CD Burning Problem with 3550a

CD, DVD and (Ultra HD) Blu-ray Writers NEC / Optiarc Writer
#1

Just trying to decide whether I have a problem or not.
I’m using Dee’s modified 1.Y6 firmware with my NEC 3550a, and have no problems at all when burning DVDs. Works just fine. Speed capability varies dependent on media used, and burns are good.

However, when I burn a CD, I only get two choices for burn speed - 16x or 8x.

This does not depend on the CD media brand, as I have tried 4 different types of 48x capable CD blanks, and all give the same choices. They burn O.K., but I’d like to avail myself of 32x speed or more once in a while.

I’m using Nero v6.6.1.4 at the moment. I upgraded to that from Nero v6.6.0.18 a few weeks ago. (And yes, I did use the cleaner to clean out all the old Nero files. I even went so far as to do a fresh installation of XP Pro SP2 later, and the same “problem” exists.)

Anyone have any comments or suggestions as to what I could do to get faster burning of CDs?

System - Pentium 4 3.0 gig, 1 gig memory, 2x160 gig ata133 hdd, Asus P4P800 mobo, ATI 9200 128mbyte agp8x video.

#2

What exact CD-R media have you tried with?

#3

Glad you replied. Got me to looking at the CD media more closely than just the brand name.
(they were memorex, office max, k-hypermedia, and e-works).

Anyway, I ran them all through Nero’s info tool, and all came back with the same media designator:
Lead Data (97m26s54f). Info tool showed supported speeds of 16x-8x.

I then put in a old blank from Office depot that I found lying around, and got this media designator:
CMC Magnetics (97m26s66f). With supported speeds of 32x-24x-16x-8x.

Kind of answers my question doesn’t it? I kind of assumed that CDs were a mature product and that it didn’t much matter what you used. Wrong! I guess I better start choosing them the same way I choose my DVD blanks. Not by price, but by quality.

Thanks for starting me off in the right direction.

#4

Doesn’t sound that good as for their quality.

Maybe you could use Nero CD DVD Speed and make a test burn to see how they perform aside from normal burning apps.