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Appeared on: Friday, September 5, 2003
24x CD-RW Slim Combo Roundup Vol1 (Asus SCB-2408 & LiteOn LSC-24081MX)

1. Asus SCB-2408 - Features, Installation

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1- Page 1

 

ASUS SCB-2408-D and LiteOn LSC-24081MX are 4-in-1 external slim combo drives supporting 24x CD-R, 12x CD-RW, 24x CD-ROM, and 8x DVD-ROM.

Featuring lightweight design and high-speed interfaces, the drives mainly address the needs of notebook users, capable, however, of replacing your internal ATAPI combo in your desktop PC.

- Asus SCB-2408 features

FlextraLink? Anti-buffer Under Run Error Technology prevents users from buffer underrun problems caused by an empty data buffer, thereby eliminating the creation of unusable discs. Throughout the recording process, FlextraLink? consistently monitors the data buffer status to ensure best recording quality. Once the available data drops below 1% of the total buffer capacity, FlextraLink? suspends recording and sets a marker at the last written position to avoid recording of subsequent blocks. As soon as enough cache data is refilled in, the pickup head repositions itself to the marker and restarts the recording.

The DDSS II is an enhanced follow-up to the first generation Double Dynamic Suspension System developed by ASUS. The DDSS technology is designed to minimize the vibration caused by the spindle motor and resonance between components as well as the drive and PC cases.DDSS II makes tracking and focusing even more precise, and successfully reduces the vibration and noise caused by high revolution of the spindle motor.

FlextraSpeed? (Flexible and Strategic Speed Switch Tech.) for optimal recording speed. FlextraSpeed? enhances accuracy and reliability when writing/re-writing across a broad base of certified media. It continuously monitors the recording media and sets the optimal writing speeds to ensure best recording quality.

- Specifications
Data Transfer Rate: P-CAV Write/ P-CAV ReWrite/ CAV Read
Sustained Transfer Rate: DVD-ROM: 8X Max. 10820 KB/sec (CAV)
  CD-ROM: 24X Max. 3600 KB/sec (CAV)
  DAE: 24X Max. 3600KB/sec (CAV)
  CD-Write: 24X, 20X, 16X, 10X, 8X, 4X
  CD-ReWrite: 12X, 10X, 8X, 4X
Random Access Time: DVD: 120 ms typical
  CD: 100 ms typical
Writing Mode: TAO (Track-At-Once)
  DAO (Disc-At-Once)
  SAO (Session-At-Once)
  Packet Write, Multi-Session, DAO-RAW
Interface: USB2.0 and IEEE1394
Data Buffer: 2 MB
Disc Formats: DVD: DVD-ROM, DVD-R/RW, DVD-Video, DVD+R/RW
  CD: CD-Audio, CD-ROM, CD-ROM/XA, CD-I, Mixed Mode CD-ROM, Photo CD, CD-Extra, Video CD, CD-Text, DVCD, Bootable CD
Configurations: Dimensions (W/H/D): 129x16x142 mm
  Weight: 250g (0.55 lb)

The Asus SCB-2408 drive supports 24x P-CAV writing, 24x CAV CD-R/ROM reading and 12x rewriting. The drive is also able to read DVD-ROM at 8x CAV.

Nero Info Tool confirms the specifications of the drive, reporting also that the supported writing methods are the Disc At Once, Track At Once, Session At Once, Packet Writing, Raw Mode Burning & Over-Burn.

Mount Rainier compliance is not included in the drive's specification list, and the user is able to change the region of the drive 5 times in total (RPCII).

- The package

The retail package is complete and includes the external Asus SCB-2408 combo drive, a manual in English and Traditional Chinese languages, a quick installation guide in 12 languages and a S/W CD.

This includes Nero Burning Rom software, DVD playback software and USB 2.0 drivers for Win 98SE and Mac OS.

The package also offers one blank CD-R and one CD-RW disc. In the accessories we should also mention the stylish drive bag (jacket), fitting exactly to the drive's small dimensions, very handy when you travel or carry the drive.

Last, the retail package includes a complete cable set of USB 2.0 and IEEE 1394 connection cables, and a power adapter.

The ASUS SCB-2408-D features a lightweight and very stylish design. Its dimensions are only 129x16x142 mm (W / H / D) and its weight is approximately 250g, offering high portability.

The eject button is placed on the top of the drive, and the top-opened CD lid is accurate and steady. The user-oriented design includes a play/skip key and open/stop buttons, allowing full control of the drive when playing an audio / MP3 CD.

