CDFreaks presents: LG GGW-H20L Blu-ray Writer Review

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Blu-ray Hardware, Software and Media Discuss, CDFreaks presents: LG GGW-H20L Blu-ray Writer Review at High Definition forum; CDFreaks presents: LG GGW-H20L Blu-ray Writer Review You can read the review here Please feel free to leave comments in this thread; thank you

~KIPPER~ (Retired Moderator & Reviewer): Posts: 1,762; Posted: 17-05-2008

CDFreaks presents: LG GGW-H20L Blu-ray Writer Review

You can read the review here
Please feel free to leave comments in this thread; thank you

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Today (MyCE Staff): Posts: 15,596

alan1476 (Senior Moderator and Software Editor): Posts: 14,942; Posted: 17-05-2008

This is the one I would buy, the prices are coming down to almost reasonable for me, and after reading your review I would not hesitate to get one. Thanks Kipper.

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Dr. Who (DVD neXt COPY Support): Posts: 4,502; Posted: 17-05-2008

This is the one I just said I am eyeballing on for 269.99 not to bad to be honest thanks Kip for the review as you know we were all dieing to see this one.

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~KIPPER~ (Retired Moderator & Reviewer): Posts: 1,762; Posted: 18-05-2008

Welcome guys, this was a very enjoyable review to do. I like the drive so much I picked one up for myself too.

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hwp (Moderator): Posts: 2,282; Posted: 19-05-2008

Thank you for the nice review.

I've found some quirk that you might be interested in checking further:

As to it's manual, this drive does CD-R writing at speeds of 4, 8, 16, 24, 32 and 40x. Now Discspeed confirms this (see first screenshot below and let's me choose all speeds. So doing a simulated create disc selecting 16x speed leads to a 16x CLV writing curve.

However ImgBurn only allows speeds 24, 32 and 40x (see second screenshot). So does Nero (7).

Any ideas?

PS: This is true for any sort if dye (Cyanine, AZO or Phthalocyanine), so it's not some kind of ATIP-style limit.

Attached Images

	yuden discspeed 1.png (18.2 KB, 1112 views)
	yuden discspeed 2.png (25.4 KB, 1109 views)

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LIGHTNING UK! (Author of DVD Decrypter & ImgBurn): Posts: 840; Posted: 19-05-2008

How comes the Panasonic MEI-T02 BD-R media has been quoted as being written at 6x when really only 4x is supported and being used?

The IBG data from the burn + DVDInfoPro could have made another screenshot to show the actual write speed graph and I'm sure the Verbatim and Panasonic ones would look different - even though the total times are almost identical.

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MegaDETH (Senior Moderator and Senior Reviewer): Posts: 4,602; Posted: 19-05-2008

Excellent review as always Kip, thanks!

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Elder Young (CD Freaks Member): Posts: 138; Posted: 21-05-2008

Thanks for the review, Kip. How does the drive do with Exact Audio Copy?

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vroom (Moderator): Posts: 3,874; Posted: 24-05-2008

Very nice review.

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nightscribe (New on Forum): Posts: 14; Posted: 28-05-2008

Thanks for the nice review! I am new to the site, and was thinking of asking for opinions about SATA DVD-writers; since I am on an old BenQ 1640 and wanted to move to an all-SATA system for better cable management (all my HDDs are SATA). But this new toy looks really sweet

, although the price is still a bit above my budget at the moment (where I live it's pricier than the US list price). I think I'll wait a couple of months more and then grab this drive when finances permit, rather than get just another DVDRW now.

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ahab666 (New on Forum): Posts: 12; Posted: 12-06-2008

hi,
thanks for review - great help for making a buy - no buy decission

i have already 2 of that drives - they are really great

!
i wonder if there is a region free and/or rip-(un)lock firmware version around ?

cheers - ahab666

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Heartsbane (New on Forum): Posts: 1; Posted: 03-07-2008

I recently purchased this drive and have been happy with it overall. I have played several blu-ray DVDs (Planet Earth, 3:10 to Yuma, National Treasure 2, etc.) without any problems. I'm using Windows Vista 64-bit with Cyberlink PowerDVD.

Recently I rented the blu-ray version of Jumper, but it wouldn't play properly. The audio was fine, but the video was highly pixelated and had a large amount of noise/distortion in it. You could get the general picture but it was essentially unwatchable.

At first I thought we had gotten a bad DVD, so I took it back to Blockbuster and exchanged it for a new one. The second DVD is doing exactly the same thing.

