Is my system too slow? PIII733/Nec1300a/Nero6

[AlfaStation]

Is my system too slow?

I'm using an Intel PIII @ 733MHz (no overclock) on an Asus Cusl2 with 386MB SDram and last week bought my first DVD-writer, a NEC1300a.
When using Nero 6.00.11 writing to DVD+RW (hp-media) at 2.4x (no other choice seems allowed) the read buffer goes slowly down to 0% and the Nec-write buffer goes up&down and up&down like crazy in Nero6.

Writing to a DVD-RW at 1x gives no problems. (read-buffer goes slowly down but write buffer stays around 95%)

Testing with Nero Speed-test checked gives read between 4.6 or 4.7x (i suppose that's reading off HDD and 4.6x read-speed should be plenty for up to 4x transfer)

The DVD+RW's created so-far give 100% failure on X-box (Samsung-drive) and set-top Panasonic DVD player and 25% failure reading in LiteOn LTD163.

The DVD-RW's (at 1x) give 100% OK on all systems.

The DVD-R's (at 2x and 4x) 100% OK on all systems.
(Note: the DVD-R at 4x DVD-R was only tested onces and the Nec-write-buffer goes crazy up@down as well, but result OK on all devices)


So-far i've updated Nero 6.00.11 to 6.00.19 and flashed firmware of Nec1300a from 1.06 to 1.07 : NO improvements whatsoever!

Systems array:
Prim.ma: ST380021A (80GB)
Prim.sl: LiteOn LTR321235 (best CDR/W writer i ever had)
Sec.ma: ST340824A (40GB)
Sec.sl: LiteOn LTD163 (excellent DVD-reader/rips at av. 7x)

on PromiseUltra133TX2 IDE controller:
Prim.ma: IBM DTLA 307030 (30GB)
Prim.sl: WDC ac33 (3GB) (Linux project...if ever i find the time...)
Sec.ma: Plextor PX-W1610a (excellent for audio rips av. DAE@32x)
Sec.sl: Nec ND-1300A

(all devices at (U)DMA and using W2k SP4. I'm running out of options, nevertheless my next step would be to swap the LTD163 with the Nec1300a

What do you think?

Cheers,
Alfa

[AlfaStation]

Problem partially solved:

I swapped the LTD163 with the Nec1300a drive so now the DVD-writer is on sec.slave directly on mobo.

The "buffer-problems" have gone away (reading stays stable at 100%, writing stays around 96%).

I guess the PromiseUltra133TX2 IDE controller was a bad idea.
Burning DVD's across a PCI-slot just won't cut it.
Yet the Promise 133(Ultra)ATA controller with up to 266MB/sec bandwith should be more then fast enough, no?

Unfortunately the DVD+RW still won't play on the Xbox (not chipped).
It reads fine in the Nec and LiteOn drives (alltho' PowerDVD3 isn't able to jump forward in the movie ones it passes half-way thru...strange!)

I'll try some other stand-alones tomorow.

Any thoughts on the matter allways wellcome.... :)

Cheers,
Alfa.

[mrlipring]

well, first off your mobo's ide ports and several other things use the pci bus, so it's not a pci problem. the pci bus is capable of transferring far more data than a dvd burner can use.

i'd look at dma, drivers etc.