Test machine

We will be using a computer with the following configuration:

Hardware

Controller and optical drives

BenQ DW1800 is connected to the secondary channel on the motherboard's ICH6 south bridge parallel ATA port.

It identifies itself as "BENQ DVD DC DW1800."

DMA (Direct Memory Access) is enabled, and connection mode is reported as Ultra DMA Mode 2:

Drive transfer mode

CD-DVD Speed reports burst rate of 26 MB/s, consistent with Ultra DMA Mode 2:

Burst rate (internal)

When BenQ DW1800 is installed in an external FireWire 400 (IEEE 1394a) enclosure, the burst rate is reported as a slightly higher 29 MB/s. This burst rate should allow trouble free 16x and 18x burns:

Burst rate (external)

Later, we will perform 16x and 18x test burns with BenQ DW1800 in an external enclosure.

Software

The computer is running Windows XP Professional SP2 (build 5.1.2600).

We will be using the following software:

• Nero CD/DVD Speed version 4.7.5.0 and 4.7.6.0b
• K-Probe version 2.5.2
• Nero Info Tool version 4.03
• Nero Burning ROM version 7.5.9.0
• Slysoft CloneCD 5.3.0.1

Installation

Drive installation was uneventful. We set the jumper to "cable select" and let the two drives sharing an ATA cable pick master and slave modes automatically.

Features

Feature summary

Nero InfoTool reports the following configuration and drive features:

Nero InfoTool report

The drive's hardware memory buffer used to ensure uninterrupted recording is the standard 2 MB. This amounts to less than 1/10th of a second worth of data at 18x DVD speed, but the drive has no problem maintaining full or nearly full buffer level at all speeds:

Buffer level in 18x DVD writing

In addition to expected functionality such as buffer underrun protection, BenQ DW1800 includes the following features specific to BenQ/Philips and Lite-On drives.

SolidBurn (BenQ/Philips feature)

Solidburn logo

SolidBurn is a combination of media learning and strategy memory that removes the need to frequently update firmware in order to support new DVD media codes or adjust strategies for already supported media.

Before a DVD burn, BenQ DW1800 spends an additional five to fifteen seconds to burn small amounts of test data at the beginning of the disc, in the power calibration area, and then also at the end of the disc, in the normally unused lead-out area that stretches for about 150-200 MB beyond the 4.37 GB used in DVD recording. The two test areas are then analyzed to determine the optimal laser power that minimizes error rates and jitter. This information is stored in the drive's memory for use in subsequent burns of the same media code.

The other function of SolidBurn is to detect the maximum acceptable writing speed for each media. For this, test data is burned at different speeds and analyzed for errors. Writing speeds that cause unacceptable error rates or jitter are rejected.

The nature of this feature also makes it possible, in combination with the BenQ QSuite utility, to overspeed individual discs to the exact maximum speed they are capable of.

SMART-X (Lite-On feature)

SMART-X is a firmware feature that adjusts CD and DVD reading speed according to the host's data transfer rate. When, during reading, the drive's buffer fills up because the host accepts data slower than it comes off the disc, disc rotation slows down. This lowers drive temperature and reduces noise. When the host increases its reading speed and the buffer empties up, the drive quickly spins up to match the new, higher data rate:

SMART-X in action

This behavior is especially welcome during movie viewing. When fast forwarding is followed by viewing at 1x speed, the drive spins down from the fast forward mode within a few seconds and the noise becomes inaudible.

Auto Balance System (ABS) (Lite-On feature)

Auto Balance System reduces disc vibration and noise during high-speed operation. This system consists of an enclosed, circular track just above the spindle that rotates together with the disc and allows several small steel balls to freely roll around the track. The balls serve as a counterweight, or a balancing mass by automatically moving into positions opposite to the unbalance vector of the disc. This is similar to using lead weights to balance car wheels and tires, except here the weights are self-adjusting.

Auto Balance System (ABS)

While steel balls are commonly used as counterweights in drives, Lite-On takes an additional step. This clever idea is described in U.S. Patent 6348747, entitled Method for controlling an auto-balancing system of the optic[al] disk in an optic[al] disk drive. The additional goal is to ensure that free movement of counterweights is not inhibited by friction, and it is achieved by adding micro vibration. Micro vibration is created by adding a high-frequency dither signal to the main command signal controlling rotation speed. The additional signal causes shaking that helps dislodge the counterweights and facilitates their proper positioning as the spindle accelerates.

You may have noticed that new Lite-On and BenQ drives make a very distinctive swishing or occasionally rattling noise when spinning up. While it may sound unpleasant, this is the ABS micro vibration at work, ensuring that the disc ends up better balanced and more stable at 10,000+ RPM needed for 18x burning.

Correct balancing also reduces the probability of a disc cracking and shattering inside the drive at high speed.

Air Flow Cooling System (AFCS) (BenQ feature)

Air Flow Cooling System accelerates and directs air circulation inside the drive to speed up heat elimination through the drive's steel housing:

Air Flow Cooling System (AFCS)

Walking Optimal Power Control (WOPC) (BenQ/Philips feature)

Walking Optimal Power Control (WOPC) is a method of finding the optimal laser power during writing. It relies on making stops during writing to seek back, sample the freshly recorded area and measure error rates and jitter. This information is then used by the firmware to make a decision on whether to increase or decrease power in order to improve disc quality.

The disc continues to rotate at fixed RPM during WOPC stops and the stops themselves are very short, a small fraction of a second each. Nevertheless, they are easily spotted as sharp downward spikes in the data rate curve plotted by CD-DVD Speed.

We have made two burns with identical media, 16x-certified Memorex DVD-R. With WOPC on, the burn took five seconds longer to complete:

Test burn, WOPC off

Test burn, WOPC on

Quality tests do not show significant differences in disc quality due to WOPC:

Test burn quality, WOPC off

Test burn quality, WOPC on

CD and DVD quality scanning

BenQ DW1800 supports C1/C2 quality scanning of CDs and PIE/PIF/jitter scanning of DVDs.

Two commonly used scanning utilities, Nero CD-DVD Speed and KProbe 2, both work with this drive and provide very similar results:

Quality scanning with Nero CD-DVD Speed

Quality scanning with KProbe 2

If you have a BenQ DW1800 and are scanning the discs you burn, please post your results in our forum thread devoted to this drive: Post your BenQ DW1800 scans and questions here.

Firmware update

Our drive came with firmware revision ZB34, but we have updated to version ZB35 when it became available:

Firmware flash (1 of 6)

Firmware flash (2 of 6)

Firmware flash (3 of 6)

Firmware flash (4 of 6)

Firmware flash (5 of 6)

Firmware flash (6 of 6)

Introduction, specifications, retail package

Software: QSuite