December 2003 11:10 AM
Tags: dvd, burner

Specifications

DVD Burners      
DVD Manufacturer & Model Iomega LG GSA-4040B Panasonic SW-9572-C
Distributor Iomega Iomega Corporation (Australia) P/L LG Electronics Australia P/L Panasonic Australia P/L
List Price (inc. GST) $699.00 $499.00 $371.00
Phone number (02) 8875 7851 1800 725 375 (02) 9986 7400
URL http://www.iomega-asia.com/ap/ http://www.lge.com.au/ http://www.panasonic.com.au/
Warranty   2 year 1 year
Specifications      
Maximum Rated Read Speeds for CD-ROM & DVD CD-ROM 32x
DVD-ROM 12x
DVD +/- R/RW 12x
DVD-RAM 3x
CD-ROM 32x
DVD-ROM (single) 12x
DVD-ROM (dual) 8x
DVD +/- R/RW 8x
DVD-RAM 3x
CD-ROM 32x
DVD-ROM (single) 12x
DVD-ROM (dual) 6x
DVD-R/RW 6x
DVD-RAM 3x (Z-CLV)
(Note all CAV except where noted)
Maximum Rated Write Speeds for CD-ROM & DVD CD-R 24x, CD-RW 16x
DVD-R 4x
DVD-RW 2x
DVD+R 4x
DVD+RW 2.4
DVD-RAM 3x
CD-R 24x, CD-RW 16x
DVD-R 4x
DVD-RW 2x
DVD+R 4x
DVD+RW 2.4
DVD-RAM 3x
CD-R 12x, CD-RW 8x
DVD-R 4x
DVD-RW 1x
DVD-RAM 3x
(Note all CLV)
DVD Writing Capability DVD -R, -RW, +R, +RW, RAM DVD -R, -RW, +R, +RW, RAM DVD -R, -RW, RAM
Buffer Memory N/A 2MB 2MB
Interface USB 2 IDE Ultra DMA2 IDE Ultra DMA4
DVD/Controller Adapter Card      
Random Access Time (ms) N/A CD-ROM 125ms
DVD-ROM 145ms
DVD-RAM 165ms
CD-ROM 130ms
DVD-ROM 140ms
DVD-RAM 240ms
Dimensions 5.25" bay or (HxWxD in cm) 5.08x19.05x24.77 5.25" form factor 5.25" form factor
Weight 1.54kg (without external power supply) 0.94kg 1.1kg
Software      
DVD titles in bundle Iomega HotBurn Pro Software, Sonic MyDVD 4, Sonic CinePlayer 1.5, Iomega Automatic Backup Software, MusicMatch Jukebox, Adobe ActiveShare, DVD Wizard B's Recorder Gold5 V5.32, B's Clip V5.32, Neo DVD, DVD RAM Driver, CyberLink PowerDVD XP 4.0 B's Recorder Gold Basic, DVD-Movie Album SE3, MyDVD4, WinDVD4, B's CLIP5, DVD-RAM Driver, FileSafe


DVD Burners    
DVD Manufacturer & Model Pioneer DVR-A06 Sony DRU-510AK
Distributor Pioneer Electronics Aust P/L Sony Australia Ltd
List Price (inc. GST) $399.00 $399.00
Phone number 1800 060 852 1300 137 669
URL http://www.pioneeraus.com.au/home/index.htm http://www.sony.com.au/
Warranty 1 year 1 year
Specifications    
Maximum Rated Read Speeds for CD-ROM & DVD CD-ROM 32x
DVD-ROM (single) 12x
DVD-ROM (dual) 8x
DVD +/- R/RW 6x
(Note all CAV)
CD-ROM 32x (CAV)
DVD-ROM 12x (CAV)
DVD +/- R/RW 4x (CLV)
Maximum Rated Write Speeds for CD-ROM & DVD CD-R 16x, CD-RW 10x
DVD+/-R 4x
DVD+RW 2.4x
DVD-RW 2x
(Note all CLV)
CD-R 24x (CLV), CD-RW 16x
DVD +/- R 4x (CLV)
DVD+RW 4x (CLV)
DVD-RW 2x (CLV)
DVD Writing Capability DVD -R, -RW, +R, +RW DVD -R, -RW, +R, +RW
Buffer Memory 2MB 8MB
Interface IDE Ultra DMA2 IDE Ultra DMA2
DVD/Controller Adapter Card    
Random Access Time (ms) CD-ROM 130ms
DVD-ROM 140ms
CD-ROM 160ms
DVD-ROM 200ms
Dimensions 5.25" bay or (HxWxD in cm) 5.25" form factor 5.25" form factor
Weight 1.1kg 1.1kg
Software    
DVD titles in bundle Nero Express, Ulead VideoStudio 7 SE & Tutorial, Ulead DVD MovieFactory 2 SE, Ulead DVD PictureShow 2 SE, Ulead DVD Player, Ulead DVD Workshop AC-3 SE & Tutorial Sonic RecordNow DX V4.62, Sonic DLA, Sonic Simple Backup, Sony MusicMatch Jukebox, Sonic MyDVD, Cyberlink PowerDVD 5