A headphone jack and a volume control switch are available in the rear panel of the drive. Here you can also find the dual interface inputs.

- Installation

The Asus drive was connected via the USB 2.0 interface and was recognized as "ASUS SCB-2408" under WinXp. The firmware we used for all the tests was v1.20.

2. LiteOn LSC-24081MX - Features, Installation

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1- Page 2

 

- LiteOn LTC-2408IMX features
- Specifications
Speed: Writing: 24x ( 3600KB/sec ) Zone-CLV
  Rewriting: 12x ( 1800KB/sec ) Zone-CLV
  Reading:
  CD: 24x ( 3600KB/sec ) CAV ( 4x ~ 24x ), DAE Maximum Speed 24x CAV
  DVD: 8x ( 10800KB/sec ) CAV ( 1.7x ~ 8x )
Access Time: DVD: 100 ms
  CD: 95ms
Writing Mode: TAO (Track-At-Once)
  DAO (Disc-At-Once)
  SAO (Session-At-Once)
  Raw Mode Burning
  OverBurn 
  Fixed Packet, Variable Packet, Multi-Session
Interface: USB2.0
Data Buffer: 2 MB
Disc Formats: DVD: DVD family formats, single/dual layer ( PTPT, OPT), DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW
  CD: CD family, CD-R & CD-RW discs ( up to 99min. )
Configurations: Dimensions: 138 ( W ) x 24.7 ( H ) x 177 ( D ) mm
  Weight: 420g

The maximum supported writing speed is 24x (Z-CLV) for CD-R and 12x (Z-CLV) for CD-RW. The 24x (CAV) speed is also the supported reading speed for the CD-R and the HS-RW media. The maximum reading speed for DVD-ROM is 8x CAV ( 1.7x ~ 8x ).

The LiteOn drive supports either the USB 1.1 or the USB2.0 interface. For writing/rewriting, the SMART-BURN® function and the 2MB cache buffer can avoid buffer underrun as well as getting the best writing quality by smartly adjusting the writing strategy. Besides, the SMART-X function adjusts the CD-DA / VCD / DVD data extraction to a maximum allowable speed, according to both data request rate from host and the quality of the inserted disc.

The drive is compliant to the RPCII regulations, allowing a user to change the region code of the drive 5 times.

- The package

The retail package includes the 24x combo drive, a USB2.0 cable, a Power AC Adapter and an audio cable, allowing you to connect the drive to external speakers.

The attached CD-ROM's contain the USB storage drivers for Win98 users, Nero Ver.5.5 for Windows, In CD packet writing software, a user manual in English and PowerDVD for DVD playback.

In the retail package you can also find a blank multi-speed CD-R and a blank multi-speed CD-RW disc.

The severe design of LiteOn LSC-24081MX provides a stylish overall appearance, combined with a very slim structure. The dimensions of the drive are 24.7 x 177 x 138 mm (WxLxH) and its weight is approximately 420gr.

The front panel of the drive is in fact the drive's front-opened loading tray. The eject button is placed next to the operation LED and the emergency eject button.

On the rear panel, there are the USB 1.1/2.0 connector, the power adapter ports and an audio line output, in case you want to connect the LiteOn LSC-24081MX to external speakers and use it as an audio playback device.

- Installation

The LiteOn drive was connected through the USB 2.0 interface cable and was identified as "LITE-ON COMBO LSC-24081M" under WinXP.

3. Data CD Reading Tests

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1- Page 3

Data CD Reading Tests

- Pressed CD results (CD Speed Graphs for Asus SCB-2408 and LiteOn LSC-24081MX)

Both drives support the 24x CAV maximum reading speed. However, the obtained reading speed in the outer tracks of the disc was higher and reached 25x. The drives gave almost the same average reading speed, approximately 19.1x.

On the seek times test with the 80min pressed disc, the Asus drive was faster in all three seek modes. LiteOn LSC-24081MX was slow in the random seek with 191msec, and 222msec for the full seek mode.

- CDR Media results (CD Speed Graphs Asus SCB-2408 and LiteOn LSC-24081MX)

Both drives were slower when tested on 80min CD-R media. This time the average reading speed was 18.9x for the Asus and 18.97x for the LiteOn drive.

As in the test with the pressed disc, the Asus SCB-2408 performed better than the LiteOn drive and gave low seek times. The results for both drives are not very changed over those with the pressed disc, but the LiteOn drive could definitely perform better.

