Slow DVD Writing Speed (Toshiba SD-R5372)

[analitik]

I have problem with my new DVD burner by TOSHIBA / SAMSUNG SD-R5372.
It is an external DVD burner, however I bought in a metal gear box with USB 2.0 interface for my Toshiba Satellite laptop.

The problem is that it cannot burn a 4x rated DVD+RW at more than 2.4x. Even though with new firmware the burner should handle speeds up to 8x.
At the same time DVD+R’s, CD-RW’s and CD-R can be burned at high speeds.
One of the 4x rated DVD+RW’s I tried is Maxell (MID is Ritek 004).


Nero’s cannot recognize it as 4x rated DVD+RW. For example, Nero’s CD/DVD Speed says

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MID: RITEK 004 (048)
Write Speeds: 2.4x
Layers: 1
Write Strategies: 4x
Disc Status: Closed

Running analysis in “Create Disc” of the Nero’s CD/DVD Speed give average speed 2.5x.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Here is the output from another tool (DVD Identifier):
-----------------------------------------------------------
Unique Disc Identifier : [DVD+RW:RITEK-004-048]
-----------------------------------------------------------
Disc & Book Type : [DVD+RW] - [DVD+RW]
Manufacturer Name : [Ritek Corp.]
Manufacturer ID : [RITEK]
Media Type ID : [004]
Product Revision : [048]
Blank Disc Capacity : [2,295,104 Sectors = 4.70 GB (4.38 GiB)]
Recording Speeds : [1x-2.4x , 1.6x-4x]
-----------------------------------------------------------

** INFO : Drive = TOSHIBA CD/DVDW SD-R5372 - [FW TU55] - [USB]
** INFO : Write Capabilities = DVD+R DVD+R-DL DVD+RW
** INFO : Write Capabilities = DVD-R DVD-RW
** INFO : Disc = [DVD+RW:RITEK-004-048]
** INFO : Reference Speed : 1x DVD = 1385 kBps
** INFO : An Writeable Disc Is Recommended For Accurate Results
** INFO : Write Speeds (Supported By This Drive On This Disc) Listed Below

** INFO : GET PERFORMANCE Write Speed Descriptor(s)
Descriptor #1 = 3324 kBps ( 2.40x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]

** INFO : MODE SENSE Write Speed Descriptor(s) [Legacy Command]
** WARNING : MODE SENSE Is Obsolete And Not Always Properly Supported
Descriptor #1 = 8467 kBps ( 6.00x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #2 = 7056 kBps ( 5.09x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #3 = 6703 kBps ( 4.84x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #4 = 5645 kBps ( 4.00x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #5 = 4234 kBps ( 3.06x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #6 = 2822 kBps ( 2.04x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #7 = 1411 kBps ( 1.00x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #8 = 706 kBps ( 0.51x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


On one forum
http://www.cdrlabs.com/phpBB/viewtopic. ... +speed+dvd
I found that Nvidia drivers may cause the problem by impeding with IDE driver. However, I don’t know if it is a valid point because I am using USB 2.0 interface


Using MediaCodeSpeedEdit.exe it looks like the latest firmware update TU55 it should be able to write Ritek 004 at 4x

Some sys info: I am using Windows XP (home), DMA is enabled for the hard drive

Please help …. >:0(

[Ian]

My suggestion would be to try other media. From what you've posted, it looks like the drive writes to this media at only 2.4x.

You might also want to try firmware TU56

http://www.toshiba-europe.com/storage/l ... 56_WIN.zip

[analitik]

Thanks for your prompt post Ian,

I tried new firmware TU56, but still the same thing.
I also tried Verbatim DVD+RW, same result.
Do you think nVidia or USB 2.0 could cause the problem?
I am a bit reluctant to mess up with nVidia, besides when I would look the properties of IDE they should as if it is Microsoft's driver, not of nVidia.

[Ian]

That's odd about the Verbatim media. You'd think the drive would support it at least.

I don't think the USB 2.0 or nVidia drivers would have any effect on the available writing speeds but it might be worth trying it on another computer.

