BenQ DW1655 Review @ DVDRWInfo.net

[Ian]

It's in Korean but the screenshots speak for themselves:

http://www.dvdrwinfo.net/bbs/zboard.php ... iew&no=100

[jberry]

link just bounces me from login to post to login to post over and over again

[Ian]

Yeah, their website is kinda goofy. It eventually comes up for me but it takes awhile.

[jberry]

well I gave up after 5 min (on dsl no less) can you give a 30 sec summary? what showed...great drive? better than 1640? if you can't that is ok too

[TCAS]

The Staples has this dive (BenQ 1655) repackage as I/O Magic for $49.99.


http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/store ... =spotlight

[tazdevl]

Yup... can't view either. So what's the verdict?

[Dartman]

So you guys get one today? I did, seems nice so far considering first firmware revision and all. I'd say it will outdo the 1640 and 20 soon.
They have a HUGE bunch of test with it and most look at least good to a few godlike burns.

[dolphinius_rex]

I'd say some results are awesome, others are ok, but need fine tuning. There are a few (notably Verbatim 8x DVD+RDL) that have pretty big problems. Looked like excellent results with RICOHJPND01 8x DVD+RDL though.

The review, although annoyingly all done on one page, is quite remarkable. It's not often I see someone test about as much media as I would, in as many ways as I do!

[bill]

It's not often I see someone test about as much media as I would, in as many ways as I do!

My thoughts exactly.

I think you're going to have a good time putting this drive through its paces. Any word yet on when a firmware revision will be available from BenQ?

I'm curious, does anyone know if the 1655 has had spec. revision? The model number listed on my drive's label is BenQ DW1655.. On the lower right of the same drive label ( on line #2 ) it reads BQR-DW1655(B) with a production date of Nov. 17 2005. What's up with the "B"??

[Ian]

I'm curious, does anyone know if the 1655 has had spec. revision? The model number listed on my drive's label is BenQ DW1655.. On the lower right of the same drive label ( on line #2 ) it reads BQR-DW1655(B) with a production date of Nov. 17 2005. What's up with the "B"??

It could be the color. Does it have a black bezel?

[dolphinius_rex]

I think you're going to have a good time putting this drive through its paces. Any word yet on when a firmware revision will be available from BenQ?

I always enjoy putting a drive through my tests

No word on the firmware yet.... BenQ's been pretty busy since before Christmas preparing stuff, probably for CES. I'll drop another e-mail their way though.

[jberry]

mine is black...seems to write well...not much time to try it...lightscribe is neat though....hope verbatim makes -r lightscribe sometime

[Bhairav]

Bugger.. page not opening at all for me. ANyone kind enough to ctrl-c ctrl-v that page?

[MediumRare]

Bugger.. page not opening at all for me. ANyone kind enough to ctrl-c ctrl-v that page?

No problem opening it here (Firefox). There's an awful lot of picture in it- goes into the MiB's rapidly, so I'd suggest trying again (what's your cookie setting?)

G

[MediumRare]

I just browsed through this monster. Looks like a good drive.

What really struck me was the amazing similarity in most quality scans between the 1655 and LiteOn 1693 (very few exceptions!!)

Some other points:
- funny that CMC MAGM01 burns @16x but not 12x or 14x
- ironic that a BenQ drive has problems with Daxon media (both were originally Acer)
- it sure doesn't like the Ricoh 8x DVD+RW or Verbatim 6x DVD-RW !
- too bad the ATIP's (and manufacturer ID's) are missing on most CDR-results.

G

[ala42]

Bugger.. page not opening at all for me. ANyone kind enough to ctrl-c ctrl-v that page?

Check your PM.

[bill]

No word on the firmware yet.... BenQ's been pretty busy since before Christmas preparing stuff, probably for CES. I'll drop another e-mail their way though.

Thanks for checking with BenQ. I just read in another thread that CES is starting up so I guess the firmware update will wait.

Have you started testing the 1655 yet or do you intend to wait for a firmware upgrade?

[bill]

I'm curious, does anyone know if the 1655 has had spec. revision? The model number listed on my drive's label is BenQ DW1655.. On the lower right of the same drive label ( on line #2 ) it reads BQR-DW1655(B) with a production date of Nov. 17 2005. What's up with the "B"??

It could be the color. Does it have a black bezel?

That's a good point, that line of thought never entered my mind but your probably right.. My drive happens to be beige so perhaps BenQ uses "B" for beige and "BL" (or something like that) for the black face model..

It will be interesting what other folks find when the drive becomes more available.

[dolphinius_rex]

No word on the firmware yet.... BenQ's been pretty busy since before Christmas preparing stuff, probably for CES. I'll drop another e-mail their way though.

Thanks for checking with BenQ. I just read in another thread that CES is starting up so I guess the firmware update will wait.

Have you started testing the 1655 yet or do you intend to wait for a firmware upgrade?

It depends on which happens first, me finishing the LiteON SHW-1635S review, or the firmware coming out.

If the firmware comes out before I finish the review I'm working on, then I'll have been waiting for the new firmware.... if it doesn't come out while I'm working on my current review, then I won't

Actually, more seriously, once I finish the LiteON review, if the new firmware isn't out yet, I'll probably stick to testing 8x media only, and save the higher speed media for the new firmware, which will undoubtedly come out during the reviewing process. Normally with BenQ, several firmwares come out while I'm reviewing their drive

[Phoenix '97]

Did they test Ritek D01s? I didn't seem to see them there.
Just as a BTW, are the discs Memorex still selling (via Futureshop for one) still D01s?

[Dartman]

The D01 I just burned last night was good on first layer then crashed to just so so on second with that drive. My Pioneer 563 skips with it, my other players do fine. Seems about like the 1640 for that media, maybe a tiny bit better.

[Bhairav]

Bugger.. page not opening at all for me. ANyone kind enough to ctrl-c ctrl-v that page?

Check your PM.

Thanks!

[준™]

Hi. I'm one of DVDRWInfo admin.

It's so funny when I found our site link here, cause I visit your site everyday. is any body here read korean?

well. if you guys have more question for our article, email me.

here's conclusion for dw1655 review

dvd recorder
BENQ DW1655
LG GSA-4166B

DVD±R writing quality
★★★★
★★★

DVD±RW writing quality
★★
★★★

DVD+R DL writing quality
★★★
★★★

DVD-R DL writing quality
★★★
-

over burning writing quality
★★★★
not support

CD-R writing quality
★★★★
★★★★

CD-RW writing quality
★
★★★

LightScribe writing quality
★★★★
★★★

and he says dw1655 has the best quality for LS for now

[Bhairav]

^Thanks for the summary. Seems they still need to do some work on rewritable media then.