- RW media (CD Speed Graphs Asus SCB-2408 and LiteOn LSC-24081MX)

For the HS-RW reading test we used Mitsubishi Chemicals 24x US-RW media. Both drives read the US-RW disc under the CAV mode and the reported speeds were almost the same. The LiteOn drive was slightly faster with a 19.11x average reading speed and Asus follows close with a 18.64x speed.

4. CD Error Correction Tests - Asus SCB-2408

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1- Page 4

Error Correction Tests - Asus SCB-2408

In the following tests we check the behavior of Asus SCB-2408 when it comes to reading scratched / defected discs. The test discs we use are the ABEX Test Discs series from ALMEDIO.

- ABEX TCD-721R

Errors total
Num: 910293
Errors (Loudness) dB(A)
Num: 49221
Avg:-73.8 dB(A)
Max:-19.4dB(A)
Error Muting Samples
Num: 2887
Avg: 1.0 Samples
Max: 8 Samples
Skips Samples
Num:0
Avg: 0 Samples
Max: 0 Samples
Total Test Result
76.9 points (of 100.0 maximum)

The Asus SCB-2408 gave back a few loudness errors, and some of them were muted. The reported average error was -73.8dB(A), which is low, and no synchronization problems occurred. The performance of the drive is good and the average score is 76.9 points out of 100.

- ABEX TCD-726

Errors total
Num: 46446
Errors (Loudness) dB(A)
Num: 210
Avg: -16.6dB(A)
Max:-9.6dB(A)
Error Muting Samples
Num: 8
Avg: 3421.3Samples
Max: 3584 Samples
Skips Samples
Num: 0
Avg: 0.0 Samples
Max: 0 Samples
Total Test Result
81.6 points (of 100.0 maximum)

As you can see from the graph, the only errors reported were in the beginning of the test disc. Although the severity of the errors is high, the total number is low, so the total score in this test is 81.6 points out of 100.

- Conclusion

Test Disc
Reading Speed
Score
ABEX TCD-721R
Max
76.9
ABEX TCD-726
81.6
Average Score
79.25

The Asus SCB-2408 drive gets a good average score of 79.25 out of 100 at the reading error correction tests with the Abex Test discs.

- Nero CDSpeed tests

Nero CDSpeed quality test with the 721R Abex disc gave Asus an adequate quality score: 64.2 points out of 100. However, the estimated C2 accuracy is very low (33.69%) and 245 sync errors were reported.

5. CD Error Correction Tests - LiteOn LSC-24081MX

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1- Page 4

Error Correction Tests - LiteOn LSC-24081MX

In the following tests we check the behavior of LiteOn LSC-24081MX when it comes to reading scratched / defected discs. The test discs we use are the ABEX Test Discs series from ALMEDIO.
- ABEX TCD-721R

Errors total
Num: 168927368
Errors (Loudness) dB(A)
Num: 799339
Avg:-25.6dB(A)
Max:-5.6 dB(A)
Error Muting Samples
Num: 357891
Avg: 5.5 Samples
Max: 3584 Samples
Skips Samples
Num:3
Avg: 8.0 Samples
Max: 12 Samples
Total Test Result
62.3 points (of 100.0 maximum)

LiteOn LSC-24081MX gave back many errors, and he average level was high (-25.6 dB). However, many errors were muted .The performance is quite fair and the average score is 62.3 points out of 100.

- ABEX TCD-726

Errors total
Num: 7
Errors (Loudness) dB(A)
Num:2
Avg:-79.4 dB(A)
Max:-53.7 dB(A)
Error Muting Samples
Num:0
Avg: 0 Samples
Max: 0 Samples
Skips Samples
Num:0
Avg: 0 Samples
Max: 0 Samples
Total Test Result
94.9 points (of 100.0 maximum)

This time the performance is really high. The ABEX-TCD-726 disc was read accurately, and only 7 total errors were reported. The total score of the drive is 94.9 points out of 100.

- Conclusion

Test Disc
Reading Speed
Score
ABEX TCD-721R
Max
62.3
ABEX TCD-726
94.9
Average Score
78.6

LiteOn LSC-24081MX gets a good score of 78.6 out of 100 at the reading error correction tests. Although the drive did not manage to completely conceal the errors on the scratched TCD-721R disc, it performed very well with the TCD-726 disc (defects, fingerprints).

- Nero CDSpeed tests

According to the Nero CDSpeed, the LiteOn drive gave back a high score at 71.9 out of 100, while the C2 accuracy of the drive reached 97.33%. The results confirms those we got with the EAC test suite, by using the same test disc. The software also reported some synchronization errors.

