Lite-On LH-20A1S DVD Burner Mini Review

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Author

Dee
Senior Administrator and Reviewer
Article posted 17 Jun 07 13:30

DVD-R/RW Writing performance

 

DVD-R media compatibility and write quality:

In these tests we will be using a Lite-On LH-20A1P with firmware KL05 along with K-Probe to measure the disc quality. We will also be using the Optiarc AD-7173A with firmware 1-03 along with CD-Speed for our read-back tests.

 

Brand:

Taiyo Yuden unbranded – Thanks to SVP (UK) for sending us this media.

Manufacturer:

Taiyo Yuden

Code:

TYG03

Disc Type:

DVD-R

Capacity:

4483MB

Certified Speed:

16x

Write Speed:

20x (CAV)

Write Time:

5m:05s

PI-8 errors Average/Sec:

2.50

PI-1 failures (PIF) Avg/Sec:

0.02

The result is very good and the media was burned at higher than its rated speed.

Brand:

Verbatim – Thanks to Verbatim (UK) for providing this media.

Manufacturer:

Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation

Code:

MCC 03RG20

Disc Type:

DVD-R

Capacity:

4483MB

Certified Speed:

16x

Write Speed:

18x (CAV)

Write Time:

5m:25s

PI-8 errors Average/Sec:

0.88

PI-1 failures (PIF) Avg/Sec:

0.04

PI and PIF errors are rising at the end of the disc and PIF errors get slightly out of specification. Our read-back test is perfect, the result is ok.

Brand:

Ricoh – Thanks to Ricoh Europe for sending us this media.

Manufacturer:

CMC Magnetics

Code:

CMC MAG AM3

Disc Type:

DVD-R

Capacity:

4483MB

Certified Speed:

16x

Write Speed:

20x (CAV)

Write Time:

5m:07s

PI-8 errors Average/Sec:

18.93

PI-1 failures (PIF) Avg/Sec:

0.05

The result is good considering this disc was written a good deal faster than its rated speed.

Brand:

TDK

Manufacturer:

TDK

Code:

TTH02

Disc Type:

DVD-R

Capacity:

4483MB

Certified Speed:

16x

Write Speed:

18x (CAV)

Write Time:

5m:22s

PI-8 errors Average/Sec:

19.50

PI-1 failures (PIF) Avg/Sec:

0.10

PI and PIF levels are high at the end of the disc with PIF levels out of specification and our read-back test shows a slight slowdown. The result could be better and we would recommend not over-speeding this media.

Brand:

BenQ – Thanks to Daxon (Taiwan) for sending us this media

Manufacturer:

Daxon Inc.

Code:

DAXON 016S

Disc Type:

DVD-R

Capacity:

4483MB

Certified Speed:

16x

Write Speed:

18x (CAV)

Write Time:

5m:41s

PI-8 errors Average/Sec:

6.25

PI-1 failures (PIF) Avg/Sec:

0.07

The result is very good considering the disc was burned at faster than its rated speed.

Brand:

Taiyo Yuden unbranded – Thanks to SVP (UK) for sending us this media.

Manufacturer:

Taiyo Yuden

Code:

TYG02

Disc Type:

DVD-R

Capacity:

4483MB

Certified Speed:

8x

Write Speed:

12x (P-CAV)

Write Time:

7m:16s

PI-8 errors Average/Sec:

3.68

PI-1 failures (PIF) Avg/Sec:

0.01

Once again the result is very good and the disc was burned faster than its rated speed.

DVD-RW media compatibility and write quality:

For this test we used the same testing procedures as in our DVD-R tests.

Brand:

Verbatim – Thanks to Verbatim (UK) for sending us this media.

Manufacturer:

Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation

Code:

MKM01RW6X01

Disc Type:

DVD-RW

Capacity:

4483MB

Certified Speed:

6x

Write Speed:

6x (Z-CLV)

Write Time:

11m:07s

PI-8 errors Average/Sec:

19.92

PI-1 failures (PIF) Avg/Sec:

0.02

PI errors are fairly high but PIF levels are low and we have a perfect read-back test. The result is good.

Summary:

The Lite-On LH-20A1S has written our DVD-R media with very good/good quality and wrote all our test discs faster than their rated speed.

Let’s head on to the next page where we will test DVD R DL writing performance and quality……

9 Comments

guest
Posts: 15284
Posted on: 23 Sep 07 22:32
Did i saw an dvd scan taken at 48x ??? Are editing those pictures to mislead poeple or wot!?
thenameis_Jay
Posts: 6
Posted on: 20 Dec 07 12:10
I have to disagree with you Wendy. I am in the process of sending back a 600 pack of 'Bulkpaq 8X DVD+R' to SVP because I cannot get a single disc to burn past the lead in stage. Tried with old AND updated firmware. Unless I've been very unlucky I'd say its an awful drive
guest
Posts: 15284
Posted on: 20 Dec 07 13:40
Bulkpaq is cheap media that is known to be causing bad burns many times, so that could be the cause!
shaolin007
Posts: 883
Posted on: 20 Dec 07 15:57
What happened to the "advanced tests" part of the review?
thenameis_Jay
Posts: 6
Posted on: 28 Dec 07 08:28
Afterburner I could understand IF I'd gotten to the end of the burn and it didnt play or there were errors. But, to not even get past 9% of the burn kind of suggests to me that Lite_on are lying or mistaken when they say it is compatible with most discs. Since then I have now purchased Verbatim Discs with the completely identical results. Absolutely horrible piece of hardware this Lite-on garbage turned out to be for me. Never again!!
guest
Posts: 15284
Posted on: 06 Jan 08 12:49
thenameis_Jay is making me think twice about getting this drive...
guest
Posts: 15284
Posted on: 18 Jan 08 20:19
thenameis_Jay Judging the drive just by some cheap media isn't very logical. Try at least four different DVD media (incl. brands)
TheOne_66
Posts: 52
Posted on: 28 Mar 08 18:28
Why does it seem that the scans were on a LH-20A1P not a LH-20A1S
guest
Posts: 15284
Posted on: 16 Jun 08 07:06
When I Check in the Bios there a problems with the firmware. It should be displaying some options below like the hard drive or any other drive like Device Type, PIO MODE and DMA Mode. It does not do that. I would Like to know why. I think that liton is a cheap brand with know factory defects. This is the worse type of device i have ever seen, i got mine a month now and it takes 2 mins to lead in the disk when burning.

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