Why incompatible?

[Masutin]

For instance, LG GSA T10N in a laptop fails on both sides of a 2x4.7GB RiDATA (Ritek) similarly. It makes noises for 2-3 minutes before burning and then fails after about 10% burned at max. 8x. I didn't take note of the error message. The unsuccessful burn does create the correct file structure complete with folders, titles, sizes, and the visible burned portion of the disc. This writer is also incompatible with some dual-layer media, but in that case it can't recognize the disc.
Why are some single-layer media incompatible, i.e. different from other discs? What is special about them?
Can new firmware or anything help?

[Sharc]

Your blank media may be crap, or your burner is worn out. I would try with a high quality medium first. The ones you are using seem not to have the best reputation. You may want to read more about it here.

[Sparktank]

I find laptop drives crap out much faster.
Even when i don't use them, at all.
I keep the laptop sitting on one of those base fans and I air-dust it monthly.

Still, the disc drive just dies.


You can try updating firmware, if there is one.
Check the LG website.

Ritek is usually bum media.
I only stick to Verbatim from local stores.
Whether or not they're the greatest Verbatim, no idea until I buy them and google the disc ID that reads in ImgBurn.

[Ghitulescu]

How about 4x? Why it has to be 8x?

[Sparktank]

Originally Posted by Ghitulescu

How about 4x? Why it has to be 8x?

I notice newer drives only allow 8x to be the slowest.
Reported lowest speed.

RW and Dual-Layer media can do 2.x speeds.

So many newer drives I've had can only do 8x with DVD-R-/+.

I don't order drives online, so I can't really look for any with slower speeds.
Plus, newer discs are aiming for at least 8x.
Burning at slower may yield unfavorable results.

[Ghitulescu]

Originally Posted by Sparktank

I notice newer drives only allow 8x to be the slowest.
Reported lowest speed.

My T50 can from 4x (2.4x/2x for DL) to 8x.
I find it strange if not completely nonsense that a DVDR-unit can burn a disc at 8x but can read it back only at 2-8x (from the center to the margin).

Originally Posted by Sparktank

Burning at slower may yield unfavorable results.

Based on my long term experience (I started burning CDRs when they were SCSI, had caddies, had not BurnProof, nor RW capabilities, and a CDR costed 80DM and average Joe not even a CD-rom had at his computer) I can contradict this. While some technical arguments are given, so far no "theoretician" ever did such a test; I did (see below).

See one of the latest threads I had on this subject. The tests are ongoing, for CDR only, but the project stopped for lack of time. In short I burned CDRs made for 52x at 1x and got them to bear very low jitter.

PS: I don't expect the results for DVDR to be much different, as the speed range is much narrow (1-24x with 1-16x media, compared to 1-54x with 4-52x media).

[Sparktank]

I accidentally burned lower than what the discs were "tested for" (and what ImgBurn says), it only went as low as 6.x for a 8.x DVD-R.

The disc hasn't had any problems playing back on standalone devices (tested BD/DVD player and Xbox360 console).

The setting was last used for a DVD-9 that could write at 2.x speeds.
So when I put in a DVD-5, I forgot to adjust it.
I had just re-installed it, so didn't set the auto-speed settings.
I was amazed to find it went lower than 8.x, although not by much.

That's the most I ever tested, albeit mistakenly.

[setarip_old]

Ritek is usually bum media.

From my experience, that is an understatement. "Ritek" and "Ridata" DVD media have proven to be unreliable starting 5 or more years ago...

[Masutin]

Thanks to all for replying! One burning tool specifies the error as "a write error: medium error - no seek complete". What can this mean?
I won't use these media, although the drive may be to blame.