LG GSA-H10A Super Multi DVD Burner Review

Positive:

• Very good to excellent writing quality on most tested media

• Supports DVD±R 16x writing with sub 5:40 write times on most tested media

• Supports CD-R/RW writing at 48x/32x

• Supports DVD+RW/DVD-RW writing at 8x/6x

• Can write some DVD+R DL media at higher than certified speed

• Supports Bitsetting for DVD+R/+R DL (sets auto. BookType to DVD-ROM)

• ‘Two sheep" writer

• Supports DAO-RAW writing

• Supports DVD-RAM at 5x

• Excellent documentation/Owner’s Manual on CD

• Full featured software bundle

Negative:

• Reads CD-DA/RW only at 40x

• Firmware locked read speeds on all but DVD±R and CD-R media

• No support for Bitsetting on DVD+RW media

• Green LED for both reading and writing

• Overburn for DVD or CD-R not well supported

• Very slow read speeds on pressed DVD-Video SL and DL discs

Conclusion:

Let’s summarize the most important positive and negative points below:

The main positive points:

LG’s offering with the GSA-H10A performs with good to excellent write quality on just about every media type tested with a few exceptions. The drives support for DVD-RAM truly makes this drive a \’Super Multi Drive’.

Bitsetting on DVD+R/+R DL is supported by default and ensures good compatibility with set top DVD players.

LG has included a software bundle with this drive that will have nearly every \’DVD’ need covered for a beginning user as well as some of the more sophisticated needs of the more advanced user.

The main negative points:

There are few negatives to mention. The LG GSA-H10A does not offer over speed support with the exception of some DVD+R DL MIDs. Overburning support on CD-R and DVD is lacking, it also lacks bitsetting support on DVD+RW media. Pressed disc read speeds are locked at 4.8x making it one of the slowest reader/rippers. Some firmware improvements are required for a few select CD-R and DVD media.

To sum it all up, this is what we would say: ‘The LG GSA-H10A makes an excellent choice if you are looking for a drive that supports all available DVD/RAM/CD media. The drive is a good to excellent writer and with removal of read speed locks on some media types, support for bitsetting on +RW media and some firmware improvements the LG GSA-H10A would truly be a well rounded drive."

We could not find a price using price grabber feature cdfreaks.pricegrabber. We did find this website showing an average price of $45.00 Canadian for the OEM version. (April, 2006).

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Thanks to:

For providing the Verbatim media used in this review. Verbatim provides high quality media all over the world and strives to be the standard for DVD hardware reviewing.

 For providing the Memorex media used in this review. Memorex is one of the largest providers of all types of media for larger parts of the world.

 For providing the Maxell media used in this review. Maxell is one of the world’s leading producers of optical and magnetic memory media.