Arg! Burning CDR's with Sony DRU-500a

[boden11]

Ok, I just purchased a Sony DRU-500a drive and haven't had any problems burning dvd's, however this is what happens when I burn CD's...it powers thru like the first 7-10% of it and a good clip, and then it just sits there for a while (almost 1 min or so doing nothing/spinning not burning) and then spins down to like 1x and then only speeds up to 4x!! What the hell is going on?? In simulation mode it runs fine!!

I have a P4 2.0A GHZ computer with 1024MB of DDR RAM and an 80GB HDD (with at least 10GB free) and there's nothing running in the background. I use Win XP Home and I tried using both Roxio EZ CD Creator 5.0 Plat and Nero 5.5.10.0 (both show fine simulation but actual burn screws up). The quickest I managed to get was like just under 9 mins for like 680MB which is pathetic (something like 1/4 of how fast it should be). DMA is on, the drive is the master on its channel (and I'm not using the other device, it's reading off the HDD). I've tried it both with Power-burn on and off. The media I'm using is Memorex 700MB cd'rs which I KNOW are capable of faster than 8x at least. So before I rip this POS out and return it to best-buy can someone please help??? Also, Nero's CD Speed gives me an "Invalid Field in Parameter Test 052600" if I try and do a transfer test. (Although in Nero's and EZ CD Creator's simulation it gets 24x).

It looks like it works fine but when it tries to fill the last part of the buffer or something it's having trouble?? I have no idea, it burned fine at 2.4x for a DVD+R

[aznsound]

i tried it with mine and here are the results i got... i copied Castle Wolfenstein which is about 680 MB... i used Memorex CMC 24x... when i made a burn on the fly (from TDK burner) using Nero Express, it took the thing 10 minutes just to get to 50%... so i just stopped it... i then ripped the image to the drive and same thing... with TDK CMC cdr, it's the same thing... but i just burned an image from the hard drive using the regular Nero and it only took 4:54 which is about right for 24x...

[aznsound]

i was wondering if you're burning from an image .nrg or from just dragging files to the Nero window...

[boden11]

I'm just dragging files from the nero window? Can't you do that normally? my Plextor 8x would burn at 8x without one bit of hesitation...this thing keeps spinning down to 4x...you should be able to burn on the fly faster than that right? cmon guys

[boden11]

Oh and btw, I'm trying to burn an ISO using '24x' and right now it just did the same thing, filled the buffer fine got to like 8% of the 550MB burned and then stalled the hell out and has now burned 13% in 2 mins 14secs...WITH AN IMAGE FILE....so its giving me this crap 'on the fly' and with images. Piece of crap.. (it was an NRG iso)

[boden11]

I tried burning on the fly and with a Nero Image..same thing happens, my media has been the same Memorex 700MB 80Min CDR's (Data) which I burned nearly 3/4 the spindle at 8x on my plextor (on the fly and image) without any problems. Is it the media?? I'm sorta doubting it tho...

Also, I upgraded to the newest Sony firmware (worked fine) 1.0f or whatever the f version number is. I guess I'm just gonna burn my little 5 pack of DVD+R's and then return the drive if noone can help out on the CDR problems...I figged it was too good to be true anyway.

Oh well, for $15 offloading of 30+ DIVX's on just 5 discs (of which many were well above 700MB...upwards of a GIG for some) it was worth it...c'mon guys I get back from work in like 7hrs and if noone has any ideas it's back to the store.

[Ian]

Why don't you try other media before taking it back. I wouldn't blame the drive after trying only one brand of discs.

[boden11]

Ok, I just tried it with some Philips 80min 700 MB "up to 40x" CD'Rs and for a 550MB file it took like 4 min even...does this seem right? I mean my 8x took like no more than 11 min for an entire 700MB CD...shouldn't this sucker be getting in the mid 2's?? I'll keep trying, I guess maybe it is the media?

Why don't you try other media before taking it back. I wouldn't blame the drive after trying only one brand of discs.

[cfitz]

About four minutes is correct for a 24x writer like the Sony. You would need a 48x writer to get to mid two-minute burns. Read Ian's review to see what sort of performance you should expect. Here is the performance page of his review:

http://www.cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.ph ... erformance

cfitz

[boden11]

Looks like its the media, I tried some of my roommates Memorex (look almost the same as mine, white label, 700MB 80Min) and his work fine...well the first one burned at 24x but didnt work, but it looks like this one is working fine. This is weird considering my media was purchased months after he bought his (so it should be newer...and well at least work in just as fast drives). However mine starts off at 4x and stays there, his does the 16x-->20x--24x like the drive should and burns a full cd in about 4mins depending on the whole size. Esp. weird considering my plextor burned all my cds at 8x without one hitch. Oh well my roommates burner only is 4x, so he won't notice if I swap mine with his. I'll have to find a place that carries cheap, reliable CDr's (and DVD+R's now it looks like...) was like --> <--- this close to pulling this puppy LAST NIGHT and taking it back today.

About four minutes is correct for a 24x writer like the Sony. You would need a 48x writer to get to mid two-minute burns. Read Ian's review to see what sort of performance you should expect. Here is the performance page of his review:

http://www.cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.ph ... erformance

cfitz