BenQ DW1640

[dolphinius_rex]

FYI: I've just received word that the BenQ DW1640 unit for our review will be shipping to me shortly. That means that in about 1 month, give or take a week, you'll have

Is there any media that anyone wants me to SPECIFICALLY include in my review? Now would be a REALLY good time to let me know

[Bhairav]

FYI: I've just received word that the BenQ DW1640 unit for our review will be shipping to me shortly. That means that in about 1 month, give or take a week, you'll have

Is there any media that anyone wants me to SPECIFICALLY include in my review? Now would be a REALLY good time to let me know

1)Verbatim DLP 8X +/-R discs.
2)Moser Baer 8X and 16X +/-R discs.
3)Verbatim 52X CDRs.
4)MBI 4X -R discs.. know this is a long shot, but please try!

[dolphinius_rex]

1)Verbatim DLP 8X +/-R discs.

Done and done! Part of my regular testing group actually

2)Moser Baer 8X and 16X +/-R discs.

I don't have a source for these, but I'll happily accept some samples from you if you're willing to part with them. I'm willing to bet you have 100x better chances of getting them then I do, simply based on our located respective to the main MBIL manufacturing plant! Just popping them in the Post ought to still get them to me in time for the end of the review... since I DO take about a month due to the large amounts of tests I run.

3)Verbatim 52X CDRs.

Done! Also part of my regular testing group... but most of mine are made in Taiwan.

4)MBI 4X -R discs.. know this is a long shot, but please try!

See my above comments for MBIL 16x DVDRs.

Seriously though, I'd LOVE to get my hands on some of those discs. If someone can give me a hand getting some I'd really appreciate it!

[Halc]

The usual suspects:

quality:
- TY DVD+R 8x (YUDEN000 T02)
- Maxell DVD-R 8x (MXLRG03)
- MCC DVD-R 8x (MCC 002)

the rest:
- Prodisc DVD-R 8x (ProdiscF01)
- Ritek DVD-R 8x (RITEKG05)
- CMC DVD-R 8x (CMC MAG.AE1)

Or something on the similar lines (some best quality discs and then some most sold/produced/authentic/not crappiest).

+ the crappiest disc you personally think is still sold too much, too widely available and gives dvd burning too much of a bad name (take your pick of the several candidates) :)

Looking forward to your test article!
regards,
halc

[dolphinius_rex]

Here's a list of what I expect to be testing on this drive:

Taiyo Yuden 4x DVD-R
Taiyo Yuden 8x DVD-R
Taiyo Yuden 16x DVD-R
Taiyo Yuden 8x DVD+R
(Taiyo Yuden 16x DVD+R if I can get some!)

Verbatim 4x DVD-R
Verbatim 8x DVD-R
Verbatim 16x DVD-R
Verbatim 4x DVD+R
Verbatim 8x DVD+R
Verbatim 16x DVD+R
Verbatim 4x DVD-RW
Verbatim 6x DVD-RW
Verbatim 4x DVD+RW
Verbatim 8x DVD+RW
Verbatim 2.4x DVD+R9
Verbatim 4x DVD-R9

Ritek 4x DVD-R
Ritek 8x DVD-R
Ritek 16x DVD-R (Yes I'm really aiming for this one!! but don't have it yet)
Ritek 4x DVD+R
Ritek 8x DVD+R
Ritek 16x DVD+R
Ritek 4x DVD-RW
Ritek 4x DVD+RW
Ritek 6x DVD-RW (if I can get some!)
Ritek 8x DVD+RW (if I can get some!)
Ritek 2.4x DVD+R9

Acro Circle 4x DVD-R
Acro Circle 8x DVD-R (TYG02 code)
Acro Circle 8x DVD-R (OPTODISCR008 code)
Acro Circle 16x DVD-R
Acro Circle 4x DVD+R
Acro Circle 8x DVD+R
Acro Circle 16x DVD+R
Acro Circle 2x DVD-RW
Acro Circle 4x DVD-RW
Acro Circle 4x DVD+RW

