Here are some pics of the DVD recorder he will be testing:


The Pioneer DVR-106


A view of the top


A view of the back

Review
I received this burner for review and apart from the obvious physical difference of the absence of headphone socket and volume control the drive looks similar to the A05/DVR-105. So what are the differences lets compare the specifications

Pioneer A05/DVR-105	Pioneer A06/DVR-106	Difference
Write Support DVD-R (4.7GB General Discs Only) (5.54MB/s) 4x-speed DVD-R Revision 1.0 (for Video, for Data) 4.7GB DVD-RW 1/2x-speed (2.77MB/s) DVD-RW Revision 1.0 (for Video, for Data) C D-R (2.46MB/s) C D-RW (1.23MB/s)	Write Support 4.7GB DVD-R for General, Version 2.0 4x-speed DVD-R Revision 1.0 (for Video, for Data) 4.7GB DVD-RW Version 1.1/2x-speed DVD-RW Revision 1.0 (for Video, for Data) 4.7GB DVD+R Version 1.0/Version 1.1 4.7GB DVD+RW Version 1.2 CD-R CD-RW	The A06 supports DVD+R, DVD+RW writing This is the main extra feature of this drive
Read Support DVD-ROM single/dual layer (16.62MB) / (11.08MB/s) DVD-R (all types) (8.31MB/s) DVD-RW (8.31MB/s) CD-ROM Mode 1 (4.92MB/s) CD-ROM XA Mode 2 (form 1, form 2) C D-TEXT Read & Write Photo C D (single & multiple session) CD-DA (Audio C D) (4.92MB/s) C D-R (4.92MB/s) C D-ROM, C D-R, C D-RW	Read Support DVD-ROM (Single Layer, Dual Layer) 4.7GB DVD-R for General, Version 2.0 4.7GB DVD-R for Authoring, Version 2 3.95GB DVD-R Version1.0 4.7GB DVD-RW (for Video, for Data) DVD+R Version 1.0/Version 1.1 DVD+RW Version 1.2 C D-ROM Mode 1 (4.92MB/s) C D-ROM XA Mode 2 (form 1, form 2) C D-TEXT Read & Write Photo-CD (single & multiple session) CD-DA (Audio C D) (4.92MB/s) Video C D, C D-ROM, C D-R, C D-RW	Although the spec for the A05 does not show read ability for DVD+R/RW it does read these discs so in this respect there appears to be no differences here
Write Speed DVD-R 4x-speed 5.54MB/s 2x-speed 2.77MB/s 1x-speed 1.385MB/s DVD-RW 2x-speed 2.77MB/s 1x-speed 1.385MB/s CD-R 16x-speed 2.4MB/s 12x-speed 1.8MB/s 8x-speed 1.2MB/s 4x-speed 0.6MB/s C D-RW 8x-speed 1.2MB/s 4x-speed 0.6MB/s	Write Speed DVD-R 4x-speed 5.54MB/s 2x-speed 2.77MB/s 1x-speed 1.385MB/s DVD-RW 2x-speed 2.77MB/s 1x-speed 1.385MB/s +R 4x-speed 5.54MB/s 2.4x-speed 3.32MB/s +RW 2.4x-speed 3.32MB/s C D-R 16x-speed 2.4MB/s 12x-speed 1.8MB/s 8x-speed 1.2MB/s 4x-speed 0.6MB/s C D-RW 10x-speed 1.5MB/s 4x-speed 0.6MB/s	This is where the main difference is with the support for 4x DVD+R and 2.4x DVD+R/RW The C D-RW writing speed is increased from 8x to 10x a minor difference
Read Speed DVD-ROM (Single Layer) Max.12x-speed 16.62MB/s DVD-ROM (Dual Layer) Max.8Xx-speed 11.08MB/s DVD-R (4x-speed type) Max.6x-speed 8.31MB/s DVD-R (Other than 4x-speed type) Max.2x-speed DVD-RW (2x-speed type) Max.6x-speed 8.31MB/s DVD-RW (Other than 2x-speed type) Max.2x-speed DVD-Video (Single/Dual-Layer) 2x-speed 2.77MB/s CD-ROM Max.32x-speed 4.8MB/s Video C D 4x-speed 0.6MB/s Audio C D Max.32x-speed 4.8MB/s CD-R/RW Max.32x-speed 4.8MB/s	Read Speed DVD-ROM (Single Layer) Max.12x-speed 16.62MB/s DVD-ROM (Dual Layer) Max.8Xx-speed 11.08MB/s DVD-R (4x-speed type) Max.6x-speed 8.31MB/s DVD-R (Other than 4x-speed type) Max.2x-speed DVD-RW (2x-speed type) Max.6x-speed 8.31MB/s DVD-RW (Other than 2x-speed type) Max.2x-speed +R Max.6x-speed 8.31MB/s +RW Max.6x-speed 8.31MB/s DVD-Video (Single/Dual-Layer) 2x-speed 2.77MB/s CD-ROM Max.32x-speed 4.8MB/s Video C D 4x-speed 0.6MB/s Audio C D Max.10x-speed 1.5MB/s CD-R/RW Max.32x-speed 4.8MB/s	The specs for the DVD+R/RW on the A05 are not given But the A05 does read DVD+R/RW media The only other difference appears that the CD Audio read speed has been reduced from 32x speed to 10x speed
Physical Specs Data Buffer Capacity 2MB Interface ATAPI (ATA/ATAPI-5 & SFFC INF8090 Ver.5) Max. Power Consumption 19.9W External Size Width: 148mm Depth: 42mm Length: 198mm Net Weight 1.1kg	Physical Specs Data Buffer Capacity 2MB Interface ATAPI (P10 Mode4/Multi Word DMA Mode2) Ultra DMA33 (Ultra DMA Mode2) Max. Power Consumption 19.9W External Size Width: 148mm Depth: 42mm Length: 198mm Net Weight 1.1kg	No differences here

