Pioneer DVR-108 & Liteon DVDRW LDW-851S Comparison

[chris18]

I currently have the Liteon, recently updated with firmware GSOK after some issues with Ritek Inkjet Printable A Grade (4x) which were a new buy for me.

All in all it's a good writer but just recently I've been trying the Ridisc Unbranded Silver (4x) and for some reason all I'm getting is failures. The software, mainly CloneDVD2, says it's burned OK but the discs don't play and if I check them with Kprobe it either says there isn't a disc in the drive or the disc is faulty.

Reading through this and other forums the Liteon writers are generally considered better with DVD+R/DVD+RW media but I particularly want to use DVD-R/DVD-RW as I've found this media plays on more standalone DVD players that DVD+r/DVD+RW.

I've been exchanging emails with the online retailer I bought the discs from (I use them all the time as they give excellent service) trying to sort out the problem and I 've noticed they are selling the Pioneer DVR-108 for £49.98(GBP).

Their last email to me said

In all my writer tests I have found LiteOn drives to be fussy on some areas of media and I recommend the Pioneer 108 for the best results. If you find you have a problem with media on the Pioneer 108 this will almost always be fixed by a firmware update

I was wondering if anyone could give an opinion on the Pioneer and is it overall a better writer than the Liteon? I'm especially interested to know how compatible it is with various types of media.

Thanks

[code65536]

1/ Comparing an 8x burner released in late 2003 with a 16x burner released in the latter half of 2004 is like comparing apples with oranges.

2/ If you want to use the -R format, use Pioneer. Each of the drive types out there have a "preference"--one format that will burn better. Pioneer has always preferred -R to +R. Philips/BenQ, LiteOn, NEC, Plextor, and a number of others have always preferred the +R format. Preferrably, you should use the media type that your drive prefers.

3/ Use bitsetting. With that, +R beats the pants off -R in terms of compatibility.

4/ Ritek media is very overrated.

[chris18]

code65536

Thanks for the reply.

Appreciate that a direct comparison isn't possible due to the technical differences but just wanted an opinion as to whether it would be worth the money to replace the LiteOn writer or at least to have both the LiteOn and Pioneer working together.

I've just updated the firmware to the latest GS0P which I found yesterday on the Liteon site but the Ridisc Unbranded Silver (4x) are still failing so it looks as if this media type just isn't compatible with the LiteOn.

Since buying the LiteOn, which a few problems apart, is quite a good writer, I've become aware, through forums like this, of the preference of LiteOn writers for DVD+R/DVD+RW media, which point wasn't mentioned when I exchanged the Ricoh writer.

[lordsmurf]

Ritek media is not very good anymore. Likely culprit this time.

[chris18]

Ritek media is not very good anymore. Likely culprit this time.

Thanks for the reply.

I get very confused as to what is good or what is bad. I assume you mean the Ritek dye isn't reliable?

Care to suggest a good reliable media for general purpose use?

Would really like to continue to use printable media.

Thanks

[Tidy]

First let me say this: I had the exact same problem burning with CloneDVD. ALL discs I tried to play in all players including my 106 and 108 would not play no matter what media. I started using CloneDVD to iso and burning with Nero and they play fine on the exact saem media in the exact same players. I can also skip the CloneDVD all together and just burn with Nero and they play fine on the same media and players. I think CloneDVD just uses a crappy burning engine.


I have had a lot of problems with Ridata dye's lately. I used to swear by them. Honestly I use Japanese TDK, Fuji, and Sony. I have had great luck with Prodisc as well.

If it was me I would buy the 108 AND keep your liteon. Here is why. The 108 is an incredibly stable burner and I have had excellent success with it. Even with overspeed burning I get great quality burns. Anyway, I would keep the lite-on as well because as I understand it they support PI/PO and Jitter testing. What this means is you can burn or overspeed burn with the 108 and then test burn quality by dropping it in your lite-on drive unless I am mistaken.


T

[chris18]

I can also skip the CloneDVD all together and just burn with Nero and they play fine on the same media and players. I think CloneDVD just uses a crappy burning engine.

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

If you skip CloneDVD how do you create the image file?

