Device buffer cache fluctuates wildly (USB burner)

[tedwinters]

[qanda]This thread is about the Lite-On DH-20A3H. Click here to see full specs[/qanda]

I moved this drive to a new Vista 64 Ultimate computer, and the device buffer no longer stays full - it fluctuates between 15% and 90% rapidly...
Works fine on the old computer.

The drive is an external USB Lite-on DH20A3H (bought from costco) with the newest firmware burned.. I have tried flashing to yv68 (12X rpm), with no significant changes.

I've:
replaced all cables
used same discs
deleted drive (and USB controllers) from control panel->system
disabled other dvd-roms
unplugged all other USB
installed new sptd
tried other firmware (including 12x RPM)

nothing - usually won't burn more than 5.5X, and buffer fluctuates wildly while burning.. discs still come out okay though... but not perfect
vista 64

Any ideas?

[tedwinters]

I tried moving the drive to another computer - and it worked fine…
so it’s not a firmware, cable, or hardware issue…

has to have something to do with the USB drivers or settings on Vista 64 Ultimate…
any ideas?

[Albert]

Not all USB controllers are created equally. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that none of your 3 computers used for testing use the same northbridge/southbridge combination? If they’re all different, you just might have to accept the difference in performance across the USB controllers. You might be able to get an add-in PCI/PCIe USB 2.0 card based on an NEC chipset that will handle USB better, though.