Consumers of recordable media are accustomed to the “X” factor. CDs and DVDs have long been branded by manufacturer name and the read and write speeds of the media (2X, 4X, 8X and so on). While CD-R media has long reached its maximum “burn” speed of 52X, DVD media has just recently achieved its maximum speed, 16X.
With the new 16X media now widely available in the marketplace, some consumers have encountered problems burning on their existing drives. The issue stems not solely from the media itself, but rather the relationship of the media to the drive and its firmware.
Firmware is the software provided by the drive manufacturer that dictates how the drive should perform. When a blank disc is inserted into the drive, the firmware reads the identification code stamped into the media. If the firmware is not up to date with codes for 16X media, then the drive may not recognize the disc and burn it at a lower speed.
According to Jose Neme, National Accounts Manager for Verbatim, the solution may be as simple as a firmware update for your drive. “Updated firmware will load the latest codes and apply them to media. Hopefully with updated firmware, drives will burn media at the drive’s highest manufactured speed.” One exception is that a drive can only burn as fast as for what it is manufactured. For example an 8X drive will only burn at a maximum speed of 8X, even if using 16X media. Equally important to the process is utilizing quality media. “Media manufactures such as Verbatim, work closely with drive manufactures to update codes and certify our media,” he said.
So before burning your next 16X DVD, verify the quality of your media and check your drive manufacturer’s web site for firmware updates and 16X media compatibility. It may just be your ticket back into the fast lane.