Lite-On LTD-166S Differences

[Ian]

Removed by request of Lite-On.

[dimitri]

Thanks Ian!

So can we take it that the only difference between 165h and 166s are purely mechanical? If that is so, why then a totally different firmware???

There were *speculations* that the drive is a cheaper version of the 165, cutting down the dvd-ram compatibility for one thing, but I only saw this 'accusation' on 1 (Taiwanese) website...

[NeilPeart]

Thanks for the clarification, Ian - I've been thinking about that very issue for some time. I have the 163, 165H and 166S, and I still like the 163 the best; it feels smoother and is quieter. It also extracts audio and DVD data more quickly than its younger siblings. I bought the 165H for the increased media compatibility (and I acquired the 166S from an irate customer). Thanks again for the info.

[Alexandrus]

Actually the LTD-163 seems noisier to me, and a tad slower than the LTD-166S.
Maybe you just got a bad drive or something.

[NeilPeart]

It's quite possible that I got a bad drive, as there have been some reported cases of people with bad 166S drives. However, my 165H also exhibits the same flaws as the 166S. Perhaps the 163 only "feels" better because I'm more used to it? Maybe the 165H and 166S need a longer "warm-up" time? Oh well, it's fast enough for me.

[ETP]

I thought I had seen a higher transfer rate posted on the liteon sight for their new models?????



16X MAX DVD-ROM DRIVE XJ-HD165H / 166S


　
Features
16X DVD-ROM & 48X CD-ROM with Pure-CAV Technology
E-IDE Interface, Support all PIO, MW-DMA, Ultra-DMA Mode 3 ( 44.4 MB/sec )
Conform to DVD-Multi Standard, Access all CD Family & DVD Family Media
Supporting Power Saving Function
SMART-X® Technology Support High Speed Digital Audio Extration (DAE) & High Speed VCD Data Extration
Supporting Plug & Play ; Emergency Manual Eject
High Speed DVD/CD Playback Technology to Improve Playability
Easy-Tray® Design for Both Horizontally & Vertically Use
Gear-Driven Tray Loading Mechaniasm to Improve Reliability
ABS® Auto Balance System Mechanisam to Reduce Vibration & Noise
Specifications
Speed :
DVD-ROM 16X ( 6.4X ~ 16X )
CD-ROM 48X ( 20X ~ 48X )
Interface :
ATAPI-E/IDE
Sustained Transfer Rate :
Support up to Ultra-DMA Mode 3 ( 44.4 MB/sec )
Burst Transfer Rate :
DVD-ROM 8600~21600 KB/sec
CD-ROM 3000~7200 KB/sec
Access Time :
120ms ( typical )
Support Disc Format :
Conform to Multi-Read & DVD-Multi Standard
UDF, all DVD single/dual layer ( PTP, OTP ), DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW
ISO-9660, all CD-ROM formats both 8cm & 12cm discs
Support Operating System :
DOS 6.xx, Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP, OS2 Warp
MTBF :
70'000 Power On Hours with 20% Duty
Audio :
S/N >= 60dB
Earphone >= 0.5Vrms @ 1KHz
Temperature & Humidity :
Operating : 5C to 45C; RH : 15% to 80%, Non-Condensing
Non-Operating : -20C to 60C; RH : 15% to 90%, Non-Condensing
Dimension :
W x H x D : 145.8 x 41.3 x 170.0mm
Weight : < = 1.0Kg
Power Requirement :
DC + 5 V ( +/- 5%, 100mVpp ripple ), 1.5 A ( max ), 0.09 A ( min )
DC +12 V (+/- 5%, 200mVpp ripple), 1.0 A ( max ), 0.03 A ( min )
User Interface :
LED Indicator, Stereo Ear Phone Jack, Volume Knob, Stop/Eject Button, Play/Skip Button
IDE Socket, Power Input, Analog Audio Output, Digital Out, Master/Slave/CS Jumper




