ASUS DVD-E616

By Roman Shelepov

Enhanced IDE (ATAPI) bus interface (UDMA/66/100).
Formats supported:

DVD-ROM : Single or double side / 1 or 2 layers , (DVD-5, DVD-9, DVD-10,DVD-18)
CD-ROM : Audio CD ,CD-ROM , Mode 1 and Mode 2 ,Mixed Mode CD (Audio combined data) ,Video CD , CD-Extra ,CD-R ,CD-RW, CD-TEXT, Karaoke CD,I-trax, Photo CD

Reads discs of 8 and 12 cm in diameter
Data buffer: 512 KBytes
Data rate:

DVD Transfer Rate 16X max CAV21640 KBytes/s max
CD Transfer Rate 48X max CAV ~ 7200 KBytes/s max.

Access time:

DVD 105 ms typical
CD 85 ms typical

Weight: 1kg

Accessories: user manual, fastening bolts, CD audio cable, a diskette with drivers, a CD with drivers and a soft-DVD player (WinDVD). DDSS2 (Double Dynamic Suspension System) supported. Unfortunately, there is no an 80-conductor ATA/66/100 cable for connection to a respective controller. However, the tests show that it doesn't matter how the drive is connected - as UDMA/33 or UDMA/66/100. The front panel has two buttons for Audio CD playback - Open/Close/Stop and Play/Skip. The front panel also has a rubber layer which eliminates noise and protects from dust.

Test results

Quality of operation with CDs

CDWinBench 99

CDWinMark99 - 1560
CD-ROM Transfer Rate

Inside - 3090 kBytes/s
Outside - 6060 kBytes/s

CPU utilization - 9.11%
CD-ROM Access Time - 91.9 ms

Nero CD-Speed

The following information on the drive is obtained with the Drive check utility:

Vendor : ASUS
Product : DVD-ROM E616
Firmware version : 1.0
Buffer size : 512 KBytes
Maximum read speed : 8448 KBytes/sec (48 X)
CDDA accurate : yes
C2 pointers : yes
Speed settings : 6-8-10-12-14-16-18-20-22-26-28-30-32-34 X
Read RAW mode : yes

According to these data the drive supports all functions necessary for accurate capture of audio tracks. A list of speed modes is really striking. But the range of speeds is actually wider.

Testing of the drive using a standard CD

	ASUS DVD-E616
Average Speed	27.72x
Start Speed	14.01x
End Speed	36.86x
Random Seek	111 ms
1/3 Seek	104 ms
Full Seek	170 ms
Reading type	CAV
CPU usage 1x	0%
Accurate stream	Yes
DAE quality Score	10
SpinUp Time	3.37 sec
SpinDown Time	6.26 sec
Disc Recognition Time	11.03 sec

CD-ROM Drive Analyzer

CD-R reading

CD-RW reading

Damaged CD reading

Advanced DAE Quality(Nero CD-Speed)

Offset	2256 bytes (564 samples)
Sequential Read Test	Average Speed: 25.18 X Data Errors: 0 Sync Errors: 0
Harmonica Read Test	Average Access Time: 114 ms Data Errors: 0 Sync Errors: 0 Total Data Errors: 0 Total Sync Errors: 0 Quality Score: 100.0
On The Fly Copying Simulation	Copying at 1 X OK Copying at 2 X OK Copying at 4 X OK Copying at 6 X OK Copying at 8 X OK Copying at 10 X OK Copying at 12 X OK Copying at 16 X too slow
CD Text	Drive is capable of reading CD Text information
Subchannel Data	Drive cannot read Subchannel Data directly
Leadin	Drive cannot read data from the Leadin
Leadout	Drive cannot read data from the Leadout

Soundtrack extraction from audio CDs (CDDAE 99)

	Licensed CD	Pirated CD
Average extraction speed	26.6x	26.8x
Total errors	0.00%	0.00%

Direct copying of data from a 780 MBytes CD-R onto a hard disc.

The drive read the 780 MBytes disc very good. The time of full copying is 4 min. 20 sec.

Quality of operation with DVD discs

Nero DVD Speed

Testing with a two-layer DVD disc

	ASUS DVD-E616
Average Speed	6.34x
Start Speed	3.45x
End Speed	4.45x
Random Seek	116 ms
1/3 Seek	123 ms
Full Seek	230 ms
Reading type	CAV
CPU usage 1x	15%
SpinUp Time	3.60 sec
SpinDown Time	7.15 sec
Layer Change Time	306 ms
Disc Recognition Time	8.58 sec

Noise characteristics.

Tray - 7/10
CD

Seek - 4/10
Total noise - 5/10

Seek - 4/10
Total noise - 6/10

At the maximum speed the noise level was acceptable. Unfortunately, there is no anymore a possibility to reduce a speed of operation with CDs with the Play button, though it is possible with the help of external programs (CDBremse, Nero DriveSpeed). Also, you can set any speed within the range of 2x and 6x to 48x.

DVD-Video playback with the Cyberlink PowerDVD 2.55

The DVD-Video was played without any problems; no artifacts were noticed. During changing the layer the DVD quality didn't get worse, although a layer changing time is quite big.

Vibration

The drive is equipped with the DDSS2 system. When the drive worked with badly balanced CDs it didn't shine. The vibration was quite noticeable. Probably a speed growth adversely affected operation of the DDSS2.

Thermal conditions

There are no any complains about its thermal conditions, though I do not recommend you to install other devices tightly to its lower surface. The data were read after an intensive 2-hour operation:

T inside the case - 36°C
T of the upper surface - 41°C
T of the lower surface - 43°C

Possibility to make the drive region free (RPC-1).

According to www.firmware.fr.st, it is impossible to make this drive region free. However, there is one loophole. To nullify the zone changing meter you should turn off the computer and press and hold play/stop buttons. Then holding these buttons you should turn on your computer and wait until the BIOS finishes detecting hard drives and CD-DVD drives in the system. Then release the buttons. If you hold them too long the computer may hang. Then you should just reboot it.

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