Discs not copying at 8x speed?

[ConLog]

I have an NEC DVD+/-RW which is 8x.

I'm using DVDShrink 3.1 to read the movies.

I'm using Nero 6 Ultra Edition to backup my movies.

I'm using 8x rated DVD-R's.

Any ideas why I can only backup my movies at 4x?

TIA.

[RJ]

I have an NEC DVD+/-RW which is 8x.

You're talking about the NEC 3500A (it's 16x for +R and -R) which is in your sig, right ?
Just checking, as early "8x-burners" were in fact only 8x +R and 4x -R.

Any ideas why I can only copy my movies at 4x?

A possible cause would be a disable DMA mode. Go into device manager and look at the properties of the IDE channel where the burner is connected to. It should be set to "Use DMA, if available", and the current transfer mode should be a DMA mode, too.

Is that DVD burner connected alone to that channel ? Or does it share the IDE channel with the hard drive you're burning from ?

RJ

[ConLog]

Oh it must be a 16x burner then!

I am sharing the IDE channel with my Pioneer DVD-ROM.

Both channels already set to "Use DMA if available" (just looked).

[RJ]

Ok. How about the DMA mode. Is it enabled ? It needs to be enabled, so if it's disabled (PIO mode only), enable DMA.

RJ

[ConLog]

Sorry RJ, edited my post above.

[RJ]

Ok. It's set to "DMA, if available". But what about the current transfer mode ? It should be UDMA-2 or something like that.

RJ

[ConLog]

Device 0 (NEC DVD-RW) is Ultra DMA Mode 2
Device 1 (Pioneer DVD-ROM) is Ultra DMA Mode 4

[RJ]

Hmm. The settings are all fine. Just to be sure, check the DMA settings of the hard drives as well, it should be UDMA-5.

So Nero only burns at 4x ? Does Nero report "starting write at 4x . . " and "writing at 4x has been successful" ? Be sure you didn't select 4x as the writing speed, but 8x or max.
The burning process takes 15minutes ?
What brand are the DVD-R's ?

RJ

[ConLog]

Yes the hard drives are Ultra DMA Mode 5

Yes, Nero reports what you say. DVD's probably take longer than 15 minutes to burn.

I use all kinds of DVD-R's - good and not so good (all 8x and all copy at 4x). I'm using BenQ ones just now that seem to work very well.

RJ, I've just had a look at Nero and it's not clear to me how I would change the setting to burn at maximum speed.

[RJ]

Ok, the hardware settings are all fine.

Now, I'm not familiar with Nero 6 Ultra Edition, I use Nero 5 and I've seen Nero 6 (before Reloaded), and you were able to select the burning speed right there where the burn-button is. On the same page.

Anyway, you can try different software to double check. Get DVD Decrypter (google for it to find sites that still host it). DVD Shrink can invoke DVD Decrypter (when you click in Shrink on "Backup", select "ISO Image and burn with DVD Decrypter" as target), and in Decrypter the write speed selection is right next to the burn button.

If Decrypter also burns at only 4x, then I'd update the firmware of the NEC, as newer firmware adds support for newer media as well.

RJ

[ConLog]

OK RJ, thank you for your quick and helpful replies tonight. I'll try these things tomorrow.

It's late and I'm going to bed.

Danke Shoen!