Samsung SH-S203B DVD Burner Review

Samsung SH-S203B detail information

Posted by	Wendy Collins
Posted on	21/09/07 21:15
Number of views	88700
Manufacturer	Samsung
Product	Samsung SH-S203B
Description	20x DVD burner with SATA interface and the worlds first 16x DL burner.
Awards	Editor's Choice Award

CD-R/RW Writing performance

DVD+R/RW Writing performance

DVD-R/RW Writing performance

DVD+R DL/-R DL Writing performance

DVD-RAM Read and write performance

Advanced tests

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CD R/RW Writing performance

The specifications of the Samsung SH-S203B state that the drive is able to write CD-R discs at 48x and CD-RW at 32x. Let us find out how the drive really performs in speed and quality.

Writing Data CD-R discs:

For our data writing tests, we simply set up a new compilation of 703Mb using Nero Burning ROM software. Writing method used is DAO (Disc At Once), and the disc is set up as a non-multisession disc with “finalize disc” enabled. The screenshot below shows how long it takes to write a disc at the highest speed. (48x)

The Samsung SH-S203B took 3 minutes and 30 seconds to write the disc at 40x. Let us see how this compares to other drives in the table below:

Nero Burning Rom CD-R	Write Speed	Total Time
Lite-On SHW-16H5S	48x	3m:20s
Plextor PX-750A	40x	3m:16s
Plextor PX-755A	48x	2m:43s
Pioneer DVR-111	40x	3m:28x
Plextor PX-760A	48x	2m:54s
Samsung SE-S184M	48x	3m:08s
Pioneer DVR-112	40x	3m:55s
Samsung SH-S203B	48x	3m:30s

The Samsung SH-S203B was about average when writing our test CD-R media.

Write quality:

We will test CD-R discs from many different CD-R manufacturers. To really measure the write speed, we used the “create data CD” function in Nero CD-Speed. The discs were written at the maximum speed that the drive supports. For the quality test, we used K-Probe 2 which is a tool developed by a Lite-On employee. It runs under Windows and works with drives made by Lite-On. Also note that different drives and different reading speeds may affect the results obtained when scanning the discs. We used a Lite-On SOHR-5238S drive with firmware 4S09 and scanned the discs at 48X speed.

A written CD-R disc will always have some C1 errors; C1 errors are easily corrected by the drive’s error correction capabilities. The next level of errors is C2, while C2 errors could also be corrected by most drive’s error correction capabilities; they are not wanted on a good quality disc. A good disc should not contain any C2 errors, and preferably have an average C1 error amount of below 2.0 for the best discs, or at least below 10.0 averages for good quality discs. After C2 errors, there are only un-correctable errors that will make a disc unusable.

Below are the obtained results:

Brand:	Unbranded Printable. Thanks to SVP UK for sending us this media
Manufacturer:	Taiyo Yuden
Country Of Origin	Japan
Code:	97m24s01f
Disc Type:	CD-R
Recording Layer:	Dye Type 1: Long Strategy (Cyanine, AZO)
Capacity:	79:59.72 (703MB)
Certified Speed:	48x
Write Speed:	48x (CAV)
Write Time:	2m:55s
C1 Average/Sec:	0.29
C2 Average/Sec:	0.0

An excellent result to start our CD-R quality tests, (highly recommended).

Brand:	Verbatim Super AZ0+Crystal DL – Thanks to Verbatim UK for sending us this media.
Manufacturer:	Mitsubishi Chemicals Corporation
Country Of Origin	India
Code:	97m34s23f
Disc Type:	CD-R
Recording Layer:	Dye Type 3: Long Strategy (Cyanine, AZO)
Capacity:	79:59.70 (703MB)
Certified Speed:	52x
Write Speed:	48x (CAV)
Write Time:	2m:56s
C1 Average/Sec:	0.23
C2 Average/Sec:	0.0

The write quality on the Verbatim 52x media is excellent, (Highly recommended).

Brand:	RICOH – Thanks to RICOH Europe (BV) for sending us this media.
Manufacturer:	Moser Baer India Limited
Country Of Origin	India
Code:	97m17s06f
Disc Type:	CD-R
Recording Layer:	Dye Type 6: Short Strategy (Phthalocyanine)
Capacity:	79:59.74 (703MB)
Certified Speed:	1x-52x
Write Speed:	48x (CAV)
Write Time:	2m:55s
C1 Average/Sec:	2.32
C2 Average/Sec:	0.0

Our RICOH media manufactured by Moser Baer India has burned with good quality.