[analitik]

Actually, when I checked the firmware (both TU55 and TU56) via MediaCodeSpeedEdit it looks like all DVD+RW's by MCC (Verbatim) can only be written at 2.4x. Then it is probably no surprise there.


What does "Write Strategies: 4x" in Nero CDSpeed mean?
Why is it differnt from "Write Speeds: 2.4x"?

Also can anybody help me in how should I read this piece of the DVD Identifier report in regards to different Descriptors in GET PERFOMANCE and MODE SENSE sections:


** INFO : Write Speeds (Supported By This Drive On This Disc) Listed Below

** INFO : GET PERFORMANCE Write Speed Descriptor(s)
Descriptor #1 = 3324 kBps ( 2.40x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]

** INFO : MODE SENSE Write Speed Descriptor(s) [Legacy Command]
** WARNING : MODE SENSE Is Obsolete And Not Always Properly Supported
Descriptor #1 = 8467 kBps ( 6.00x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #2 = 7056 kBps ( 5.09x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #3 = 6703 kBps ( 4.84x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #4 = 5645 kBps ( 4.00x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #5 = 4234 kBps ( 3.06x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #6 = 2822 kBps ( 2.04x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #7 = 1411 kBps ( 1.00x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]
Descriptor #8 = 706 kBps ( 0.51x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]

Thanks.

[dodecahedron]

like it says, MODE SENSE is obsolete and should'nt be trusted.

[ala42]

I have problem with my new DVD burner by TOSHIBA / SAMSUNG SD-R5372.
The problem is that it cannot burn a 4x rated DVD+RW at more than 2.4x. Nero’s cannot recognize it as 4x rated DVD+RW. For example, Nero’s CD/DVD Speed says

Here is the output from another tool (DVD Identifier):
-----------------------------------------------------------
Unique Disc Identifier : [DVD+RW:RITEK-004-048]
-----------------------------------------------------------
Disc & Book Type : [DVD+RW] - [DVD+RW]
Manufacturer Name : [Ritek Corp.]
Manufacturer ID : [RITEK]
Media Type ID : [004]
Product Revision : [048]
Blank Disc Capacity : [2,295,104 Sectors = 4.70 GB (4.38 GiB)]
Recording Speeds : [1x-2.4x , 1.6x-4x]
-----------------------------------------------------------

** INFO : Drive = TOSHIBA CD/DVDW SD-R5372 - [FW TU55] - [USB]
** INFO : Write Capabilities = DVD+R DVD+R-DL DVD+RW
** INFO : Write Capabilities = DVD-R DVD-RW
** INFO : Disc = [DVD+RW:RITEK-004-048]
** INFO : Reference Speed : 1x DVD = 1385 kBps
** INFO : An Writeable Disc Is Recommended For Accurate Results
** INFO : Write Speeds (Supported By This Drive On This Disc) Listed Below

** INFO : GET PERFORMANCE Write Speed Descriptor(s)
Descriptor #1 = 3324 kBps ( 2.40x) - [CLV/Non-Pure CAV]

The last two lines of this output clearly show the firmware supports this media at 2.4x only, which has nothing to do with your drives interface, it is just a firmware issue.

Using MediaCodeSpeedEdit.exe it looks like the latest firmware update TU55 it should be able to write Ritek 004 at 4x

Wishfull thinking ? Your media with revision 048 is not listed by MCSE, the listed revision 000 belongs to a different media code.

Code: Select all

Bootcode: TSSTcorpCD/DVDW TS-H552ATSL104/07/01
DVD+RW  supported media types:   14
------------------------------------------
RITEK    004-000 4x,2.4x


Some drives support both revision code variants, so your media would be supported at 4x,

Code: Select all

Firmware: BENQ    DVD DD DW1620   B7W9
------------------------------------------

DVD+RW  supported media types:   16
------------------------------------------
RITEK    004-000 4x,2.4x
RITEK    004-048 4x,2.4x


others support neither, like the Benq 1640 firmware I wanted to list first.

[analitik]

Thank you all for your help

That indeed was the problematic DVD's.
The thing which misled me was that it didn't work not only for Ritek 004-048, but also for one Verbatim disk I had. Apparently it is not supported for high speed writing too. But today I bought and tried new Verbatim disks and they all worked fine.