LG GSA-4167B also in Hong Kong ....with Spec.

Write
[DVD+R Double Layer] 2.4x, 4x, 6x
[DVD-RW] 1x, 2x, 4x, 6x
[DVD-R Double Layer] 2x, 4x
[CD-R] 4x, 8x, 16x, 24x, 32x, 40x, 48x
[DVD+R] 16x, 12x, 8x, 4x, 2.4x
[DVD-R] 16x, 12x, 8x, 4x, 2x
[DVD+RW] 8x, 6x, 4x, 2.4x
[DVD-RAM] 5x, 3x, 2x

Read
[DVD-R/-RW/-R Dual Layer/-ROM] 10x/8x/8x 16x Max
[CD-ROM] 48x Max

Hi

It seems it´s comming, as some other with DVD-RAM.
Panasonic also has the SW-9574-C in the market, that can do DVD-+R(W) e both the DL at 4x, CD-R at 40 eand RW at 24. Ram at 5 with or without cartridge.
It seems to be only one that keeps the media surface protected, but in Europe so far only for OEM, and Panasonic Europe informed me that only sell to integrators as they have a minimum of 500 units per sale, so individuals are kept away...and they say this is because European market didn't show an interest in the format, what is surprising as they don't try to sell it.
In the row are Pioneer 110 and NEC. HP is supposed but so far no news.

The question mark about the LG is: does it support Lightscribe?

I haven't seen an evidence explicitly saying 4167B supports LightScribe. Forget it for now.

With HP owning the right to Lightscribe, right now, it seems only manufacturer with alliance with HP, such as BenQ and Lite-On would get the technology right now.

LG has LS drives. BenQ DW1640 and Lite-On SOHW-1693S don't have LS, either.

My guess is that all of them include LightScribe only in some rare models and don't include it on their mainstream models.

That doesn't sounds logic to me.

I want DVD-RAM, DVD+R DL, DVD+R DL and LightScribe in one drive .................. aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh, which drive will be the first that offers this?? I really thought it was gonna be the GSA-4167B.

Cost of LightScribe is probably too high. It's illogical to include LightScribe in a drive that sells for US$40 or less if the cost of having LightScribe alone is too high compared to other features like DVD-RAM and DVD+RW. Retail price of GSA-4163B and GSA-4167B may be around US$50 but the OEM unit cost must be under US$40 at the most and how much does HP receive from each unit? Again, just a guess. Since LG works with Hitachi and HLDS is half-owned by LG (49%) and half-owned by Hitachi (51%), they don't need to spend a lot to add DVD-RAM in their DVD burners which was the very first reason why only LG started making Super Multi drives. The other two DVD-RAM players (Panasonic of Matsushita) and Toshiba didn't have such incentives and parters. A lot of DivX players don't support DVD-Video playback even though HDDs and DVD trays can easily have DVD VIDEO_TS files because of licensing cost.

anyway who cares about LS, the media is too expensive, and TY's don't offer LS compatible media, I will stick to my good old sharpie!!!

Actaully, I will correct myself, and as Kenshin said LG do have a LS drive, which is the rebranded HP 640b(OEM), having the model number GWA-4162B, that comes preinstalled on HP system. see this thread

So its really up to HP, although we know now that LG could certainly implement LS technology in it's drive.

Actually, LG has bulk packed LS drive selling in the market. It is 4166B. But it has no RAM support! It also seems no firmware upgrade for that drive !

My first burn on this Drive:
Mitsubishi -R 16X(10 pcs,cake box)

with excellent burn quality

Burn 2:
Verbatim(YUDEN000 T02) @12x
quality

Burn 3:
Mitisubishi +R 8x(MCC003)
burned at rated speed
still poor quality

4167B supports LightScribe... strangely ????

but I don't see the lightscribe symbol on the face plate!!!

I knew I saw it somewhere!!

I hope it will get LightScribe support with a firmware upgrade.

Unlike BenQ's DW1625, the 4166 (or 4162 or some others) isn't LG's retail product. Maybe there are some firmware files somewhere on sites from some vendors like HP, but it's difficult to track down those things. Anyway, I can't find an LG drive that has LS in South Korea yet.

If someone can already get a BenQ DW1625 for about US$70 or less, why wait for an LG with LS? Maybe I'll also buy a DW1625 but the probability is extremely low for now as LS DVD media are just outrageously expensive like DL DVD media.

GSA-4167B was known to have LightScribe but better not take that for granted as yet there's no substantial evidence promising it.

Thanks for the scans.

It's strange to see MCC 16x DVD-R at 16x show good scan results whereas the ones from TY and MCC 8x at 8-12x are disastrous. Are they all equally good media without scratch or something?

I'm relieved to see GSA-4167B also has 16x P-CAV writing.