6. DVD Reading Tests

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1 - Page 6

DVD reading tests

- Single Layer DVD-ROM: (CDSpeed results Asus SCB-2408 and LiteOn LSC-24081MX )

Both drives officially support 8x maximum reading speeds under CAV mode for the single layer DVD-ROM media. However, the CDSpeed transfer test with Asus showed that the drive read the disc under the P-CAV mode, and the reading speed did not reach the 8x. As a result, the average reading speed was 6.01x. On the other hand, the LiteOn drive was faster achieving 6.26x reading.

On the contrary to the seek times test with CD-R media, Asus SCB-2408 gave slightly higher seek times than the LiteOn drive, in the case of DVD-ROM discs. In the Random seek mode, both drives were fast and needed around 100msec, while the 1/3 mode test was harder for the Asus drive (120 msec).

- Dual Layer DVD-ROM: (CDSpeed results Asus SCB-2408 and LiteOn LSC-24081MX )

The PTP dual layer DVD-ROM was read successfully by both drives. LiteOn LSC-24081MX read each layer at 6x CAV (2.43x ~ 5.99x), while the Asus drive was slower reaching a 5.35x speed by the end of each layer.

In the same test, using the dual layer DVD-ROM, we measured the seek times of the drives. Asus SCB-2408 was slower than the LiteOn LSC-24081 in all three seek modes, although the times were not very high, with an exception in the case of the full seek mode (305msec).

- DVD Ripping Tests

We measured the DVD Ripping speed using the "Matrix" DVD Video title and the DVD Decrypter software.

Both drives were fast and ripped the image successfully to the hard disk .The drive achieved a 6345kb/s (4.58x) ripping speed, which is a good result and faster than the Asus drive, which maxed at 5835 kb/s (4.21x).

- DVD±R/RW

The chart below shows the Nero CDSpeed results with 4x DVD±R, 2x DVD-RW and 2.4x DVD+RW media.

Asus SCB-2408
LiteOn LSC-24081MX
  DVD-R   DVD-R
  DVD-RW   DVD-RW
  DVD+R   DVD+R
DVD+RW   DVD+RW

Asus SCB-2408 read the DVD-R disc at 7x P-CAV speed, while the LiteOn LSC-24081MX was slower at 5.68x CAV. The DVD-RW disc was read by both drives at a similar speed (2.2~2.5x CAV).

The 4x DVD+R disc was somewhat harder to be read for both drives. The CDSpeed graph of the Asus drive reveals that the drive slowed down after reaching approximately 3,5GB of the disc, while the LiteOn had the same behavior when reaching 3.8GB of reading data. The average speed for the Asus drive was 5.82x (P-CAV) and for the LiteOn 5.81x (CAV).

Last, the DVD+RW reading test resulted for the LiteOn drive to an average speed of 4.26x. The Asus drive was slightly faster approaching 4.34x. The disc was read under the CAV mode.

7. DVD Error Correction Tests - Asus SCB-2408

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1 - Page 7

DVD Error Correction Tests

Asus SCB-2408

In the following tests we examined the DVD error correcting capabilities of the Asus SCB2408 drive. For the tests we used CDVD Benchmark v1.21 and Nero CDSpeed . The reference test media comes from ALMEDIO.

- Single Layer media
ABEX TDR-821

This is a single sided, single layer DVD-ROM with a 4.7GB capacity, and its surface has an artificial scratch of dimensions varying from 0.4 to 3.0 mm. The following transfer rate picture comes from the CDVD Benchmark v1.21 transfer rate test.

Asus SCB-2408 read the disc contents flawlessly without posting any errors. The drive started reading the disc at a low speed, but accelerated at 3.5x very fast, to reach 6x speed by the 900,000 sector address. Reading finished at 6x and no read errors occurred.

ABEX TDR-825

This is also a single sided, single layer DVD-ROM of a 4.7GB capacity. The data structure of the disc is exactly the same as that of the TDR-821, with the difference that there are no scratches on it but defected areas of dimensions ranging from 0.5 to 1.1 mm. There are also fingerprints sized between 65 and 75 micrometers.

As in the previous test, the drive finished with no read errors. The reading speed was 6x P-CAV.

- Dual Layer media
ABEX TDR-841

This is a 8.5GB dual layer, single sided DVD-ROM disc with artificial scratches of dimensions from 0.4 to 3.0mm, in both layers.

Compared to the Abex TDR-821 test disc, the TDR-841 has the same contents and scratches, but it is a dual layer PTP disc. Asus SCB-2408 read both layers at 5.5x CAV and no read errors were reported.