Brand:	BenQ – Thanks to Daxon (Taiwan) for sending us this media.
Manufacturer:	Daxon
Country Of Origin	Taiwan
Code:	97m22s67f
Disc Type:	CD-R
Recording Layer:	Dye Type 7: Short Strategy (Phthalocyanine)
Capacity:	79:59.70 (703MB)
Certified Speed:	48x
Write Speed:	48x (CAV)
Write Time:	2m:56s
C1 Average/Sec:	0.37
C2 Average/Sec:	0.0

Once again we have an excellent result, (highly recommended).

Brand:	HP – Thanks to Medea International (UK) for sending us this media.
Manufacturer:	CMC Magnetics
Country Of Origin	Taiwan
Code:	97m26s66f
Disc Type:	CD-R
Recording Layer:	Dye Type 6: Short Strategy (Phthalocyanine)
Capacity:	79:59.71 (703 MB)
Certified Speed:	52x
Write Speed:	48x (CAV)
Write Time:	2m:56s
C1 Average/Sec:	1.08
C2 Average/Sec:	0.0

The HP media manufactured by CMC Magnetics has burned with excellent quality.

Brand:	Infiniti Printable – Thanks to Medea International (UK) for sending us this media.
Manufacturer:	SKC
Code:	97m26s26f
Disc Type:	CD-R
Recording Layer:	Dye Type 6: Short Strategy (Phthalocyanine)
Capacity:	79:59.09 (703 MB)
Certified Speed:	52x
Write Speed:	48x (CAV)
Write Time:	2m:55s
C1 Average/Sec:	1.79
C2 Average/Sec:	0.0

Another excellent result (highly recommended).

Brand:	Verbatim Super AZO – Thanks to Verbatim UK for sending us this media
Manufacturer:	Mitsubishi Chemicals Corporation
Country Of Origin	India
Code:	97m34s23f
Disc Type:	CD-R
Recording Layer:	Dye Type 3: Long Strategy (Cyanine, AZO)
Capacity:	79:59.70 (703MB)
Certified Speed:	48x
Write Speed:	48x (CAV)
Write Time:	2m:55s
C1 Average/Sec:	0.48
C2 Average/Sec:	0.0

And another excellent result.

Writing Quality with Re-Writable discs:

Brand:	Verbatim Ultra speed 32x – Thanks to Verbatim UK for sending us this media.
Manufacturer:	Mitsubishi Chemicals Corporation
Country Of Origin	Taiwan
Code:	97m34s25f
Disc Type:	Ultra Speed CD-RW 32x
Recording Layer:	Phase Change
Capacity:	79:59.74 (703MB)
Certified Speed:	32x
Write Speed:	32x (Z-CLV)
Write Time:	3m:23s
C1 Average/Sec:	4.28
C2 Average/Sec:	0.00

The result is good.

Brand:	Traxdata – Thanks to Conrexx (NL) for sending us this media.
Manufacturer:	Ritek.
Country Of Origin	Taiwan
Code:	97m27s12f
Disc Type:	High Speed CD-RW 8-24x
Recording Layer:	Phase Change
Capacity:	74:41.00
Certified Speed:	12x
Write Speed:	10x (Z-CLV)
Write Time:	8m:32s
C1 Average/Sec:	2.24
C2 Average/Sec:	0.0

The result is good.

Summary:

CD-R writing quality and media compatibility is excellent with the Samsung SH-S203B and CD-RW writing quality is good/very good.

Now let’s head on to the next page where we will test DVD recordable performance….

Reading performance

DVD+R/RW Writing performance

Want to submit your own review? Click here

Posted by Ken429 on Wednesday 09 January 2008 12:42

I bought one based on the article. I have a Pioneer DVR 112D, a Pioneer DVR 110D, A Samsung SH S183L and a Samsung SH-S203B. The two Pioneer's read/rip a pressed DL DVD in 14:30 minutes the Samsung's take 22 minutes to read/rip the same DVD!! I'm using the latest free version of DVDFab Decrypter. What am I missing or what program should I be using to get the Samsung's to rip a a reasonable speed?

Posted by Lawhead (guest) on Thursday 07 February 2008 05:16

I'm having some DL burning problems with this drive. At this point, I'm not sure if it is drive, version of Nero or the DL disks.

CD-R's or DVD-R's burn okay.

No matter what I try, I cannot burn a complete DL disks. Nero randomly generates "Write Error"s.

