Media does not burn at advertised speeds.

[nick101181]

Hi,

I've used various media with my burner (pioneer dvr-216d) and have had good results and speeds so far. I bought a 100 pack of sony dvd-r from walmart and the media code is Sony 16d1. They will only burn at 1x, no matter what I do or which program I try. Is there anyway of getting the 18x that I'm supposed to get from these? My drive is flashed for region free and higher rip speeds.

[hech54]

Update your firmware?
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Products/BusinessProducts/Blu-rayDisc+DVDWriter...DVR-216D?tab=F

[JohnnyBob]

Does media code Sony 16d1 appear in the Pioneer dvr-216d firmware? If not you might enter it via MCSE:
http://ala42.cdfreaks.com/MCSE/

[nick101181]

If I update my firmware, will I lose my region free settings? I know my ripping speeds might change.

[JohnnyBob]

I'm not sure but doesn't cost anything to look. When you process the firmware thru MCSE, you'll see what options are available. If everything looks OK then you can flash it (if you want to take the risk).

[nick101181]

It seems that it's listed in my current firmware as being 1x,2x,4x, and 18x. If my current firmware says it supports the media at that speeds,then how come it's only performing at 1x ?

[jman98]

I've seen this problem before with questionable media and a firmware update does often fix, but yes, it may cause you to lose region free ability on the drive. Using better media, which in North America means only Verbatim and Taiyo Yuden, would be easier than updating the firmware. Sony media is hit or miss. Most of it's crap, but some of it is high grade. You probably have the crap media they sell, but someone who actually keeps up with Sony will have to verify that.

[lordsmurf]

Sony made in Taiwan is good media.

[JohnnyBob]

Individual media must be tested and proven to be good by independent sources, and one of the best methods is testing by the users themselves. Even so it's not possible to get too complacent with a particular media. Poor quality control or farming out can create bad batches and there is sometimes piracy/counterfeiting. The only person who knows for sure is the person who has it in hand and tries to use it. Not all spindles of discs with the same label and ID were created equal.

[lordsmurf]

Individual media must be tested and proven to be good by independent sources,

Yep. And Sony Taiwan media (Daxon) discs have been vetted as good by a number of places.

and one of the best methods is testing by the users themselves.

Depends on the tests. Many home tests are just playing.

Poor quality control or

Yes, apparent poor QC is why media like CMC and Ritek have such a roller-coaster of reviews.

farming out

If sub-contracting for location (Verbatim made at CMC location, for example), then not really.

can create bad batches

A "batch" is many tens or hundreds of thousands of discs. This is unlikely and uncommon.

and there is sometimes piracy/counterfeiting.

Not with Sony, not from Walmart.

The only person who knows for sure is the person who has it in hand and tries to use it.

Disagree. Some people don't know what they're doing.

Not all spindles of discs with the same label and ID were created equal.

True for some, not for others.
Sony is either Taiwan or Malaysia, and right now those are the only two choices.

[JohnnyBob]

FWIW, I don't believe any of that - all overgeneralized and mostly undocumented pronouncements. The digital faqs site is now too influenced by commercial interests. Users would do better to test and judge for themselves.

[hech54]

FWIW, I don't believe any of that - all overgeneralized and mostly undocumented pronouncements. The digital faqs site is now too influenced by commercial interests. Users would do better to test and judge for themselves.

That's funny...

[lordsmurf]

Especially coming from the person who just moments ago made an over-generalized post. (post #9)
One based on myth, misinformation, and confusion over the facts, I might add.

[JohnnyBob]

That's funny... - I thought so too.

The little lord dances to commercialism, not the facts.

[Moontrash]

i've had sumthin similiar happen b4 and with both my pioneer drives....i used some verbatims quite a ways back on my pioneer 112 and my now, pioneer 116...and they wouldnt recognize them...put them in my lite on and had no problems...personally i think its the media quality...coming from personal expereince and burning discs for the last 7 yrs...i wouldnt buy 100 pack discs regardless from where or what the brand/media code is...2 weeks ago or more i got some of the same sony's u mention but 50 pax at best buy and have ripped thru(with my pioneer 116) them with not 1 single error...scanned and all...beautiful error/pif scans...i don't work in the industry of blank media but i have been told that the best media to buy is in the smaller pax...i.e....10, 25, etc...i can remember buying Maxells back in the day...the 8x discs...in the 25 disc pax and they were the best discs i've ever burnt...got a 100 pack of them after seeing the results of the the others and they were scattershot to say the least...then down the road in one of these forums i got some news that the 100 pax were just cast offs or less than best of the batches quality so they dump them in 100 pax and sell them at bulk prices...i havent bought a 100 pack of discs in over 5 yrs

imo, batch consistency does happen and matter...now verbatims i havent had many issues with so i nvr worry but i do buy TDK/IMATION RITEKF1 discs and since the media codes are the same and Imation makes the discs for TDK..u would think the quality or scans would be the same...wrong....every pack of TDK's i have bought in the last 6 months with that media code have had different error scans...inconsistent to say the least...not 1 even similar to the other...but the Imation branded RITEKF1 are dead consistent...almost the same scans thru out every batch i see...i've prolly bought 300 in the last 2 months and the results are amazing...so i tend to stray way from the TDK's

I tend to agree with lordsmurf...Taiwan media gets a bad wrap i think but try to find any made in UAE or Singpore or japan and you'll be looking for a long time...I've had good results with daxon also...u want pirate media...go to fry's electronics..they have their house brand media(GQ)and they are fake to say the least...i've bought some just to see...fake Sony's the claim to be with the worst scans you'll ever see with almost 0 playback...i posted a new brand of media recently called Corner Office(from walgreens)...had the Verbatim -R media code...fake...burned 5 and the scans were tragic...some discs couldnt make it thru the burn...pirating does exist but not very often

stick with the verbatim/sony 50 pax or less and you'll be fine...even some RITEK and CMC media codes do well..just read the comments in the media section of the site on which work well