16X MAX DVD-ROM DRIVE XJ-HD163 / 163D


&#12288;
Features
16X DVD-ROM & 48X CD-ROM with Pure-CAV Technology
E-IDE Interface, Support all PIO, MW-DMA, Ultra-DMA Mode 2 ( 33.3 MB/sec )
Supporting Power Saving Function
Supporting High Speed Digital Audio Extration ( DAE )
Supporting High Speed VCD Data Extration
Supporting Plug & Play; Emergency Manual Eject
High Speed DVD/CD Playback Technology to Improve Playability
Access all Format DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, CD, CD-R, CD-RW Disc
Easy-Tray ® Design for Both Horizontally & Vertically Use
Gear-Driven Tray Loading Mechaniasm to Improve Reliability
ABSR Auto Balance System, Mechanisam to Reduce Vibration & Noise
Specifications
Speed :
DVD-ROM 16X ( 6.4X ~ 16X )
CD-ROM 48X ( 20X ~ 48X )
Interface :
ATAPI-E/IDE
Sustained Transfer Rate :
Support up to Ultra-DMA Mode 2 ( 33.3 MB/sec )
Burst Transfer Rate :
Support up to Ultra-DMA Mode 2 ( 33.3 MB/sec )
Access Time :
120ms ( typical )
Support Disc Format :
UDF, all DVD single/dual layer ( PTP, OTP ), DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW
ISO-9660, all CD-ROM formats both 8cm & 12cm discs
Support Operating System :
DOS 6.xx, Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP, OS2 Warp
MTBF :
70'000 Power On Hours with 20% Duty
Audio :
S/N > = 60dB
Earphone > = 0.5Vrms @ 1KHz
Temperature & Humidity :
Operating : 5C to 45C; RH : 15% to 80%, Non-Condensing
Non-Operating : -20C to 60C; RH : 15% to 90%, Non-Condensing
Dimension :
W x H x D : 145.8 x 41.3 x 190.0mm
Weight : < = 1.0Kg
Power Requirement :
DC + 5 V ( +/- 5%, 100mVpp ripple ), 1.5 A ( max ), 0.09 A ( min )
DC +12 V ( +/- 5%, 200mVpp ripple ), 1.0 A (max), 0.03 A ( min )
User Interface :
LED Indicator, Stereo Ear Phone Jack, Volume Knob, Stop/Eject Button, Play/Skip Button
IDE Socket, Power Input, Analog Audio Output, Digital Out, Master/Slave/CS Jumper

[ETP]

UDMA mode 3 ?????? How do you get your mobo to recognise mode 3.
Mine is showing mode 2.Does it need to be on the HD cable?

[vio_man]

My LTD-166S is displayed as UDMA 0 by my mobo's BIOS. What's wrong? I'm using the latest BIOS and a UDMA 100 cable.

[ETP]

Did you go into your Bios and set it to auto/or umda2 for your secondary IDE?

[vio_man]

Yes, I have both PIO and UDMA set to Auto, on both IDE channels. It always been that way. The BIOS detects all the other drives correctly, only the LTD-166S is detected incorrectly (UDMA 0).

[ETP]

Uncheck PIO

[vio_man]

Can't disable the PIO. My BIOS allow Auto and manual (from PIO 0 to PIO 4).

[dodecahedron]

Yes, I have both PIO and UDMA set to Auto, on both IDE channels.

i don't understand this sentence. can you clarify?

Can't disable the PIO. My BIOS allow Auto and manual (from PIO 0 to PIO 4).

best to set it to Auto.

[vio_man]

I have UDMA and PIO set to Auto in both IDE channels. I think that my BIOS can't detect the LTD-166S drive correctly

[dodecahedron]

I have UDMA and PIO set to Auto in both IDE channels. I think that my BIOS can't detect the LTD-166S drive correctly

i still don't understand. am i missing something?
AFAIK, when you go into the BIOS, for each IDE channel master/slave, it lets you set the transfer mode - select one of: Auto; UDMA (or UDMA 0/1/2/3/4/5); PIO. i don't understand "I have UDMA and PIO set to Auto in both IDE channels".
i suggest selecting "Auto".

[vio_man]

My BIOS allows the following settings:

Primary Master:
UDMA - Auto or Disabled
PIO - Auto or Manual (from 0 to 4)

Primary Slave:
UDMA - Auto or Disabled
PIO - Auto or Manual (from 0 to 4)

Secondary Master:
UDMA - Auto or Disabled
PIO - Auto or Manual (from 0 to 4)

Secondary Slave:
UDMA - Auto or Disabled
PIO - Auto or Manual (from 0 to 4)

Did you understood now? I have all set to Auto, and it stills recognizes the drive as UDMA 0!

[cfitz]

Vio_man, I think you are trying to track down a problem that either doesn't actually exist or that doesn't cause you any problems.

According to http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/modesUDMA-c.html , no drive has ever actually implemented UDMA-0. And the LiteOn doesn't list UDMA-0 as one of its supported modes of operation. So I think you are probably just seeing a labeling error.

I will reiterate my earlier advice: get your hands on a DVD and test the transfer rate with it. If you can exceed 12x transfer from a DVD, you must have UDMA-2 enabled, not UDMA-0, and don't have a real problem. In the meantime, even if you really are running UDMA-0, that is plenty sufficient for CD data transfer at the maximum rates your drive supports, as you have already demonstrated. So until you get a DVD, it doesn't really matter.

