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upgraded from USB 1.1 to 2.0, burning is FAST but Shrink is still slow - why?
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karen2003
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3. June 2004 @ 19:39 |
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I've been using Shrink + Nero or Shrink + RecordNow (which came with my Sony DVD recorder) to encode & burn DVDs. Both combinations have worked well but they were very slow -- e.g., 2-3 hours to encode, another 2-3 hours to burn. I figured it was probably my slow USB connection (1.1 version) so I upgraded to USB 2.0. The burning times have shrunk dramatically -- I now burn a whole movie in about 25 minutes. But the encoding time hasn't changed much -- the quickest it's gone is from 1:40 to around :50, which yes is an improvement, but I expected more with 2.0. Today I encoded a movie and it took 1:38, which is just about the same as it took with 1.1. I've checked settings for DMA, always disable everything when encoding & burning, etc. No improvement. Also, if this helps, when DVD Shrink encodes the first DVD of the day that I give it, it starts out slow and I can see it's getting progressively faster, e.g. going from 500 kps (?) to 2,500+ -- which means that the last half of the movie is being encoded much faster than the first half. Is there some reason for all this? Does upgrading from USB 1.1 to 2.0 help speed up burning a lot more than it speeds up encoding? If so could someone tell me why? I like to understand the logic of what's going on as well as seeing it work!! Thanks in advance for any help.
Karen H.--Dell Optiplex GX240, P4 1.50ghz, 256mb RAM (yeah, I need more), Windows XP Pro w/SP1, 80gb c: drive (replaced the 20gb c: that crashed), 126gb i: drive, 124gb j: drive, 500gb external hard drive partitioned into k: and l: drives, Sony DDU1621/C1 DVD-ROM to rip/encode, Sony DRX-530UL to burn, new Sony DRX-840U to burn DL discs ... need a new computer to go with it!!
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Praetor
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3. June 2004 @ 20:27 |
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If you are using a DVD burner to do the ripping it will be slow unless you have a hacked firmware regardless of USB spec or burning speed :)
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karen2003
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3. June 2004 @ 20:56 |
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thanks but um ... "hacked firmware"? Should I look at the Sony site to see if they have an upgrade? OK, more basic question ... what is firmware? (thanks in advance!)
Karen H.--Dell Optiplex GX240, P4 1.50ghz, 256mb RAM (yeah, I need more), Windows XP Pro w/SP1, 80gb c: drive (replaced the 20gb c: that crashed), 126gb i: drive, 124gb j: drive, 500gb external hard drive partitioned into k: and l: drives, Sony DDU1621/C1 DVD-ROM to rip/encode, Sony DRX-530UL to burn, new Sony DRX-840U to burn DL discs ... need a new computer to go with it!!
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3. June 2004 @ 21:35 |
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Ripping and Burning have to do with your burner. But when it comes to encoding, it depends on your computer specs... processor & ram. Also you can try cleaning out all temp files(ie.disk cleanup) and run a disk defrag. That might help.
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karen2003
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3. June 2004 @ 22:33 |
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Great, I'll try your suggestions. Thanks very much!
Karen H.--Dell Optiplex GX240, P4 1.50ghz, 256mb RAM (yeah, I need more), Windows XP Pro w/SP1, 80gb c: drive (replaced the 20gb c: that crashed), 126gb i: drive, 124gb j: drive, 500gb external hard drive partitioned into k: and l: drives, Sony DDU1621/C1 DVD-ROM to rip/encode, Sony DRX-530UL to burn, new Sony DRX-840U to burn DL discs ... need a new computer to go with it!!
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3. June 2004 @ 23:46 |
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Firmware is kind of like a little BIOS in your burner that sets the rip speeds and burn strategy. In the case of most burners, the stock firmware limits the read speed to 2X which is why it's still taking so long to encode despite the switch to USB 2.
