LiteOn DVD Burner 16X SOHW-1633S

Description:

The LiteOn SOHW-1633S is a faster drive compared to the SOHW-832S. Obviously this is true for DVD burning it is also true for CD burning and reading. The 832S was a 40X read and write while the 1633S is a 48X read and write for CDs. It can also read a DVD at 16X while the 832S is a 12X read.

Like the LiteOn SOHW-832S DVD writer, the 1633S is shorter than a normal CD/DVD drive by about an inch. This does not sound like much, but in a cramped case it can make a big difference between an easy installation or a major pain.

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LiteOn provides two different colors for the 16X DVD burner, black and white, to accommodate more cases. The DVD writer that I received is white. On the front Bezel are a bunch of logos for DVD, RW, and compact disc. A headphone jack, LED, and volume control are also on the front of the drive.

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There is nothing special on the back of the drive compared to other DVD ROMs. On the back is a digital audio hookup, analog audio, IDE socket, and 4 pin power socket.

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For software, the LiteOn SOHW-1633S is loaded. It comes with two very popular applications, Nero Express and Power DVD. This alone makes the retail package better than most in the market.

PowerDVD is a solid DVD player for the computer with a cool looking skin. It provides all the functionality that a standard DVD player provides.

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Nero Express has most of the functionality you need. The programs included are Nero OEM, NeroVision Express, Nero Media Player, Tools, and Nero Back It Up. It allows you to copy DVD/CDs, write DVD/CDs, create videos and backup your computer. Basically, it contains everything you need without the extras from the Ultra Edition that most people won't use.

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Also, included with the software, are a ton of DVDs. Some of these were for my benefit because I had asked for 16X media to test with. Two DVD+9 DL discs from Mitsubishi Verbatim were included. Just what I needed because it is expensive to buy this media, which I wound up doing anyway. The package contents do not list these as part of the package. Three 16X DVD5 discs were included, also made by Verbatim. The other two disks are 4.7 Gig, DVD-R and DVD+R disks.

Installation:

Installation is very simple, mainly because of its shorter size. Pop out the 5 1/4" inch face plate in your case. Slide in the DVD writer and attach the IDE and power cables. Finally, screw the drive in with the screws that are provided. An audio cable is also provided. Too bad they left out the SPDIF cable. If you have any problems installing the drive, included is a great installation diagram in two languages. The instruction manual also provides a lot of details on installation, playing and writing DVDs.

Usage:

I burned just about everything I could with this DVD burner. I still had an issue with the DL media that was provide with the drive. After coastering the two DL media that was provided with the drive, I did more research. I found that I need to change the book type of the drive. I downloaded LiteOn's Book type Tool. I tried changing the type of disc to a DVD-ROM with some DVD5 media I had. I could not get this to work. For instructions on using the booktype tool, check out KProbe. I also downloaded Omnipatcher 1.3.10 and patched the BIOS, setting the auto-bitsetting. Still, I could not get a DVD5 to burn as a DVD-ROM. Although, when burning Star Wars - A New Hope, the DVD9 did burn with a Book type of DVD-ROM. The Book type Tool from LiteOn only works in Windows, so you Linux guys are out of luck. As for Omnipatcher, it is more than just a Book type changer. It will allow you to adjust settings to overclock your burning and reading speeds. Mostly, you can adjust the writing speed on particular media, ie. I can tell my Memorex DVDs to burn at 8X instead of 4X.

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The media that I tried, with the results, are listed below.

I used a couple of programs to burn DVD and CDs. Nero 6.3.1.19 and 6.3.1.25, DVD Decrypter, and CloneCD. Remember to upgrade Nero to the latest version so that it supports the DVD9 writers. I had no problems burning at 4X, 8X and 16X speeds using the media provided. Audio CDs were no problem either as they were quickly created at 48X.

As of right now, it is hard to find DVD9 media. The best deal I found was at SuperMediaStore and Meritline. After further reading, it seems only Verbatim and Ritek is distributing DVD9 discs at this time. Ritek is a good quality media that I would recommend but their DL layered discs did not work for me.