ABEX TDR-845

The disc is a single sided, dual layer DVD-ROM disc of a capacity of 8.5GB. The only difference between the TDR-845 and the TDR-841 is that the first includes defected areas and fingerprints. The dimensions of the defected areas range from 0.5 to 1.1 mm and the fingerprints are sized from 65 to 75 micro meters.

Once again the drive had no problems to read the defected dual layer DVD. The performance of the drive is familiar to that of the TDR-841 test disc and the maximum reading speed at the end of each layer was 5.5x.

ABEX TDV-541

The TDV-541 is a single sided, dual layer DVD-VIDEO disc, with a capacity of 8.5GB.The disc is based upon the TDV-540 series which is designed for inspection and adjustment of DVD-VIDEO players. The discs check the layer switch operation from layer 0 to layer 1 and also include test pictures and test signals for DVD sound files. The current TDV-541 checks also the error correcting capabilities of the drive and includes scratches from 0.4 to 3.0 mm.

Testing the reading performance of a DVD-Video disc is very important, since many users use their DVD-ROM drive to watch their favorite movies on their PC. The Asus drive read the disc smoothly using the CAV mode for both layers. Note that the test disc is an OTP. The average reading speed for each layer was 4.02x.

ABEX TDV-545

The TDV-545 disc is based on the TDV-540 series. It is a single sided, dual layer DVD-VIDEO disc with a capacity of 8.5GB. The TDV-545 includes artificial black dots on the data surface, sized from 0.4 to 1.0 mm. It has also 65 - 75 micro meters fingerprints.

According to the CDSpeed transfer graph, the defected areas of the disc did not produce any read errors. They did not even make the drive slow down its reading speed. The performance is considered very good.

8. DVD Error Correction Tests - LiteOn LSC-24081MX

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1 - Page 8

DVD Error Correction Tests

LiteOn LSC-24081MX

In the following tests we examined the DVD error correction capabilities of the LiteOn LSC-2408MX drive. For the tests we used CDVD Benchmark v1.21 and Nero CDSpeed . The reference test media comes from ALMEDIO.

- Single Layer media
ABEX TDR-821

This is a single sided, single layer DVD-ROM with a 4.7GB capacity, in which there are scratches of dimensions 0.4 to 3.0 mm. The following transfer rate picture comes from CDVD Benchmark v1.21.

The LiteOn LSC-24081MX managed to finish the ABEX TDR-821 test disc without reporting any errors. Although the drive needed to read many times the scratched area of the disc, it did not slow down and gave no read errors. However, the drive did not read the DVD-ROM disc at 8x CAV as it did in the previous tests, but used the 5x P-CAV strategy.

ABEX TDR-825

This is also a single sided, single layer DVD-ROM with a 4.7GB capacity. The data structure of the disc is exactly the same as that of the TDR-821, with the difference that there not scratches on it but defected areas of dimensions 0.5 to 1.1 mm. There also fingerprints sized from 65 to 75 micro meters.

The disc was read at 5x P-CAV and no read errors were reported.

- Dual Layer media
ABEX TDR-841

This is a 8.5GB dual layer, single sided DVD-ROM disc with artificial scratches of dimensions ranging from 0.4 to 3.0mm, in both layers.

LiteOn had no problem to read the scratched dual layer DVD-ROM. The performance is very good and both layers were read without errors.

ABEX TDR-845

The disc is a single sided, dual layer DVD-ROM disc with a capacity of 8.5GB. The only difference among the TDR-845 disc and the TDR-841 is that the first includes defected areas and fingerprints. The dimensions of the defected areas range from 0.5 to 1.1 mm and the fingerprints are sized between 65 to 75 micro meters.

At this test the LiteOn drive seems to had reading problems at the second layer of the disc. Although the CDVD Benchmark didn't report any errors the drive seems to read the second layer many times to maintain accurate reading.

ABEX TDV-541

The TDV-541 is a single sided, dual layer DVD-VIDEO disc, with a capacity of 7.91GB. The disc is based upon the TDV-540 series, which is designed for inspection and adjustment of DVD-VIDEO players. The discs check the layer switch operation from layer 0 to layer 1 and also include test pictures and test signals for DVD sound files. The current TDV-541 checks also the error correcting capabilities of the drive and includes scratches of dimensions ranging between 0.4 and 3.0 mm.

On this test the LiteOn drive read the discs under CAV mode and gave back an average speed at 4.47x. The DVD-Video disc was read accurately, with increased, however, seek times reported.

ABEX TDV-545

The TDV-545 disc is based on the TDV-540 series. It is a single sided, dual layer DVD-VIDEO disc of a capacity of 8.5GB. The TDV-545 includes artificial black dots on the data surface, sized between 0.4 to 1.0 mm. Moreover, it contains 65 - 75 micro meters fingerprints.

