LiteOn 167T bad drive or something else?

[NiteLite]

Hi all...I need a couple questions answered, please.
On the advise from reading here I decided to buy a Lite_On 167T ROM to save lots of ripping wear and tear on my writer Plex-708A.

The 167T is 16X and has latest F/W 9S19.
Problem: It rips a DVD5 at a max 7.5X in Decrypter. My 12X Plextor rips at 11.5X. Both are near the end of rip of course.

The 167X encodes a 4gig DVD in Shrink and never gets above 5,750kbs.
My Plextor encodes twice as fast...over 11,000kbs.

According to "codeguy" the Lite-On is suppose to rip at near 16X right out of the box w/ authorised firmware. Mine wont reach near that speed.
I added codeguy's firmware and set it at the 16X-8X-12X and when trying to encode with Shrink it does speed up the spin (loud) but it stops every 3 or 4 seconds as if the buffer (512kbs) runs empty and slows back down to catch up. Soon as it speeds back up it stops again.. The picture stops at this time on the view screen.

So I guess I need to know what if anything I am doing wrong. I mean it is a cheap DVD-ROM but if it is a 16X shouldnt it get say at least 10 to 12X?

I have DMA and everything set. It is on my 2nd IDE as Slave to my Plextor Master. My 1st IDE has 2 HD's

I know from reading that people are using this and ripping faster that what I get so any advise would be greatly appreciately.
I also reset the firmware back to standard authorised version since the package contained the original.
I cant believe that this is going to max out at 7.5X, if so I threw away some serious $30.oo
Thanks in advance as I am completely stumped after reading for days about making this move to speed up rips and save wear on my writer.
Regards,
NL

[NiteLite]

Guess I'll have to reply to my own post.
After about 12 hours my conclusions are; this ROM is not going to rip a pressed DVD any faster than 7.5X
With codeguys firmware it will up some on a DVD-R but when using a pressed DVD5 orDVD9, I can hear the speed increase but it's 512kb buffer cant handle it. It just stops and after a couple seconds tries to start up again and same thing overand over.
After installing the original firmware back it read at it's constant slow speed. Not the slowest but certainly nowhere near it's rated 16X. In fact not even half that.
So Monday it goes in the trash.
I found out that for $20.00 more dollars I could have bought a BenQ 1620.
Conclusion...this LO-167T is a POS in my opinion and experience.
Glad that others have good results but I have to use what works for me.
Maybe the trash man will take it home and have better luck.
NL

Education costs...in this case 30 bucks.

[budz]

why would you wanna buy a BENQ 1620 to do your ripping......in my opinion using a dvdrom would lessen the wear and tear on the dvd burner.....i've built pc's with liteon dvdroms and they've ripped fast using the hacked firmware.....if you want a good dvdrom checkout ebay for Toshiba dvdrom's model 1612 or 1712......i have 3 toshiba 1612's i bought off of ebay.....only the 1712 i bought retail.......i only use my BENQ 1620's for discs that can not be read in either my toshiba's or my pioneer 107......

[NiteLite]

why would you wanna buy a BENQ 1620 to do your ripping......in my opinion using a dvdrom would lessen the wear and tear on the dvd burner.....i've built pc's with liteon dvdroms and they've ripped fast using the hacked firmware.....if you want a good dvdrom checkout ebay for Toshiba dvdrom's model 1612 or 1712......i have 3 toshiba 1612's i bought off of ebay.....only the 1712 i bought retail.......i only use my BENQ 1620's for discs that can not be read in either my toshiba's or my pioneer 107......

budz, I agree about the wear/tear issue. THing is my 708A is so much faster that this Lite_on ROM it's pitiful. I used the hacked firmware and the LiteOn 167T couldnt keep up. It would speed up then just stall for a few seconds until it's 512kb buffer could catch up. I was truly shocked at it's performance. It may have been a bad unit, I dont know.I just meant for a few more dollars I could have purchased a combo ROM/WRITER. You know, two for one.
Anyway I'm not looking for 16X burns nor anything Dual Layer.
Just want to go from 4X burns to 8X and maybe increase Pressed DVD rip speed a little.
Looking Plex716A (because I can use the eject button to open rips ) or the new Pioneer 109 or A09XL. Cant decide. As usual.
Thanks as always for the input.
NL

[budz]

Looking Plex716A (because I can use the eject button to open rips ) or the new Pioneer 109 or A09XL. Cant decide. As usual. laugh.gif
Thanks as always for the input.

