ASUS BC-06B1ST Blu-ray Drive

It wasn't more than a few months ago that Benchmark Reviews tested the ASUS BC-1205PT Blu-ray Drive, which was proven to be a future-proof asset with the format war recently ended in favor of BD media. But sometimes technology isn't adopted quite as fast as we might think, because in the age of Blu-ray there are people out there who still haven't made the transition into a DVD-burner. Unlike CDs and DVDs, Blu-ray Disc isn't in every household, and since music and movies seem to work perfectly well on the older platforms there might not be any real need for such a premium storage device.

In this article, we do away with the benchmark tests and take a subjective look at the ASUS BC-06B1ST Blu-ray disc optical combo drive. After all, there aren't really very many BD-drives on the market to begin with for there to be a worth-while comparison. Sure, we could create a few dual-layer DVD coasters to see how fast that happens, but in the end it doesn't concentrate on the primary features a SATA Blu-ray drive can offer. Benchmark Reviews tests the functionality and explores the feature set offered by the ASUS BC-06B1ST Blu-ray combo drive.

ASUS presents the BC-06B1ST as a powerful and energy-saving Blu-ray drive capable of reading/writing/re-writing data on 6X BD read and 16X DVD+R write BD Combo formats. It is capable of disc encryption and provides high-definition images with its optimum burning strategy. The Blu-ray ROM drive capabilities for reading BD media is set to 6x speed, while single layer (DVD5) 4.7GB DVD burning is supported at 16x maximum speed. Double Layer and Dual Layer (DVD9) recording speeds are 8x maximum. DVD-Rewriteable speeds are 8x maximum for DVD+RW and 6x for DVD-RW media, while DVD-RAM recording is supported at 12x maximum speed. CD-R burning offers 48x maximum speed, and 32x maximum speed CD-RW.

About the company: ASUSTek Computer, Inc.

ASUS, a technology-oriented company blessed with one of the world's top R&D teams, is well known for high-quality and innovative technology. As a leading provider of 3C (computers, communications and consumer electronics) total solutions, ASUS offers a complete product portfolio to compete in the new millennium.

ASUS products' top quality stems from product development. It's like learning Chinese Kung-Fu; one must begin with cultivating the "Chi" and inner strength. Besides innovating cutting-edge features, ASUS engineers also pay special attention to EMI (electromagnetic interference), thermal, acoustics and details that usually go unnoticed to achieve complete customer satisfaction. ASUS notebooks are the first TCO'99-certified notebooks worldwide. The requirements for this honor include radiation emission control, energy (battery consumption), ecology (environment friendly) and ergonomics.

To succeed in this ultra-competitive industry, great products need to be complimented by speed-to-market, cost and service. That's why all 100,000 over employees of ASUS strive for the "ASUS Way of Total Quality Management" to offer the best quality without compromising cost and time-to-market while providing maximum value to all customers through world-class services.

BC-06B1ST Features and Specifications

• Next Generation Optical Disc Drive, Enjoy High Definition movie playback
• Compatible with a Wide Range of Disc Formats
• Operates on Horizontal or Vertical Mounting
• Windows XP/2000/ Vista Supported

ASUS BC-06B1ST is a powerful and energy-saving Blu-ray drive capable of reading/writing/re-writing data on 6X BD read and 16X DVD+R write BD Combo formats. It is capable of disc encryption and provides high-definition images with its optimum burning strategy.

• Multi Function Max. 6X BD-ROM/R/RE SL / 4X BD-ROM/R/RE DL Read
• Max. 16X DVD-ROM/ 48X CD-ROM Read
• Max.16X DVD±R/ 8X DVD+RW/ 6X DVD-RW Write
• Max. 8X DVD±R (DL) Write
• Max. 48X CD-R/ 32X CD-RW Write
• Max: 12X DVD-RAM Write/Read

TTHD

TTHD (True Theater High Definition) Technology is an innovative suite of advanced video enhancement technologies that deliver unsurpassed quality for DVD movies on PC-based home-theater systems. TTHD fills the gap between standard resolution content and high-definition display capabilities, boosting DVD video quality to achieve HD-like results and smoother playback. TTHD enables you to enjoy high definition display.

Disc Encryption

Disc Encryption allows you to protect an entire disc or its partial content contents with a password. Disc Encryption features provide 128-bit encryption for protecting data discs. Users can protect an entire disc or partial content. And also allows users to hide the names of files. User can protects its important data easily and flexibility.

OTS

With Optimal Tuning Strategy (OTS), the drive will perform a test before really burning which generate the optimal burning strategy automatically for the best burning quality.

Energy Green Engine (E-green)

The innovative E-Green Engine technology features an E-Green Mode that automatically closes drive applications when not in use to help conserve energy - helping the environment by decreasing CO2 emissions and reducing the depletion of trees.