The defected DVD-Video disc was read flawlessly and the maximum speed for each layer was 6x (CAV). As in the previous test, the reported seek times are high.

9. Data Protected DiscsTests

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1- Page 9

Data Protected Discs Tests

The software we used for making the image of the protected titles onto the hard disk was Alcohol 120%. In this page, we examine the duration of the ripping process on a variation data protection builds. Below you can see the information of both Asus and LiteOn drives, provided by CloneCD:

- PSX Pressed Media

For this test we used the PSX game 'NBA Jam Extreme' and we ripped the image to the HD with Alcohol 120%. We used the default settings for PSX, and the "Read Sub-Channel Data" option was enabled. The Asus drive was much faster. It finished the task in 93sec, while LiteOn LSC-24081MX required 413 seconds.

- SafeDisc v.2

Asus SCB-2408 finished the task in 4:50 minutes, and LiteOn LSC24081MX was slower with 10:58 min (505,18 sectors/sec).

- SecuROM v.2

On the securom v2 image making process, both drives spent exactly the same time for completion. Note that reading of subchannel data from audio/data tracks is included in the capabilities of the drives.

- Writing Tests

The Alcohol software reports that both drives support the DAO-RAW and DAO-SAO features. For checking the drive's EFM correction status, we used 3 different game titles with different SafeDisc 2 versions, with the latest software patches installed on both drives. Each one of them was used as a reader/writer at the maximum reading/recording speed. Two discs were burned for each game (ByPass EFM Error On/Off). The results are posted in the table below:

Game Title
Tested Drive
SD2 Build
Settings
ByPass EFM Error On
ByPass EFM Error Off
Serious Sam - The Second Encounter v1.07
Asus SCB-2408
v.2.60.052
ok
ok
LiteOn LSC-24081MX
ok
ok
The Sims - Unleashed
Asus SCB-2408
v2.80.010
ok
ok
LiteOn LSC-24081MX
ok
ok

Both drives offer a high EMF error correction. At the first part of the test we used the default settings of Alcohol with EMF error correction enabled and both drives managed to make working back-ups. Disabling the EMF error correction option did not make any difference and the backups worked in all the players we tried them flawlessly.

10. DAE Tests

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1- Page 10

DAE Tests

- Pressed and CDR AudioCD results

The test discs hold 74min of audio files. Both drives support 24x CAV DAE and behaved in a similar way in the test. The average ripping speed for the Asus drive is 17.5x and 17.3x for LiteOn LSC-24081MX (pressed disc). The same test with copies of the original audio discs, showed that both drives are slightly slower rippers when using CD-R audio discs.

- Advanced DAE Quality
Asus SCB-2408
LiteOn LSC-24081MX

LiteOn and Asus drives got the same quality score 100.0 (perfect) and almost the same average ripping speed, around 17.5x. On the advanced features tab, the CDSpeed reports that Asus does not support leadin and leadout reading. Both drives support reading of CD-Text and subchannel data.

- 99mins AudioCDs

Tested drives
Ripping up to 99min
Asus SCB-2408
OK
LiteOn LSC-24081MX
OK
For this test we used a 99min audio disc and EAC software for ripping the disc's contents. Both drives managed to rip all the audio files without any errors.

- Reading/Ripping Protected AudioCDs

For the test procedure we used 2 protected AudioCDs, which we tested in both the processes of recognition and ripping (with EAC):

* Pressed AudioCD with Sony Key2Audio (Celine Dion - New Day Has Come)

* Pressed AudioCD with Cactus Data Shield 200 (Natalie Imbruglia - White Lilies Island)

Key2Audio
CDS200
EAC
Asus SCB-2408
OK
Recognizes disc contents but cannot rip them
LiteOn LSC-24081MX
Cannot recognize
Recognizes disc contents but cannot rip them

The LiteOn drive is weak when it comes to audio protections, since it cannot playback or rip the audio files of both Key2Audio and Cactus Data Shield 200 disc. On the other hand, the Asus drive performed better, at least in the case of the Key2Audio disc.

11. Recording Tests

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1- Page 11

CDR Tests

We tested both drives with the latest version of Nero Burning Rom. Asus and LiteOn drives support the same maximum writing speed, but they do not use the same writing strategy. All the available writing speeds for each drive are illustrated below:

Asus SCB-2408

LiteOn LTC-24081MX

Nero CDSpeed simulates the writing process with blank CD-R discs. As you can see in the snapshots below, the Asus drive writes the blank disc under the P-CAV mode. The average writing speed reported by the software is 18.90x and the drive reached the 23.91x after the 70:00min address of the disc.

