Writter tips

DVD Writing
DVD+R DVD-R DVD+RW DVD-RW
LG GSA-4160B 16x 8x 4x 4x
Lite-On SOHW-1633s 16x 8x 4x 4x
NEC ND-3500A 16x 16x 4x 4x
Pioneer DVR-108 16x 16x 4x 4x

While all these drives are indeed 16x models, only two will write to both formats at this speed. The
LG GSA-4160B and the Lite-On SOHW-1633s only support 8x DVD-R writing. So if you are one who
only prefers this format, the NEC or Pioneer would be the best choice. All of these drives support writing to DVD re-writable media at 4x.

DVD+R9 Double Layer Writing
Write Speed
LG GSA-4160B 2.4x
Lite-On SOHW-1633s 2.4x
NEC ND-3500A 4x
Pioneer DVR-108 4x

The major disappointment with both the LG and the Lite-On 16x drives is the lack of 4x double
layer writing support. Pioneer and NEC seem to be the only manufacturers to jump in and release
second generation double layer drives supporting much faster 4x writing. In fact, the jump from
2.4x to 4x is quite substantial as we will show you a bit later in this comparison.

DVD-RAM Support
Supported Read Write
LG GSA-4160B YES 5x 5x
Lite-On SOHW-1633s NO NO NO
NEC ND-3500A NO NO NO
Pioneer DVR-108 YES 2x NO

Now this is where both the LG GSA-4120B and GSA-4160B shine above the rest. In fact, it is what
has made these drives the most popular DVD writers on the market. Unlike the rest in the roundup,
it is a triple format burner, offering full support for DVD-RAM media. The other drives do not support
it, with the exception of the Pioneer DVR-108 which supports reading of DVD-RAM discs at 2x. I
personally don't see the point in offering only read capabilities, but it's at least one extra feature
added to distinguish it from the rest. Fast 5x support of the LG GSA-4160 will actually be tested a
bit later in this article.

CDR Writing
CDR CDRW
LG GSA-4160B 40x 24x
Lite-On SOHW-1633s 48x 24x
NEC ND-3500A 48x 24x
Pioneer DVR-108 32x 24x

The fastest CDR writers of the bunch are the Lite-On SOHW-1633s and the NEC ND-3500A. With
their support for 48x writing, they make a great all-in-one drive for many users. The only drive
lacking in this lineup is the Pioneer DVR-108. Why they opted for only 32x writing is still quite
puzzling and is actually why I have found that many are choosing the NEC over the Pioneer. The LG
GSA-4160B should not be left out of consideration though. We will show you later that the
difference in write times between 40x and 48x is not much to brag about.
Bitsetting Support
One feature I've found that is most important for many users is bitsetting support. Let's compare
these drives and see what they offer.

DVD+R/RW Support DVD+R DL Support
LG GSA-4160B NO NO
Lite-On SOHW-1633s YES NO
NEC ND-3500A NO YES
Pioneer DVR-108 NO YES

The LG GSA-4160B does not offer bitsetting support out of the box. However, it is very likely that
you will be able to obtain support through an excellent third-party tool called DVDInfo Pro. Right
now, they only support the GSA-4120B, but I'm confident with the author that support for this drive
will be likely. LG firmware is very hard to hack, however some select few have been able to do so.
Using Lite-On's booktype utility, you can change the booktype of DVD+R/RW media, however, the
firmware does not automatically change booktype of DVD+R DL discs to DVD-ROM like the NEC and
Pioneer models do.