Channel Setting for Optiarc AD-717x Drives

[tqhoang]

Just got a new Optiarc AD-7170 (Made in China Nov 2006 and 1.02 firmware but newer than Liggy’s 1.02b…so perhaps 1.02c) and I’m having aweful burns with this. I’ve tried some Verbatim 8x DVD+/-R media that’s been great with my other NEC drives and also some dubious TDK DVD+/-R 16x media (CMC-MAG).

My current config is with all drives using Cable Select:
PATA Primary Master = Hard Drive (UDMA-5)
PATA Primary Slave = LiteOn DVD-ROM (UDMA-2)
PATA Secondary Master = Optiarc DVD Writer (UDMA-4)
PATA Secondary Master = Plextor CD Writer (UDMA-2)

My chipset is a VIA KT400 and I’m was using the latest VIA Hyperion drivers 5.10. (I just updated to 5.11 so we’ll see if that fixes anything.)

FWIW, I also had access to another AD-7170 (Made in Malaysia Sept 2006 and 1.02b firmware). It had similar problems so the likelihood of both being bad is doubtful.

So what is the key to getting good burns with this drive? I even tried forcing it to UDMA-2 in the BIOS but that didn’t seem to change much.

[geno888]

Because of NEC are not reliable scanners, the first thing could be trying to do a scan with a liteon or with a plextor drive, to be sure that these discs are really so bad.

[Dee]

Good media is the key.
For those discs i would burn them at 8x and see if things improve.

[tqhoang]

Thanks for the info. I’ll test the +/- CMC-MAG’s at 8x to see if that makes a difference.

Reason I posted this is because someone recommended that you don’t have other devices on the same channel with Optiarc’s. I assume you guys & gals have other devices attached to your Optiarc drives?

FWIW, I already sent Liggy my 1.02c (?) firmware a few weeks ago. He’s in the middle of a computer upgrade or something like that so please be patient.

[Dalen_Quaice]

I tend to agree with Geno, the NEC is notorious for being a lousy scanner. I suspect if you tried scanning on a BenQ or LiteOn, your results would be more acceptable, especially since the read curve looks fine. A disc that was really as bad as a “0” scan would not read properly, IMHO.

[tqhoang]

Ok, I just tested a CMC-MAG DVD-R at 8x. Results look a lot better…not great but acceptable.

Notes:

• Disc quality scan used ECC1 at MAX speed (I’m too impatient).
• No changes to drive positions.
• Removed BusHound demo that I had previously installed.
• Upgrade VIA Hyperion 4in1 from v5.10 to latest v5.11.
• Let BIOS auto-configure Optiarc drive for UDMA-4.

Agreed about it being a so-so reader, probably the spikes would go away if I scan with my Plextor. I’ll have to try a CMC-MAG DVD+R later tonight.