FlextraLink Buffer Underrun Errors Prevention Technology

Built-in FlextraLink prevents users from buffer underrun problems and eliminates the creation of unusable discs. Throughout the recording process, FlextraLink consistently monitors the data buffer status to ensure best recording quality under high-speed operation.

FlextraSpeed

Optimal Writing Speed Adjustment Technology Built-in FlextraSpeed and AI Auto Speed Adjustment Tech. enhance accuracy and reliability when reading/writing/re-writing across a broad range of certified media in different formats. FlextraSpeed continuously monitors the recording media and sets the optimal writing speeds to ensure best recording quality. The ASUS proprietary FlextraSpeed occupies minimal system resources so the PC remains full operational and available for other applications even during recording process.

Superior Stability with DDSSII

The DDSS technology is designed to minimize the vibration caused by the spindle motor and resonance between components as well as the drive and PC cases. The ASUS patented DDSSII stabilizes, both horizontally and vertically, the pick-up head, achieving more precise tracking and focusing, while reducing vibration and noise caused by high-revolution spindle motors.

Closer Look: ASUS BC-06B1ST

The ASUS BC-06B1ST Blu-ray Disc optical combo drive looks identical to every other optical drive on the market today, with the exception of the Blu-ray Disc branding logo on the front face of the bezel. The form factor is standard, and will fit everywhere a 5.25" drive already does, making this a simple remove-and-replace upgrade for enthusiasts.

Although the BC-06B1ST offers the same 2MB of cache buffer found in nearly all DVD-burners, and the 350ms response time is fairly average, there are a few things you'll only get with Blu-ray that can't be had elsewhere.

The BC-06B1ST is a direct replacement for DVD-burner owners who want to upgrade and read data from the new Blu-ray standard. The primary reason I think that most enthusiasts would be interested in a BD-drive would be for reading high-capacity storage, but there are several home theater buffs who might consider this to be the gateway into inexpensive BD movie enjoyment on their HTPC.

Presuming you obtain an additional BD-burner, a single-layer capacity of 25GB for most BD-R recordable discs, there's plenty of capacity for large-file backup routines for less than $5 each piece of media. Consumers wanting more capacity can obtain dual-layer BD-R DL discs for 50GB of storage, but the going price is nearly $35 each piece.

On the other hand, there's a perceived value in the ability to copy movies for less than $5 each. Some enthusiasts might even be tempted to purchase a BD-burner to copy PlayStation 3 (PS3) video games, and this is where the plot thickens.

At the back-end (connection side) of the ASUS BC-06B1ST Blu-ray Disc optical combo drive, there are connection receptacles for SATA data and power cables, but unfortunately there's no external digital audio port similar to what we found on the ASUS BC-1205PT Blu-ray Drive. This might discourage some enthusiasts from adding this unit to their HTPC build, but with the proper software you can still enjoy 7.1 audio through the SATA data stream.

Blu-ray Disc Final Thoughts

There's really not much to be said about Blu-ray Disc at this point. It didn't beat HD-DVD on the basis of being a superior technology, even though it is, it beat it by outlasting the funding for competition. It didn't exactly overwhelm the public with a tremendous amount of movies, similar to what ended the VHS vs BetaMAX format war. Ultimately, it wasn't so much that Blu-ray beat HD-DVD on any one level, as it was HD-DVD just plain suffering a premature death. At any rate, Blu-ray Disc is the new format of choice...

When I first learned that Blu-ray movies were on the market, my first thoughts were of the costs of a new format. That concern proved well-founded since initial BD movies were selling for over $40, while the DVD versions sold for under $20. So since the price was twice as expensive, would that mean that the product was twice as good? I can recall the days when DVD players first hit the market... they were expensive, just not so much so. Many stores offer brand-new DVD movies for around $10, even an economic recession can suppress the movie industry. On top of this, there are affordable 1080p up-scaling DVD players keeping the new format at bay for just a little while longer.

That didn't stop many people from considering the Sony PlayStation 3 as a gaming console with Blu-ray Disc capabilities. In fact, many people who were interested in BD movies found that the PS3 offered a better value than a stand-alone BD-player. This made a lot of sense, once you considered the situation. At the time, 1080p HDTVs were the sought after item, and many enthusiasts already had a high-definition television in their home. With a lack of HD broadcasts and programming, many home theater buffs looked to HD-DVD and Blu-ray to supply them with 1080p content.

After a long, unproductive format war between HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc, the BD format became the standard of preference by default. But 1080p content comes at a cost, and BD movies were a high-price premium item on store shelves. This led many to scheme up ways to get more for less. Although illegal, the simplicity of copying DVD movies has made it easy for a rental to become part of the permanent collection; without degrading the video or audio quality. The truth of the matter is that technology isn't designed to be free and open-source, it's designed to make money for the companies involved.

