Posted by GraB on 11/15/08 11:33

>I burn at 16X without any problems using DVD-R 16X speed media on LG
>4163, Pioneer 108, Pioneer 109 drives and have some other older models
>along with the LG 4167, Pioneer 110 amd a BenQ 1640A drive.
>
>People that choose to use hacked firmware often have to burn at the
>lower speeds and even then run into troubles.
>
>I've never used hacked firmware and warn against it. If a customer
>wants to buy a new drive and intends to install hacked firmware then I
>won't sell the drive.
>
How do you test your burns that you do at 16X? KProbe2 (for LiteOn
drives) or Nero CD-DVD Speed Disc Quality Test will show differences.
With some media (it is quite logical when you think about it) the burn
quality will improve with a slower burn.

You say "People who choose to use hacked firmware often have to burn
at the lower speeds and even then run into troubles"?? What rubbish!
Those who put out hacked firmwares know as much about what they are
doing as the original manufacturers.

Off course, your choosing to use the word 'hacked' makes it sound
'bad'. The proper term is 'patched'. CodeGuys, for instance, use
original firmware but optimize it for improved burn quality rather
than speed (you get one or the other, not both, speed comes at a
price). LiteOn have stopped updating the firmware for my LiteOn 812S
but by cross-flashing it with 832S (mechanically and electrically
identical) firmware I have been able to get later firmware updates.
In fact I just updated it within the last few weeks. And I have no
trouble at all with it. With the right media I get excellent burns
that test as good or even better than pressed discs.

I have only ever had one Taiyo Yuden disc (which was burnt with the
drives original firmware) but the burns I have done with the first
batch of Emtech 4x DVD+R (DaxonAZ1) - the 2nd batch were not so good,
Laser 4x & 8x DVD+R (OptodiscOR4/8) discs, mostly on patched 3rd party
firmware, were every bit as good and the most recent burns on SonyD11
8x DVD+R close behind.

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