ASUS DRW-1814BLT Super Multi DVD-Writer Review

Asus DRW-1814BLT detail information

Posted by	Kip R.
Posted on	31/05/07 06:59
Manufacturer	Asus
Product	Asus DRW-1814BLT
Description	18x DVD burner

CD-R/RW Writing Performances

DVD+R/RW writing performance

DVD-R/RW Writing performances

DVD+R DL/-R DL Writing performance and compatibility

DVD-RAM Performance

Advanced tests

Text Size Text Size

Conclusion

Conclusions

Positive

Quiet operation
Fast pressed CD-ROM as well as Audio-CD extraction
Burns DVD+R DL 2.4X discs (Verbatim) at 8X
Writes DVD-RAM at 14X
Reads DVD-RAM at 12X
Exceptional CD-R writer with overall excellent results
Write quality on DVD+R and DVD+RW is very good to excellent
Supports bitsetting (booktype DVD-ROM) for DVD+R, DVD+RW and DVD+R DL media
3 Sheep Burner
Writes to Lightscribe discs
SATA connection
Nero OEM Suite 7

Negative

Reads SL pressed DVD-Video at only 12X
Reads DL pressed DVD-Video at only 8X
Drive tray is flimsy
DVD-R writing is currently limited to 16X max
Slow CD-R reading

Let us summarize the most important positive and negative points below:

The main positive points: Following our tests we found that this drive is a good Multi DVD burner. The ASUS DRW-1814BLT is called “Multi DVD Burner” since it supports recording on all available media formats including CD-R/RW, DVD±R/±RW, DVD±R Double/Dual Layer, and DVD-RAM. It is packed with a comprehensive software suite from Nero Burning ROM 7 which is worth the extra retail price.

The 18x DVD+R writing on our media produced very good quality burns. DVD-RAM writing at 14X is a positive feature for those who use this format of media. The ability to read DVD-RAM at 12X must be recognized as a positive feature.

The drive passed the “3 Sheep” test.

The drives operation is very quiet; this is a big plus for us or anyone who appreciates a quiet computer.

The sleek SATA cables are so much more amenable to twists and turns while taking up less space in the chassis; and the days of setting jumpers with these SATA drives are over.

The main negative points: There are a few issues that we would like to mention with hopes of them being improved. The Asus DRW-1814BLT drive tray feels flimsy. When inserting a disc and pressing the eject button the tray has a slight bounce and the disc moves around, this can cause the disc to move off the tray and get stuck; however, we must state that this only happened one time during our review of the drive and we simply opened the tray and re-set the disc in the slot.

The inability to over-speed 16X DVD-R media; as mentioned in the body of this review, we hope this will be corrected with future firmware updates.

The ASUS DRW-1814BLT reads SL/DL pressed discs at 12/8X while other competitors can read them at faster speeds.

So to sum it all up, this is what we would say:

If you are building a new system, with most new motherboards having plenty of SATA connectors buy only one IDE port, the ASUS DRW-1814BLT should fit the bill.

Here in the US we have found the drive listed at www.newegg.com for $35.99; May 2007.

You may discuss/comment this review below or in this forum thread.

Thanks to

	Verbatim USA – For providing the media used in this review.
	Maxell USA – For providing the media used in this review.
	Memorex USA – For providing the media used in this review.
	ExtremeMhz – For providing the Maxell 12x DVD-RAM media used in this review

	Rima.com USA – For providing Taiyo Yuden media used in this review.
	Advanced Media/Ritek-USA – For providing the media used in this review.

Introduction

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Reactions on this item

Posted by puki ajam on Sunday 03 June 2007 09:57

looks good, can it overburn??

Posted by zebadee on Sunday 24 June 2007 19:22

I have tried this drive & found it sadly lacking. It was noisey + slow (when compared to my other drives).
However I have to add that the drive failed after just 8 days. So may not be a fair reflection.
The dealer who supplied me this drive though claimed it gave him a headache & has now stopped supplying this drive.

Posted by puki ajam on Monday 25 June 2007 17:12

not that good then

Posted by meowth (guest) on Tuesday 26 June 2007 16:55

I have got one. Has two major drawbacks:
- Flashing new firmware needs to be done using a Windows program. Impossible to flash when running Linux

- Upon flashing on a Windows system, the program reported "Failed" without any further info. Drive was completely screwed, so I had to replace it. Did not dare to flash the new one yet...

