Pioneer DVR-108D - Crowning a new Champion
by Kristopher Kubicki on August 31, 2004 12:02 AM EST- Posted in
- Storage
Features
Below, you can see the Infotool readout from Nero. Nero incorrectly reports the drive as only an 8X read, 4X write drive. For a little more detail, we will have to rely on DVD Info Pro. You may notice that we are still using the version 1.04 firmware; you can download the 1.06 firmware from the Pioneer Japan or Pioneer Australia websites, but since we bought the drive in the US, it only makes sense to wait for a retail US firmware update.
Click to enlarge.
There are no stellar features on this drive. We do not have any HD-Burn capability, and Mount Rainier DVD+RW is obviously not supported either. However, DVD+R Dual Layer (DVD+R9) is fully supported, and we are excited to see such an inexpensive drive support such features.
| Pioneer DVR-108D 16x DVD-/+RW Drive | |
| Interface | PATA |
| CD Write Speed | 32X, 24X ZCLV 16X, 8X, 4X CLV |
| CD Rewrite Speed | 24X ZCLV 16X, 10X, 4X CLV |
| CD Read Speed | 40X MAX CAV |
| DVD-R Write Speed | 16X, 12X, 8X CLV 4X, 2X, 1X |
| DVD-RW Rewrite Speed | 4X, 2X, 1X CLV |
| DVD+R Write Speed | 16X, 12X, 8X ZCLV 4X, 2.4X |
| DVD+RW Rewrite Speed | 4X, 2.4X CLV |
| DVD-RAM Read Speed | 2X CLV |
| DVD Read Speed | 16X MAX CAV |
| Supported Modes | DAO / DAO-RAW 16 & 96 TAO SAO / RAW SAO, RAW SAO 16 & 96 Packet Write Multi-Session |
| Supported Formats | DVD+R (DAO, incremental, seq) DVD+RW (random) DVD-R (DAO, incremental, seq) DVD-RW (restricted overwrite) CD-R, CD-RW, CD-ROM, CD-DA, Mixed Mode, CD Extra Photo CD, CD Text, Bootable CD, UDF |
| Access Time | CD: 130ms DVD: 140ms |
| Buffer | 2MB |
From the chipset information, this is by far the most ambitious drive that we have seen to date. We see identical features surface on a few other drives, including the NEC 3500A and the ASUS DRW-1604P, but we will get more into detail about those drives later.
The DVR-108D has the capabilities to write to DVD+R DL media at up to 4x and read it back at up to 8x speeds.
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RyanVM - Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - link
No SATA? Count me out.(I hope manufacturers read these comments)
Fishie - Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - link
I decided to test that Ritek DVD+R DL (DVD 9) disc in my Toshiba M1802 DVD-ROM. It actually finished the test but it doesn't look so good.http://www.adventurousduo.com/host/ritekr9dltoshib...
KristopherKubicki - Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - link
Ian@CDRlabs:>How can you say this drive is the best you've tested when you haven't even burned any discs at 16x?
Um? It burns the best quality discs at 12X and 8X. It doesnt have to burn at 16X to still burn better than any drive we have tested. And not that that really matters since 16X media availabilty is fairly non-existant still.
Kristopher
Fishie - Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - link
Unfortunately, I only have Ritek GO3s right now so I cannot test 16x.I forgot to mention that I had the same results burning a Ritek 2.4x DVD-R9. It seemed to burn fine (using the latest version of Nero and DVD Shrink) but when I read it, it fails at the second layer.Degrador - Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - link
With the 1.04 and 1.06 firmwares, yes, 12X was faster than 16X. However 1.10 starts the 16X zone a bit earlier, enough so that 16X burning is now faster than 12X. And yes, I also own one. However I use the beta firmware hack made by >:NIL - this allows overburning of 4X media (I can write Ritek G04s at 12X). Btw, booktype setting doesn't matter with DVD-R, it's not applicable.Fishie - Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - link
I own a 108. Yes, it does read slower than it's counterparts. My Lite-On SOHC-5232K/Toshiba M1802 are faster readers. What I don't understand is why the review was done with firmware version 1.04 when they have two new firmwares out? I am using firmware 1.10 and it will burn my Ritek R03s 8x at 12x. It would only do 8x with v1.04http://wwwbsc.pioneer.co.jp/product-e/ibs/device_e...
http://wwwbsc.pioneer.co.jp/product-e/ibs/device_e...
http://www.pioneer-eur.com/eur/support_software.js...
Also, CDR Info did a review. On their tests, the write time was faster at 12x than 16x. They list a quote from Pioneer as to why this happens. As far as booktype setting: With +R DL media, it automaticaly sets it to 0000h (DVD-ROM). It doesn't support it with -/+ R.
LittleKing - Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - link
Good review, but unless I'm looking at it wrong, the "Read Tests - Printed Media" page shows this to be a bit slower than it's counter parts.Also the overimage change doesn't work in FoxFire.
LK
Ian@CDRlabs - Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - link
How can you say this drive is the best you've tested when you haven't even burned any discs at 16x?danidentity - Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - link
Can't wait to see how the ND-3500A compares. If you guys want to test it, it's readily available at Newegg.And I'm not sure if you know, but it burns CD-R at 48x versus 32x for the Pioneer 108.
hjs - Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - link
Can't wait to see the benq tested (who also has that bitsetting thing onboard)