This first test compare PRODISC R04 16X speed media
burnt 12x speed

From table we can see difference NEC capable burning additional speeds 16x 2.4x firmware patched 16x DVD+R considered too fast a reliable burn uncertified media in fact 12x speed burning quicker 16x speed way applied Pioneer

Pioneer


NEC

Interesting here Pioneer burns 6-12 Z-CLV normal drive NEC burns 5-13 CAV media being recognised 16x speed media NEC 16x burning mode default. Normally NEC burn 12x speed media Z-CLV TYG02 charts we can see Pioneer 7 seconds faster NEC had correct Z-CLV burning mode 18 seconds faster.

Burn Quality
Pioneer


Burn Quality
NEC

burn quality test graphs excellent I consider good gets. only minor point I repeat minor 6x speed burn in Pioneer gives PIE errors a little higher rest. Overall NEC burn marginally better here. % jitter burns fairly constant good Pioneer being marginally better. graphs good very little media I consider drives equal in area

Read Speed Test
Pioneer

Read Speed Test
NEC

Interesting here initial 6x burn in pioneer produced an erratic graph smoothes out switch 8x speed burning a minor glitch half way. NEC starts a smooth graph again a minor glitch in middle burn. NEC burnt disc was 22 seconds quicker being read. graphs although ideal good perfectly acceptable. Again there little chose here so only main advantage pioneer a mere 7 seconds faster burning

TYG02 Test Burn


From test burns can clearly see speed changes time NEC edge 18 seconds how does burn quality compare Burn Quality burns carried out above


The NU drive read media locked up PC shortly screen grab so a full scan could carried out tests we can clearly see sudden increase in PI errors NEC burn speeds up 12x speed well % increase in jitter point. Pioneer errors increase towards edge disc speed transitions much smoother peak considerably lower. errors well acceptable limits burns considered good. NU drive I tests very fussy over media in fact read FAKE TYG02 media under any circumstances so locking up reading down drive necessary media in question.

Readability media
Pioneer

NEC
Very little chose here NEC burn better beginning 6x burn overhaul scans very similar NEC burn edge speed read 31 seconds Now DATA test burns completed I tried drives burning a title my hard drive Pioneer took 7:40secs complete burn 12x speed NEC took 7:10secs complete burn 12x speed films played flawlessly in my fussy Mustek player compatible my other players So 12x speed burning NEC 30 seconds faster compares burning speed tests Taking account increase in jitter PI errors NEC 12x speed could produce playback problems older DVD players I give Pioneer edge test

The next test compare 8x speed burning capabilities two drives DVD+R media test I am only 8x speed media I currently available Bulkpaq PRODISCR03 8x speed DVD+R

PRODISCR03 8x speed DVD+R Test Burn


Now we can clearly see Pioneer starts 6x speed reaches 8x early in burn sustains until end burn whereas NEC starts 4x speed increases 6x speed 800meg then drops down 4x 2gig point continues speed end. Pioneer takes lead here 5:16secs how burns compare

Burn Quality


time scans excellent NEC almost zero PI errors 4x burning can clearly see slight increase in errors % jitter 6x speed burning area.

Taking account reduced speed NEC burning better graph offset Pioneer graph still very good so I give Pioneer thumbs up here

PIONEER

NEC

Both drives produced a burn was perfectly readable so we say equal in respect

Now DATA test burns completed I tried drives burning a title my hard drive

The Pioneer took 8:22secs complete burn 8x speed
The NEC took 15:02secs complete burn attempted 8x speed

Both drives produced excellent burns media worked OK in my DVD players
Neither drives had DVD-ROM bitsetting ability so deciding factor here actual burning speed Pioneer wins HANDS DOWN

CMC Magnetics 80 mins CDR Test Burn Burnt maximum burning speed


Here can see two different burning patterns Pioneer burning Z-CLV NEC CAV
The pioneer started slower NEC only rose 33x end when NEC finished a an impressive 48x. NEC faster just over 1 minute burning CDR

Now burnt in super fast speed. How read

PIONEER

NEC

Graphs speed almost identical so need burn CDR's super fast in high speed DVD burner NEC winner

OVER BURNING TEST

The NEC rejected any parameters above 89:57.74
The Pioneer could accept any figure above 99:57.74

Pioneer

NEC

Both drives accepted overburning beyond limits so I was able fully check maximum overburning capabilities definitely support overburning limits anything go NEC 89:57.74 Pioneer 99:57.74 giving pioneer a good lead here.
I am unsure reason limits maximum settings test I a feeling may a bug in CD Speed software

Disappointing results here looks Pioneer included media in 16x speed tables only burn maximum 4x speed

Pioneer Test Burn maximum 4x speed DVD+R media

NEC Test Burn 16X DVD+R Media

Sad state affairs here when Pioneer official firmware only burn media 4x speed maximum when other 8x speed drives burn maximum 8x speed NEC wins hands down here simply because burn 16x speed in an impressive 6:10secs when Pioneer took twice long.

Here a test 16x speed Pioneer DVD-R media

These results show different ways drives burn 16X speed. Pioneer burning 6-16x Z-CLV (10.15X average) NEC burning 7-16 CAV (11.41 average) gives lead NEC 54 seconds in test I reserve final judgement until I am able burn media drives 16X speed compare quality.
UPDATE

I upgraded Pioneer firmware 1.14 here can see different burning pattern a decrease in burning time 20 seconds still 34 seconds longer NEC

Pioneer DVR-108 Burn Quality

Pioneer 4X speed scans good showing a minor gradual increase peaking 28 PIF edge disc taking account prototype media I say down media rather drive Jitter PIE PIF good

NEC ND-3500AG Burn Quality

Here can see a good start scan a miserable increase in PIE errors burn speeds up past 2.5gig point just above 12x speed burn Jitter also increases here reaches an unacceptable 17.4%.
I come accept 10%-15% jitter norm below 10% v good above 15% poor although does appear reflect readability playability media

Pioneer DVR-108 Readability

NEC ND-3500AG Readability

From two graphs can clearly see NEC drive being easier read also can see drop in quality NEC 12x speed burn although graphs diferant reflecting how drives burn media discs can read satisfactory NEC burn a lot faster read 2:11secs

UNTIL I AM ABLE TEST DRIVES 16X SPEED MEDIA I RESERVE MY JUDGEMENT

As drives recognised media 4x speed maximum I burnt a test DVD-Video global image a disc in drives discs completed burning process satisfactorily burning times slightly different

The Pioneer took 5:13secs whilst NEC too 4:57 secs taking lead 16 seconds

The NU drive I normally use test media failed recognise discs so I carried out scans in my Liteon DVD-ROM drive well BTC DVDR drive

Burn Quality tests Liteon DVD-ROM

Both scans very similar showing a steady rise outer edge although readings good does give cause concern dye formulation full-size media. graph soon rise above an acceptable level. occurring drives leads me suspect in case media cause problem

Burn Quality tests BTC DVDR

The Disc Quality scans in DVDR drive better hardly any errors showing DVD burners capable reading discs correcting errors a lot better DVD-ROM drives. test NEC marginally better Pioneer drives produce good burns media. Playback DVD-Video was good in players I capable playing MINI DVD. I carrying out testing MINI DVD's in another review

If just going burn MINI DVD's then there nothing chose drives