DVD Copy problem

[Russell Thaw]

Facts: I have an IBM T41 laptop. I'm using a Plextor PX-740a 1.02 (18x) DVD burner. I use IMG Burn to write to disk. The burner is hooked up through a USB 2.0 port (using a PCMCIA card).

Question? The copy process is way slow (usually takes 30-40 minutes to copy), and the burn process is slow (15-20 minutes). Is there anything I can do to speed this up? I have another laptop (HP, same chip as IBM, USB 2.0 through express card, IMG Burn, but using LG 18x external burner instead of Plextor PX-740a external burner).

The HP/LG unit is 3 times as fast as the IBM. Both the HP and the IBM have the same DVD Fab settings (I think) - anybody have any ideas on speeding up the IBM?

[signals]

I suspect it is the PCMCIA interface that is the problem. This places probably two extra chipsets and an API between your optical drive and your operating system, and is only one third the speed of native USB 2.0. Try the Plextor drive on the HP USB port and see how it does. Would still be better off with a USB controller on the motherboard.

[maineman]

Have you tried swapping the ext drives, ie., the LG and the Plextor...in order to isolate the cause?
See if the slow rip/burn times is reproduced either with the Plextor or with the IBM lappie.

Please verify that the Fab settings are, in fact, the same.

//Edit: Hey pard...I see I'm slow again

[signals]

hehe, it comes to us all sooner or later.