Automatic maximum burning speed reduction (DVD+/-R)

[Raniburger]

Hey Guys,

My computer has just decided for some reason to reduce the maximum burning speed available to me when using Nero to 4x, even though I have been burning @ 8x for quite some time. I'm using the same discs that I always have (8x) and haven't changed any settings or software which would affect this type of thing.

Has this happened to anyone else, and does anyone know WHY this may have happened. Finally (& I guess most importantly) does anyone know how to fix this issue?



Thanks as usual...

[Totta]

I bet you have changed the media.
Most of the times burning speeds are related to the quality and manufacturer of the media.

You can sometimes overcome this by flashing your burner with a new non-official bios but most of the times it's just better to buy new DVDR's designed for higher burning speeds.

[normcar]

For in-store purchased media, get Sony Made in Japan, these are Taiyo Yuden. Or get Taiyo Yuden online.

Also check that your Device Manager IDE controller advanced settings are "DMA if available". If you did something to your system, this setting may have changed.

[oldandinthe way]

Before you do anything a few more checks.

Check DMA as suggested.

Since you are using Nero you should have NeroDriveSpeed. It tests and verifies the maximum speed your drive is set to and can reset it.

Run NeroInfoTool with your media in the drive. Check what it thinks your hardware configuration is - maximum drive read and write speeds, DMA, the Drive Firmware version etc. Check the media ID on your dvd and what Nero thinks its speeds are.

Check your media in the Videohelp media list. See what speed other folks with your drive can burn at.

Re Sony Media - not all SONY media has TY id's. I'm burning some 16x SONY DVD+R that have SONY ID. IMHO they burn about the same as CMC and other big box store disks in my LG drive.

[normcar]

Re Sony Media - not all SONY media has TY id's. I'm burning some 16x SONY DVD+R that have SONY ID. IMHO they burn about the same as CMC and other big box store disks in my LG drive.

I am using 8X Sonys, both +R and -R. Are they "Made in Japan"?

[FulciLives]

Here is the deal with SONY DVD-R media.

Look for packages (I know this applies to the 50 packs) that say MADE IN JAPAN on the package. Some will say MADE IN TAIWAN and are to be avoided.

Now once you find a package that says MADE IN JAPAN look at the top. You know how "cake" packs (also called "spindle" packs) have a lil foam thing on the top? Well if the foam thing is a perfect circle ... avoid ... even if the package says MADE IN JAPAN. However if the package says MADE IN JAPAN and the foam thing has a hexigonal shape then it is Taiyo Yuden DVD-R media.

In short you really just need to look for the hexigonal foam thing ... I've never seen a SONY package of DVD-R discs that weren't TAIYO YUDEN media when the hexigonal foam thing is there.

If the package says MADE IN JAPAN but has a circle foam thing then it is NOT Taiyo Yuden media. If the package says MADE IN TAIWAN it is not Taiyo Yuden media.

Granted this method of determining Taiyo Yuden DVD-R discs in SONY packages may change at any time but it has been this way for a long while now so hopefully it won't change anytime soon.

This is important information as Taiyo Yuden DVD-R media is one of the very best and SONY DVD-R media does go on sale from time to time so you can get Taiyo Yuden for very cheap this way.

However you can buy Taiyo Yuden DVD-R media on-line. They also make DVD+R media that is very good should you like DVD+R over DVD-R (although it is my opinion to stay with DVD-R whenever possible). The best place IMHO to buy Taiyo Yuden DVD media on-line is at RIMA.COM

Another excellent choice is Verbatim DVD-R media. The 16x DVD-R discs by Verbatim are every bit as good as Taiyo Yuden (some claim even better but I think that is pushing it a bit). The benefit of buying Verbatim 16x DVD-R discs is that they are easy to find at various retail outlets plus they are often on sale. For instance BEST BUY is selling 25 packs this week (good through the end of 10/28/2006) for only $6.99

Keep an eye on BEST BUY and OFFICE MAX when it comes to Verbatim DVD-R sales. I've also seen both BEST BUY and STAPLES have sales on the SONY DVD-R discs.