Maxell 4x DVD-R (if I still have some...)
Maxell 8x DVD-R (real Japanese!)
Maxell 16x DVD-R (real Japanese!)
Maxell 8x DVD+R (real Japanese!)
Maxell 16x DVD+R (real Japanese!)
Maxell 2.4x DVD+R9 (Verbatim code)

Memorex 8x DVD-R
Memorex 8x DVD+R
Memorex 16x DVD+R
Memorex 2.4x DVD+R9 (Ritek code I think)

Fuji 4x DVD-R (MIJ)
Fuji 2.4x DVD+R9 (RICOH code I thnk)

BenQ 4x DVD-R
BenQ 8x DVD-R
BenQ 16x DVD-R
BenQ 8x DVD+R
BenQ 16x DVD+R

I don't have any MBIL stuff, or any sources on getting some (other then an above post ), I DO have some crappy Kodak brand stuff, as well as some downgrade Optodisc media. I also have a small assortment of Prodisc media (I have PRODISCF01 and FUJIFILM03 by Prodisc). I also have some other no name generic crap discs for testing, which just sort of got sent my way... I don't even know who made them

For CD-Rs, expect mostly Ritek, Fuji (prodisc and Taiyo Yuden), Taiyo Yuden and Verbatim, but also some nice stuff.

So based on the above, and taking into account the MBIL request already made, is there anything else people are looking for in particular?

[Ian]

Personally, I'd save some time and skip the 4x +R and -R media. Same goes with older CD-R media. Stick with what is currently being sold.

[RJW]

Taiyo Yuden 16x DVD+R. only for the fact that it seems very hard to get.

No really I don't have any recommendations.

Ehh one thing it might be nice but very time consumeing to see how the drive reacts on partial (cascade) rewrites. Still it's only a idea you can check out if your really bored.

[jsl]

PHILIPS-CD2 DVD+R DL would be nice too.

[dolphinius_rex]

PHILIPS-CD2 DVD+R DL would be nice too.

I'll test them as soon as I can get some I don't currently have a source

[dolphinius_rex]

Personally, I'd save some time and skip the 4x +R and -R media. Same goes with older CD-R media. Stick with what is currently being sold.

Well, there won't be a HUGE amount of 4x media anyways.

The reason I do the 4x media is because the support for pretty much ALL 4x media should be as good as it's ever going to be, so I want to see just how good the drive can do at its' best. Also, since BenQ is so well known for frequent firmware updates, I want to start with burning media that will not change in performance from firmware to firmware at all, or very much. So generally, I burn 4x DVD±Rs, 8x DVD±R and 4x DVD±RWs, DVD+RDL, 16 DVD±Rs, and then DVD-RDL. That way if the firmware changes the ones most likely to be changed/improved will be burned on the later firmwares.

And other people have already been requesting some 4x testing. For instance, Taiyo Yuden 4x DVD-Rs are one of the hottest selling items in Western Canada right now, and pretty popular in Eastern Canada as well! And we can't forget how popular Princo 4x DVD-Rs are, for some reason... even still.

[eric93se]

I have some INFOMER20 if your interested. I get excellent results at 4x and 8x on my 2510a.

[dolphinius_rex]

I have some INFOMER20 if your interested. I get excellent results at 4x and 8x on my 2510a.

Where are you located? Canada? USA? I'm always interested in new media I've never seen before!

[RJW]

Philips CD2 hmm will be hard to find them in Memorex. After they bought only 1500 pieces and distribute them in a very weird way.
No the only option would be getting the new Philips media.

[Bhairav]

1)Verbatim DLP 8X +/-R discs.

Done and done! Part of my regular testing group actually

2)Moser Baer 8X and 16X +/-R discs.

