detail information

Test machine:

For this review we will be using a computer with the following configuration:

Hardware:

• Motherboard: ECS Elitegroup N2U400-A with Nvidia nForce 2 Ultra-400 and nForce MCP chipset.
• Processor: AMD Athlon XP 2800+ (Barton) 333 MHz FSB.
• RAM: 1 GB Infineon PC2700 DDR
• GFX: ATI Radeon 9600 XT
• Sound: Onboard C-Media AC97
• Hard disk: Seagate Barracuda ST3250823A 250 GB

System set-up:

The LG GSA-4167B was connected as Secondary Master and identified itself as HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-4167B. DMA (Direct Memory Access) and autorun was enabled for all devices.

Software:

Windows XP Professional is installed on the computer along with Service Pack 2 for Windows XP. We will be using the following software in this review:

• Nero Burning ROM version 6.6.0.16
• Nero CD/DVD Speed V4.06
• Nero Info Tool v3.03
• Slysoft CloneCD v5.2.5.1
• Exact Audio Copy v0.95 beta 2
• K-Probe v2.4.2 / v2.5.1

Features and techniques:

Features of the Super Multi:

BookType (bitsetting):

The LG GSA-4167B supports bitsetting for DVD+R and DVD+R DL. As with the older drive LG GSA-4163B, the drive does not support Bitsetting for DVD+RW media. This feature can be controlled/changed with the Bitsetting option in Nero CD-DVD Speed or in Nero Burning Rom 6, see below:

Now it's time to take a closer look at the write technology used by the LG GSA-4167B:

CD-Recordable:

The LG GSA-4167B uses Z-CLV, (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity), to write at its maximum speed of 48X. This gives an average speed of 33.77x. Two drives for comparison are found below.

The Pioneer DVR-110D uses CAV, (Constant Angular Velocity), to write at its maximum speed of 40X. This gives an average speed of 30.05x.

The Samsung TS-E552U uses P-CAV (Partial-Constant Angular Velocity) to write at its rated speed of 40x. This gives an average speed of 34.39x.

For comparison we have made the following table: 

As we can see from the table, the LG GSA-4167B is average in speed where it comes to writing CD-R's.

CD-Rewritable:

The LG GSA-4167B uses Z-CLV (Zone Constant Linear Velocity) to write CD-RW media at its maximum speed of 32x, with an average write speed of 29.26x. Below are some other drives for comparison:

The NU DHW-164 uses P-CAV (Partial-Constant Angular Velocity) writing technology to write at 24X for CD-RW discs, the average speed is 23.16x.

The LaCie d2 DVD±RW Double Layer uses CLV (Constant Linear Velocity) writing technology to write at 16X for CD-RW discs, the average speed is 16x. For a better overview we present the following comparison table:

As we can see from the table, the LG GSA-4167B is among the fastest drives writing CD-RWs.

16X DVD+R/-R Writing speed:

The LG GSA-4167B uses P-CAV (Partial-Constant Angular Velocity) to write DVD+R at the maximum supported speed of 16x. This gives an average write speed of 12.68x and a writing time of 5 minutes 37 seconds.

The LG GSA-4167B uses P-CAV (Partial-Constant Angular Velocity) to write DVD-R at its maximum speed of 16x. This gives an average write speed of 12.69x and a writing time of 5 minutes and 21 second.

Below are some write graphs from some other drives for comparison:

The NEC 3540A uses CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) to write DVD+R at 16x. This gives an average writing speed of 11.81x and a writing time of 5 minutes and 58 seconds.

The Philips DVDR16LS uses CAV, (Constant Angular Velocity) to write DVD+R at 16x. The average speed is 11.33x and total writing time is 6 minutes and 8 seconds. The average speed is lower and the writing time is higher than it could have been due to the Walking OPC generation 2 using some time to constantly adjust the writing quality, we could see this as constant dips in the speed curve.

The LG GSA-5160D uses Z-CLV, (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity) to write DVD+R at 16x. The average speed is 11.60x and total writing time is 6 minutes and 12 seconds. Below, we made a comparison table:

*1 - Actual writing speed was max 14x due to USB-Bridge limitations.
*2 - Actual writing speed was max 13x due to USB-Bridge limitations.

From the table above, we can see that the LG GSA-4167B is the fastest drive when writing DVD+R and DVD-R.

6X DVD+R DL writing speed:

The LG GSA-4167B supports 6x writing speed on DVD+R DL media.

The LG GSA-4167B uses CLV, (Constant Linear Velocity) to write DVD+R DL at 6x. The average speed is 6.00x and total writing time is 19:05 minutes.

4X DVD-R DL writing speed:

The LG GSA-4167B supports 4x writing speed on DVD-R DL media.

The LG GSA-4167B uses CLV, (Constant Linear Velocity) to write DVD-R DL at 4x. The average speed is 4.00x and total writing time is 27:09 minutes.

8X DVD+RW writing speed:

The LG GSA-4167B uses Z-CLV, (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity) to write DVD+RW at 8x. The average speed is 7.88x and total writing time is 8:01 minutes.

6X DVD-RW writing speed:

The LG GSA-4167B uses CLV, (Constant Linear Velocity) to write DVD-RW at 6x. The average speed is 6.01x and total writing time is 10:02 minutes.

Book type (Bitsetting):

The LG GSA-4167B supports Bitsetting, and can write DVD+R DL and DVD+R media with DVD-ROM book type.

Here is how you could check if your discs are really written with DVD-ROM book type:

Start Nero CD-DVD Speed and click the Disc info button and you should get something like this:

DVD+R DL with book type DVD-ROM

DVD+R with book type DVD-ROM

Another quick test is to start Nero CD-Speed and look at the disc information:

This should say DVD-ROM.

Included software:

Now it's time to look at the included software and to comment if needed. Notice that we may not use the included software in our performance testing part of the review.

LG DVD Writer Solution:

Cyberlink PowerDVD:

Cyberlink PowerProducer Gold:

Nero Express 6:

In CD:

Now that we have finished examining the drive and its writing strategies, it's time to head on to next page, which is reading performance test…