detail information

Positive:

• Very good to excellent writing quality on most tested media
• Supports DVD±R 16x writing with sub 6:00 write times on most tested media
• Supports CD-R/RW writing at 48x/32x
• Supports DVD+RW/DVD-RW writing at 8x/6x
• Support LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling
• 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 CD-R not well supported
• No DVD±R overspeed support
• No support for disc PI/PIF error scanning

Conclusion:

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

The main positive points:

LG's offering with the GSA-4166B performs with good to excellent write quality on just about every media type tested with a few exceptions. The drives support for DVD-RAM and LightScribe Direct to Disc Labeling technology 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-4166B does not offer over speed support with the exception of some DVD+R DL MIDs. Overburning support on CD-R is lacking, it also lacks bitsetting support on DVD+RW media and does not provide disc PI/PIF error scanning.

To sum it all up, this is what we would say: 'The LG GSA-4166B makes an excellent choice if you are looking for a drive that supports all available DVD/RAM/CD media available at this time. The drive is a very good reader and an excellent writer and with removal of read speed locks on some media types, support for bitsetting on +RW media and disc error scanning this would truly be a well rounded drive.  With all things considered, we can highly recommend the LG GSA-4166B for your next Super Multi drive."

Based on the testing, experiences and general feeling while using the drive during this review, we give the LG GSA-4166B our 'Safe Buy award".

By using our price grabber feature cdfreaks.pricegrabber we find the drive listed from $89.99 (March, 2006).

You may comment on this review below or in this forum thread .

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.

Advanced Media/Ritek-USA for providing some of the RiDATA media used in this review. RiDATA is an official Ritek brand and thus you are guaranteed to get quality Ritek manufactured discs when buying RiData media.

 For providing the Optodisc media used in this review. Optodisc Technology Corporation excels at the manufacturing and selling of High-Density Optical Storage Media DVDs.