detail information

Test machine:

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

Hardware:

⋅         Motherboard: ASUSTeK A8N-SLI DELUXE (nForce 4 SLI chipset)
⋅         Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3500+ (Venice) 800 MHz FSB.
⋅         RAM: 2 GB Corsair TWINX 2CL DDR
⋅         GFX: Leadtek Winfast  6600 TD (PCI Express nVidia)
⋅         Sound: SoundBlaster Audigy 2
⋅         Hard disk: 1X 200Gb Seagate Barracuda (SATA): 1X 120Gb Maxtor (SATA).

System set-up:

The Pioneer DVR-110D was connected as Secondary Master and identified itself as PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-110D. DMA (Direct Memory Access) and autorun was enabled for all devices.
NOTE: This motherboard has 8 IDE channels; although the screenshot states the Pioneer DVR-110D is connected to a Primary IDE channel. It is in fact connected as Secondary Master

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 V4.04
• Nero Info Tool v3.03
• Slysoft CloneCD v5.2.5.1
• Exact Audio Copy v0.95 beta 2
• K-Probe v2.4.2

Features and techniques:

Pioneer uses Active OPC Technology with its optical hardware. Active OPC constantly monitors the sensitivity of the media and adjusts the laser strength to achieve the best possible results. It does this by analyzing the reflection from the media's surface.

Now it's time to take a closer look at the write technology used by the Pioneer DVR-110D:

CD-Recordable:

The Pioneer uses CAV, (Constant Angular Velocity), to write at its maximum speed of 40X. This gives an average speed of 30.05x. Two drives for comparison are found below.

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.

The LG GSA-5160D uses Z-CLV, (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity), to write at its maximum speed of 40X. The drive wrote the last zone at 40.41X and this gives an average speed of 31.70x.

 For comparison we have made the following table: 

As we can see from the table, the Pioneer DVR-110D is average in speed where it comes to writing CD-R's.

CD-Rewritable:

The Pioneer DVDR-110D uses Z-CLV (Zone Constant Linear Velocity) to write CD-RW media at its maximum speed of 32x, with an average write speed of 24.88x.
Below are some other drives for comparison.

The NEC ND-3540A uses Z-CLV, (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity writing technology to write at 32X for CD-RW discs, the average speed is 29.75x.

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 Pioneer DVR-110D speed wise, is once again average when writing CD-RW's.

16X DVD+R/-R Writing speed:

The Pioneer DVR-110D uses CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) to write DVD+R at the maximum supported speed of 16x. This gives an average write speed of 11.58x and a writing time of 6 minutes 9 seconds.

The Pioneer DVR-110D uses CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) to write DVD-R at its maximum speed of 16x. This gives an average write speed of 11.59x and a writing time of 6 minutes and 1 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.

The LG GSA-4163B uses P-CAV, (Partial-Constant Angular Velocity) to write DVD-R at 16x. The average speed is 12.90x and total writing time is 5 minutes and 20 seconds.

The Samsung TS-H552B uses CAV, (Constant Angular Velocity) to write DVD+R at 16x. The average speed is 12.03x and total writing time is 5 minutes and 58 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 Pioneer DVR-110D is about average in speed when writing DVD+R and DVD-R.

8X DVD+R DL writing speed:

The Pioneer DVR-110D supports 8x writing speed on DVD+R DL media.

The Pioneer DVR-110D uses Z-CLV, (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity) to write DVD+R9 DL at 8x. Five zones are used to write DVD+R Double Layer discs at 8x. The average speed is 7.00x and total writing time is 18:06 minutes.

8X DVD-R DL writing speed:

The Pioneer DVR-110D is the world's first drive to support 8x writing speed on DVD-R DL media.

The Pioneer uses Z-CLV, (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity) to write DVD-R9 DL at 8x. Five zones are used to write DVD-R Double Layer discs at 8x. The average speed is 7.06x and total writing time is 17:55 minutes.

8X DVD+RW writing speed:

The Pioneer DVR-110D uses Z-CLV, (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity) to write DVD+RW at 8x. The average speed is 7.78x and total writing time is 7:36 minutes.

6X DVD-RW writing speed:

The Pioneer DVR-110D uses CLV, (Constant Linear Velocity) to write DVD-RW at 6x. The average speed is 6.00x and total writing time is 10:21 minutes.

Book type (bitsetting):

The Pioneer DVDR-110D supports bitsetting, and will as default write DVD+R DL 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 (V3.80): 

DVD+R DL with book type DVD-ROM.

By using Nero CD-DVD Speed V4.04, you will get the following screen:

DVD+R DL 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.