Available speed and recording tests
VSO Inspector from VSO Software was used for gathering our information about the available recording speeds that the
Verbatim 4x DVD-R Dual Layer media could be recorded at on our 5 review recording devices.
This media information utility allows us to easily see the rated speeds available for the
Verbatim 4x DVD-R Dual Layer media according to the hardware used during this review as well as being able to tell us the full Media ID code for the media and give us an idea of the
Media success rate when recorded with CopyToDVD.
Once the maximum available recording speeds for each device had been discovered using VSO Inspector, CD Speed from Ahead software was used to record a test DVD of maximum capacity to see if the review recording devices achieved their maximum recording speed. Verbatim claim most drives should be capable of recording this media in times of around 25 mins and here we will
see just how close that claim is.
The DVD's recorded with the CD Speed Create CD test will be used later on during the Disc Quality, Transfer and Verification tests. For this review tests carried out included the recording of 3 pieces of media to each drive to attain an average result as well as 1 piece of media per drive for creating a DVD Video compilation for our playback tests later on in this review making 20 pieces tested in total.
All the review drives saw the Verbatim 4x DVD-R Dual Layer media was capable of recording at its rated speed of 4x as well as higher 'over speeds' on some of the review recodring devices which is we would expect for Verbatim media ( the 2.4x DVD+R Double Layer version has been capable of overspeeding at 4x and above successfully on a few drives for a while now ).
The NEC ND-3520 with firmware LD1.UF achieved the quickest recording to the Verbatim 4x DVD-R Dual Layer media with the NEC ND-3540 close behind, both achieving consistently similar times. Although consistently slightly slower than the NEC recording devices, the Pioneer 109XL, Plextor PX-716A and Liteon 1693S all recorded in times under 28 minutes.
Overview of recording times
These are the recordings that come closest to being the average recording times in each of our review drives.
| | Writer used: | Average recording time | | ND 3520 NEC (firmware: LD1.UF) | 26:53 | | | ND-3540 NEC (firmware: 1.W3) | 27:07 | | | PX-716A Plextor (firmware: 1.07) | 27:24 | | | DVR 109 XL Pioneer (firmware: 1.50) | 27:48 | | | 1693S LiteOn (firmware: KS04) | 27:50 | |
|
So no 25 minute recordings where achieved by any of our review recording devices as mentioned in our quote from the Verbatim press release on page 1 of this review but Verbatims claim of around 25 minutes is a fair one and maybe with better support in future firmwares we may see a sub 26 minute recording at its rated 4x recording speed.
Of course achieving the fastest recording speed does not always mean you achive the best quality recording as we will be quick to point out to our readers. There is no point in
having the fastest recording if the quality suffers! Hardware manufacturers do sometimes slow media down in firmwares or limit the max speed for each particular piece of media recorded to achieve the best quality possible and prevent a bad recording.
Please read on to see what our other tests discovered about the recording to the Verbatim 4x DVD-R Dual Layer media during our Disc Quality, Transfer and Playback tests.
|