 DVD Burners

 DVD burner reviews:

 Iomega Super DVD
 LG GSA-4040B
 Panasonic SW-9572-C
 Pioneer DVR-A06
 Sony DRU-510AK

 DVD Recorders: Sony Vs Panasonic
 DVD Burner Test Results
 DVD Burner Specifications
 Editor's Choice
 About RMIT

Talkback 12 comments

    I have tried to access the rep ...Anonymous -- 25/01/04

    I have tried to access the reports on comparing dvd players but it keeps going back to the same screen when I click on any of the links. Can you help?

    I would like to commend you on ...Anonymous -- 27/01/04

    I would like to commend you on your revamped revies section! I think it long overdue and I can't believe that it's just as one thgought it should! ... like minfs and all that.

    It's a real joy to see the lastest DVDs and other important hardware and software packages reviewed without being too complimentry on the product under review.

    Thank you

    Individual links do not work, ...Anonymous -- 29/01/04

    Individual links do not work, but the review has helped me in my choice for a new product. Thanks.

    around and around we go deja v ...Anonymous -- 07/02/04

    around and around we go
    deja vu perhaps

    Rang Panasonic on the number y ...Anonymous -- 17/02/04

    Rang Panasonic on the number you gave above - took forever to find out the
    SW-9572-C isnt available in Australia yet or if it is only in a new PC (OEM).

    If anyone knows when and where we can get one please let me know.

    I've had nothing but trouble f ...Anonymous -- 20/02/04

    I've had nothing but trouble from my LG 4040b even after two firmware updates it is still very fussy about media. It often refuses to write princo (high grade) discs at 4X, and has similar troubles with other cheaper media (laser) that work well in friends' Pioneer and NEC. No problems with TDK -R disks but they cost nearly $5 each.

    On the Pioneer A06 DVD-CD-RW d ...Anonymous -- 28/04/04

    On the Pioneer A06 DVD-CD-RW drive, I had no problems for 3 months and then the drive just quit reading any DVDs I burned. Both formats of -DVD and +DVD. DVD movies still play I have bought or rented. Just all I burn do not. And it does burn. Haven't found a cure yet. (Updated firmware to v.108)

    These Dvd Recorders are all we ...Anonymous -- 05/05/04

    These Dvd Recorders are all well and good, BUT what they don't do is record Digital Signals as they don't have a Digital tuner, sure you can record now but what abput when Analog is no longer around, are they still going to work? I think not as you will not be able to record SBS as it's on channel 28 analog and on 3, 30, or 31 Digital. If they won't record digital signals what good are they??

    LG 4040B is the best thing ava ...Anonymous -- 18/07/04

    LG 4040B is the best thing available. We had to get a number of different burners as we know there are lemons (diversification!!!) and LG is by far the best. It can burn all formats including the ROM's, and the number of errors compared to other ones (Sony was a real shocker) non existence. Both thumbs up!

    Unfortunately, RecordNow, like ...Anonymous -- 27/11/04

    Unfortunately, RecordNow, like so much software these days presumes that you will only want to use their software. Thus they seem to have hijacked the burner and you can no longer use other software to burn CDs.

    I have a new Phillips DVD reco ...Anonymous -- 19/03/05

    I have a new Phillips DVD recorder DVDR 615(brand new with iLink), but am finding that a lot of the movies I am recording won't work...all have been from Fox Cl****ics or TCM channels. Would these old movies be copyrighted? Is that the reason I end up with "corrupted discs", useless for nothing except throwing in the bin? (both DVD+R and DVD+RW TDK and HP brands) I don't know if the DVD burner is no good, or I just can't burn most of these movies........I somtimes wonder why we bother with this technology when I can record it on video without a problem.

    adding a hard drive later on t ...Anonymous -- 25/04/05

    adding a hard drive later on to models that dont come standard...can this be done??which models are capable...?

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