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  1. Member
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    I would like to know as "fact" not "opinion" if it matters at what speed you burn your DVDs at.

    Meaning.... if I have 16x Taiyo Yudens and I burn at 2x do I get a "better quality" burn than if I burned at 8x???

    By "better quality" I mean is the DVD video a better picture? Are the bits-n-bytes "better" at 2x than 8x? Will the DVD last years and years longer with a slower burn (due to some type of "deeper" burn)?

    Potentially stupid silly questions to some of you "pros" out there...but questions I have on my mind...please help.
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  2. Mod Neophyte Super Moderator redwudz's Avatar
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    Simple answer, I don't know.

    But I do know that DVD writers have firmware that sets the optimum writing speed for supported DVD media. I suspect if you take a 16X DVD, even TY, and attempt to burn it at 1X, the burner will have a terrible time trying to turn down the laser power enough to do something that is totally out of it's firmware settings and specifications.

    What I do is compromise. Set a 16X media to burn at one speed slower. I use 12X myself for TY 16X. Only takes a minute or two longer. Would it work perfectly at 16X? Yes, it did, for 10+ burns. But I had just a little doubt. And compromising to a speed one or two lower seems a good alternative, especially when it adds so little to the burning time.

    1X or 2X burning with a 16X burner and media? Why waste your time? If the media needs to burn at that speed to succeed, you have crap media or a crap burner.

    Slower does not equal better. It's not that simple. It depends on the media and the burner firmware. But I can tell you that crap media=crap quality, no matter what speed you use.

    Better DVD media info than mine from lordsmurf's site: http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/index.htm
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  3. Member CrayonEater's Avatar
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    Slower is not better. The dyes that are used in DVDs are optimized for a certain laser power, and many cannot even be used below a certain power. The problem is, the faster the writing speed desired and the disc rotates faster, more laser power is needed because the dye/disc is exposed to the writing laser for a shorter interval. The problem is that dyes have to be formulated for a specific exposure time. This is actually a bit of an oversimplification: They have to be formulated to absorb enough energy to make holes in the dye. Too little power/exposure and the holes will not be formed, at least not enough to be recognizable to a drive or DVD player. Too much power, and too much dye (and the surrounding polycarbonate plastic) will vaporize, creating too big a hole and possibly breaking the seals on the disc.
    That's why write strategies exist. I wish I could find it, but there is a white paper that goes into the details and even the mathematics. I'll post the link if I come across it, but what you need to know is generally that 4x is always safe with current media, and 1/2 the rated speed of the media is generally ideal. Some say the lesser of 1/2 the rated speed of the media or drive is what you should use (e.g. an 8x drive using 16x media should be burned at 4x speed), but I think that is more to prevent the burning laser from being forced to use maximum power and thus reducing it's durability than having anything to do with actual burn quality. In any case, 4x is always safe, 8x works great with a 16x-capable drive and 16x media.
    With DL media, I've noticed that 2.4x speed seems to work the best.
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  4. Member
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    Originally Posted by redwudz
    Simple answer, I don't know.
    Not only the Simple answer...it's the best one.

    Looking for "Definitive-Absolute" answers to your questions, I highly doubt you will find.
    "Opinions" based on usage & study...is the best you're going to get. (as has been given above)

    That being said, my video burning goes no slower than 4x...no higher than 8x...depends on media.
    (single layer)
    The Devil`s always.....in the Details!
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  5. Member hech54's Avatar
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    The only thing you can control is the success or failure of a burn...you cannot effect the visual quality of the video by changing burn speeds. By the time you get to the burning stage...it's just data.
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