Firmware, media quality, and write speed

[bubaloo__]

I've read several posts on this topic discussing why, for eg, a burner rated at 4x might only write at 2x (may need firmware updates, different media and so on). What's your experience with the cd-burning capability of your dvd burners?

I noticed that when I burned an ISO image on my LG GSA-4040b using alcohol 120 the other day, I was only able to get up to about 12X write speed, even though alcohol claimed that I was burning at the rated 24X. Before buying this burner, I had an LG 16X cd-rw which I was able to burn to the same cd media at the rated 16X. Obviously, I'm not impressed that I'm getting slower cd write speed now than I did before.

FYI, the media I'm using is from Memorex and Mitsumi, both of which I got at future shop.

Bubaloo__

[lordsmurf]

CD burning is normally fairly crappy on a DVD burner (as compared to plain CD burner). Don't know why.

[garryheather]

This is why:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=177700&highlight=optical+block

You obviously didn't see that post of mine when you added to it shortly afterwards !!

[overloaded_ide]

CD disks vary. And it seems also various burners can write to the same disks differently. Not all CD burners will write 24x to a 16x disk, even though some will with the same disk.

I have had 4x that burned great at 12x and 16x, 32x burned at 48x, then I have had disks that would burn at the exact rated speed only and even some for music I had to burn below rated speed.

I only ever burn cd's with a CD burner though, not my DVD burner!

Figure for $40 I can have a 52x burner so why put all that wear an tear on my expensive DVD burner and even write at a much lower speed too!

[lordsmurf]

This is why: https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=177700&highlight=optical+block
You obviously didn't see that post of mine when you added to it shortly afterwards !!

I read so much I just can't remember it all!

[bubaloo__]

This is why:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=177700&highlight=optical+block

Don't know how I missed that thread - explains a few things. Looks like I'll be re-installing my cd-rw. Now if only I had a spare ide channel