The LiteOn drive uses a multi-step Z-CLV writing mode for the maximum 24x writing speed. The average writing speed for the drive is actually 16.31x:

- Burning Tests

We used Nero Burning Rom to create an 80min data compilation. Both drives burned the data to a 700MB disc. The Asus drive was faster than the LiteOn, due to the P-CAV writing strategy instead of the Z-CLV of the LiteOn LSC-24081MX:

Below you can see the best writing times of the drives, for all the available writing speeds:

The adopted Z-CLV writing mode of LiteOn LSC-24081MX makes it slower than the Asus drive (P-CAV).

- Other features
Tested Drives
Asus SCB-2408
LiteOn LSC-24081MX
Overburning
Up to 98min
Up to 98min
CD text reading/writing
Yes
Yes
12. 3T Jitter Tests - Asus SCB-2408

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1- Page 12

Writing Quality Tests

Asus SCB-2408

We used 48x 80min CD-R media by Taiyo Yuden and burned the same AudioCD project at all the available recording speeds between 8x-24x. Below you can see the 3T Pit & Land Jitter graphs.

- 3T Pit results

The graph show us that the 3T Pit Jitter stays below the 35ns RED book limit at all recording speeds. The highest Pit Jitter value came from the 24x written disc, and the maximum value by the end of the disc reached the value of 34ns.

The average 3T Jitter values for all recording speeds are illustrated in the following table.

As the recording speeds climb, the average 3T pit jitter increases, as we have noted in many other drives that use the CAV writing strategy. However the jitter values are low for all the writing speeds.

- 3T Land results

Although the 3T land jitter values were slightly over the 3T pit results, the performance remains high.

- Conclusion
Recording Speed
3T Pit Jitter (ns)
3T Land Jitter (ns)
> 35ns
Max value (ns)
8X
24.54
30.46
No
26 Pit, 34 Land
16X
26.12
28.95
No
28 Pit, 32 Land
20X
28.34
30.05
No
32 Pit, 33 Land
24X
29.80
31.51
No
34 Pit, 36 Land

Asus SCB-2408 returned very low jitter values for all the supported writing speeds. We can thus easily say that the provided writing quality of the drive is high and certainly will not be influenced by the jitter.

13. Jitter Tests - LiteOn LSC-24081MX

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1 - Page 13

Writing Quality Tests

LiteOn LSC-24081MX

The media we used are Taiyo Yuden 48x, as in the previous measurements in the case of the Asus drive.

- 3T Pit results

The 16x recording speed gave the highest 3T Pit Jitter values, which reached a value of 40nsec after the 70:00 min address of the disc. Although this value is not very high, it is surprising that the drive did not produce the highest jitter when writing at 24x. This is probably related to the Z-CLV implementation for writing at 16x.

Below, you can see the average 3T pit jitter values for all the recording speeds.

- 3T Land results

In the 3T land jitter graph you can see that the performance is high for all the writing speeds. Again, the disc recorded at 16x gave the highest jitter (35nsec), as well as the the 20x disc, the latter in the 20 - 30 min address space.

- Conclusion
Recording Speed
3T Pit Jitter (ns)
3T Land Jitter (ns)
> 35ns
Max value (ns)
12X
28.95
28.34
No
35 Pit, 32 Land
16X
34.05
31.95
Yes
40 Pit, 35 Land
20X
31.63
30.59
Yes
36 Pit, 35 Land
24X
30.17
30.02
Yes
36 Pit, 33 Land

LiteOn seems to offer adequate results with MC 48x media. Jitter was low at al the supported writing speeds, except at 16x, where the pit jitter values were slightly increased.

14. ReWriting Tests

24x Slim CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1- Page 14

HS-RW Tests

We used a Mitsubishi HS-RW discs and Nero Burning Rom for writing at the maximum allowed speed for both drives.

Asus SCB-2408 supports 4x, 8x, 10x and 12x CLV rewriting speeds.

LiteOn LSC-24081MX is able to rewrite at 4x, 8x, 10x CLV and 12x Z-CLV.

Below you can see the rewriting times of the drives at 12x for a 700MB data compilation with Nero Burning Rom:

The Asus drive gave a lower recording time than the LiteOn LSC-24081MX, due to the CLV writing mode. LiteOn could also use the CLV strategy for such a low writing speed, since the supported Z-CLV demands some extra seconds.

