I have received some DVD+R sample media with the mid code RITEKR04. I have been assured that this is 16x media, but on checking it with DVDInfoPro (using my Pioneer DVR-109 & NEC DVD_RW ND-3520A - both the latest 16x speed drives) I was disappointed, to say the least, to find that both these drives would only support a maximum of 4x burning to this media.

This seems to be the same as when Ritek produced what they claimed was 8X DVD+R but which was only supported at that speed by a very limited number of drives.

A provisional test showed that the RITEKR04 media produces quality burns, but at a quarter of their rated speed.

Update 17/02/2005
I have just updated my Pioneer DVR-109 to the latest firmware released today v1.17 and it still sees this media as a maximum burn speed of CLV 4.0x

Update 27/03/05
The latest firmware 1.40 allows 12x burning to this media

	This test burn was set to maximum and the burning speed went up in stages from 6x to 8x to finish at 12x at just over 2gig. The dips in the graph are the OPC calibration points when the drive checks the burn quality at the appropriate speed
	PI scans show an increase up to about 60 during the 8x burn with a sharp decrease at the 8-12X transition down to below 20 then rising slowly to 40 at the end of the scan. This is a good graph overall Jitter averages 13% and is fairly constant throughout the scan PIF has some sharp peaks up to 17 at the outer edge of the disc and this is reflected in the speed test
	Speed test shows a good graph up to just over the 4gig point when there are some fluctuations showing a drop in readability of the disc although this did not affect the Playback of the media.

Although this media will still not burn at 16X with the current firmware on the Pioneer DVR-109 the results at 12x speed which is the maximum available show promising results. It just needs Pioneer & Ritek to get their heads together and sort out the 16x burning.

Added:  Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Reviewer:  Flash

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