GSA-4040B

[friesr]

I bought the LG GSA-4040B which is suspose to be a 4x dvd-r burner. I bought 4x media but nero and alcohol detect it only as a 2x burner. I upgraded to the A300 firmware but it still shows up a 2x in both progams... Any ideas?

[DereX888]

Perhaps its a media or software, not a hardware problem?
I had kind of similar problem with some cheap 4x media ("e3" brand 1x-4x spindle of 25 bought at FutureShop), Nero 6 insisted on burning them at 2x only.
After I got rid of Nero 6 and installed back Nero 5.5 problem was almost gone - sometimes I just had to reload blank disc few times until it was detected as 4x. But as I said - it happened only with them "e3" discs, I didn't have any problem with ritek, princo, memorex and other. Other than that I haven't got any problem with GSA-4040 so far (I have it for 1 month only though).

[holistic]

.....Perhaps its a media .......problem....

My thoughts also . Odds are you have a DVD-RW in the drive, and not a DVD-R

][

[friesr]

I am using optodisc 4x from meritline... They are deffinetly dvd-r...

I will try uninstalling nero 6 and go back to 5.5 and see if that fixes the problem...

I dl's a patch from ahead that said it would force nero6 to take speeds from burner's firmware and force 4x but only 2x shows up in the write speed selection box... Alcohol only shows 2x as well...

[lgmayka]

The obvious test is to use B's Recorder Gold 5.32, included with the drive. You will find that even this program will only burn a few DVD-R brands at 4x. In fact, the only reports of 4x DVD-R burns on the GSA-4040B are on:

1) TDK. But TDK 4x DVD-R disks don't seem to be available anywhere (local stores or the Internet). Perhaps in Europe?

2) RitekG04 media ID, branded either as Ritek or Traxdata. (The latter is again a European brand, I think.)

The bottom line is that I myself have ordered Ritek 4x DVD-Rs, with the ugly orange Ritek logo (to avoid the possibility of counterfeits):

http://www.allmediaoutlet.net/P-DVD-R-4XRitek-LOGO.html

[tawnyag75]

The obvious test is to use B's Recorder Gold 5.32, included with the drive. You will find that even this program will only burn a few DVD-R brands at 4x. In fact, the only reports of 4x DVD-R burns on the GSA-4040B are on:

1) TDK. But TDK 4x DVD-R disks don't seem to be available anywhere (local stores or the Internet). Perhaps in Europe?

2) RitekG04 media ID, branded either as Ritek or Traxdata. (The latter is again a European brand, I think.)

The bottom line is that I myself have ordered Ritek 4x DVD-Rs, with the ugly orange Ritek logo (to avoid the possibility of counterfeits):

http://www.allmediaoutlet.net/P-DVD-R-4XRitek-LOGO.html

You can add FujiFilm 4X DVD-R (ID as Taiyo Yuden by DVDinfo) to this list. These are the only 4X discs I've used so far (with Nero 6 and A300 firmware). I have also heard that the Riteks 04's work well with the 4040 at 4X.

Also. Are the Optodisks 4X DVD-R's the gold tops?? I've heard from many posts that the silver-top 4x optodisks suck ass and that the gold top optodisks are the only true 4x optodisks that are worth anything.

[friesr]

Well that is just great... When i orderd, i picked the gold top but they subed the silver top... $%^#!!!

[lgmayka]

You can add FujiFilm 4X DVD-R (ID as Taiyo Yuden by DVDinfo) to this list.

As we discussed in the Media forum

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=641966

One must not unconditionally recommend FujiFilm, because FujiFilm sometimes mislabels their 2x disks as 4x, whether deliberately or by mistake. Anyone who ventures to buy FujiFilm 4x DVD-R media should immediately examine one of the disks with DvdInfoPro or a similar tool. According to one forum poster, a media ID of TYG01 is a true 4x DVD-R disk; whereas the media ID of TAIYOYUDEN is actually a mere 2x DVD-R disk. Obviously, this needs to be checked within the usual 14-day return/exchange period.

I've been burned badly by this. Unfortunately, I purchased the disks too long ago to get a refund or exchange.

[tawnyag75]

Well that is just great... When i orderd, i picked the gold top but they subed the silver top... $%^#!!!

Sounds like whoever you ordered from dooped you! I would ask for a refund!

Also I DVDinfo the FujiFilm DVD-R's and they are in fact TYG01 or REAL 4X. So Igmayka is right... DVDinfo your FujiFilms before the 14 day return policy expires.

[rits399]

Nero recognizes my Memorex 4x DVD+R and says it is burning at 4x but it takes about 45 min to burn a dvd. When i do the speed test, it says it is at 4.6x and then when it burns after the test, it is around 1.2x. I have A300 and Nero 6. Has anybody else had this problem? I think one of my dvds burned at 4x but not sure with Nero or B's Recorder. Really frustrated now. The drive is great though.

[gmatov]

This may be a silly question, but how can the drive be great if it tells you it is burning at 4.6X but actually burns at 1.2X?

[rits399]

The drive is great because it hasn't produced a coaster yet and It did burn at 4x twice. The reliability of the this drive is one of the best in the market right now.

[rits399]

I might have an answer for my own question but I won't know about it untill tomorrow night or I should say tonight. I changed my primary and secondary master and slave settings after I flashed my drive and since then, I haven't been able to burn at 4x. I flashed it again and I will get a blank media and try to burn it at 4x. Damn I still have to write a paper for class tomorrow but this thing won't go away from my mind.

[rits399]

I am into deep trouble. Nero Info would say that my LG GSA-4040B is only 2x writer. I have the firmware A300. It used to recognize at 4x but not anymore. Can somebody please help me?
Thanks in advance

[bluntman72]

Maybe there's an update to Nero?