Unfortunately I can't check it myself for known reasons . So asking here: 4x, 8x, 12x, 16? What do you suggest? Of course, burned media quality (not burn time) is top priority. What is the optimal burn speed for this specific media and burner?

Thanks for the answers.

Welcome to the forum

Usually 16x media give better results @12x or @16x.

With latest NEC/Optiarc MCC004 discs can be burned also @18x with very good results.

My 4163B (A106) is good with them at 12x.

Thanks for fast replies. What about slower speeds like 4x or 8x? Would you recommend them (or not) and why? Is quality worse @4x or @8x?

MCC004 is good media, so usually does well at higher speeds. sometimes burning slower can actually make things worse.

I only recommend slower (like 4x) burning on mediocre or crappy media.

In my experience MCC004 media give very bad results if burned slower than 8x.

ok, so what is the "safe"/"safest" burn speed for this drive+media? 8x?

so you say 4x results in worse quality than 8x/12x?

ps I have latest official A106 F/W? Is it optimal/best ATM or is there something better for this drive (any modded F/W)? Also, can we expect any further F/W from LG for this drive or is A106 definitely the last one?

In my experience safest speed is 12x.

But I admit that it's burner/firmware/batch of media related.

I was able to burn some MCC004 @18x with excellent results

btw: do you have/could post here some example quality scans (in Nero CD/DVD Speed) for MCC004 burned on 4163B @ different speeds (4/8/12/16)? (Checked on another drive supporting quality parameter read-outs of course). TIA!

Burn some at 12x and some at 8x and compare. There is no way that someone on here can give you a definite answer since every burner and media are a little different. Personally, I have had my best luck from 8x-12x on my x-flashed Pioneer 111L 8.29 firmware with MCC 004, but your results may vary.

I can't post that comparison because I don't have a 4163 drive. I posted a lot of scans around in the forum done with my other drives, and with all my drives I found that safest speed is 12x

btw, I agree with CBMC: each drive is different, and also media variability is so high that only doing tests by yourself you can answer to this question

@CBMC: Pioneer and LG are different stories so it's obvious that "but your results may vary." I'm asking folks with 4163B with experience in burning this specific media (MCC004) @ varied speeds.


> I was able to burn some MCC004 @18x with excellent results

geno888, which burner are you talking about here? 4163B? Don't think so...

I agree that you're best off getting a LiteOn drive to scan with, and testing your own results.

I can do you some scans tomorrow, but do bear in mind the remarks above about each drive being different and having different quirks.

> In my experience MCC004 media give very bad results if burned slower than 8x.

on various burners alike, including 4163B?

> I can do you some scans tomorrow

Arachne, thanks for the offer - please do them and post here. Will be waiting. Could you do this: burn some MCC004 on 4163B @4x/8x/12x/16x and make scans on your BenQ?

My Pioneer 111 (FW1.29) seems to have the best results with MCC004 (MII, Moser Baer) at 8x speed.
4x and 12x are okay, but not as good as 8x.

But your drive and media may be different though.

Yep, the BenQ will have to be the 1640 though, as I don't have either of my 1650s installed right now

I burned @18x with my Sony/NEC. As I said, I don't own a 4163, so I can't post results specific for this burner. I was referring about my experience with different burners (mainly liteon 1693, Pioneer 111D, Benq 1640, LG 4167) on MCC004 media.

I've had excellent burns at 12x with MCC004 Verbs on my 4167. In fact my LG loves them. Wouldn't go below 8x.

> Yep, the BenQ will have to be the 1640 though

np - as I said - waiting for your test results. Are your Verb (to be used in tests) MCC004 made in Taiwan, too - or elsewhere?

In my experience it burns well at all speeds from 1x and upwards, except for bad MCC 004 media which may not burn too well at the fastest speeds (16x, 18x) in some drives.

If burns at low speeds with MCC 004 are bad, then it's because of poor firmware support.

> I was referring about my experience with different burners (..) LG 4167

@geno888: and what was optimal speed for 4167 and MCC004 if you remember? Asking because 4167 and 4163 should be similar..

Yep, all MIT

I never did extensive tests: I have not enough media to do this

After a couple of coasters, I gave up

@yakaza
I'm not sure that 4167 and 4163 are so similar drives. My 4167 give better results @12x, but again it's related also with firmware and with batch of media.

Right now I don't have anymore my LG4167 because it was damaged and I did a RMA. I'm still waiting for the substitution (I did the RMA more than one month ago )

> Yep, all MIT

ok. Can you say when (~) tomorrow will you be testing them/posting results (evening/afternoon etc)? I'm from Europe.