Unlike DVDs, which can be copied in as little as two clicks with the right software, Blu-ray Disc movies take on new requirements. As of March 2009 there are only a few methods of copying Blu-ray Disc movies, but even the best process is nowhere near as refined (and straight-forward) as it was with DVD backups. Without sharing specific details, the basic process involves capturing the unique encryption key for the BD movie, and then using that key to copy over the data. Once the data has been copied, it can be written (burned) onto blank BD-R media. Get past about ten steps, and you're home free, unless the FBI catches you.

But for gamers wanting to make copies of their existing PS3 video game library, you're out of luck. Although you can use the same process to obtain Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc data as with the BD movie backups, the PS3 does not allow you to play burned games without voiding the warranty to install a modified chip. This makes having a BD-burner rather less appealing, since storage has never been the finest attribute optical media has offered.

ASUS BC-06B1ST Conclusion

Like most things brand new, Blu-ray is a lot like a shining star in a market of fading comets. It seems like anything wearing the BD badge these days just seems to look better. But maybe it's just me, and my desire to touch all new technologies. Either way, ASUS has done a good job of grabbing my attention and keeping the carrot just within my reach. The retail package tells the consumer everything they would want to know about this product, and allows them to compare it side by side to other products which might be on the shelf. The bundled PowerDVD 'BD' Edition is something to get you started with, but not going to completely justify a premium price tag.

Optical drives have very little opportunity to make a lasting impression. Sure, the ASUS BC-06B1ST wears a Blu-ray Disc badge that stands out across the room but other than that the appearance is not different than every other drive with a black bezel. I still like my idea of having a glowing blue logo, just for added 'wow' factor, but I think that ASUS has done as much as they realistically could to make this an appealing product. As far as optical drives go, this is as good as it can get.

You might think that all optical drives are constructed the same, but you would be wrong. As a technician, I find myself replacing more optical drives then almost every other component inside the computer (second only to the power supply unit). ASUS BC-06B1ST uses a gear-drive drive tray instead of the quieter but less durable rubber-band on pulley assembly. This improves long-term longevity at the expense of a slightly more audible eject noise.

With the ability to read three different generations of disc media (four counting mini-discs), the ASUS BC-06B1ST matches legacy CD read and write functions with the current standard of DVD single and dual-layer functionality, and tops it all off with a touch of Blu-ray Disc for the future. CD and DVD performance is notably slower than the average SATA optical drive, but this combo-drive hakes some sacrifices (just like DVD-burners did for CDs) to house a blue laser for BD read capabilities.

Value is in the eye of the beholder for some, and in the wallet for many. As of March 2009, the ASUS BC-06B1ST Blu-ray Disc SATA optical combo-burner is available from NewEgg for $119.99. This is affordable enough to allow pre-existing HTPC's to upgrade and enjoy Blu-ray movies, and it's not so expensive that it couldn't be added to the desktop computer for the professional who doesn't get very far from his desk (like me). 25/50GB optical storage media isn't going to push buyers toward the BD format unless circumstances prevent using a large-capacity USB flash drive or compact disk drive.

Because BD-players have become more affordable, I have a tough time recommending the ASUS BC-06B1ST Blu-ray Disc combo drive to anyone other than HTPC builders. It accomplishes what it's made to do very well, but the list of chores is relatively short. The ASUS BC-1205PT Blu-ray Drive already gives HTPC enthusiasts an affordable means of playing 1080p BD content, and upscaling DVD players have come a long way. You can't easily back-up your BD movie collection, since the process is complicated and requires several different tools. PlayStation 3 owners face the same hurdles, but even then they cannot play BD video game backups on their PS3 without voiding the warranty for a hardware modification. Either way, the costs do not justify the reward, and makes storage the only remaining argument for BD optical media. Since USB flash drives and compact micro hard drive products are readily available for equal or less cost, the alternatives are compelling. Certainly time will change my half-inspired outlook for Blu-ray Disc as BD-burners become readily available, but until they can accommodate my every need I am forced to reserve my recommendation. However, if you're looking for a BD combo drive and it fits your needs, the ASUS BC-06B1ST offers very good value for the functionality it offers.

Pros:

+ Standard CD/DVD recording capabilities
+ Blu-ray Disc movie playback
+ CyberLink BD-capable bundled decoder software
+ Very quiet operation
+ Good value for the functionality

Cons:

- Average CD/DVD read and write speed
- Expensive optical drive
- No digital-audio output available
- Bundled software does not offer 7.1 output
- More sensitive towards CD- DVD-R media

Ratings:

• Presentation: 8.75
• Appearance: 8.75
• Construction: 9.25
• Functionality: 9.25
• Value: 7.75

Final Score: 8.75 out of 10.

Quality Recognition: Benchmark Reviews Silver Tachometer Award.

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