In the following tests we examined the DVD reading capabilities of the BenQ DW1640 drive with scratched / defective DVD media. For the tests, we used CDVD Benchmark 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.

There were some minor speed deviations at the end of the disc but these were not enough to cause problems for the DW1640 burner. No errors were reported and the maximum reading speed reached was just above 15X.

ABEX TDR-825

This is also a single sided, single layer DVD-ROM of 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 instead, defective areas of dimensions ranging from 0.5 to 1.1 mm.

There are also fingerprints sized between 65 and 75 micrometers.

Again, the maximum reading speed was just above 15x. There were some speed deviations at the end of the disc but the purpose of these test discs is to examine DVD error correction, and the performance of the BenQ DW1640 with Single Layer defective media was excellent, without sacrificing anything in reading speed.

- Dual Layer media

ABEX TDR-841

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

It was as if the artificial scratches weren't present for the BenQ DW1640. The reading speed reported by the CDVD Benchmark utility was the same as with error-free Double Layer media. Once again, excellent performance.

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 defective areas and fingerprints.

The dimensions of the defective areas range from 0.5 to 1.1 mm and the fingerprints are sized from 65 to 75 micro meters.

And the burner just keeps on reading flawlessly. No errors or speed drops of any kind, even within the defective areas.

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 on the TDV-540 series which is designed for inspection and adjustment of DVD-VIDEO players. The disc checks the layer switch operation from layer 0 to layer 1 and also includes test pictures and test signals for DVD sound files.

The current TDV-541 also checks the error correcting capabilities of the drive and includes scratches from 0.4 to 3.0 mm.

The scratched area was read without any errors. This indicate excellent DVD error correction capabilities.

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 meter fingerprints.

Black dots and fingerprints were not a problem. Again, the BenQ DW1640 keeps up the reputation of an excellent reader when it comes to problem media.

- Summary

What more can a user ask for? Maybe reading speed can be further increased for Double Layer media, but even that might be too much to expect. No errors were reported in all these tests. Many burners cannot even reach the speed performance of the new BenQ DW1640, let alone it's error correction capabilities. With this sort of performance, it will be the envy of the market.