I've still got 20 of the Ridisc Unbranded Silver (4x) left which the retailer was prepared to take back in exchange but because of the closeness of the holiday I was going to leave until later as they are bound to get held up in the Christmas post etc.

Perhaps the best best is for me to do a couple of test burns with Nero in the manner you suggest and see what happens.

Also, if I decide to buy the Pioneer DVR-108 and it will burn the Ridisc Unbranded Silver (4x) OK then there's no point in sending them back.

[zleepy]

I use both too.
My 108 has problems READING cheap DVD+RW, VR (made in LiteOn 5001 recorder).
The LiteOn 851 reads them fine.

Prodisc DVD-R 4x burned perfectly at 8x in my Pioneer. Didn't try it on the 851.

Interesting 108 Note:
Burning the 4x minus at 12x takes about 20 seconds longer than at 8x!
I used hacked firmware.
The 16x burn was also slower and failed Nero's verification and failed in my player.

BTW both burners are set as Slaves and I've yet to have a problem.

[macleod]

I now own a Liteon burner (the digitalmax burner from the black friday sale) 1663 or whatever it is. I have the old supermediastore.com house brand 4x -R media and some -R media that I got from Office max on black friday. All of the burns (AFTER THE FIRMWARE UPGRADE) have been perfect.

[Tidy]

I can also skip the CloneDVD all together and just burn with Nero and they play fine on the same media and players. I think CloneDVD just uses a crappy burning engine.

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

If you skip CloneDVD how do you create the image file?

I've still got 20 of the Ridisc Unbranded Silver (4x) left which the retailer was prepared to take back in exchange but because of the closeness of the holiday I was going to leave until later as they are bound to get held up in the Christmas post etc.

Perhaps the best best is for me to do a couple of test burns with Nero in the manner you suggest and see what happens.

Also, if I decide to buy the Pioneer DVR-108 and it will burn the Ridisc Unbranded Silver (4x) OK then there's no point in sending them back.

Well actually I don't create an image, I either transcode it with something like DVD Fab or I let Nero transcode it so that it will fit on one disc.

[chris18]

Well actually I don't create an image, I either transcode it with something like DVD Fab or I let Nero transcode it so that it will fit on one disc.

I think DVD Fab used to be FREEWARE but it's not any longer so that's a non starter at the moment. I have DVDDecrypter, DVD Shrink.

I've also seen reference to DVD-Cloner in a few places but don't know how good/bad it is, also I don't think it's FREEWARE.

I've never looked at using Nero to transcode, so could do with a few tips as to how to get started.

[candsh]

I have a new Pioneer 108 and have written both +/- R/RW without any problems at all and use only Riteck disks. It is a great writer!

About your problem burning, with DVDShrink you can have it create an ISO for burning with DVD Decrypter and it will start the program and burn it for you. You can set it up in the burning options of the program and does a really good job. If you have Nero, it will do the same tihing and also burn the disk, just not in the ISO image format

My DVR 108 came loaded with the 1.14 firmware from Pioneer. This is my 4th pioneer burner and the only reason for changes were the upgrades, not for any problems. This one for the double layer capabilities and faster burn speeds. Will burn 8X media at 12X with the factory firmware in place but I always restrict the burning speed to the rated speed of the disk. Too many possibilities for errors exceeding the disk rated specs.

[chris18]

Pioneer DVR-108 on it's way, should arrive today!

The retailer suggested Taiyo Yuden (8x) Printable DVD-R or Taiyo Yuden (8x) Unbranded DVD-R but these come in 100 spindles and at this time of the year were just a bit too pricey.

As a lower priced alternative they suggested Datawrite Fujicode (8x) Full Face Printable -R and Datawrite Grey (8x) DVD-R and I have bought some of these to try with the writer.

Non of the discs they suggested actually say they are double layered, is that normal?

If I use CloneDVD2 do I need to make any changes in order to write a double layered disc? Usually CloneDVD2 shows DVD-5, which I think is single layered, where as double layered are, I think, DVD-9.

Same question I suppose goes with other software i.e do I need to make changes to create an image to write to the double layered discs?

Will have to play around with different media types until I find the most reliable, if the recommended media type don't perform well.