I'm curious if anyone else has had a similar problem with this drive, or any suggestions on how to troubleshoot/fix the problem. I checked for new firmware on the LG web site but only found the manuals/documentation.

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zaina (CDFreaks Resident): Posts: 591; Posted: 04-07-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heartsbane

Recently I rented the blu-ray version of Jumper, but it wouldn't play properly. The audio was fine, but the video was highly pixelated and had a large amount of noise/distortion in it. You could get the general picture but it was essentially unwatchable.

Please check this thread that has similar problem:
LiteON DH-401S & Movie 'Jumper', BDROM DL read problem

The problem is that this Jumper has the latest revision BD+ copy protection where PowerDVD alone couldn't play it properly.

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raymondtrudeau (CD Freaks Senior Member): Posts: 253; Posted: 24-08-2008

i was thinking of gettiing this lg but i see i is sata connections to the computer...my computer has the old connections and not sata..is there a card or converter that will work for this lg dvd writter?

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~KIPPER~ (Retired Moderator & Reviewer): Posts: 1,762; Posted: 24-08-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymondtrudeau

There are several things to consider besides the SATA connection; you might want to download these free tools from Corel and Cyberlink to see if your systems is ready for Hi-Def:

WinDVD High-Definition Advisor:

CyberLink BD Advisor

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mulox (New on Forum): Posts: 13; Posted: 03-10-2008

Thanks for the links Kipper, I am a BD newbie and looking to buy my first burner this weekend. I love LG stuff, and this looks like the one to get, esp since I need to have HD-DVD for ripping.

Does anyone know of a model (doesn't have to be LG) that is a 20x DVD burner and only reads BD and HD-DVD? I don't really care for the BD-writer feature right now, since media is so expensive. I prefer to just rip to my Media PC and stream from it than fool with discs (not to mention such a drive would likely be $100+ cheaper).

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MegaDETH (Senior Moderator and Senior Reviewer): Posts: 4,602; Posted: 03-10-2008

Hi mulox,

16x DVD burning is the fastest of any known drive so far and this may be the last drive to support HD-DVD reading.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mulox

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wildfrog (CD Freaks Rookie): Posts: 37; Posted: 20-10-2008

It has been showing up for $229 at Frys pretty regularly including this week. And a 15 pack of memorex bd-r for 59 bucks. Its REALLY tempting. But black Friday is just around the corner.... Decisions, decisions.
wildfrog

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~KIPPER~ (Retired Moderator & Reviewer): Posts: 1,762; Posted: 20-10-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildfrog

224.99 and free shipping at the egg.

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duallydave (New on Forum): Posts: 3; Posted: 28-10-2008

I recently bought this drive, 3 different Memorex BD-RE disks do not work in it, but a LG branded BD-RE does work. Has anyone else had problems with Memorex BD-RE disks in the GGW-H20L drive?

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Deeks (New on Forum): Posts: 1; Posted: 09-11-2008

Excellent review. Just bought one today ($199.00 CDN at FutureShop) along with some Verbatim BD-R & RE discs also on for $9.99 and $14.99.
Personally dullydave I was having problems with Memorex DVD's so I swithed to Verbatim and had zero problems so that's the brand I'll buy now for all my media.

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MegaDETH (Senior Moderator and Senior Reviewer): Posts: 4,602; Posted: 09-11-2008

Yes I have seen a few reports of people having issues with this drive and Memorex BD-RE discs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by duallydave

I recently bought this drive, 3 different Memorex BD-RE disks do not work in it, but a LG branded BD-RE does work. Has anyone else had problems with Memorex BD-RE disks in the GGW-H20L drive?

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Thorp (New on Forum): Posts: 1; Posted: 09-11-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by duallydave

I recently bought this drive, 3 different Memorex BD-RE disks do not work in it, but a LG branded BD-RE does work. Has anyone else had problems with Memorex BD-RE disks in the GGW-H20L drive?

New firmware update YL05: 24 BD-R and 4 BD-RE media added.
Memorex BD-RE works fine now.
Check www.lge.com

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johnnyjt (CD Freaks Junior Member): Posts: 68; Posted: 11-11-2008

NewEgg has retail 219 free shipping

With promo EMCBBAGCA

JohnnyJT

South Philly

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sandypeter111 (New on Forum): Posts: 10; Posted: 24-11-2008

can i access this cd in my dvd writer???

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