MaximumPC 2004 08

D

ual-layer burning has arrived,

and it’s every bit as tasty as

we thought it would be. For

less than 250 bucks, you can now

pack 8.5GB on a single recordable

DVD, and make 1:1 copies of your

DVD-Video discs without compres-

sion. It may not be legal, of course,

but that’s another story.

Sony’s DRU-700A is the first con-

sumer-level burner to offer DVD+R

dual-layer recording, and the tech-

nology is a modest miracle of engi-

neering. Most commercial DVD-

Video discs are comprised of two

layers; the bottom layer is stamped

on an opaque surface, and the top

layer is stamped on a semitrans-

parent surface. This allows DVD

players to read from the outside of

the disc until reaching the center,

at which point the laser refocuses

itself to peer through the first layer

and onto the second, continuing

the read process from the center

outwards. (The ability to read

dual-layer DVDs has always been a

requirement of the DVD specifica-

tion, so theoretically, all players

should be able to play them.)

Finding the right dye formulations

and substrates that would allow a

laser to burn onto the semitrans-

parent layer as well as through it

was another matter, however. To

their credit, the folks behind the

popular DVD+R format developed

the technology first. (While DVD-R

dual-layer burning has been dem-

onstrated, no PC products have

been announced yet.)

Using the DRU-700A, we copied

a three hour, 7.9GB commercial

dual-layer DVD-Video at a relatively

pokey 2.4x in 44:53 (min:sec). But

here’s the kicker—the disc was read

flawlessly by each of the five set-top

DVD players we tried it

in, and we’re talking

about model’s ranging

from an ancient RCA

Divx player to Kiss

Technology’s networked

DP-500. We could also

play the disc in every

DVD-ROM drive we tried it in with

the single exception of Plextor’s PX-

708A, which wouldn’t recognize the

disc. While we noticed that our

burned disc was slower to be recog-

nized than commercial discs, this is

likely the result of burned discs’

slightly lower reflectivity and not

dual-layer technology.

The DRU-700A is no slouch in

other formats either. The fastest

format remains 8x DVD+R single

layer, which took 8:55 to burn

4.25GB of data. 8x DVD-R perfor-

mance trailed behind at 9:38 doing

the same task. 4x DVD+RW burned

our disc in 14:25, and although

DVD-RW is officially at 4x now,

4x media is nowhere to be found,

so burn times are limited to 2x,

resulting in a pokey 30:08 to burn a

single-layer disc. The DRU-700A is

also the fastest combo burner when

it comes to CD-R tasks, burning

700MB at 40x in just 3:13. Digital

audio extraction was also mighty

fast—is this burner the entertain-

ment industry’s worst nightmare

or what? Sony bundles the drive

with the generous Nero

Software Suite, which

continues to boast more

features and better per-

formance every time we

use it.

So is this the right

time to buy a dual-layer

burner? We’re inclined to say yes,

but ultimately it’s up to you, and

how badly you want it. The DRU-

700A works beautifully and we love

it, but dual-layer media continues

to be scarce, and burning is a rela-

tively slow process right now. We

believe you’ll see 4x and possibly

8x dual-layer burners by the time

holiday shopping comes around.

Whatever you do, don’t hold out

for dual-layer rewriteable burners.

Manufacturers tell us they’re still

working on this technology, and

the majority expressed doubt it will

arrive anytime soon, if at all.

—LOGAN DECKER

The first dual-layer burner is a winner, succeeding

where it matters most—compatibility.

DUAL

JEWEL

Media is scarce, expensive, and faster dual-layer

burners are sure to come soon.

$230, http://www.sony.com

MAXIMUMPC VERDICT 9

64 MAXIMUMPC AUGUST 2004

Sony DRU-700A Dual Layer DVD Burner

Proof that two layers are better than one

Sony even bundles a black bezel with its dual-layer DVD burner for

formal evening recording.

Ahead Nero Burning ROM 6

Ahead Nero Vision Express

Ahead Nero BackItUp

Ahead Nero Showtime

THE BUNDLE

BENCHMARKS DVD CD

Average data transfer (MB/sec.) 8.1 4.6

Random/full-stroke seek (ms) 110/205 110/221

Audio extraction (min:sec) – 2:48

Data DVD/CD burn (min:sec) 8:55 (DVD+R) 3:13

CPU utilization 16% (2x) 8% (8x)

Writes to:

DVD+R 8x

DVD-R 8x

CD-R 40x

Rewrites to:

DVD+RW 4x

DVD-RW 4x

CD-RW 24x

Reads:

DVD-ROM 12x

CD-ROM 40x

Reviews

* The data CD burn test uses the bundled applications to create a 700MB CD-R. The

data DVD burn test uses the bundled applications to create a 4.25GB. The audio-

extraction test uses a commercially stamped 74 minute audio CD. All tests were

performed using Verbatim media