I recently bought a NEC-5320A and put it in a USB2.0 enclosure. I'm using Maxell DVD-R 8X media (made in Japan, I guess code is MXL with some more letters), Liggy's f/w but can't burn higher than 4.1X. I tried other 8x media also (I guess the code is: CMC with more letters) and got same results. Ripping is also not fast. I hardly get 3x with DVD Shrink. I'm using DVD Decrypter to burn. Could this be because of USB2.0 enclosure? If so, is there any way to check the speed.

Thanks!!

First thing I guess is a 3520 unit. Second if the burning speed option in the burning program is 4x and not 8x then it is not the usb enclosure's fault. If you can read another DVD (with data) at high speed (above 12x) it seems that dvd shrink has to overcome some rip-lock.

Don't expect to be able to burn at 16X speed on USB.....no one has been able to reach that. Firewire has the potential depending on the chipset used in the case. You should look at the Big External Enclosure thread in the main Recording Hardware forum section.

I have a USB external enclosure with my 3520 and I have no problems with verbatim mcc4 media at full speed(16x). I burn a full dvd in 6 mins and 10 secs.

CD Speed, test burst speed. It should be around 22 MM/sec.

You don't have any dropoff at the end? What burst rates do you get? Last I knew, no USB 2.0 enclosure had a chipset that could reach 16X speed....you might be able to cpmplete the burn, but it only reach 14-15X speeds at the end.

Here you are a burning test wirh cdspeed. The enclosure's brand is Conceptronic, and it seems to have a Nec chipset. However, some time ago I had some problems with the speed, because I have a laptop with a large usb 2 external hd and I used to burn from it to the nec3520, and it seems that using two devices at the same time slows down the burning (max of 10x with verbatim 16x media). Now I use the laptop HD and no problems at all.

Looks good, madrid. You are right, the USB speed is shared so using other USB devices simultaneously is not a good idea.
I want a Conceptronic

The enclosure is about 35€ in Spain, I think it's not a bad price...

Hey madrid,

Looks good....do you know what chipset the Conceptronic enclosure uses?

Here you are: "NEC uPD720121 USB-ATA/ATAPI Bridge"

Anybody knows if I get a pcmcia usb2 adapter to my laptop will I solve my speed problems recording from the external usb2 ? will my 3520 and my external hd still share bandwith? Thanks in advance.

I got a Bytecc clone from here http://www.akida.net/.sc/ms/dd/11112...20%28Retail%29

that happened to have a Prolific chipset which is reported to have no problems with 16X and NEC. It might work for you.

Hi!

I received the same enclosure and it works flawlessly. However, I noticed the same phenomenon that the speed is locked to 10x sometimes. It happens when my "USB 2.0 card reader" is connected. It does not matter if I use the reader: As soon as it is connected, the speed of my burner is locked to 10x max. I am using an USB 2.0 PCI card with Via chipset.

In addition, I am using a PCMCIA USB 2.0 card in my old notebook. The highest speed I can reach is 8x. As soon as I connect my external hdd, the speed is locked to 6x Again, it does not matter if I access the hdd or not: As soon as it is connected and switched on, the speed is locked to 6x.

Conclusion: Since all USB PCMCIA cards are using the same chipset (NEC), I guess that it will not work.

In the end I got tired of searching for a good enclosure and bought the LG GSA-5163D, an external model with firewire and usb 2.0. Over firewire, I get 27 MB/s burst speed.