hp dvd 200i only writes at 1x not 2.4x

[2boxers]

Maybe somebody has experience with this issue.

I have been using Veritas Record Now Max 4.5 with the HP dvd200i. Writes to DVD+RW and DVD+R media have been reliable. So far 1 coaster after 50+ writes and I attribute this error to faulty media.

The problem is that I have never seen this thing write at 2.4x. I have tried Memorex 2.4x and Memorex 4x DVD+RW media and Record Now Max never attempts to write faster than 1x.

So... I recently just tried Ahead Nero's Burning Rom 6. It correctly identifies my drive and speed at 2.4x, but here is the write performance:

2.4x = 3,312 KB/sec according to Nero software.
I calculate this to be 3.23 MB/sec (1024KB = 1MB).

The DVD folder content I am using for the test is 3.79GB or 3880.96MB (1024MB = 1GB).

This job, not including writing lead in and closing the session should take about 20.02 minutes (give or take) based on the above figures.

The job is taking 1hr 21min 47sec.
This is the same pitiful 1x speed I am getting with Record Now Max.

Even if I weren't getting the ideal 20 minute burn time, why such disparity?

I am running HP FW Revision 1.27.

Any suggestions aside from getting a new drive?

Charles

[gooki]

I don't think this is you problem, but maybe you HDD can't keep up.

[alexnoe]

This is not 1x speed, but 0,6x

You obviously have a VIA chipset (or maybe nforce) and have switched DMA off

[2boxers]

What made this problem difficult to solve for me was that Record Now Max will only support this drive at 1x write... period.

I am running a VIA chip, but DMA was enabled.

I was running the drive externally through the USB port originally. After realizing the drive was only writing at 1x, I moved it to the IDE bus, but that didn't help with the speed. Record Now Max was still only doing 1x. So I put it back on the USB port.

When I tried Nero, I got the same performance through the USB port, but neglected to try on the IDE bus again.

It turns out that the USB 1.0 isn't fast enough.

With Nero and the drive on the IDE bus, it works fine at 2.4x. Burns 4GB in appr 20 minutes now.

USB 1.0 does 12Mbps which is about 1.43MB/sec. USB 2.0 should do the trick since it can handle 480Mbps or 57.22MB/sec.

Thanks for the help,
Charles

[SomeJoe]

Upgrade your drive to the latest firmware (v1.51, download from HP's site (http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/softwareDownloadIndex.jhtml?reg=&cc=us&softitem=dv-10140-1&prodId=hpdvdwrite81681&lc=en&plc=&sw_lang=en&pagetype=software) and follow instructions).

You probably will also need to upgrade Record Now to the latest version (Sonic's Support Site (http://support.sonic.com/downloads/engine.asp)). This should allow Record Now to write at 2.4x.

[2boxers]

Hi.
I had already done this. The firmware I listed was the old version.

As far as Record Now. I am running the latest version with the latest psx engine that they provide.

I originally purchased Record Now Max when the product was owned by Stomp. Sonic Solutions does not offer any upgrades past 4.5 (that I am aware) to the actual application.

As far as the psx engine, I have tried the 507 version from Sonic and the 438 version from Stomp. Neither allows the drive to write > 1x dvd even with the drive attached to the IDE bus :(

Thank you for the help though.
Charles