DVD-Writer issue

[schmocke]

Hi folks.
I´ve obtained a new DVD-Writer for my PC (Model: LG GH22NP20), hoping to gain faster writingspeeds up to 22x for DVD-/+ R media. My former writer was limited to 4x.
Yet I tried 12x, but it takes nearly the same time than 4x, appr. 14 minutes. The RAM-buffer decreases very fast when writing on 12x so the drive slows down the writing speed untill the buffer is filled again, and so on..
Even on 8x the speed is averaged at 5,6x.
Perhaps it´s my PC, which isn´t the newest model (MB: Abit IC-7, Pentium 4 with Hyperthreading @2,8 Ghz, 1GB RAM, 160GB S-ATA HD)!?
The LG-writer is mastered and hooked up on IDE-2 solely.
Any suggestions!?

Thanks in advance.
Regards, schmocke

[Reaper man]

are you using an 80 pin ribbon connection?

[schmocke]

I guess, it looks like this one:

http://www.ditcorp.com/mmDIT/Images/cblgenatar324_a.jpg

It´s the same cable I used with the old device.
So you think it´s eventually the connection, not my systems specs!?

regards, schmocke

[Reaper man]

if it's a 40 conductor ribbon cable, then it might be an issue.

in that image, I honestly can't tell, but I would bet my money that it's 80 conductor. If you want, count how many "wires" are on the connector end. If you get past 40, you're good.

if it's 80, then the next step would be to see what DMA mode the device is running at. One way to do it is to find a CDROM benchmarking program. Send the results here and we can look at it.

[schmocke]

The Windows Hardware Manager says, that the device on secondary IDE channel runs at "Ultra-DMA-Mode 4"

[Reaper man]

Originally Posted by schmocke

The Windows Hardware Manager says, that the device on secondary IDE channel runs at "Ultra-DMA-Mode 4"

What CD Burner are you using?

[schmocke]

DVD-Burner, look at my first post - it´s the LG GH22NP20...
If I remember right, Ultra-DMA-4 supplies a data-transfer rate of around 66 MB/s. That should be enough for up to 22x DVD writing.
Still confused..

[Reaper man]

the software could just be a buggy piece of shit. Have you tried Nero?

[schmocke]

I doubt that. I´ve tried several software yet (CD Burner XP, NERO, Alcohol 120) and it´s all the same. 4x writing works great as always, 8x is slightly faster and everything above 8x sucks. Anyone else ideas!?
regards, schmocke

[The 9th Sage]

It's a longshot, but some drives have the ability to upgrade their firmware (I know the drive on my laptop can do this)...perhaps the firmware on it is terrible/buggy? Don't know if you can upgrade that drive or not, but probably worth looking in to.