Hi I have just upgraded my firmware to 2.0f having made my DW-10UA into a DRU-500A. My question is this....Why can I still not burn at 4 speed ? Do I need to change the device manager settings which are using ultra dma mode 2 (Prev ultra dma mode 5) or is there any other reason why the 4x discs are still taking 30 minutes to burn. This is driving me mad so any help appreciated Cheers David
Hi I am using Nero 5.5.10.15 and two brands of media - well one unbranded and the other Bulpaq orange. Cheers David
Try media thats rated for 4X. If its not labled 4X then it probably is only capable of being written to at a slower speed. I have no problems writing to memorex 4X at that speed.
Hi both are rated at 4x so i thought it may have been the writer at fault or perhaps the software version. I can't see any other reason why they won't burn at the faster speed as nero shows the discs as 4x David
Well, my drive is using UDMA2, so thats not the problem. I never cared for Nero either. Try Stomp RecordNow, or DVD Decrypter. Mabey try a diff. brand of media. CompUSA sells single discs. Try the Memorex 4X.
Will do - am in the uk so will try some meorex and maybe a change of burner software. will let you know how I get on Cheers David
Read this somewhere and it works .....I can succesfully burn at 4X (16mins 4.38Gb) on cheapo media eg. Datawrite Red (princo)on my DRU500a (1.0d), if prior to burning I burn a smallish file to a RW, reboot then burn. If I then try to burn a further disc, although nero 6 indicates 4X burn, its a 30 min job ... ie 2X ... found the info here http://forum.firmware-flash.com/viewtopic.php?t=9390 page 2
Solved my problem of not being able to write DVD's of any kind. I discovered a Pogram called DVD Shrink via another forum (DVDRHelp.com). I now write at 4x using Nero & Datawrite red. I hope this might help someone.
Thanks for the tips folks but unfortunatelyt I still have the same problem. Tried demo of nero 6 and ended up formatting the hard drive !! Then reverted back to dw-u10a ver 1.1 from DRU-500a v2.0f and did a test burn which took 15 minutes. But then for the real thing it took 1/2 an hour as usual. I think it might be the media but both are rated at 4x and am told that they work on Pioneer A05/6 so not sure what is wrong - could it be the unit itself ? Cheers David
HI Zafonica It is unlikely to be the drive itself, though that is of course possible. I have just been reading all the replies in the link that midland 45 gave: http://forum.firmware-flash.com/viewtopic.php?t=9390 Seems many people have the same problem. If you haven't read here, I suggest you do - you may well find a reason (or solution) to your prolbem. I can write to the cheapo Datawrite Red top 4x (DVD-R) at 4 speed, and other formats at the specified speed (FW:1.1d) I just wish I waited a couple of months though. For the same price i paid two months ago, I could now buy a retail version of Sony DRu-510A, which writes to DVD+R and DVD+RW media at 4-speed, DVD-R at 4 speed, and DVD-RW at 2 speed. Allegedly.
Thanks Stedman I have read some of the replies so will go throuogh the rest - it is a pain in the ass that this doesn't seem to write at 4x as I bought the writer specifically for its speed capacity. Like you I wish I had waited as well as there are other players from Pioneer/NEC that have come way down in price and seem to have fewer problems writing to 4x. Guess that is the price to pay when you get in early Cheers David
Zafonica - I just re-read one of your threads, and you said you did a test burn? Was that using the "simulate" function in Nero? I use Nero 5.5.10.35 and when I tried that, it actually wrote to my disc! It didn't simulate at all, it just wrote. I came to the conclusion that simulate was there just for CD-Rs, not DVDs. Back to your problem - I suggest you try other makes of discs. Verbatim are usually very good. I use Verbatim 48 speed for my CD writer (at lite-on) and I have never, ever made a coaster. They are listed as being compatible on the sony website. I bought the DW-U10A as I waited for seven months for a DRU-500A from dabs.com, and when they had in the DW-U10As, I just jumped at the chance....I wish I hadn't now. Anyway, I wanted it mainly cos it is multi-format. The latest Sony (510A) is faster than the NEC model. If the same thing that happened to CD writers happens to DVDs, we will be able to buy a 16speed DVD writer in a couple of years time for about £40. I think I will wait till I buy a newer one. Chris
Hi Chris thanks for your reply. I used simulate in Nero 5.5.10.15 to test burn the DVD and it showed it as writing at 4X and completed in 15 minutes. Of course when I hit burn for real it still showed as burning at 4x but took the usual 1/2 hour....bloody program. I will try some other media but I would expect the sony to have been able to burn at 4x as stated as my liteon CD writer burns any media at all without a problem . I guess I mistakenly thought that Sony was such a big name it would have well a developed product. Cheers David
just an update on progress... Tried Arita +R x4 speed disks today and they burn great with Nero at 4x speed! So i've had success now with -RW at 2.4x speed, -R disks at 2x and 4x speed (Bulkpak Orange disks), +R disks at 4x speed (Arita purple disks). The only problems have been with Datawrite -R 4x Red disks (i think they were a dodgy batch though...) My drive has been flashed to DRU-500A 2.0f and i'm using DVDXcopyXpress and Nero 5.5.10.35. Cheers, Kev
Hey Kev thanks for the update. Interesting to see that your bulkpaq x4 orange discs burn in nero at 4x - mine didn't. I think I will follow your lead and flash back to dru-500a 2.0f. I will let you know how I get on... Cheers David
I have resisted converting my U10A to DRU500 up til now as I was a scardy cat. I did the conversion under XP with DMA still enabled. It worked like a charm I now have 2.0f and it reads my rubbish bigpockets 49p DVD+Rs. I also have the program to convert it back again, but have not tried it.
Good to heare about the bigpockets DVD+R's are they still selling them. Well for me the saga continues with 4x bulkpaq still only writing at 2x (aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh) I am now back to firmware 2.0f and nero 5.5.10.35 but still can't get it to write at 4 speed - now could it be a hardware fault ? Cheers David
Hi, I'm having trouble flashing my DW-U10A. I've downloaded the utility to convert it and after I double click, I get the MS box to either send or Don't send an error report and the prog crashes. I've checked and the Drive is set to Pio Only. I'm using WinXP. I don't know if I have any packet writing software installed or not. Just to troubleshoot some, I tried to upgrade the firmware to the new U10A firmware and I had the same results. What can I be doing wrong? Also, I have Firmware 1.1d what will I gain by converting/updating. Thanks for your help. Xaa
