Hi,
I could have posted this in the burns scans, however with the title I figure I'd post it under its own topic. I have been having a problem burning Verbatim MCC-003 8X DVDs at 8X with my LH-20AP1. This problem occurs with either the KL0A or KL0G firmware. If I do the burns at 6X they look normal (at least with the KL0A firmware) . I have burned the same media multiple times with my Plextor 716SA at 8X and don't have the same problem. With the Verbatims at 8X with the LiteOn I'll get maybe 1 in 5 that aren't bad while everyone I've burned at 6X looks ok. I've included scans for the burns (Using ImgBurn) and all the scans were done using Nero CD/DVD Speed with the LH-20AP1 (Plex's won't work with Nero, however as a check I have run the scans with Plextools Pro and get similar results for either the good or bad burns). Hopefully the labels on the burn and scan files will be self explanatory. Sorry for the large number of PNGs.

Has anyone else experienced this problem. Other than burning at 6X what might be the fixes. Does LiteOn have some issue with the firmware for this type of media?

I haven't put the firmware back to KL0G to try a 6X burn yet. I need to check on the RW issue 1st.

Also apparently once one updates the firmware with the LiteOn update, on can not go back to another down level version of the firmware using the LiteOn programs. I had to back up from the KL0G to the KL0A using my binary backup file I made using C0deKing's tools

Thanks for any help or insight.

Rcubed

PS the media is Verbatim DataLifePlus from RIMA

Sorry guys,
Drive is an LH-20A1P, brain fart on my part.

No takers to the questions?

Rcubed

Well the 6x burn looks very acceptable.

Do you have "safe burn" on your PC and did you enable any settings for your liteon with "safe burn"?

EDIT: Oops I meant "smart burn" lol

The drive's OPC loses it big time with these discs @8X. Since the difference with 6X is only a couple minutes, the choice should be easy. You can still experiment with 'Force Hyper Tuning' and 'Online Hyper Tuning' settings in SmartBurn 3.1.16t and also 'Clear OPC History'. As to your question in the scans thread, OmniPatcher will not work with this drive.

P.S. It should be possible to downgrade firmware with the Lite-On flasher. Something could be wrong with your setup. Try it in Safe Mode.

cd pirate and Cressida, thanks for the inputs.

After a little more research I did determine that the omnipatcher has been messed up by LiteOn's scrambling efforts. Also I misinterpreted the opening screen of the firmware update stating the software was only for the LH-20A1P as indicating that it couldn't find a LH-20A1P drive. If I continue the update appears to take place. I've only overlayed the KL0A with the KL0A as a reflash check. Based on the problems with the RWs and the KL0G flash I don't know if I'll go back to the KL0G version. If I do I can always burn the RWs on my Plex 716SA.

I tried sonme burns with smart burn enabled (I think). The interface with LiteOn's tool is a little confusing see included PNG. The top screen capture is the default. There appears to be a disconnect between the button "Enable SmartBurn" and the bottom line of the tree "SmartBurn Function is Disabled - No" and the bottom screen capture where button "Disable SmartBurn" and the bottom line of the tree "SmartBurn Function is Disabled - Yes". Any clarification would be appreciated.

In the 1st case if the SmartBurn Function is not disabled, then why does the button say "Enable SmartBurn". The info in the second case also appears inverted. Or is this in some convoluted way saying external software does, or does not have control? Any clarification would be appreciated. I've done some searching for clearer explanations of how and what to do to change the settings and haven't found any. LIteOn's manual leaves a lot to be desired. However one can't beat the price probably why the manual is not too complete.

The burns shown in the original post were done with the 1st case - with what I am assuming is SmartBurn disabled (Case 1). I have since done two burns with the 2nd case (enabled?), and the really bad broad peeks were gone, but based on the numbers of POs and PIs I would not consider the burns good ones. The attached PNGs are for second case. I did one at 6X (1st one) and one at 8X (2nd one). Of course the 8X burn could have been one of the lucky ones, but based on the quality % (43) I doubt it. The few cases where an 8X burn with the 1st setting went ok, it looked a lot like a good 6X burn except for a brief PO peak of about 200 at the 1.1G point of the scan.

