16x DVD-R + 16x DL Burner = 4x Write speed?

[kokoli84]

I just bought a pack of Taiyo Yuden 16x DVD-R Shiny Silver Surface (100-Disc Spindle) and was planning to make a few copies of my original drama rehearsal DVD for my friends. But when I try to do a DVD copy from Nero Burning Rom it only allows me to use maxium of 4x write speed, so I tried to use Alcohol 120% to make in image file then burn it using the Image Burning Wizard from Alcohol 120% and still it only allows me to burn with maxium of 4x write speed. I was just wondering if that's my DVD burner's problem or it's the media problem. I'm really appreciate anyone who can help me to solve this problem. Thanks.

Additional Information:

DVD writer: Pioneer DVR-108 OEM

DVD media: Taiyo Yuden 16x DVD-R Shiny Silver Surface (100-Disc Spindle)

Software used:
Nero Burning Rom 6601 Ultra Edition ( Tried 5 times )

Alcohol 120% 1.9.2 ( Tried 5 times )

[DrageMester]

The problem is that the firmware in your drive is too old to have a proper write strategy for the newer 16x Taiyo Yuden media, and so it offers to burn with a default write strategy at 4x.

I suggest you try downloading the newest 1.20 firmware for your drive from Pioneer's firmware page, and flash your drive with it.

I don't know if the newest firmware will support this media, but it's the simplest and cheapest solution if it does.

If you already have 1.20 firmware on your drive, then you must either live with 4x burning for this media, get some other more compatible media, or get a new DVD burner.

[Wesociety]

And being that Taiyo Yuden is one of the most highly supported media manufacturers in the world (if not the most supported), performing a firmware updated on your DVD burner has a 90% chance of resolving your issue.

[dolphinius_rex]

And being that Taiyo Yuden is one of the most highly supported media manufacturers in the world (if not the most supported),

Well, they *WERE* until they started letting their reputation go to their head. Now we have problems with their 16x media not performing as well as other media out there, and the complete failure that is their DVD-RDL media.

[DrageMester]

And being that Taiyo Yuden is one of the most highly supported media manufacturers in the world (if not the most supported), performing a firmware updated on your DVD burner has a 90% chance of resolving your issue.

For 16x DVD media, Verbatim/Mitsubishi was available earlier than Taiyo Yuden media and thus more widely supported, and the 1.20 firmware is two years old, so I think 90% is stretching it.

Unfortunately the very nice MediaCodeSpeedEdit tool doesn't support DVR-108 firmware, so I couldn't see whether 16x TY media is supported or not in that firmware even though I downloaded it to check.

[Wesociety]

And being that Taiyo Yuden is one of the most highly supported media manufacturers in the world (if not the most supported), performing a firmware updated on your DVD burner has a 90% chance of resolving your issue.

For 16x DVD media, Verbatim/Mitsubishi was available earlier than Taiyo Yuden media and thus more widely supported, and the 1.20 firmware is two years old, so I think 90% is stretching it.

Unfortunately the very nice MediaCodeSpeedEdit tool doesn't support DVR-108 firmware, so I couldn't see whether 16x TY media is supported or not in that firmware even though I downloaded it to check.

Good point about the 16x TY hitting the market late. Still, most burners should support 16x TY media by now, if not, then the manufacturer has been seriously slacking on firmware updates.

[kokoli84]

after updating to the newest firmware it allows me to burn with 12x, can't reach 16x, and the actual top speed was 9.7x for less than a minute, most of the time it was floating at around 8x. Guess i'll have to stick with the whole pack of "16x" dvd. If u guys still have any other suggestions to solve the problem plz let me know.

Thx alot for helping guys !!!

[Ian]

after updating to the newest firmware it allows me to burn with 12x, can't reach 16x, and the actual top speed was 9.7x for less than a minute, most of the time it was floating at around 8x. Guess i'll have to stick with the whole pack of "16x" dvd. If u guys still have any other suggestions to solve the problem plz let me know.