Posted by T3R on Tuesday 26 June 2007 20:49

I have compared this drive with Pioneer DVR-112 on few 16x +- Verbatim media, altought completely different in design both drives are fairly similar in operation speed-vise, but ASUS is fairly more silent. Most interesting, I am very surprised it gives two times less PIE/PIF errors on the same recording speed than Pio. Seems ASUS made good thing switching to MediaTek after all.

Higly recommended.

Posted by Babykung (guest) on Saturday 30 June 2007 21:07

I'm Thai. I have just bought this SATA ASUS DVD-Writer, but i can't install "Nero7 Essential ASUS D070 V.7.5.13.1" because I have no SERIAL No. of this program.

In my DVD box bought :
1. DVD-Writer
2. Manual "Optical Internal Drive Installation"
3. CD "Nero D070"
4. Bochoure"ASUS Make your mark..."

I'm not sure that the saler kept other thing except this four things or not.

However, I would like to hurry up to test the subscribe. Please help me the SERIAL No by sending E-mail to me "studentthai@hotmail.com".

For other thing is not in the box if there is, i will ask the saler for the thing lost from the box.

Comment : I have just used the DVD-Writer. I feel that this drive make the computer slow in sometimes including sometimes reading from this drive. & Usually my case has the mask in front of the DVD/CD drive, but this DVD writer can't be used with this mask. However, I think that there is no problem in long time for this ASUS DVD writer because I had ever used the ASUS CD when a few years ago with good work. This makes me confident to use this ASUS.

Posted by zwelf on Sunday 16 September 2007 16:39

Please guys, I need your help. I have just recently bought asus drw1814blt, and for a while everything was great. But, a few days after I've installed winXP x64, the computer stopped showing it in my computer and in total commander. So now I cannot use it at all. I've tried reinstalling the driver manually and using device manager without any response. When I try to refresh the driver, the error message says that the missing data in the registry is preventing it from installing the driver.

Posted by freddie (guest) on Friday 05 October 2007 00:30

my father has purchased a new computer with a asus 1814bl dvd writer installed,the problem i am having is that the writer keeps spitting the dvd out that i want to copy after 25% saying read error ,but when i try it on a different computer it copies all the way through it had nero 7 in the box which the shop installed. i have updated the firmware on the asus site and nero 7, but it still won't work is there anything else i can try

Posted by Esteban M (guest) on Tuesday 13 November 2007 00:10

Hey, I am in need of some serious help here. I recently bought the the Nero 7 software for my computer, installed it and everything, only now it won't play any DVD's. It says something about needing to update a 'code' reader or something? I'm a college student and money is SUPER tight right now. I called Best Buy (it's where I purchased from) and they said they can install a diferent program, VLC, but don't know what to do about my problem.... I've downladed VLC to my usb card and onto my computer and THAT plays them but I'm realy hoping to get my money's worth out of the NERO. If anyone knows how i could update whatever it is that needs updating could you please let me know? Thanks.

Posted by Ted (guest) on Tuesday 20 November 2007 00:14

It's *NOT* a 3-Sheep-Burner

Posted by Terry (guest) on Wednesday 28 November 2007 00:03

Although my drive is still working, the lightscribe portion had stopped after making 5 lightscribed discs. If you do a bit of searching on the web you'll find this is a major issue with this drive.

I'd steer clear.

Posted by acman on Wednesday 02 January 2008 05:52

The sheep3 file is the wrong size 402mb
it should be 460mb
not a 3 sheep burner for me also

Posted by hcobra on Tuesday 08 January 2008 13:14

just woundering if some one could help me, my drive is from region 2 but i put dvd from region 1 now my drive wouldnt change it back to region 2, can i format the computer or do i have to buy another drive??? help apreciated thanks

Posted by luki (guest) on Monday 11 February 2008 20:47

I wrote sheep3.dat on a TDK DVD-RW and copy to hard disk without any problems. firmware of my ASUS-DRW 1814BLT is 1.13.

Posted by baptist (guest) on Wednesday 13 February 2008 06:14

I HANVE JUST PURCHASED A ASY-DRW 1814BLT I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESION THAT IT COULD BYE INSTALLED ON ANY OPERATING SYSTEM I EVEN MENTIONED TO THE SUPPLIER THAT I HAVE A WINDOWS ME, HE MADE NO COMMENTS NOW I CANNOT INSTALL THE DRIVE PLEASE
HELP

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