I think I concur to use the 6x burn. For some reason the drive doesn't like this media at 8X. I don't mind waiting the little extra time for the burn to complete. A quality burn is more important to me than a fast burn time.

I still have about 75 to 80 of the 8X Verbatim disks left. If I were to consider additional Verbatims would a better choice be the MCC004 media burned at 8X. The samples shown in the burn forum appear to be reasonable when done at 8x. I normally burn TYs +R 8Xs and just thought I'd give the Verbatim's a go based on most peoples opinion of them. However based on my burns the for 8X media at 8X burns I don't share that opinion. I till have about 150 TY +R in my stock, and will probably stick with the TYs. I doubt I'll try the +R 8X Verbatims again. Also in this batch of 8X's I found a lot of surface scratches and one case of bad dye with a triangular dark area about 1/4 inch on the outside of one disk - really bad burn even at 6X. Didn't notice it until after the burn and the really bad scan. I consider it really bad quality control. BTW the package was labeled Made in Taiwan. I've never seen that kind of defect or scratch problems with the TYs.

At least the burn I did for the Verbatim DLs at 4x (also previously posted) looked pretty good. That media appears ok.

My main concern was that this was not an isolated case with just my burner, and/or possibly a bad batch of Verbatims call it a sanity check, that's why I asked if other people had the problem.

Thanks again for the inputs, and any additional help about how to interpret the extra features settings.

Rcubed

Hi, you need SmartBurn 3.1.16t (test version) - it's a lot clearer in the settings. Looks like it had some effect already

http://codeguys.rpc1.org/utilities/S...RN-3.1.16t.rar

Hi
Really?
I know it's a personal thing but I'd say that the official 3.1.16 is much clearer as it breaks down the functions further. Hence 3 pages instead of 2.
However 3.1.16t does have Online HT & Clear OPC history button. 2 features if memory serves me correctly are not on 3.1.16.
So your choice is still the better option.

Hi
@ rcubedcuber.
I know it's misleading but in the 2 pics of SmartBurn. The first has SmartBurn enabled & the 2nd has it disabled. The reverse of what you seem to believe. Check carefully.
Note in A it says SmartBurn disabled: NO
This means SmartBurn is still enabled (default setting).
But in B it says SmartBurn disabled: YES
This means you have successfully disabled SmartBurn.

Zebadee, Cressida

Thanks for the inputs. I appreciate your time.

The thing that was messing me up is if in case one it is really enabled, why does the button say Enable Smartburn prior to clicking on it and when clicked goes to case 2 and the button changes to Disable Smartburn? And for case two why does the button say Disable Smartburn prior to clicking on it and then goes to case 1 and changes to Enable Smartburn?

I guess I wasn't sure whether or not to believe what the buttons said or what the text reads. Seems to me the buttons should be swapped between the two cases to be consistent with the actual function and resulting settings. I'll take a look at the one Cressida mentions just to take a look and then decide. I can also do the function from within ImgBurn, there are options there for setting the LiteOn functions. I'll have to check with UK Lightening to see if the ImgBurn settings over ride what the drive is/was set to.

Anyway if case 2 is disabled, it makes the 6X burn worse (based on the overall count of POs and PIs) and the 8X better although I'd never keep such a burned copy. I've got enough coasters after this messing around to host a party With the small scratches on the Verbatim blanks right out of the spool case, that can have an effect on the PO, PI rates when burned that makes it difficult to really establish a baseline. I've been cherry picking to get ones that have no visible scratches for the tests, but then at my age, my eyesight is not too dependable

Cuber

Zebadee, Cressida,

I just tried the 3.1.16t version and yes! Those options are a LOT clearer. Cross checking with the existing 3.1.16 version does agree with case 1 being enabled and case 2 being disabled.

Not to beat a dead horse, maybe its just me, but shouldn't they (LiteOn) reverse the buttons to be consistent? From what I understand about their support that's about as likely to happen as a snow ball lasting in h-ll.

I haven't tried HyperTuning yet. After reading the form thread on the 3.1.16t version, I'm not sure how to interpret the comment about LiteOn disabling OTH when burning with TY03 media and not turning it back on. Is that just for TY03 (16X) or for all TY media? I'll try a post to that forum to find out.

Thanks again,

Rcubed