For our CD transfer rate tests, we used the Nero CD-Speed utility and a set of Pressed CDs. The drive can read CD-R and CD-ROM media at a maximum speed of 48X. For reference, we present a comparison of the LG DVD-RAM GSA-H62N drive with the Samsung SH-S182D, Plextor PX-760A and NEC ND 4571A drives.

Pressed CD

US RW CD

The following CD Speed graph shows the reading performance with US-RW media. The drive has a maximum reading speed of 40X with this format. For all the CDSpeed graphs, you can click on the image to see the full CDspeed snapshot.

- AudioCD

In the CD Speed Advanced DAE quality test, the drive's average speed was 28.91X with a quality score of 100.

A typical DAE task with an 80min non-protected Audio CD produced 28.5X average ripping speed.

- 90/99 mins Audio disc

It seemed a little puzzling that both discs read all the way to the end, only to fail during the DAE quality test or seek tests for the 90 and 99 minute CDs respectively, so we tried playing both discs with Windows Media Player. With the 90 minute CD, playback became difficult after the 80th minute, and eventually degraded to just noise. The 99 minute CD played through to the end without problems.

This doesn't mean that 99 minute CDs will definitely play, just that they may play. The difficulty could be when jumping from one track to another (similar to doing a seek test) as opposed to just playing the disc from start to end.

- DVD Format

Now let's have a look at how the drive performs with DVD media. This time, a set of SL and DL DVD media was used. The drive is capable of reading at a maximum speed of 16X with single layer and at 12X with dual layer media.

DVD-ROM SL media -

PTP DVD-ROM -

The two layers of a PTP DVD-ROM disc are read sequentially with the drive starting reading from the inner part of the disc, which is the beginning of each layer, progressing towards its outer range.

OTP DVD-ROM -

The first layer of an OTP dual layer DVD-ROM is read exactly the same way as the first layer of the PTP disc we tested previously. The difference here is the reading strategy of the second layer of the disc. The beginning of the second layer is located in the outer part of the disc, so the drive starts reading from the outer tracks and progresses towards the inner part of the disc.

- DVD-R /-RW

The drive offers maximum readings speeds of 16X with DVD-R and 13X with DVD-RW media.

- DVD+R /+RW

The drive offers maximum readings speeds of 16X with DVD+R and 13X with DVD+RW media.

This is fast and very good reading from the LG GSA H62N drive with all formats.

- DVD+R DL

-DVD-R DL

-DVD-RAM

-5X

-12X

A few glitches with both the 5X and 12X media but it read both discs at their maximum speeds.

- DVD Ripping speed

Average - 4,881 KB/S (3.5x)
Maximum - 6,759 KB/s (4.9x)

With a maximum of only 4.8X for both SL and DL CSS DVD Video, it was the slowest of the four drives.