I don't have a source for these, but I'll happily accept some samples from you if you're willing to part with them. I'm willing to bet you have 100x better chances of getting them then I do, simply based on our located respective to the main MBIL manufacturing plant! Just popping them in the Post ought to still get them to me in time for the end of the review... since I DO take about a month due to the large amounts of tests I run.

3)Verbatim 52X CDRs.

Done! Also part of my regular testing group... but most of mine are made in Taiwan.

4)MBI 4X -R discs.. know this is a long shot, but please try!

See my above comments for MBIL 16x DVDRs.

Seriously though, I'd LOVE to get my hands on some of those discs. If someone can give me a hand getting some I'd really appreciate it!

I can definitely send you some 8X and 4X +/-R discs, those 16X discs might be a problem. They haven't been launched under their own label here either, just as OEMs for Memorex and Imation. I'll see what I can do.. long weekend here, I'll start digging!

Thanks a bunch!

[RJW]

Like I allready said in mail to dolphinius rex.
But just for the other folks arround here.
I might be able to get some MMORE MBIL 16x DVD+R but it will be hard and probally not in time.
-R MBIL will be hard to find these days with all the big OEM codes job the guys have.

[Scour]

Hello!

I prefer for the tests DVD-media with 8x and more.

If you want to test how good the 1640 really is then test with Infosmart01

[raygay27]

i think it is time for more 16x media. else, what's the point of having a 16x drive afterall? i have been seeing many reviews with very limited 16x media tested.

[infini]

I wonder why it takes Benq so long to send the drive for reviews since it is already sold in the shops.

[dolphinius_rex]

i think it is time for more 16x media. else, what's the point of having a 16x drive afterall? i have been seeing many reviews with very limited 16x media tested.

Well... I'm going to test EVERY 16x disc I can get my hands on!

[infini]

Also check Prodisc media if you have

[Scour]

Also check Prodisc media if you have

That would be nice.

Dolph, do you have media from Sony/Daxon?

CMC qould be also nice because those media are sold with many different labels

[dolphinius_rex]

Also check Prodisc media if you have

That would be nice.

Dolph, do you have media from Sony/Daxon?

CMC qould be also nice because those media are sold with many different labels

I have SOME Prodisc 8x DVD-Rs, but not all 4 types. I have some 16x media on the way as well I think... I hope!
As for CMC, I have Memorex brand CMC 8x DVD±Rs, and some 16x DVD+Rs.

I also have Sony/Daxon 8x DVD±Rz, and also some BenQ/Daxon 8x and 16x DVD±Rs.

[Scour]

Personally, I'd save some time and skip the 4x +R and -R media. Same goes with older CD-R media. Stick with what is currently being sold.

I agree.

Maybe only 4x from brands like Verbatim and TY, 2,4x-media makes not any sense

[RJW]

No for 4x I would suggest if you would go for the 2 disc's approach to use something good and questionable.
Also I have heard that in some places of this world they are still useing mostly 4x media. In Europe I think we finally made the switch to 8x but seeing how long it took I can understand that some folks really want to see some 4x media tested because they hardly can get 8x/16x media except for the samples supplied a long with there drives.

Also about 16x media it might look nice to have the latest stuff in.
But with very new media the quality will probally be not the same as when people are actually able to get it and when we have seen quite some firmware update. For that reason keep it real.
YUDENT0 003 might really be fancy stuff. However the change that we will see it in any volume on the American or European market in the next months is small.

[dolphinius_rex]

The BenQ DW1640 has arrived!!!

And I will say this:

Wow! BenQ goes above and beyond when it comes to packaging!! It was tripple boxed with layers of protection and padding in between and inside of each box! They could have shipped 30 DVD burners in the outer box probably, if it weren't for all the padding and protection. But at least I know the drive made it to me in excellent condition

So this means that as soon as I get home from buying NewsRadio Seasons 1 and 2 on DVD (just released today!) I'll be popping this baby into my PC and starting my review.

Without giving anything away, there will be some changes between this review and my last one, and probably more then one surprise. It won't be finished quickly, but I promise it will be worth the wait!