How to run two dvd writers? help!

[excetara2]

I have two dvd writers. I was wondering whether it is better or faster to run them on separate IDE channels as both master. Or to have them on the same dvd channel as master and slave? Thanks a lot. Or does it rally make a difference?

 

[n7]

I'd run them on separate channels, especially if you want to burn simultaneously.

I've never done it myself though, so heed the advice of someone who has over mine, if they arrive in this thread :thumbsup:

 

[Some1ne]

I agree, if you intend to use them simultaneously (whether burning with both at the same time, or reading from one while burning with the other), put them on seperate channels.

 

[bob4432]

how many hdds are you running? what is your setup? pesonally i don't think it would matter since even @ 16x that is only ~20MB/s and a ata100/133 channel can, in theory handle ~100MB/s.

somebody else may better explain this and correct me...

 

[excetara2]

I was wondering because i have one sata hard drive. Another ide drive. I didn't know whether it was better to run them both separately. Then I would leave the hard drive out of the case. Or if they run a lot better on separate channels. Would it be better to have both of them on the same channel? OR a hard drive and burner on the same channel. A burner on a separate channel. Thanks a lot.

 

[bob4432]

i really don't think it will matter. usually when i build a machine w 2xoptical drives i put them on the same channel because of the placement of the hdds vs the optical drives, but i have never run 2x 16x dvd burners...

are you going to be burning 2 items at the exact same time? because in theory if they are 16x and when they hit the max burning speed (which is not the whole time, just near the end, you will be moving about 45MB/s and most new hdds have a str of 50-55MB/s, so it might be close, if possible to burn both @ 16x. or burning on the fly? if you could give more info on what you are doing i think i could help you better, also what are your system specs.

also, welcome to the forums

 

[Steven the Leech]

I have mine on two seperate channels. Usually burn them two at a time at 8x, The buffer gets used up at times, even at 8x, but they burn good, and rarely have a coaster. I would definitely put them on different channels if you can.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: Steven the Leech
I have mine on two seperate channels. Usually burn them two at a time at 8x, The buffer gets used up at times, even at 8x, but they burn good, and rarely have a coaster. I would definitely put them on different channels if you can.

are you burning movies or a lot of small data files?

 

[LED]

Use seperate channels esp when burning on the Fly...

 

[dguy6789]

IDE only supports one data flow per cable at a time. That means it can only read at one time, or write at one time, and it also has to alternate between each device when doing this as it cannot access two devices simultaneously, so you have some serious bottlenecking going on.

Put each drive on a separate channel if possible.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: dguy6789
IDE only supports one data flow per cable at a time. That means it can only read at one time, or write at one time, and it also has to alternate between each device when doing this as it cannot access two devices simultaneously, so you have some serious bottlenecking going on.

Put each drive on a separate channel if possible.

how does this work if you have a master hdd and slave optical drive and you burn from the hdd that is on the same channel as your optical drive?

before all this sata stuff there were usually only 2 ide ports which supported 4 drives and it worked then, unless you had scsi

and also, who burns movies "on the fly?" the reader can't keep up with the writer even if there is no encryption/transcoding...

to the op, just try them out each way and let us know how it works out...

 

[LED]

bob4432 1st off chipset Technology has advanced where 2 IDE device on a chain can read simutanoulsy but can not write...2nd what makes you thinl that 1 16XDVD Optical Reader can not keep up with a 8 or 16x Writer?

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: LED
bob4432 1st off chipset Technology has advanced where 2 IDE device on a chain can read simutanoulsy but can not write...2nd what makes you thinl that 1 16XDVD Optical Reader can not keep up with a 8 or 16x Writer?

i was not aware of your first answer, but for your second answer it has been through personal use on my equipment and many friends equipment, and a i am basing my suggesitons,conclusions on movies and data, either with our without encrytpion/transcoding.

i have use many dvd roms/burners from pioneer, nec, lg, liteon, sony, etc and not many could sustain more than 6-10x read speed, with files that were not even movies, but large files like 700MB true image backups or ghost backups. this was done on a machine that had that particular optical drive set as the master, nothing on the slave channel and going to a scsi hdd, and this was all that the machine was doing, no multitasking.

if you could tell me how to get my reads faster i would greatly appreciate it as it would save me a great deal of time.