Lite-On SHW-160P6S-04 16x8x8x/16x6x4/16x/+48 DVD/CD-RW

CD, DVD and (Ultra HD) Blu-ray Writers LiteOn / PLDS / Sony Writer
#1

I think this is the latest from Lite-On and is a ‘half-height’ model. Does half-height mean that it’s shorter in lenght and is that a positive or a negative? Monarch Computer is currently selling it:
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=160018&AFFIL=pg&NR=1

And so are a number of other internet stores. I did a search for review on the unit and couldn’t find any. Anyone have any insight on this latest burner from Lite-On? The Manufacturer Model Number: SHW-160P6S-04 is sure different from the previous Lite-On DVD burner numbers; any guess as to why that is?

#2

From http://codeguys.rpc1.org/dvdrw_overview.html I get that the SHW-160P6S is most likely a 5th Generation Standard so would that make the unit a better buy over the SOHW-1693S 4th Generation Standard? I don’t care about DVD-RAM. Thanks in advance!!!

#3

For those of you interested or thinking about buying the Lite-On SHW-160P65 I’m posting my recent PM corrispondence with C0deKing:

Originally Posted by Barnacle Bill
Hi C0deKing,

If you had to choose between buying a Lite-On SOHW-1693S and a SHW-160P6S what would you choose and why? Thanks in advance!!!

Barnacle Bill

Hi Barnacle Bill

I’d buy the 160P6S because I already have a 1693S, hehehe. Other than that I know very little about the 160P6S and they’re not available here.

The 1693S is a good drive but LiteOn tends to improve with each model, so I guess if I had the choice it would be the 160P6S, but purely because it is the newer model. The 1693S has other benefits - it can be patched with OmniPatcher to enable faster reading and writing speeds. At the moment the 5S/6S drives can’t. The 5S/6S drives burn better at 16x but the 1693S has the Fast Burn patch, which allows a 12 burn in about 6:30.

That’s about the best advice I can give you. Basically you won’t be sorry with either drive as long as you get a good one.

regards
C0deKing

I’ve decided to buy the SHW-160P6S and right not it can be had for a great price of $42.50 (retail box) including free shipping at ICHIBANPC.COM
If your interested in the SOHW-1693S OEM its available for $40.00 total also at ICHIBANPC.COM

#4

You can get this drive for $19.98 after rebate at Staples this week.

#5

Half-height refers to the height of the drive, referrencing back to the days when all drives, floppy as well as hard (there were no optical) were full height and twice as tall.

The “H” in SHW-160P6S-04 and prior models has always stood for “half”.

#6

So far, the 1693 looks better and has the advantage, so far, of using firmware that codeguys can hack. My KC4B is one of the best yet and significantly better than stock.

#7

Seems to be missing from their website. Possibly only in store?

#8

Just ordered the black OEM model from Newegg for 38.99 with free shipping. I did not see this model on the Staples website either. I really enjoy my SOHW-1693S. Hope this drive performs just as well.

#9

One thing I like about this one compared to a 1693 is I can burn at 16X on MCC004 and end up with a score of 95 and not have playback issues.

Finally !

#10

The drive that is mentioned on sale at Staples this week is the I/O Magic drive on sale in the ad. HOWEVER, I/O Magic has also rebadged other drives, including a BTC, the Benq DQ60 which is actually a fairly poor Teac drive rather than a ‘true’ Benq, and the Benq 1620 was also used in the past. The 1620 is in a slightly larger box, the BTC usually (possibly always) has a sticker on the top right of the rear of the box listing ‘A089’ or something similar for its firmware, not sure about the specifics of the DQ60 box. I bought one and it is the Liteon, the other 4 in the store were BTCs. The differences in the box were that there was no label on the back with drive firmware info, it doesn’t have a photo showing a black faceplate as the BTC versions do (I think the DQ60 may also show a black faceplate).

Sorry if that sounds confusing, it IS a bit confusing obviously.

#11

I wouldn’t touch the 160P6S with a barge pole. See this forum for the DVD-R burn problems this drive has. Grab the 1693S while you can and use the hacked formware to give you a highly tuned, fully functional drive.

I regret upgrading and now cannot find any 1693S burners locally in Australia. I miss my 1673S…

#12

Hmmm… I own both a 1693 and 160P6S. Both are good drives, but have different strengths and weaknesses. The 1693 is a faster ripper (thanks to OmniPatcher), and it burns some of my cheap media better than the 160P6S (once again thanks to OmniPatcher). As far as 16x burns go, the 160P6S is better. And I can run quality scans on the 160P6S at 8x instead of 4x on the 1693.

But if I were only going to own one drive, it would not be either Liteon, it would be a Benq 1655. On the other hand, why limit yourself to only one drive? Life is short, and the drives are cheap (except for Plextor, which is a different story altogether…)