OC-Freak looks at writing Quality with the PX-712A

CD, DVD and (Ultra HD) Blu-ray Writers Plextor Writer
#1

Well I finally got my drive - slow at showing up here in Norway. Good thing is that it is a very new drive. Manufactured May 2004 - In China. TLA #0101. Firmware 1.01 is used of course.

I will show writing speed curves and K-Probe results in this thread for those of you interested in that :wink:

I planned to also include plextools scans but plextools scans at a annoyingly LOW SPEED :a So that may come later if I could find time for it. Tested one disc and PIF in plextools 2.14 when using Sum1 ECC was about identical to the PO (which actually is PIF - just incorrectly named in K-Probe) level in K-Probe.

Let us start with a Memorex 4x DVD+R, media ID CMC.MAG.F01:

The disc came up as 8x capable but it wrote it at 6x - there were even a small jump down to 4x.

But quality is excellent!

#2

Then let us look at a Memorex 8x DVD+R, media code PHILIPS.C08. The manufacturer of this media is CMC Magnetics and it should be quite similar to CMC.MAG.E01 media.

As we could see the drive did not write at 8x this time either - only 6x. But the K-Probe result is pretty good.

#3

Let us try a Datasafe 8x DVD+R, media code: RITEKR03 (revision 001). Manufactured by Ritek.

It did at least aim for 8x - but decided to drop down to 6x.

The K-Probe result is very good.

#4

Let us try another ritek: Traxdata (thanks to Conrexx for providing it) 8x DVD+R. Media code RITEKR03 (revision 002). Maybe this newer revision of the ritek media will improve the situation?

Almost perfect - and the K-Probe result is perfect too.

#5

And here is a Platinum 8x DVD+R. Media code RICOHJPNR02. Manufactured by Ritek using ricoh technology.

First disc that reached 12x!! But it seems like it decided that the quality was not good enough and stepped down a bit near the end. Another good K-Probe result.

#6

And then some cheap datawrite 8x DVD+R. Media code: PRODISC.R03. Manufactured by Prodisc.

WOW - I did honestly not expect this cheap media to work at 12x! And with such an outstanding result too. I better run to the store and grab more of these…

#7

Time for some 8x DVD-R action… First out is Verbatim 8x DVD-R, media code MCC02RG20. Manufactured in Singapore by Mitsubishi Chemicals.

No problems and the K-Probe result is very good.

#8

And now some Traxdata 8x DVD-R (again thanks to Conrexx for providing it). Media code RITEKG05.

Seems like it decided that 8x were too much for this media and slowed down. But still very good writing quality.

#9

And then we have more DVD+R :wink:

Verbatim 8x DVD+R, media code MCC 003. Manufactured in Singapore by Mitsubishi Chemicals.

I hoped that this media would work at 12x, buit it did not even work at 8x which was a bit surprising and disappointing. But the writing quality is still excellent.

#10

We can’t stop yet - can we?

Memorex 4x DVD+R (Thanks to memorex for providing it), media code RICOHJPNR01. Manufactured by Ritek using Ricoh technology.

Strange, the same discs works perfect at 8x in the Plextor PX-708A without any slowdowns. But here it works at 6x only. Very stright quality control? :wink:

Excellent K-Probe result

#11

We know that you are dying to see some tests with garbage quality discs too. So here you go.

Princo 4x DVD-R, media code: PRINCO

Written at 4x - straight 4x line so no image needed.

AMAZING!! One of the best results I’ve ever seen with princo.

#12

More cheap media. :wink:

One 4x DVD-R, media code: LEADDATA01.

Straight 4x writing line.

Well, this IS the best result I’ve EVER had with this media :bow: :bow: :bow:

#13

More cheap media…

Norwaydisc.no 4x DVD-R, media code: GSC002. Manufactured by Gigastorage.

Straight 4x writing line.

Worst disc so far - but still well within limits and very good :slight_smile:

#14

This is the last one for now - another cheap crappy media type.

Bulkpaq 4x DVD+R, media code: MEDIAID001.

Clean 4x writing line.

Ignore the green stuff at the end - K-Probe messed up and tried reading longer than the disc was - of course getting lots of error messages (displayed as green spikes).

As expected, this media is problematic in the beginning of the disc and then improves, so that can’t be plamed on the plextor…

#15

Conclusion:

Writing quality: :bow: :bow: :bow: AMAZING - do I need to say more?

Speed: The write quality control is VERY sensitive and very few 8x discs actually wrote at 8x… Maybe a bit to sensitive? Hopefully this could be adjusted in future firmware upgrades to allow more discs to be written at 8x and 12x and with less slowdowns near the end. But beside this - you really have to love P-CAV writing instead of Z-CLV :wink:

I fully agree with G@M3FR3@K - the Plextor PX-712A really deserves the Editors choice award!

Now it’s time for me to pick up some more of those cheap datawrite 8x DVD+R discs that worked so excellent at 12x… :wink:

#16

test yudens. tests are pretty good.

#17

The NEC is already burning all the same media at 8x with similar or better quality, (for 40% of the price). :stuck_out_tongue: But if the Plex is as fast a reader as it claims to be, then it looks a lot better. How about some reading tests OC?

#18

Reading tests and tests of Taiyo Yuden discs is found in cdfreaks review of the PX-712A.

Beside that - only 4x Taiyo Yudens is found in stores here, 8x TY’s is not found anywhere yet…

#19

Amazing good results, a lot better than my LiteOn 811.
I’m convinced, i going to buy a Plex today!
I’m getting really tired with the writing quality of my 811.
I always owned a plex untill i bought a dvd-rw, i thought that i would save some money by bying a Liteon.
What a mistake that was, i spend huge amounts of money on various media that gave crappy results.
But these tests look really promising.

#20

Thanks for confirming my results, OC-Freak. I told you the Plex 712A was a good writer :wink: And when it comes to reading it’s also very good, no problems here reaching 12x with DVDR media and double layer pressed DVD-Video discs. Single layer DVD-Video discs even work at 16x here. I was impressed too. Read tests can be found in my review.