detail information

In this part of our LiteOn LTR-52246S review we'll test the drive's performance while reading normal data discs, one of which is an overburned 80 minutes disc. We'll be using the following discs for our data read tests:

• CD-ROM: StarCraft - Broodwar (683 MB)
• CD-R: StarCraft - Broodwar (Mitsubishi 24x CD-R)
• CD-HS-RW: StarCraft - Broodwar (Mitsubishi 10x CD-RW)
• CD-US-RW: compilation of 652 MB

Let's start with some graphs showing at which speed typical media is read:

CD-ROM

The speed of 52x is not reached according to CD-Speed, but the disc is less than 78mins.

CD Recordable

• ATIP: 97 34 23
• Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (Typ: 3)
• Certified for: 1x-24x
• Recorded at: 32x
• Reflective layer: Dye (Azo)
• Media type: CD-Recordable
• Nominal Capacity: 703 MB (79:59.74)

Although this is just a backup of the tested CD-ROM, the drive reaches 52x speed now and is 3 seconds faster than with the CD-ROM.

CD ReWriteable

• ATIP: 97 34 23
• Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (Typ: 3)
• Certified for: 4x-10x
• Recorded at: 10x
• Reflective layer: phase change
• Media type: Highspeed CD ReWriteable
• Nominal Capacity: 703 MB (79:59.74)

CD-RWs are supposed to be read at 40x. The graph shows that this speed is reached at about 66min, giving a final speed of more than 41x.

Minimum, Maximum and Average speeds

Overburned CD-R:

• ATIP: 97 24 01
• Manufacturer: Taiyo Yuden Company Limited (Typ: 1)
• Certified for: 24x
• Recorded at: 24x
• Reflective layer: Dye (Cyanine)
• Media type: CD Recordable
• Nominal Capacity: 703 MB (79:59.74)
• Overburned to: 720 MB (81:57.62)

82min CD-R

CD-ROM

CD-R

CD-HS-RW

CD-US-RW

As you can see, CD-ROM and CD-R media are read at an average speed of about 39x, with about 51x-52x at maximum, while CD-RW media can be read at an average speed of about 31x-32x, with 42x as maximum. The difference between CD-ROM and CD-R is marginal.

Seek Times

82min CD-R

CD-ROM

CD-R

CD-HS-RW

CD-US-RW

The overburned CD-R has much higher seek times than non-overburned discs, but otherwise there is not too much difference. Especially the random seek times (which are the most important for "normal" usage) are the same for all kinds of discs, except the overburned one.

Conclusion

This drive is a pretty fast reader, however, CD-RW reading is not faster than with former LiteOn drives, and the seek times on the overburned CD-R are very high. In comparision to Plextors latest writer, the Plextor is the clear winner as to seek times, while the LiteOn has higher transfer rates for CD-ROM and CD-R.

So far for the data reading part. Now let's check the audio reading (DAE) speeds on the next page...

Features

Audio Read Tests