Hi-Val 16x/10x/40x Burner & Nero OEM v5.5 = 37min to burn a cd?[edit] HI-VAL = JUNK!

[montego]

Ok, Xmas present, a Hi-Val 16x - 10x - 40x burner.
Came with OEM copy of Nero 5.5.

Ive used Nero on my other pc with my TDK burner, so setup was a snap.

Heres what I did
1) Mounted Burner on IDE2 as Master
2) Booted up Pc & went to device manager & enabled DMA for the drive.
3)Rebooted & installed the Nero Software, robooted when prompted during install.

Starting Nero to burn some .mp3s to cd.
(Im using Memorex 16x 700mb 80min cdrs)
1)Start / programs / ahead nero / nero burning rom
2)Selected COMPILE A NEW CD & AUDIOCD in the popup windows.
3)In the Nero burning rom window, I dragged & dropped my .mp3s from my music folder to the left folder.
(no problems here, songs show up on the list & the amount of space used is being filled with the blue bar at the bottom as usual)
(I stopped at 70min since thats all the songs I wanted on the cd)

4)I click FILE / WRITE CD
5)Now heres where it begins to get weird, in the popup window that appears, Test(no actual burning) & Test & Burn are greyed out & Burn box is checked, below that the Write Speed box displays 16x (2400kbs).

Well, Im not used to options being greyed out like that but since it was set to BURN & set to 16x burn speed, I went ahead.

It burned the cd just fine except for the fact it took over 37min!

What in the heck is going on?
My TDK can burn this in about 6min!

This generic Hi-Val 16x / 10x / 40x burner cant be THAT slow & still call itself a 16x burner can it?

Im stumped.
Looking for help and or advice please.

 

[montego]

Problem solved.

When I installed Nero the 1st time I used my PCs cdrom to install it, I un-installed Nero & tried re-installing it with the cd in the HI-VAL drive.

The drive refuses to read the cd, or any other cd for that matter.

I have 3 PCs which = 3cdrom drives, a DVD drive & a TDK Burner & all of them read every cd that I put in them except the HI-VAL burner.

I guess Im lucky I got one burn outta this drive, cuz its reading anything now.(but it heats up pretty good while the "active" light is lit while it tries to read cds)

Xmas present or not, this POS is going back.

I think I read somewhere on this forum that HI-VAL went outta business.
I wonder why. (yeah thats sarcastic humor)

Im getting another TDK.

 

[MrHelpful]

Actually, why not get a Lite-On? They're high-quality, inexpensive drives that rarely fail (I've never heard of a failure on AT). A Lite-On 24x10x40 CD-RW is $80 at Newegg.com, which you probably know is a respectable vendor.

 

[montego]

BTW: The drive was manufactured 10-2001 & is model # BCE 1610/M
Made in CHINA
Manufactured by TOP-G

So I dont believe its one of the rebadged Lite Ons Ive read about HI-VAL selling on this forum.

 

[montego]

Gotta order a Lite On, probably gonna have to do an exchange for store credit where I bought it.

I dont know yet.

I know Lite Ons & Plextors are highly respected but of course Im personally biased to TDK as Ive never had a single problem with the one I have.

I guess we're all like that in a way, when you have a product that works & performs flawless, you tend to get biased toward that manufacturer.

 

[MrHelpful]

Yeah. The only concrete rule is to never buy anything that only CompUSA sells. LOL

^ (insert your crappy all-in-one electronics store if you live somewhere else)

 

[sprockkets]

I wonder if the Aopen drive is Lite On rebaged? Anyhow, it works great, with Nero for $82.