So yes I know you said that you haven't changed media but as you can see with the SONY example ... buying the same brand all the time does not mean that you are always getting the exact same media. In the case of Verbatim you always get the same thing but it is not the case with SONY and many other brands are like SONY ... you never know what you might get!

In closing I cannot stress just how important it is to use quality DVD media. When it comes to DVD-R the only two worth buying are Taiyo Yuden and Verbatim. As for DVD+R I know that Taiyo Yuden is the best you can buy but I don't follow DVD+R that much so there may be other brands of DVD+R media that are just as good but you I do know that you can't go wrong with Taiyo Yuden DVD+R media when buying DVD+R media.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
Taiyo Yuden 8x/16x DVD-R discs will have the following MEDIA ID: TYG02/TYG03

Verbatim 16x DVD-R discs will have the following MEDIA ID: MCC 03RG20

You can get MEDIA ID info from programs such as DVDInfoPro or Nero CD-DVD Speed. Also ImgBurn (if the DVD is blank).

[kschang]

I must have looked through every spindle available in CompUSA, and couldn't even find a SINGLE spindle of Sony that's MIJ nowadays. They're all MIT.

[FulciLives]

I must have looked through every spindle available in CompUSA, and couldn't even find a SINGLE spindle of Sony that's MIJ nowadays. They're all MIT.

I just bought a 50 pack of SONY 16x DVD-R discs at STAPLES that said MADE IN JAPAN and had the coveted hex shaped foam thing.

They were Taiyo Yuden discs.

This purchase was made when they were on sale and only happened about 1 or 2 weeks ago.

The last time I bought a 50 pack of SONY 16x DVD-R discs at BEST BUY ... which is probably going back maybe 2 months now ... they were again the coveted Taiyo Yuden discs with the MADE IN JAPAN label and hex shapped foam thing.

It is true that these packages are rare though. The one I got at STAPLES was the only one they had that was Taiyo Yuden. The one I got at BEST BUY was only one of two and I would have bought both but was low on money then. Both times at both stores they had a bunch of non Taiyo Yuden SONY 16x DVD-R media. You just have to look through all of the packaged and hope you hit it lucky.

I would think that CompUSA gets the Taiyo Yuden SONY DVD-R packages as well but I don't have a CompUSA close enough to me to make shopping there an easy thing so although there is one in my area it is a bit of a far drive for me ... at least further than I would like ... so I haven't been in a CompUSA in months now ... actually probably almost a year now.

In short I cannot comment about CompUSA stock.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[kschang]

I make a habit of browsing all the office stores when time permits. Staples and other "house brands" are usually "FUJIFILM03" that I've seen. You must be one lucky guy.

[FulciLives]

I make a habit of browsing all the office stores when time permits. Staples and other "house brands" are usually "FUJIFILM03" that I've seen. You must be one lucky guy.

I don't think you read my post(s) very well because I said nothing about "house brands".

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[oldandinthe way]

kschang

If you looked at the media list on this site (link at left) you would see that house brands from Officemax, Office Depot and Staples vary widely in what media they provide. With Fuji as a small number of options. Can be anywhere from Ritek, CMC or even MCC media.

[budz]

Hey Guys,

My computer has just decided for some reason to reduce the maximum burning speed available to me when using Nero to 4x, even though I have been burning @ 8x for quite some time. I'm using the same discs that I always have (8x) and haven't changed any settings or software which would affect this type of thing.

Has this happened to anyone else, and does anyone know WHY this may have happened. Finally (& I guess most importantly) does anyone know how to fix this issue?



Thanks as usual...

More info is needed such as what brand of dvd media are you using? Post the media id as someone already mentioned by using DVDINFO PRO or DVD IDENTIFIER.

[Raniburger]

Thanks for the tips so far. DMA is enabled. Have run Nero Disk Speed tool, and it seems to think that my maximum speed is now only 2x!!! Not sure what's going on here. I'm using TDK discs, that are at least 8x but I think the packet says up to 16x (I'll have to check & come back later with the media ID).

I do remember running that Nero test once before & I'm sure it came back with 8x (the speed of my burner). Could it be the power supply or something? Just guessing here...