The only real solution is to use media that the drive supports at 16x. If it was me, I'd just use the TY discs. Yeah, you can't write to them at 16x, but the time difference is small.

[DrageMester]

after updating to the newest firmware it allows me to burn with 12x, can't reach 16x, and the actual top speed was 9.7x for less than a minute, most of the time it was floating at around 8x. Guess i'll have to stick with the whole pack of "16x" dvd. If u guys still have any other suggestions to solve the problem plz let me know.

Thx alot for helping guys !!!

Glad to help!

I agree with Ian that the difference in burning time between 12x and 16x is minor, and you might even get better results at 12x, so I don't see that as a big problem.

If you really, really want 16x burning with that drive, I think your best bet is Verbatim 16x media.

EDIT:

Actually, according to the review at CDRInfo, this drive isn't any faster at 16x than it is at 12x, perhaps even slower!

Taiyo Yuden 8x DVD+R (YUDEN000 T02), Maxell 8x DVD-R (MXL RG03), CMC 8x DVD+R (CMC MAG E01), Sony 8x DVD-R (SONY 8D1) and TDK 8x DVD-R (TTH01) are supported at 16x in this drive, but the 16x burns are no faster than 12x burns.

[kokoli84]

hahaha... so that means i should have bought the TY 8x instead since the burning time isn't that much different and also alot cheaper, but at least i get to know my burner's capabilty after buying it for almost 3 years.

Thx !

[DrageMester]

hahaha... so that means i should have bought the TY 8x instead since the burning time isn't that much different and also alot cheaper, but at least i get to know my burner's capabilty after buying it for almost 3 years.

If you want the most widely compatibe media, then Taiyo Yuden 8x DVD+R is a very good choice. In my experience the 16x rated Taiyo Yuden media is superior for burning at 16x however, and often also at 12x. So unless you're having actual problems with your TY 16x media, I see no reason for you to regret your purchase.

If you can get TY 8x DVD+R media cheaper then by all means go for that the next time. TY 8x DVD-R media is also good, but not quite as good as the DVD+R variant in my experience.

In case you wonder, the media I use most is Verbatim 16x DVD+R media (MCC 004) which is widely available and inexpensive where I shop, and most of the time it works better than most other media and as well as the more expensive and harder to get Taiyo Yuden media.

[SithTracy]

In case you wonder, the media I use most is Verbatim 16x DVD+R media (MCC 004) which is widely available and inexpensive where I shop, and most of the time it works better than most other media and as well as the more expensive and harder to get Taiyo Yuden media.

Amen to that... I second your thoughts as you on the Verbatim 16x DVD+R media (MCC 004). I get outstanding results out of it.

[dolphinius_rex]

In case you wonder, the media I use most is Verbatim 16x DVD+R media (MCC 004) which is widely available and inexpensive where I shop, and most of the time it works better than most other media and as well as the more expensive and harder to get Taiyo Yuden media.

Amen to that... I second your thoughts as you on the Verbatim 16x DVD+R media (MCC 004). I get outstanding results out of it.

Me too, I don't think I'll ever go back to Taiyo Yuden actually.

[Wischmop]

What about the MCC 03Rg20? I think it´s also good medie, when I don´t count every single PIF

[DrageMester]

What about the MCC 03Rg20? I think it´s also good medie, when I don´t count every single PIF

Yes it's also good media. Judging by experiences by other users on this and other forums, it's seems to be more variable that MCC 004 media for some reason.

I haven't had any bad MCC 03RG20 media myself, but I don't use nearly as much of it as I do MCC 004.

[Jim]

I own a Pioneer DVR-108. It never did perform that well at 16X with 16X media. I put it in my HTPC and replaced it with a DVR-111 in my main machine not too long ago. I'd still stick with the TY media though. While I'm thoroughly impressed by Verbatim's DVD+R DL media, I never felt their SL media had some huge advantage over TY to switch. I'm still working through a large stock of TY DVD+R 8X media.

Jim