LG GSA-4120B reviewed, 5x DVD-RAM, 12x DVD+R

[Kennyshin]

http://home.storageinfo.co.kr/~kenny/re ... /index.htm

by kimya95 @ StorageInfo

The sample drive was provided by LG Electronics in Seoul and Pyungtaek, South Korea. The files are hosted by me. Everything was done by Mr. kimya95 in Seoul, an SI admin.

1/9 Product Features
2/9 Test Environment
3/9 Media Compatibility
4/9 DVD Recording Test
5/9 DVD-RAM Recording Test
6/9 CD-R Recording Test
7/9 DVD Reading Performance
8/9 DVD Ripping Performance
9/9 Concluding...

He gave nearly perfect score to GSA-4120B, 97 out of 100. The only thing he didn't like was its DVD ripping speed. DVD+R DL media was not provided as of this time.

[dodecahedron]

how's the writing quality?
both DVD and CD?

and how about media compatibility?

[Ian]

Kennyshin, can you get the N0AD firmware from that guy?

[MadBurner]

The only thing he didn't like was its DVD ripping speed.

Did he mention how fast it was able to rip a dual layer disc to the hard drive? My 4082B rips dual layer discs in about 17 minutes, which makes it the fastest ripper that I have ever owned!

MB

[shimman]

looks wonderful. i will get one as soon as it comes out. compatability seems good.

[vsekh]

I'm going to consider buying this drive instead of the Plextor 712a or 712sa.

[jsl]

Too bad the LG uses Z-CLV technique for both CD-R/RW and DVD±R instead of P-CAV. It will also probably not support bitsetting which looks to be very important for the compatibility of DVD+R DL.

[vsekh]

Too bad the LG uses Z-CLV technique for both CD-R/RW and DVD±R instead of P-CAV. It will also probably not support bitsetting which looks to be very important for the compatibility of DVD+R DL.

Hopefully LG will have this issue resolved before the drive is released.

[sweetburner]

What I'm interested to find in reviews is if the problems previous models had where fixed. Issues where:
1. Bad DAE quality
2. High Jitter values for burned CD-R media
3. Quality issues with DVD-RW/+RW media
4. Does not produce good results on some CD-R media

The above 4 issues where appearing consistent on 4020, 4040, 4081 and 4082.

[Kennyshin]

Kennyshin, can you get the N0AD firmware from that guy?

I'll ask him.

From what he has already told me, there have been three firmwares for 4120.

[Kennyshin]

how's the writing quality?
both DVD and CD?

and how about media compatibility?

Basically, this is his conclusion: as good as Pioneer DVR-A06.

[Kennyshin]

The only thing he didn't like was its DVD ripping speed.

Did he mention how fast it was able to rip a dual layer disc to the hard drive? My 4082B rips dual layer discs in about 17 minutes, which makes it the fastest ripper that I have ever owned!

MB

Yes, of course, unless you meant user-recorded dual layer blank media. It took around 22 minutes to rip a DL video disk of about 7.8GB to hard disk for GSA-4120.



http://home.storageinfo.co.kr/~kenny/re ... 120b_8.htm

Both Pioneer DVR-A06 with hacked firmware and Lite-On LDW-811S did it better, about 17 minutes each.

[Kennyshin]

Too bad the LG uses Z-CLV technique for both CD-R/RW and DVD±R instead of P-CAV. It will also probably not support bitsetting which looks to be very important for the compatibility of DVD+R DL.

Indeed. GSA-4120B's 12x speed is not that much better than my Lite-On LDW-401S's 8x speed when hacked with 811S firmware. I hoped LG would make 4120B price in South Korea under 200K Won but it seems it will be over 200K when the retail boxes arrive at Yongsan shops. 4120B does not support Mt. Rainier either. I won't buy one unless they lower the price to under 100K Won.

[Kennyshin]

What I'm interested to find in reviews is if the problems previous models had where fixed. Issues where:
1. Bad DAE quality
2. High Jitter values for burned CD-R media
3. Quality issues with DVD-RW/+RW media
4. Does not produce good results on some CD-R media

The above 4 issues where appearing consistent on 4020, 4040, 4081 and 4082.

I cannot find any information regarding recorded CD-R scan results.

From her, he said:

"GSA-4120B supports Z-CLV 40x recording. It could write to all media I had at 40x. No problem."

As for DVD media recording quality, he did not find any problem either. He seems to have tested about 50 DVD media of different model name.

[Kennyshin]

Kennyshin, can you get the N0AD firmware from that guy?

I'll ask him.

From what he has already told me, there have been three firmwares for 4120.

He gave it to me just a while ago. One of the most diligent and sincere guys I know.

4120_N0AD_Executable

4120_N0AD_ZIP

[Halc]

Thanks for the link!

Now, if only they'd support PI, PIF, POF and Jitter reporting, this would be a drive to get for me, imho.

But looks good nevertheless, based on the initial findings.

[Ian]

Kennyshin, please tell him thank you. I've asked LG for it a few days ago and they have yet to get back to me. They're going through a reorg here in the US, so who knows wtf is going on.

[Kennyshin]

Kennyshin, please tell him thank you. I've asked LG for it a few days ago and they have yet to get back to me. They're going through a reorg here in the US, so who knows wtf is going on.

The Korean guys at LG first need to learn proper English.

Disclaimer: I'm not here laughing at those who cannot write in English but am criticizing the company's inconsistent policy.

[dodecahedron]

how's the writing quality?
both DVD and CD?

and how about media compatibility?

Basically, this is his conclusion: as good as Pioneer DVR-A06.

very good news!

[shimman]

The Korean guys at LG first need to learn proper English

very funny, like anyone is speaking proper english.

[Ian]

I don't even speak proper english

[Kennyshin]

The Korean guys at LG first need to learn proper English

very funny, like anyone is speaking proper english.

When you work inside LG, you'll know the full sense of what I meant. When you work outside LG but still communicate with them, you'll know at least half of what I meant. In the quoted sentence of mine, the subject is South Koreans who speak Korean so I meant proper English by South Korean standard.

I'm not here laughing at those who cannot write in English...

You are writing in English. So am I.

[Kennyshin]

http://home.storageinfo.co.kr/~kenny/review/gsa_4120b_kimya95/index.htm

by kimya95 @ StorageInfo

The sample drive was provided by LG Electronics in Seoul and Pyungtaek, South Korea. The files are hosted by me. Everything was done by Mr. kimya95 in Seoul, an SI admin.

1/9 Product Features
2/9 Test Environment
3/9 Media Compatibility
4/9 DVD Recording Test
5/9 DVD-RAM Recording Test
6/9 CD-R Recording Test
7/9 DVD Reading Performance
8/9 DVD Ripping Performance
9/9 Concluding...

He gave nearly perfect score to GSA-4120B, 97 out of 100. The only thing he didn't like was its DVD ripping speed. DVD+R DL media was not provided as of this time.

Another review arrived. Mr. innundo@StorageInfo has already let me see his own media compatibility table. More than 100 media were tested. GSA-4120B could also write to That's YUDEN000T02 at up to 12x speed. Verbatim MCC003 and RiDATA Ritek R03 only at 8x. I'm not sure whether it's also alright to link the review here.

[Ian]

I'm not sure whether it's also alright to link the review here.

It's fine with me. I'd like to read more about this drive.

[Kennyshin]

I'm not sure whether it's also alright to link the review here.

It's fine with me. I'd like to read more about this drive.

But the author's hesitant. Confidentiality. If it were me, I'd have posted everything on open web.