- Packet Writing Tests

We used InCD and Ricoh HS-RW media for all Packet Writing tests.The formatted disc had 530mbs of free space. We copied a 403 MB file (403.147 KB) from a Hard Disk (on the same PC as the writers) to the formatted RW media using explorer (we dragged and dropped):

The Asus drive was slower than LiteOn in both reading and writing tasks.

15. Conclusion

24x CD-RW Combo Roundup Vol.1- Page 15

Conclusion

LiteOn LSC-24081MX

Pros

Cons
  • Simple and stylish design
  • Fast CD-R/RW/DVD-ROM reading
  • Low CD/DVD seek times
  • Supports DVD-R/RW, +R/RW, DVD-ROM formats
  • High error correction performance with CD-R / DVD
  • Low 3T Jitter
  • 24x maximum DAE speed
  • High C2 information accuracy
  • Fast DVD-Video ripping
  • Overburning up to 98min
  • Supports CD-Text (reading/writing)
  • Supports 99min discs
  • Creates working SafeDisc v.2 backups
  • Reasonably priced
  • Z-CLV implementation leads to increased recording times
  • Does not support audio protected discs
  • Increased CD seek times
   

Asus SCB-2408

Pros

Cons
  • Very Stylish design, 250 g weight
  • Dual USB 2.0/1.1 & IEEE 1394 supported interface
  • Small dimensions, light weight
  • Complete retail package
  • Fast CD-R/RW/DVD-ROM reading
  • Supports DVD-R/RW, +R/RW, DVD-ROM formats
  • High error correction performance with CD-R / DVD
  • Low recording times
  • Low 3T Jitter
  • 24x maximum DAE speed
  • Overburning up to 99min
  • Supports CD-Text (reading/writing)
  • Supports 99min discs
  • Supports Key2Audio audio protected discs
  • DVD seek times could be lower
  • Low C2 information accuracy
  • Cannot recognize Cactus Data Shield 200 audio protected discs
  • Low packet writing reading / writing speeds
  • High price

Portability and high performance are the main characteristics of both Asus and LiteOn drives. Having nothing to hide, the drives performed adequately in most of the benchmarks, and confirmed their official specifications.

Asus has paid attention to the retail package and the drive's design, while LiteOn preferred keeping a more spartiatic attitude, without, however, neglecting the performance factor. Asus SCB-2408 comes in a complete retail package with many accessories and documentation, while the LiteOn LSC-24081MX box contains only the essential parts for operation.

The small dimensions and the low weight of the drives make them a very handy solution when attached to your notebook or your PC. In addition, Asus offers a dual USB and IEEE 1394 connection interface, while LiteOn chose to support only the USB 2.0, mainly focusing to lower cost. As a note, in the LiteOn's design we might say that the response of the eject button could be better.

The LiteOn LSC-24081MX supports the 24x Z-CLV maximum recording speed for the CD-R format. Our tests showed that the current implementation of the Z-CLV technology does not allow the drive to achieve the lowest writing times among the 24x category drives, including Asus SCB-2408. However, the writing stability for both drives is very good and no writing problems occurred while writing on various media. In addition, both the Jitter measurements on the recorded media showed a high writing quality.

In the reading part, the drives are fast and the reading speeds reached the maximum supported 24x, on both pressed and CD-R media. The Asus drive gave slightly increased seek times on DVD-ROM media, while the LiteOn could be improved in this area when using CD-R discs. The entire available DVD recordable / rewritable formats (except DVD-RAM) were read fast, including the DVD-Video discs.

A very impressive performance of both drives is on the error correction tests with CD-R and DVD media. In the case of ripping scratched audio discs, both drives corrected / concealed most of the reading errors, resulting to high scores in the corresponding tests. Please note, that the Asus drive does not retrieve C2 error information 100% accurately, allowing the LiteOn drive to be a better solution for tasks based on retrieving C2 information. DVD-ROM reading was fast and accurate in the case of not only normal but even on defected discs.

The maximum supported DAE speed is 24x for both drives. The audio protected discs are not supported by the drives, since the LiteOn cannot recognize them and the Asus can only handle the Key2Audio discs.

Another strong feature of both drives is their ability to create working backups of the latest SafeDisc v.2 protected titles.

If price is a basic factor for choosing one of the tested drives, then we should mention that the LiteOn is a more affordable proposal and is available at a price rated approximately 130-140 Euros. The complete retail package, as well as the dual interface support of the Asus drive, increases its retail price. It is available at about 180 - 200 Euros. For different reasons, each drive deserves our credits.




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