Page 1 of 1

In House Review - HP dvd640i LightScribe 16x DVD±RW

PostPosted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:13 am
by Ian
Today, CDRLabs brings you a review of HP's LightScribe capable DVD writer, the dvd640i. Based on the BenQ DW1625, the dvd640i offers 16x DVD+R, 8x DVD-R, 4x DVD±RW and 2.4x DVD+R DL writing speeds and a maximum DVD read speed of 16x. More importantly, its one of the first drives to support LightScribe. With this new technology, the dvd640i is able to burn silkscreen-quality labels onto the tops of CD's and DVD's. Simply burn the data, flip the disc and then burn the label.

In this review we'll take a look at the features found on the dvd640i and see how it compares to some of the 16x DVD±RW drives from the competition. Is support for LightScribe enough to put HP's new drive on top? You'll have to read the review to find out.

[url=http://www.cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.php?reviewid=268]Image
HP dvd640i LightScribe 16x DVD±RW[/url]

If you have any comments or questions about this review or the dvd640i, please post them in the forum using the link provided below.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:44 pm
by Scour
Hello!

Don´t have read the complete review, but I´m a little confused :-?

You wrote on the Feature-page that you update to JS04, but JS04 seems to be a FW for a Liteon, not a Benq?

In the forum you posted a picture from the HP made by Liteon.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 2:22 pm
by Ian
Scour wrote:In the forum you posted a picture from the HP made by Liteon.


Ignore that picture. It's the one HP gives out to the press. :roll:

PostPosted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 4:23 pm
by Ian
Scour wrote:You wrote on the Feature-page that you update to JS04, but JS04 seems to be a FW for a Liteon, not a Benq?


Nope its for the BenQ version of the drive. Look at the label, it says BenQ right on it.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 4:48 pm
by Scour
Ian wrote:Nope its for the BenQ version of the drive. Look at the label, it says BenQ right on it.


Yes, I saw it and read that the CS30-FW was the FW-version of that drive.

But look at that and you know why I´m thought of Liteon:

http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?download_id=2026

PostPosted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 8:25 pm
by Ian
Scour wrote:But look at that and you know why I´m thought of Liteon:

http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?download_id=2026


Yeah, I see where you're coming from. The odd thing is, HP changes the first character for the revisions. Ex: ES04 -> JS04

PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 5:52 am
by Scour
Hello!

Overall I´m disappointed about that drive. Benq has the much better 1640, but use a older drive and added LS.

I´ll see, what the new LG can do. It seems to be the first LS-drive with actual specs

PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:18 am
by dolphinius_rex
Well... the DW1640 has only JUST become available in North America, whereas the DW1620 has been out for a long time. The DW1625 has ALSO been out for quite some time, and was the only available Lightscribe drive for anyone to OEM. So not a lot of choices at the time really.

Plus... it's not like Lightscribe is really taking off or anything. I've got a feeling it'll be added to a few drives, and people might even buy drives based off of it... but no one is really going to use it :o

PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:25 am
by Ian
Actually, Lite-On also has a LightScribe drive right now. However, they have an agreement with HP where they won't sell it under the Lite-On brand. HP uses them in their computers. However, you can buy them through the grey (OEM) market as the HP dvd640vi.

With all of the announcements HP makes about this and that company licensing the technology.. the ones that do are HP's OEM's: BenQ, Lite-On and supposedly LG (HLDS GWA-4084B.. which I have yet to see).

It will be interesting to see what happens this fall when other LightScribe-like technologies are available.

PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:44 am
by dodecahedron
as i recall the rumored NEC with 16x DVD-RAM (ND-4550A) is also LightScribe capble...but then it's rumor only.
http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/De ... wsId=14505

PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:09 am
by Scour
Ian wrote:Actually, Lite-On also has a LightScribe drive right now. However, they have an agreement with HP where they won't sell it under the Lite-On brand. HP uses them in their computers. However, you can buy them through the grey (OEM) market as the HP dvd640vi.


Do you know if HP will send the Liteon-version for a review?

I see to much reviews of the 1625 and OEM :-?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:54 am
by Ian
Scour wrote:Do you know if HP will send the Liteon-version for a review?


No, they won't. They didn't even send us this one. It was sent to us by their distributor after HP's PR people (Porter Novelli) left us high and dry.

PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:08 pm
by Bhairav
Ian wrote:Actually, Lite-On also has a LightScribe drive right now. However, they have an agreement with HP where they won't sell it under the Lite-On brand. HP uses them in their computers. However, you can buy them through the grey (OEM) market as the HP dvd640vi.

With all of the announcements HP makes about this and that company licensing the technology.. the ones that do are HP's OEM's: BenQ, Lite-On and supposedly LG (HLDS GWA-4084B.. which I have yet to see).

It will be interesting to see what happens this fall when other LightScribe-like technologies are available.


How about the LG4168? YSS has a review of the 4167 up, seems to be a good drive.

PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:18 pm
by Ian
I asked my contact at LG about the 4168. He didn't know anything about it. Then again, I usually hear about new drives before him.

PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:21 pm
by Ian
dodecahedron wrote:as i recall the rumored NEC with 16x DVD-RAM (ND-4550A) is also LightScribe capble...but then it's rumor only.
http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/De ... wsId=14505


Yes, that story surprised me because I had not heard whether or not they were going to use LightScribe (LS) or the Laser Labelling System (LSS) that Yamaha is working on. Around CeBIT time, I was under the impression they were going to use LSS due to LS's high licensing costs.

PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 3:22 pm
by Scour
Bhairav wrote:How about the LG4168? YSS has a review of the 4167 up, seems to be a good drive.


YSS? What´s that?