8MB buffer vs 2MB buffer

[nickcwj]

I noticed a lot of multiformat DVD burners such as the highly coveted Plextor PX-708A 8x drive and Sony's latest DRU-530A 8x drive are utilizing only 2MB buffer. If i'm not mistaken, Sony's previous multiformat burners offer a generous 8MB buffer but have reduced it to a meagre 2MB in their latest product.

I understand that it reduces the overall cost by reducing the buffer amount but are there any significant performance/stability difference or issues between 8MB and 2MB for the current crop of multiformat burners? Especially in the event of burning any DVD media while doing something else on your PC?

Thnx

=)
Nick

[aviationwiz]

It doesn't hurt to have an 8MB buffer in your drive, but a 2MB buffer will get the job done. The reason the buffer is there, is to prevent buffer-underrun errors, and 2MB and 8MB drives alike both do this with flying colors.

[nickcwj]

Thnx for the reply. The reason i asked is becoz I am using a Yamaha CRW3200E 24x10x40 CDRW drive with 8MB buffer onboard... and that is just a CDRW drive, NOT a DVD writer.... and when it comes to the DVD writers themselves, they only offer 2MB ... so I was really thinking whether is it worth investing in the latest 2MB-bufferred DVD writers or should I wait for the 8MB version to be released.... Actually I really fancy the Plextor PX-708A drive. It could have been the most ideal drive for me had it not have only 2MB buffer onboard.... it'll be nice to see the drive sporting 8MB ... then I'll definitely go and buy one... It's the 2MB buffer thing that's holding me back on the purchase.

[Action Jackson]

I've never used a DVD burner, but when I use Nero or CloneCD for burning CD's, I manually set the system memory buffer to it's maximum.

I've never had buffer underruns in any setup under normal burning conditions. [with a burner equiped with buffer underrun tech.].

[Narbo]

To be honest I think the hardware buffer is just there to compensate for very minor fluctuations in throughput from the memory buffer. If are burning a DVD at 8x and have no main memory buffer left 2MB vs 8MB is going to be worth basically nothing (0.5s) since you need to feed the drive 11MB/s. Thus the manufacturers choose 2MB buffers to save cost as im guessing with regards to high speed burning (eg: 8x DVD) they perform pretty much identical to an 8MB buffer.

[BMR]

I guess if you are a member of and read this form for a long enough period of time, you start suffering from DejaVu

http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=12778



BMR

[dodecahedron]

or:
http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=12703