By the way, what UDMA mode is shown for your hard drive(s)?

cfitz

[dodecahedron]

ok, your BIOS gives you slightly different settings than what i'm familiar with...

a few suggestions:
* check your jumper settings.
* try replacing the cable.
* try switching the drives around, moving the drive to another IDE channel.
* try the drive on another computer.
* update the drive's firmware to the latest available.
* if you're using a hacked firmware, region-free maybe?, try going back to an official f.w. or maybe even the drive's original f.w.

[vio_man]

Vio_man, I think you are trying to track down a problem that either doesn't actually exist or that doesn't cause you any problems.

According to http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/modesUDMA-c.html , no drive has ever actually implemented UDMA-0. And the LiteOn doesn't list UDMA-0 as one of its supported modes of operation. So I think you are probably just seeing a labeling error.

I will reiterate my earlier advice: get your hands on a DVD and test the transfer rate with it. If you can exceed 12x transfer from a DVD, you must have UDMA-2 enabled, not UDMA-0, and don't have a real problem. In the meantime, even if you really are running UDMA-0, that is plenty sufficient for CD data transfer at the maximum rates your drive supports, as you have already demonstrated. So until you get a DVD, it doesn't really matter.

By the way, what UDMA mode is shown for your hard drive(s)?

cfitz

I can see clearly that my BIOS display the LiteOn drive as UDMA 0. Of course, you can be right. My main HDD is shown as UDMA66 (it's ATA-100 compatible, but my motherboard only allows UDMA66).

[vio_man]

ok, your BIOS gives you slightly different settings than what i'm familiar with...

a few suggestions:
* check your jumper settings.
* try replacing the cable.
* try switching the drives around, moving the drive to another IDE channel.
* try the drive on another computer.
* update the drive's firmware to the latest available.
* if you're using a hacked firmware, region-free maybe?, try going back to an official f.w. or maybe even the drive's original f.w.

- My motherboard is jumper-free. The LiteOn drive is set as Slave
- I'm using a UDMA66/100/133 cable. The HDD using the same cable works fine.

- I have swtiched the drive to the other IDE channel and no luck.
- The drive's firmware is the latest
- I'm using original firmware.

[cfitz]

I can see clearly that my BIOS display the LiteOn drive as UDMA 0. Of course, you can be right. My main HDD is shown as UDMA66 (it's ATA-100 compatible, but my motherboard only allows UDMA66).

Yes, I am not disputing that you see the drive labeled as "UDMA 0", I am just wondering if that label, as defined by the BIOS, is incorrect. You never know, it could be as silly a thing as someone typing "0" for the display string when they meant to type "2". That is why I was wondering if there was any other device on your system that was actually displayed as "UDMA 2". I'm assuming, based on what you just reported, that the hard drive is displayed as "UDMA 4".

cfitz

[dodecahedron]

ok, your BIOS gives you slightly different settings than what i'm familiar with...

a few suggestions:
* check your jumper settings.
* try replacing the cable.
* try switching the drives around, moving the drive to another IDE channel.
* try the drive on another computer.
* update the drive's firmware to the latest available.
* if you're using a hacked firmware, region-free maybe?, try going back to an official f.w. or maybe even the drive's original f.w.

- My motherboard is jumper-free. The LiteOn drive is set as Slave
- I'm using a UDMA66/100/133 cable. The HDD using the same cable works fine.

- I have swtiched the drive to the other IDE channel and no luck.
- The drive's firmware is the latest
- I'm using original firmware.

i meant check the jumper settings on the drives.
even though the hard drive is on the same cable and works fine, there could still be a problem with the cable that only affects the DVD drive. try another cable.
from your answer it appears that your DVD drives is a slave to the hard drive on the same channel. try putting it as MASTER on the OTHER IDE channel.
another suggestion i should have put with the other ones: flash the latest BIOS of the motherboard. maybe the problem is with the IDE controller on the mobo and not with the drive.

[vio_man]

My BIOS version is the latest one. I already changed the drive to another channel and no luck. This flat cable is brand new. I think the problem is with the BIOS (bug).

[vio_man]

My BIOS version is the latest one. I already changed the drive to another channel and no luck. This flat cable is brand new. I think the problem is with the BIOS (bug).

[vbl117]

Today after replacing my UDMA 33 cable by a rounded UDMA 66/100/133 rounded cable from cooler master i had the same problem .
The LTD166S was using DMA MODE 2 , then it was using DMA MODE 0 ( real mode : poor read performance ) .
I replaced the Coolermaster cable by the old one ( UDMA 33 ) and it is detected again as an DMA MODE 2 drive .
Perhaps it is an issue between the drive and UDMA 133 cables ?( which will be corrected with newer firmware ? )
I had flashed with the las firmware ( DSOB )

Try to replace your UDMA 133 cable by an UDMA 33 ( or UDMA 100 cable if you have it in stock for testing purposes ) .