Lite-On 411S DVD-R burning problems (long)

[manko]

I'm just starting out with a new Lite-On LDW-411S DVD burner, but so far things aren't looking good. I'm trying to give this thing a workout this week to decide whether or not I should return it, but I'm hoping not to spend a multiple of the drive's cost on testing tons of different media.

I'm looking for opinions on whether I should return this and go for something else (like the NEC ND-1300A, ND2500, Plextor PX-708A, Pioneer DVR-A06 or something else). And I'm also looking for any tips that might get the Lite-On working better.

Here's the story:

I've got a Lite-On 411S (manuf. Oct 03, originally with FS05 firmware). I flashed it to FS0F firmware and have been testing Fujifilm 4x DVD-R (TYG01 Taiyo Yuden). I'm using DVD-R rather that another format, because I'm burning data backups that I want to be readable on older PC DVD-Roms that don't read DVD+R. I'm only testing simple data file ISO discs, I haven't even gotten into trying DVD video yet.

I'm running WindowsXP Pro with latest updates on a P3-800 with an Asus CUBX Motherboard and the burner is in UDMA 2 mode on the Secondary IDE Master (UDMA33) with a LTR-163 DVD-Rom as the Slave. AutoInsert is disabled.

First try: burning files to an ISO with the bundled Sonic Recordnow DX 4.6 (with latest update), seemed to burn fine, but failed the verify: "Error-10 at sector 1766736 - command 28 sense:03 ASC: 11 ASCQ:00". According to the help file, this error is an "unrecoverable read error". I can read some of the files on the Lite-On burner, but Windows locks up trying to read the disc in my other DVD-Rom drive.

After this failure, I changed the Secondary IDE to PIO, then back to UDMA2 and uninstalled/reinstalled the Secondary IDE channel and DVD drives in the device manager. I also unplugged my broadband and shut down NortonAV and Zonealarm.

Second try: with Nero 5.5.10.35 burned and verified 100%. This disc seems to have burned correctly and it does load in my plain DVD-Rom drive (after a lot of seeking). This got my hopes up.

Third try: with Nero burned ok, but failed the verify:

10:55:10 PM

#33 SCSI -1033 File Cdrdrv.cpp, Line 1215
SCSI Exec, HA 1, TA 0, LUN 0
Status: 0x04 (0x01, SCSI_ERR)
HA-Status 0x00 (0x00, OK)
TA-Status 0x02 (0x01, SCSI_TASTATUS_CHKCOND)
Sense Key: 0x02 (KEY_NOT_READY)
Sense Code: 0x04
Sense Qual: 0x01
CDB Data: 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x

00 0x00 0x00
Sense Data: 0x70 0x00 0x02 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x0A
0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x04 0x01

10:55:14 PM #34 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 227
Write in overburning mode: FALSE

11:03:50 PM #35 VERIFYERR 6 File UDFCompilationImpl.cpp, Line

5946
Read error on CD file
svcd\26P 2997.MPS

11:08:40 PM #36 VERIFYERR 13 File UDFCompilationImpl.cpp, Line

6483
Status summary
Total files=81, identical=80, different=0, inaccessible=1,

skipped=0

11:08:40 PM #37 Phase 81 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1655
Data verification failed

11:08:40 PM #38 Text 0 File Scsicmd.cpp, Line 406
SCSI not using temporary buffers
20 out of 20 temporary buffers allocated


Existing drivers:
File 'Drivers\ASPI32.SYS': Ver=4.60 (1021), size=25244 bytes, created 9/9/1999 11:06:00 PM
File 'Drivers\PXHELP20.SYS': Ver=2.02.62a, size=20016 bytes, created 12/29/2003 7:16:36 PM (Prassi/Veritas driver for win 2K)
File 'Drivers\atapi.sys': Ver=5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920), size=86912 bytes, created 8/29/2002 2:27:50 AM (Adapter driver for rec)

So, 2 out of 3 burns were bad with a supposedly good firmware, very high quality media and proper settings (as far as I can tell from scouring the net).

I'm going to continue testing with different combinations of settings, but so far I am discouraged. I will try burning at slower speeds, though these Taiyo Yudens are rated for 4x. If I get consistently good burns at 2x with high quality 4x media and hit-and-miss burns at 4x, this drive is going back to the store. I might be able to live with 2x for smooth playback of video DVDs, but not for general data burning.

Should I stick with this drive and try to work out its "quirks"? How many coasters should I burn before I throw in the towel?

Any other tips that I missed to make this drive work?

