Sony DRU-700A's Double-Layer DVD Burner *PICS*

[AND1]

Sony DRU-700A Writes On 8.5-GB DVDs



Sony has come out with a double-layer DVD drive, the DRU-700A, as well as an external version, the DRX-700UL. How do they work? Through different wavelengths of the laser, the data can be stored on two levels. Considering that each blank DVD gives you a storage capacity of 8.5 GB, these DVD burners are ideal for storing large amounts of data or videos. The first double-layer DVDs are now available, and they are set to cost a little more than twice as much as the regular single discs.


The external version of Sony's DVD burner, the DRX-700UL

2.4x Write Speed


Packaging of the DVD burner

According to Sony, the two drives can write at a speed of 2.4x in the double-layer format. In addition, they process conventional DVD+Rs at eight times the speed and DVD+RWs at four times the speed. As Dual-RW drives, they can also handle DVD-R media with 8x and DVD-RW with 4x. CD-R/RW can be used with fast rates of 40x or 24x, CD-ROMs are played with 40x speed and DVD-ROMs with 12x speed.

As for burning software with double layer support - Nero Burning ROM is the top choice.

[Nilfennasion]

*Wonders absently if DVDDecrypter will be updated to support DL burning, or if a new DVDShrink will be made to support conversion to DL-size images...*

[AND1]

DVD Decrypter is already updated and supports Dual Layer.

[Baldrick]

you can't directlink to toms hardware...it only says tom hardware in the pictures.

[Nilfennasion]

Wow, that didn't take long. I'll go download the new version now.

[tompika]

Wow, that didn't take long. I'll go download the new version now.

Actually its been supported since February

you can't directlink to toms hardware...it only says tom hardware in the pictures.

Well he could upload them himself



...

[Nilfennasion]

Sony's DL burner, from what I have been told, does not support DVD-RAM. I will wait until LG throw their hat in before I make a decision, I think.

[-jsl-]

Nilfennasion: No it's basically only Hitachi/LG and Panasonic drives that support writing of DVD-RAM for PC drives. LG's coming GSA-4120B looks nice though with support for DVD+R DL, 12x DVD+R, 4x DVD+RW, 8x DVD-R, 4x DVD-RW and 5x DVD-RAM.

Unfortunately LG's drives have so far not supported bitsetting something that is likely to be very important for the compatibility of DVD+R DL as you can see a first indication of here.

[Nilfennasion]

Damn. Hopefully bitsetting won't always be necessary for DL compatibility, but that doesn't look promising. Maybe I should put off buying a DL burner for another six months after MoneyMas?

[handyguy]

Isn't the Sony in fact a LiteOn? As I don't think Sony is making them anymore, just rebagging.

[Nilfennasion]

If it is in fact a Lite-On, I won't be buying a Sony. I've had a hell of a time trying to make one Lite-On drive RPC1 compliant.