Installation
The drive was fitted into my tower to the secondary IDE connector as master to my Toshiba M-1712 DVD-ROM reader the jumper was already set to master so there was no problems here. I use windows XP and when the PC booted up the drive was immediately recognized as PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-106D drive.

My favorite DVD burning software is Stomp "Record Now Max" and it is recognized as a DVD-RW burner My first burn was to a Datawrite Red 4x DVD-R disc of a DVD movie Title Set that is 4.37 gig the maximum for a DVD, the burn was set to maximum speed and when the disc initialized the software did not give a burn speed indication or time remaining but after the disc had initialized the count down timer indicated 14 mins left for the burn and indeed the burn completed in under 15 mins concluding that the burn was in fact 4x (This time & speed indication error is obviously in the software not being up to date with the burner although I have the latest PX engine installed) The resultant burn was good and these are the C D Speed graphs.



Datawrite Red 4x Speed



Datawrite Ricoh 2.4 Speed DVD+R



Traxdata Ricoh DVD+RW



Datawrite RitekG03 1x speed (Afraid so)


These burns are good although the graphs are not linear these read tests I do are to the extremes of the disc readability and I have only ever found one disc that I consider perfect but at a price This is the 4x Pioneer disc supplied with the A05 retail box.



Pioneer 4x Speed DVD-R written with the A05
One day all DVD-R media will read this way.


For my graph tests I try to read the disc as fast as possible with my modified Toshiba drive and the graphs indicate how easily the drive can read the disk. Any dip in the graph indicates that there was difficulty in reading the disc at that point. Ideally there should be a gradual increase in read speed right to the edge of the disc with no dips I use the Pioneer disc as an example of a perfect burn. Dips indicating a reduction in drive speed at regular intervals are acceptable when the drive reduces speed to avoid read errors

This is an example of a POOR DISC:




I still have some media test to do and will add them later here are the reports from various diagnostic software:



Nero Info Tool





Disc Info



Disc Juggler Explorer Generic



Disc Juggler Explorer Read



Disc Juggler Explorer Write



Nero Recorders


Nero 551020 failed to recognize the drive as a DVD-R recorder and just reported it as a generic C D/DVD-ROM device but after the update to 551028 the burner was recognized.

Although Nero Info Tool did not report Karaoke CD+G read capabilities I was able to back up my Karaoke CD+G discs with Disk Juggler reading the discs in my Toshiba M1712.

This is my provisional review and impressions on this drive is that it is a good drive with similar specifications to the A05 with the addition of DVD+R support. The drive does not appear to suffer from the previous earlier firmware problems that occurred with the A05 and as it is an updated A05 they seem to have got the firmware right.

I propose to do more in depth testing on this drive and add to this review so any requests for further information can be emailed to me and the results will be posted on this site. Please do not expect me to reply to each email as I will not have time to do the reviews but the requests will be noted and dealt with accordingly.

Added:  Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Reviewer:  Flash

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