How fast is 4x, 8x, and 12x in minutes...

[jfharper]

I just bought a new DVD burner, 8x for -r and 12x for +r, can someone tell me how much time it is supposed to take for a disc to burn, lets say 4GB at 4x, 8x, and 12x? I want to see if it is working as stated, or maybe I am need to upgrade the firmware. I am reluctant to upgrade, b/c the Plextor website says to upgrade only if you are experiencing a problem with the drive.

Right now I am using Maxell 4x discs - and + which they state can be burned at 8x eventhough I can set the + to 12x. I am setting - to 8x using DVDA Studio 2.0, and 12 for the +r discs. Both discs are taking 34 minutes to burn 3.3GB of animation mpeg-2. Thanks for you help.

Computer is AMD 1.4, 512 SDRAM, 7,200 RPM HD.

JH

[bazooka]

1x=1 hour
2x=30 Minutes
4x=15 Minutes
6x=12 Minutes
8x=10 Minutes
12x=I think it is 8 Minutes.
16x=6 Minutes

[jfharper]

Thanks, Bazooka. What's weird is that on a particular review as follows:
http://pcworld.pricegrabber.com/rating_getprodrev.php?product_id=2695148&id_type=M
check the 8th cusomer review down, the person states the following:
"My first test run was a 4.0GB DVD image burn. This drive burned my image on a 4x rated Memorex DVD+R disk at a reported 12x, completing the file in about 6 minutes."
How can that be? Maybe I should flash the firmware or use Nero to burn instead of DVDA Studio 2.0? It looks like now I am getting 2x (or a bit less, cuz I am only burning 3.3GB of data taking 34 minutes). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
JH

[bazooka]

Writing times vary based on the writing technique.

There is a constant angular velocity and constant linear velocity.

A 12x burner can burn as fast as a 16x burner depending on which technique.

[bazooka]

Thanks, Bazooka.

No problem.

What's weird is that on a particular review as follows:
http://pcworld.pricegrabber.com/rating_getprodrev.php?product_id=2695148&id_type=M
check the 8th cusomer review down, the person states the following:
"My first test run was a 4.0GB DVD image burn. This drive burned my image on a 4x rated Memorex DVD+R disk at a reported 12x, completing the file in about 6 minutes."

This is highly doubtful given the fact that if you write too much higher than the rated speed of the discs, then you get write errors; However they may have a 12 burner.

How can that be? Maybe I should flash the firmware or use Nero to burn instead of DVDA Studio 2.0? It looks like now I am getting 2x (or a bit less, cuz I am only burning 3.3GB of data taking 34 minutes). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
JH

What is the rated speed of your burner?

[jfharper]

Plextor 712A, 8x for -R and 12x for +R...any thoughts? Thanks again,
JH

[Baldrick]

www.videohelp.com/dvd#dvdspeeds and check our www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters list what write strategy your burner has.

[jfharper]

OK, under the writers it says:
8xDVD-R PCAV
4xDVD-RW CLV
12xDVD+R PCAV
4xDVD+RW CLV
...could you please explain what is PCAV, so I can see if I am using or have this? Thanks again.
JH

[bazooka]

OK, under the writers it says:
8xDVD-R PCAV
4xDVD-RW CLV
12xDVD+R PCAV
4xDVD+RW CLV
...could you please explain what is PCAV, so I can see if I am using or have this? Thanks again.
JH

PCAV= Partial Constant Angular Velocity

[jfharper]

OK, thanks...so going back to why I am not getting at least 4x speed out of my drive, which sould take less than 14 minutes since I am burning only 3.3 GB of data...

also, Bazooka when you said if I write at greater speed than what is recommended, I could get write errors, so Maxells are certified 4X, but Plextor Recommends Maxell, and says it can write at 8x with this particular 4x disc. So are you saying if I write a 8x with a certified disc and recommended disc, I could get write errors at the 8x speed?

Here is the link where
Plextor says this:
http://www.plextor.com/english/support/media_712.htm
DVD-R
Media Manufacturer - Write possible speed - Vendor / Speed indication
Maxell - 2x/4x/6x/8x - 4x - Recommended

JH

[bazooka]

You could upgrade your firmware.

Also what IDE channel is your burner on?

Are you using an 80 pin conductor cable? If you are then dump the 80 pin conductor cable.

Is your drive set to PIO or UDMA?

If UDMA is it UDMA 2 or greater?

All these things can affect writing speed.

You can burn faster than the writing speed but any time you burn faster than what the discs are rated at, then write errors are possible.

You could also buy 8x discs.

[jfharper]

Ahhh, beautiful...thanks for the feedback, I will check into all of that and get back with an answer probably in a day or two (I know you will be eagerly awating my post... .
JH

[HAMP]

Using the Plextor 708A and 712A these are the times I have come up with

1x=N/B - - Never burnt
4x=14 Minutes
6x=9 Minutes
8x=7:20 Minutes(712A) 8 minutes(708A)
12x=6:18 (712A)
16x=I was told under 6 minutes with the 716A

[jfharper]

Hamp, thanks for the reply, would mind telling me what software you use to burn, what firmware you have installed, if you upgraded your firmware, and if so, did that help, and what processor speed and HD speed you are using...thanks.
JH

[HAMP]

Software I use, in order of favorite

1. CloneDVD
2. Plextools
3. Alcohol 120%
4. CloneCD
5. Nero
6. Roxio Easy CD & DVD creator came with my drives but I hardly use it.

Firmware

708A = 108(have to have 108 to use Bit-Setting)
712A = 105

what firmware you have installed, if you upgraded your firmware, and if so, did that help

Upgrading the firmware has nothing to do with the speeds I stated earlier.

what processor speed and HD speed you are using

You can look at my system Spec. in any of my posts by clicking "computer Details", I have Overclocked but that has nothing to do with the speeds of the burns

[jfharper]

Hamp, Bazooka, thanks for the replies. I decided to upgrade firmware to 1.05, and looked into the DMA thing a bit more, and found in the Bios, UDMA was disabled, so I set to Auto, in Windows 2k, set drives to DMA if available, from PIO...and what do you know...6-7 minute write times for a Maxell 4x DVD - and + r. Am using RecordNow DX, which I have been happy with, it automatically set the speed to write and verifies the disc for me. Thanks for all your help. I really didn't understand about the DMA thing, until I began to look into it further...
JH