DVD Ripping Speed Tips

Dhruv · Member Joined: 19 Aug 2001 Location: Australia

I've browsed the forums and collected and compiled all of the best tips and information regarding DVD Ripping speeds.

Tip #1: Enable DMA
DMA transfer is an option in modern drives which is an improved transfer method over PIO. With this enabled on both your hard drive and DVD-ROM drive, DVD ripping speeds can be significantly improved.

Steps to enable DMA (Windows XP)
Right click on 'My Computer' on your desktop and select Properties. Click the Hardware tab and launch the Device Manager. Press the + sign to expand the trees of both 'DVD/CD-ROM Drives' and 'IDE Controllers'. Double click your DVD-ROM drive, click the Advanced Settings tab and change the transfer mode to DMA if available. Repeat this step for the IDE channel which your hard drive is on.

Note for Intel motherboard users: If you have an Intel chipset, then you may not see the Advanced Settings tab. If this is the case, I recommend that you download the Intel Application Accelerator from Intel as that will automatically enables DMA on devices which support it.

Note 2: If the Advanced Settings tab isn't visible then you may need to activate DMA on your devices through your system BIOS during startup.

Tip #2: Update Firmware
Some DVD-ROM manufacturers purposely limit the DVD ripping speed of ther drives to try and prevent customers from making copies of retail DVDs. Normally, the limitation can be bypassed by flashing your DVD-ROM drive with an updated or hacked firmware (which also may allow you to make your DVD-ROM drive region-free).

Warning: Flashing your device's firmware can result in permenant damage of your DVD-ROM drive. DO NOT undertake this step if you are uncomfortable with the risk! You have been warned!

Tip #3: Re-install IDE Controller
Some people on this forum have reported that re-installing their primary IDE controller gave them a boost in ripping speed. I haven't tested this method, so I cannot provide you with many details.

Steps to re-install Primary IDE Controller (Windows XP)
Right click on 'My Computer' on your desktop and select Properties. Click the Hardware tab and launch the Device Manager. Press the + sign to expand the tree of 'IDE Controllers'. Right click your Primary IDE Controller and select Uninstall. Now re-boot your computer, and Windows should automatically re-install your IDE Controller.

Note: If anybody has any more information or results regarding this Tip, then please get in touch with me as I'm interested to hear about it!

Tip #4: Install Latest ASPI Layers
This is a fairly gray area as some people have mentioned that they see a performance increase in ripping speed when ASPI layers are installed, whilst others have said the opposite. I suggest you experiment with both and use whatever works best for you because the ASPI layers are easy to install/un-install.

Where to get the ASPI layers
You'll always be able to find the latest version of the ASPI layers for your operating system, right here in the Tools section.

Tip #5: Try another DVD ripper
This tip may seem a little bizarre, but give it a shot!
If you are using Smart Ripper, try using DVDDecrypter instead, or vice versa. You never know, you may experience better results with another ripper.

Tip #6: Disabling Plextor 708As Noise Reduction Function
Submitted by unloaded
This only applies to Plextor 708A's but it makes a big difference, copied from manual:

Switching Between SpeedRead and Silent Operation
When you are playing a DVD-Video disc that has CSS (copy protection
via the Content Scrambling System), the PX-708A normally plays at a
slow speed (silent operation) to reduce drive noise. You can speed up
DVD playback by using the eject button to enable SpeedRead.
To manually enable SpeedRead and speed up DVD playback:
1. Ensure the PX-708A disc tray is closed and empty.
2. Press and hold the PX-708A's eject button for at least 3 seconds. The
LED indicator blinks green three times to indicate SpeedRead will
be active for DVD-Video discs with CSS copy protection.
3. Release the eject button. The disc tray opens.
4. Insert a DVD-Video disc that is equipped with CSS copy protection.
5. Begin playing the disc

Update: Those who wish to have more control over this setting (amongst an array of others) can purchase PlexTools, a software package released by Plextor allowing enhancements to specific functions.

Tip #7: If all else fails..
If none of these tips seem to work out for you and you're losing hair due to frustration, then you may want to look into the market for another DVD-ROM drive.
I recommend a LiteOn DVD-ROM drive as they've gotten great feedback from other members over here and retail at a mere $60 AUD.

If anybody would like to share any other tips which have worked for them, then please contact me and I will update this post.

Good luck,
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deep_FXP · Member Joined: 23 Oct 2003 Location: Sweden

You are in breach of the forum rules and are being issued with a formal warning. One post is enough.
/ Moderator Baldrick

ixll · Member Joined: 05 Mar 2003 Location: Home

http://www.cdspeed2000.com/go.php3?link=dvdresults.php3

^^^

Lists a bunch of DVD-Rom drives and the real world ripping speed you should get off of them.
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AdamRA4 · TeH r3d St4pl3r Joined: 21 Dec 2003 Location: Florida, USA

*EDIT*

Faustus · insane. Joined: 11 Apr 2002 Location: Dallas, TX

Wrong place for the post I take it?

