Performance

There are many things to note in regards to performance.  All will be covered here...

The Hardware

Believe it or not, the hardware you use does affect performance.  After testing a number of LightScribe drives over time, I will say that there is definitely a difference in label quality between each.  Some are very minor, others are not.  I've found that the original HP drive, the 640i, and those from BenQ offer the highest contrast and label quality.  Also, when purchasing a LightScribe drive, I would strongly recommend you stay clear of those drives listed as "bulk".  For example, there are drives from LG that are sold as bulk and are not supported by the company, meaning you cannot load new firmware on these drives.  The easy way to tell is by the model name.  Those non "GSA" drives from LG are drives that somewhat or somehow have failed testing and not sold as GSA models.  Rather then just dumping this drives, they are indeed sold under a different model name.  The LightScribe quality and burn times on these drives are absolutely horrible and should be avoided.  OEM drives are just fine though.  You just need to be a bit careful when purchasing one if you are not one who follows official released models carefully.

The Media

What many are not aware of is that it doesn't necessarily depend only on the drive you purchase, or firmware updates to improve performance.  The media itself also plays an

important role.  There are new LightScribe discs that contain an updated surface that greatly improves burn times.  Unfortunately, many don't know because I don't believe these new discs were properly introduced to the market.  Also, there's some confusion on the availability of such media.  What you should look for are discs that contain the 'Ver. 1.2" label on the packaging itself.  This is one way to ensure you have the latest media.  Another way is to avoid the 8x DVD variety and stick to 16x discs.  These discs, particularly those from Verbatim, have the updated surface.  However, note that Ver. 1.2 discs in the CD variety are not yet available and it is unclear as to whether or not we'll see them anytime soon.  The reason for this is because there is surprisingly a higher demand for the DVDR variety over CDR.  Another reason is simply because there is no specification for it, meaning that drives will not recognize the media to begin with.  In the performance tests below, I will show you the difference in not only burn times between both surfaces, but also the difference in quality.  It may surprise a few...

The Software

Just like upgrading the firmware on your DVD Writer, it is equally as important to update the LightScribe drivers as well.  Perhaps you purchased a LightScribe drive quite some time ago that came with a Nero OEM Suite that contained the LightScribe API Control Software.  Well, improvements are constantly being made and it is recommended that you update the drivers whenever possible.  You can always obtain the very latest from HP's LightScribe Website.

Print Modes - the real meaning behind them

What many should know is that the print quality chosen will basically mean that the labels will print at higher contrast, meaning they will be darker, showing much more detail.  Think of it that way.  For example, choosing "Best" as the print mode doesn't necessarily mean it will print at a higher resolution.  Because LightScribe labeling is in black and white, it relies heavily on the level of contrast in order to reproduce a more quality image, and show much more detail.  With that said, I would recommend avoiding the "Draft" option whenever possible.  As I will show you in all the scans below, the draft mode simply does not provide enough detail and makes the label look very light and washed out. 

The Layout Modes

There are three general modes to choose from when burning a label...

• Title Mode - This is the quickest mode and generally burns a label on the inner diameter of the disc.

• Content Mode - This is the one in the middle, allowing you to design more appealing designs that also hug the inner diameter of the disc.

• Full Mode - This mode takes the longest to burn, as it allows you to use the whole surface of disc and thus help create more dynamic designs. 

While you can certainly deviate from any of these modes, it is important to note that just like burning a disc with data, the time it takes to create a label depends on the surface area being used.  Because labels are burned in concentric circles moving outward from center, those designs that take more of the surface area will take longer to burn or "print". 

Testing & Scans

In order to give you a good general idea of what LightScribe is capable of, I used both extremes, burning labels using "Draft", as well as "Best".  This will give you a general idea of what the difference in burn times are, as well as the difference in quality between them. 

**click to enlarge**

I also take things a step further and add comparisons using the optional High Contrast Utility.  Many may not be aware it is available.  This free utility allows you to enable high contrast burning to LightScribe media on-the-fly.  After you're done, you can easily reset to factory settings.  What this utility basically does is modify all print modes to improve quality.  However, note that this will also substantially increase burn times.  I will show you the difference between each below.  The High Contrast Utility is a free download and can be obtained from the official LightScribe Website.

**The following labels where burned using the new Samsung SH-S182M**

Taking a look at all the scans, we can see just what a difference each print mode has on the quality of the labels.  It also proves once again that the draft mode should be avoided whenever possible.  Images just don't look good using this mode.  Enabling High Contrast produces some super nice labels, but the burn times are quite high.  For example, I chose the most complex design for the full mode tests only to show just what a difference the higher contrast has on the design.  In draft mode, this image was dull and washed out.  When applying much higher contrast, it revealed much more detail, resulting in quite an impressive looking label.

Ver. 1.2 Media

Looking at each scan above, and noting the burn times of each, we see that LightScribe labels generally require a considerable amount of time in order to produce a quality label.  But what about the new Ver. 1.2 discs?  How does this new media affect burn times?  Is there also a difference in quality?  The results may indeed surprise you!  The exact same designs were used in the following tests...

**Verbatim 16X DVD+R (Ver. 1.2) Discs**

The new Ver. 1.2 discs do indeed improve burn times quite significantly.  For example, it took exactly 10 minutes less to burn the same full mode label using the "Best" mode when burning.  Difference in write times between Title and Content Mode labels where not as impressive, however, they were indeed lower.  But what about quality?  Well, unfortunately, there is a very noticeable difference!  Compare the scans above and you'll see that the level of contrast and detail is substantial.  With that said, if you opt to use these newer discs, it is best to burn using the highest quality possible.

Next: Final Thoughts & Tips