In House Review - Lite-On SOHW-832S Double Layer 8x DVD±RW

[Ian]

Today, CDRLabs brings you an in depth look at Lite-On's new double layer DVD burner, the SOHW-832S. This highly anticipated drive is one of the first to ship with support for the DVD+R DL format. With this new technology, users can store up to 8.5GB of data onto a single disc! The SOHW-832S also sports some pretty impressive specs, including 8x DVD±R and 4x DVD±RW writing speeds and a maximum DVD read speed of 12x. On top of that, it includes features like 40x CD reading and writing speeds, 24x rewriting speeds and support for Lite-On's SMART-BURN and SMART-X technologies.

In this review we'll take a look at some of the features found on the SOHW-832S and see how it compares to some of the other double layer DVD writers we've looked at. Can the SOHW-832S deliver the level of performance Lite-On is known for? Is it the best bang for your buck?
You'll have to read the review to find out.

[url=http://www.cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.php?reviewid=236]
Lite-On SOHW-832S Double Layer 8x DVD±RW[/url]

As usual, if you have any comments or questions about this review or the Lite-On SOHW-832S, please post them in the forum using the link provided below.

[overclockxp]

Nice review.

I notice you always list a 2 MB buffer as a con to a drive. Why? Does it really matter?

This drive has come down in price from $104 shipped to $85 shipped in the last 3 weeks (from Newegg). How low can they go? Maybe $60 when the 16x drives start showing up.

Here's another hypothetical for you...Will this drive be flashable to 4x DVD+RW DL?

[Ian]

I notice you always list a 2 MB buffer as a con to a drive. Why? Does it really matter?

No, not really. Even if they doubled it to 4MB, it wouldn't make much difference. It's just personal preference.

Here's another hypothetical for you...Will this drive be flashable to 4x DVD+RW DL

Good question. Unfortunately I don't know. While I know this feature is coming on a future drive, Lite-On really hasn't said which one or if any of the existing ones will be upgradable. Has anyone else heard anything to this regard?

[digitaldoc]

It would seem from the scans posted that the quality of the writing for -R media has improved from previous drives. That's great to see, even if +R is far more dominant over the last few months.

[Scour]

It would seem from the scans posted that the quality of the writing for -R media has improved from previous drives. That's great to see, even if +R is far more dominant over the last few months.

LiteOn´s writing-quality is in most cases less than average; but these drives perform always better in +R, because LiteOn´s first own dvd-writers were +R

The overall writing-quality is not one of the best; but the 832 seems to be much better than the 811s and the 1213s (reviewed by CDRInfo)

[rdgrimes]

Here's another hypothetical for you...Will this drive be flashable to 4x DVD+RW DL

It can be FW modded to write at 4x, but the results are very bad.

[Kennyshin]

It will please more people if Lite-On ever allowed 8x and 12x Lite-On DVD writers to do 4x DL writing instead of 12x and 16x SL writing.

I don't need 12x and 16x writers that much, honestly, but I'd like 4x to 8x DL writing. I don't worry too much about DL media availability because I'm optimistic about it.

I haven't bought the JVC D-VHS recorder because I realized how overpriced it is in Seoul. Same for the first HDTV camcorder from JVC.