Here's my system, drive and media details:
Windows Vista Business (Build 6000) (pre-SP1)
Nero Version: 8.0.3.0
Recorder: Version: SB03 - HA 1 TA 0 - 8.0.3.0
Recorder: TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S203B, Media type: DVD+R9 Double Layer Disc Manufacturer ID: RITEK, Media Type ID: S04, Product revision number: 66
Disc Application Code: 0, Extended Information Indicators: 3

The disks are branded Memorex 8x DVD+R DL but it appears they were made by RITEK.

Posted by Hristo (guest) on Tuesday 12 February 2008 11:48

Lawhead, it's most likely because of the disc and not the drive. Ritek DL disks are unreliable. You'd better try Verbatim.

Posted by herman (guest) on Friday 07 March 2008 13:23

i too have a problem burning dl disks with this drive. It burned one successfully now all i get is errors when it initializes.

Posted by should i get one or not? (guest) on Sunday 20 April 2008 03:26

Should i buy it?

Posted by dunk01 on Thursday 01 May 2008 20:07

Is there a samsung external equivalent to the SH-S203B ?

Posted by thedamager on Tuesday 06 May 2008 03:27

@dunk01
SH-S203N, SH-S203P, with P being a replacement for N, no big difference.

Posted by Bob (guest) on Friday 16 May 2008 04:01

Re Samsung SH-S203B:
Anyone know where I can buy the retail version? All I see on the net is the OPEM version.
Thanks for your assistance

Posted by Al (guest) on Friday 16 May 2008 19:39

what's the differens between SH-203B , SH-203S , SH-203P , SH-203D, SH-203N ?

Posted by Bob (guest) on Saturday 17 May 2008 02:49

Anyone know where I can purchase the RETAIL version of this Samsung SATA DVD/CD burner (SH-S203B)? I'm engaged in a new build and my mobo (DFI LanParty DK P35-T2RS) has lots of capabilities for SATA drives but looks like only one connection for an EIDE drive.
Thanks

Posted by Joe R on Sunday 18 May 2008 16:02

Just got mine yesterday. It rips big files at 12x and writes 16x blanks at 20 x

I've not tried dl dvd's yet.

Joe
This message was edited at: 18-05-2008 16:03

Posted by jimboh1979 on Tuesday 27 May 2008 19:58

want one just for single layer burning its the fastest ive seen

Posted by desastre2010 (guest) on Wednesday 02 July 2008 19:14

I just wanna know... is it lightscribe compatible???

Posted by mightymouse on Thursday 03 July 2008 01:49

I have had a SH-S203B,firmware SB03 since Feb. Worked great ,burning almost any media. Today I tried to burn a 133meg file to a cd-r, no go. Tried it with a DVD-R, no go. If I look in MY COMPUTER it shows the drive as a DVD-RAM drive. As soon as I load a blank DVD or CD, it changes to CD-ROM. I have tried rebooting, uninstalling and reinstalling the drive, let windows detect, same thing. I can still view files on CD's or DVD's, and watch DVD movies, but I can't get it to burn now. I have tried burning just using win xp, and it won't work.
Anyone have any Ideas?

Posted by mightymouse on Thursday 03 July 2008 01:51

Posted by sqiggles (guest) on Monday 07 July 2008 19:38

I have the exact same problem... can't burn with CloneDVD to either my LG GSA-H73N or my Samsung SH-S203B... for the exact same reasons. Changes from CD-ROM to DVD-RAM and CloneDVD 2.9.1.9 can't handle it. My older version of Nero 6.6 burns without a hitch. So I rip with one set of software, burn with another. It'a a major pain but at least I can burn something.

Posted by mightymouse (guest) on Wednesday 09 July 2008 04:15

I have narrowed it down to a problem with built in Imapi support in WinXP, I think. I tried to install an old copy of Nero 5.5, but the install fails. Says I have an older version on the computer. I have searched every folder on the HD, and checked the registry. No Nero found /shrug.

Posted by mobilemate (guest) on Wednesday 09 July 2008 23:16

@mightymouse, maybe try c-cleaner.com.

I have a 203p, when i burn a audio cd around one in three tracks are unreadable in most cd player. i hope a driver update will fix it

Posted by nerdcore (guest) on Thursday 10 July 2008 05:47

@mightymouse

try nero clean tool then reinstall nero application.

Posted by mightymouse (guest) on Friday 11 July 2008 01:53

I tried Nero clean , didn't work. I did a system restore back to right before I installed win xp SP3. All seemed to be working.
I installed Deepburner software, and it seemed to burn, but after the disc was ejected, and put back in, nothing was on the disc. I can see the rings on the back of the disc where it looks like it burned, but the disc shows empty in win explorer.
Gonna RMAthe drive back to newegg and hope the next one lasts longer.

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