 

[mrweirdo]

have you tryed removing the secondary drive from the system? I have heard having two drives can cause problems with this liteon burner. I dont think you would need two optical drives in your system anyways unless you were doing a lot of drive to drive copying.

I also have the Lite-On LDW-411S and it is working perfectly for me burning at 4x all the time with many different types of media. I did have one coaster with a tdk(ritek) dvd-r the first time i used the drive with nero though after a firmware update and nero update to its latest version I no longer have any problems.

 

[manko]

Thanks for the suggestion. I may try and see what happens when I take out the secondary slave DVD-Rom (LTD-163), but I really prefer to have both in. The plain DVD-Rom is the workhorse reading/playing cds and dvds, I only use my burner (the 411S is replacing a Lite-On 40x CD-RW...which was great btw) when I'm recording to reduce wear and tear and chances of dust getting in, etc. Also, I think the LTD-163 actually rips faster than the 411S.

 

[manko]

^ for daytime crowd

Anyone have a suggestion for other good burning software to try with this drive besides Recordnow and Nero for files (not DVD video)?

 

[poppyq]

I'd say for files Nero should be fine. I never really did like the RecordNow software.

 

[fatkorean]

I got one also and so far.. ive burnt nothing but coasters.. :/

Used nero, sonicdvd, both didnt work. Tried with the pinnacle 9 SE and that burned it. .but it reads it really slow.. a lot of seeking and the video is.. slow.. like im running something cpu intensive in the background :/ not good so far.. havn't had a lot of time to test it with various drive configurations, ie alone, master, slave etc..

-fk

 

[manko]

I finally seem to have got it working with DVD-R and Sonic Recordnow DX with the FS0G firmware that was released last week, then removed from Lite-On's site. Unfortunately, the firmware was removed because it has known bugs with other media (DVD-RW or +RW, I think).

I haven't had a very good experience with this one. I think the 411S can be hit-and-miss, some people get relatively consistent ones that work with FS0F firmware and are less picky about media, then others like mine (and maybe yours) are tough to get working at all, no matter what you try to do.

 

[Pacinamac23]

I have been burning assloads of coasters too with Pine -R 4x media (it only allows me to burn at 2x).

The burns always go great until I get to the leadout, where it often proceeds to do a whole lot of nothing. I get this error frequently:

6:05:22 PM #32 CDR -1176 File ThreadedTransferInterface.cpp, Line 1659
Session fixation error

6:05:22 PM #33 TRANSFER -24 File ThreadedTransferInterface.cpp, Line 1659
Could not perform end of Disc-at-once

It has been very frusterating. I am not sure if it is Nero 6 settings or what. Initially I burned about 5 video DVDs and they were flawless and now suddenly I get coaster after coaster at the leadout.

 

[manko]

I got the same error in Nero. My only suggestion is to use some other software like Recordnow. I also did a test with GEAR DVD that seemed to work. And again for me, it only worked with firmware FS0G and not any other.

Also, this drive likes high quality media (usually ones made in Japan), like TY, TDK, Fujifilm, Maxell, Mitsubishi, Ritek. I'm not sure who makes Pine discs.

In my case, I think I'm going to return this drive...

 

[InlineFive]

Earlier revisions of Lite-On drives usually are somewhat buggy and have bad media support. Why don't you try the latest firmware for your drive here. The latest firmware fixed lots of issues with my 401S and now I am cruising!

-Por

 

[Pacinamac23]

I am trying Nero 5.5

I just popped in a 4x DVD-R disc and it gives me options to burn it at 2x and at 2.4x. Are DVD-Rs even capable at doing 2.4? I thought only +R could do 2.4x. . . .

 

[manko]

Not sure about the 2.4x thing, but I can tell you I had problems with both my old Nero 5.5 which used to be rock solid with CD-Rs and problems with Nero 6.3. In all my tests, I got one good burn from 5.5 but my other attempts with 5.5 and 6.3 were coasters.

cdfreaks Lite-On forum has a lot of accounts of people with problems with Nero and also good troubleshooting info.

 

[Pacinamac23]

Originally posted by: manko
Not sure about the 2.4x thing, but I can tell you I had problems with both my old Nero 5.5 which used to be rock solid with CD-Rs and problems with Nero 6.3. In all my tests, I got one good burn from 5.5 but my other attempts with 5.5 and 6.3 were coasters.

cdfreaks Lite-On forum has a lot of accounts of people with problems with Nero and also good troubleshooting info.

I just tried a burn in Nero 5.5 and it worked well. Gonna run a few more tests. Nero 6 is absolute crap.