if you aren't interested in dual layer burning then why are you looking at the 716 or pioneer 109 because they are both dual layer burners.

the plextor 716a drive doesn't need the eject button to rip at a faster speed, it reads 16x. i would suggest in waiting until plextor has more firmware updates for the 716a drive. if you check out the plextor forum you'll see the problems that the 716 drive has. every brand of dvd burners will have their problems which can be fixed via firmware updates. i strongly suggest you check out the BENQ 1620 drive which now is my favorite burner to use. others will disagree with me but then again some of those don't even own the BENQ 1620 but will make negative comments about it.

the pioneer retail 109 has 12x read out of the box. from what i have read the OEM version has it ripped locked at 2x speed. someone can correct me if i am wrong about that.

[Ma_Jie]

others will disagree with me but then again some of those don't even own the BENQ 1620 but will make negative comments about it.

hehe...one only wonders who that could be.


I agree with budz. You should look into a BenQ 1620. I just got a week ago, and I've yet to rack up a coaster.

Also, another myth debunked: I've burned 10 discs since I've got it, and every disc has been a DVD-R. So, yes, it does burn DVD-R -- not just DVD+R.

Cheers,

MJ[/quote]

[NiteLite]

if you aren't interested in dual layer burning then why are you looking at the 716 or pioneer 109 because they are both dual layer burners.

I guess because they are the newest out and suppose to have good rip speeds (12-16X), make good burns at 8X. That would help with DL pressed backups.

the plextor 716a drive doesn't need the eject button to rip at a faster speed, it reads 16x. i would suggest in waiting until plextor has more firmware updates for the 716a drive. if you check out the plextor forum you'll see the problems that the 716 drive has.

I know...there are lots of nightmare posts concerning the 716A. Shame since my 708A is excellent to me. And the Pioneer 108 got good reviews and "suppose" to like -R which I use. I never used +R

i strongly suggest you check out the BENQ 1620 drive which now is my favorite burner to use. others will disagree with me but then again some of those don't even own the BENQ 1620 but will make negative comments about it.

The BenQ 1620 is on my short list. Lots of different model numbers though. Somewhat confusing.

the pioneer retail 109 has 12x read out of the box. from what i have read the OEM version has it ripped locked at 2x speed. someone can correct me if i am wrong about that.

Thats my conclusion from lots of reading.
Even though the Plextor 716A iseems to need some firmware updates , some report that with normal 8X recording and using TY's (which is all I use) the Plextor still makes a very good write.
It's just a hard decision for me.
Plextor, Pioneer, BenQ, and NEC...Some say the NEC likes +r better some totally disagree.
I guess it's a toss up and I should just get one already.
I have a brain disease called cant make up my mind.
I would be satisified with fast DL-Pressed rips and good quality burns @ 8X
Why is that so hard.
As I may have mention I'm just getting into this hobby a few months now and I love it. Us older guys sometimes need a little help crossing the street so I really appreciate all the help and info I get from here. Hope I dont wear out the search button...
Thanks budz...and Ma_Jie for the BenQ burning -R just fine. You're correct I had read BenQ didnt like the -R's.

[Ma_Jie]

Hi nitelite.

Another advantage of the BenQ: you needn't use hacked firmware and/or necessarily cross-flash your drive to ensure, for example, 4x DL burning speed, etc. All you have to do, if you buy a Retail BenQ, is find the B7P9 FW; if you buy an OEM, just grab the G7P9 FW. (You can grab them here:http://www.benq.com/drivers/storage_drivers.html)

I know that with NEC you have to use hacked firmware, which could invalidate your warranty. With the BenQ, you needn't worry about that.

Cheers,

Ma Jie[/url]

[budz]

Newegg.com now has the BENQ 1620 instock for $62.99 after a $10.00 mail in rebate.

[MOVIEGEEK]

For a little more money($44USD@newegg.com) you can buy a Lite-On SOHC-5232 or 5235.
It's a combo drive(DVD-ROM/CD writer),I can rip a DVD-5 at 14x and a DVD-9 at 8x.

[Ma_Jie]

Here's an apparently re-badged BenQ 1620 also at newegg for a little less money: NUTech

Search the forum; I know someone here has this drive. I think it came w/ the same FW as mine.

Cheers,

MJ

[tacoman97x]

My 167t blew an IC (Hole in chip BD7909FS) on the units controller board (made by SONY apperently) when burning 8x on the fly to pioneer dvr 108... used 16x read firmware.... I don't know what went wrong...