SydBarrett78 · Member Joined: 11 Oct 2003

I'd like to add something to the tips for increasing ripping speed. I came onto this by complete accident. Most of us have heard that sometimes Windows XP will throw your IDE devices back into a slow PIO transfer mode without your knowledge (or approval). But how about it hiding a faster mode from you altogether? Well I use an Artec 16x DVD-Rom, and with DVD Decrypter I used to get ripping speeds max out at about 6x or 7x but usually was around 4x or 5x. In my Device Manager it always listed these devices as being in Multi-Word DMA Mode 2. I thought this was the fastest mode my machine could run in. Well I was taking a look through the BIOS settings at startup the other day and I came across the settings for the IDE devices. There were settings like this:

Primary Master PIO: AUTO
Primary Slave PIO: AUTO
Secondary Master PIO: AUTO
Secondary Slave PIO: AUTO
Primary Master DMA: DISABLED
Primary Slave DMA: DISABLED
Secondary Master DMA: DISABLED
Secondary Slave DMA: DISABLED

I have my hard drive on Primary Master, nothing on Primary Slave. NEC DVD writer is on Secondary Master, Artec DVD-Rom is Secondary Slave. First I tried to Disable all those PIO modes listed above. It would not let me. It gave me the options of Auto and numbers from 1 to 4 or 5. I left them on AUTO. But I could ENABLE the DMA in these settings! Remember, even though it lists DMA modes as DISABLED here, I was using all my devices in Multi-Word DMA Mode 2. However, after changing these settings in the BIOS and restarting, all my devices list as ULTRA DMA MODE 2. My ripping speeds on the Artec have nearly doubled! The NEC may also write better on cheap media (not exactly sure about that one yet). I am getting better performance all around, CD/DVD Rom read speeds, hard drive read times, everything... I have gone from averaging 4x-6x dvd ripping speeds on the Artec to 9x-12x!

Maybe some of you, like me, can benefit from tweaking those BIOS settings. See, I knew the BIOS could do things like that, but since the devices already were listing in Multi Word DMA, I didn't think anythink else needed to be enabled. So give it a shot, see if it helps you too!

God bless!

Mike.

chipy66 · Member Joined: 26 Mar 2004

I cant seem to swich those settings in my bios

i downloaded the intel application accelerator
my primary master is my main hardrive i have it set to udma-5, i assume this is fastest? theres also dma mw2?
primary slave - secondary hard drive

secondory master is my dvdrom - its set to udma 2 - i could also choose dma-mw2though?

my secondary slave is my dvd-rw - i left it on "no limit" as it was working fine...should i change it to one of the other ones?

xp seems to reset these settings all the time for some reason..

giraffe · Member Joined: 17 May 2004 Location: uk

I've only ripped 2 dvds using dvdshrink but they've taken upto 6hr for a 1hr50 film plus extras..

I am unable to set the DMA setting on my primary/secondary IDE channels as it freezes/not responding the burning software (nero6)
so it's left in PIO

It's been mentioned i could upgrade my motherboard drivers to solve this problem. Is it easy to do? or should i just put the kettle or go for a long walk for the day..

my system is p3 600Mhz 256ram 4x lite-on dvd writer and using XP

jimmalenko · VH Veteran Joined: 27 Aug 2003 Location: Down under

JSB · Member Joined: 08 Aug 2003 Location: NE Ohio

eKa · Member Joined: 05 Aug 2002

When on the subject of DMA and Ultra DMA I believe that you need to ensure that you use appropriate cable eg 80-Conductor-IDE Cable( ).
The extra wires (standard IDE cable has 40 wires) provide Master Slave identification (end =master Middle = slave) plus an earth between each wire which allows significantly greater speeds.

Also ensure that the CD/DVD is on a different cable to the HDD else it will impact on the HDD speeds.

Of course the most important and easiest tip is ensure that the DVD is clean without fingerprints and other associated muck, as these along with scratches will cause grief for the hardiest of DVD players

blinky88 · Member Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Location: Australia

eKa, thanks for mentioning the 80-conductor cable issue. All my drives are connected with the old 40 wire IDE cable.

fliptricky · Member Joined: 19 Oct 2004

I'm using Nero 6 - Used to be I could rip at 4x - Now I cant rip over 1x no matter what media I use......

Any advice?

agee · Member Joined: 29 Dec 2003

Fliptricky...what you can do is look for hacked firmware...I have an OLD liteon DVD-rom which is slowing down to like 2.4x only...use to be 6x.... I look around and found a hack to release the lock and now it's ripping at 10x...sometime higher...even work with DVD-r..I have the choice of 12x hack or 16x hack and I choose 12x because I don't see any benefit from 16x unless I wanted a new drive...

hope this help...

budz · Posted: Jan 17, 2005 02:00

Deku Scrub · Member Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Location: US

zzNyQuilzz · Member Joined: 10 May 2003 Location: Orlando

craiggus365 · Posted: May 25, 2005 06:54

Yes...They should come back. You are just resetting.

If you still have a problem try this link. It helped me..

http://sniptools.com/vault/getting-back-to-dma-mode-in-windows-xp.htm

Pay close attention to the posts... the registry hacks they give work...

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zworg2 · Bored Joined: 08 Feb 2004 Location: I am a free man.

MexicoMatt · Member Joined: 28 Nov 2004

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to let you know i have just tryed the registry edit thing,...and it appears to have worked fine, i just burnt a DVD, done in like 7 minutes, just like before, i am still confused as to how the settings got changed, but who the hell cares if i can fix it anyway
!!!
MM

TooLFooL · Disgustipated Joined: 26 Feb 2004 Location: USA

DON'T uninstall your primary IDE controller! that's (usually) your HDD.
dvd-roms are (usually) on the secondary controller
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jimmalenko · VH Veteran Joined: 27 Aug 2003 Location: Down under

Uninstalling your Primary IDE controller is fine, provided you reboot immediately. True, you would only do it when your DVD drive is on it as well (when it is, it's usually Slave). A number of ripping programs change the drive access to PIO mode when having difficulties ripping discs, and XP seems to "lock" it on PIO mode on occassion, and the only way I've been able to free up the drive is to uninstall the IDE controller and reboot.

As I said though, as long as you reboot immediately, there is no harm done (in my experience).
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