A "hacked" firmware is one that somebody has altered in order to allow the burner to rip at full speed - 8X to 12X. They are a "do at your own risk" proposal though, as installing anything other than a Sony certified firmware will void your warranty and a bad hack will ruin your drive. They can and do work quite well however and many users here have them installed.
If you're using a desktop PC a great alternative is to install an inexpensive DVD-ROM to do all your ripping chores since ROMs will typically rip at full speed right out of the box with no alterations. I use a Lite-On 166S which goes for around $30. Of course if you're using a laptop then never mind :)
My killer sig came courtesy of bb "El Jefe" mayo.
The Forum Rules You Agreed To! http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/2487
"And there we saw the giants, and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight" - Numbers 13:33 This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 3. June 2004 @ 23:48
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karen2003
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4. June 2004 @ 16:45 |
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I like the idea of buying a cheapo DVD reader to do the ripping (right now my Sony is getting a huge amount of use as I back up my couple of hundred store-bought DVDs) but do they make external USB versions? I know nothing about the inside of my computer. (I know, I know, I should learn, but there's too much other stuff to learn first ...) Thanks!
Karen H.--Dell Optiplex GX240, P4 1.50ghz, 256mb RAM (yeah, I need more), Windows XP Pro w/SP1, 80gb c: drive (replaced the 20gb c: that crashed), 126gb i: drive, 124gb j: drive, 500gb external hard drive partitioned into k: and l: drives, Sony DDU1621/C1 DVD-ROM to rip/encode, Sony DRX-530UL to burn, new Sony DRX-840U to burn DL discs ... need a new computer to go with it!!
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Moderator
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4. June 2004 @ 16:48 |
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karen2003,
If you can't find an external dvd-rom, you can buy a enclosure box which is usb. Also I don't think I've ever seen a external dvd-rom... but good luck.
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4. June 2004 @ 17:25 |
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Quote:
I know nothing about the inside of my computer. (I know, I know, I should learn, but there's too much other stuff to learn first ...) Thanks!
It can seem pretty intimidating but is actually fairly straightforward and ends up being pretty fun :)
When I first got the itch to start building my first PC I went to the bookstore and bought an inexpensive "do it yourself" type book about upgrading. It covered the basics and helped me a lot since no one else I knew was into computers. Swapping out a drive is about as easy as it gets so if you feel adventurous pick up a book and have a little fun - it'll pay off in the long run :)
Just think, you also have all of us here at your disposal for questions and help!
My killer sig came courtesy of bb "El Jefe" mayo.
The Forum Rules You Agreed To! http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/2487
"And there we saw the giants, and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight" - Numbers 13:33
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karen2003
Member
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4. June 2004 @ 22:44 |
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You're right, I should be more adventurous about this stuff (plus I hate playing the helpless female!!). I watched the tech guys install a new hard drive & the PCI card for the USB 2.0 upgrade and it didn't look too bad. Still, there's something scary about opening up the guts of my computer -- I'm afraid I'll screw something up. I'll take your advice & go check out a couple of books. I'll definitely be back with questions!! Thanks again!
Karen H.--Dell Optiplex GX240, P4 1.50ghz, 256mb RAM (yeah, I need more), Windows XP Pro w/SP1, 80gb c: drive (replaced the 20gb c: that crashed), 126gb i: drive, 124gb j: drive, 500gb external hard drive partitioned into k: and l: drives, Sony DDU1621/C1 DVD-ROM to rip/encode, Sony DRX-530UL to burn, new Sony DRX-840U to burn DL discs ... need a new computer to go with it!!
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Praetor
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6. June 2004 @ 09:37 |
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Quote:
I like the idea of buying a cheapo DVD reader to do the ripping (right now my Sony is getting a huge amount of use as I back up my couple of hundred store-bought DVDs) but do they make external USB versions?
Cheapo and external typically dont go together :) You should be able to find a cheap 16X LG internal DVDROM without a problem tho and, as i have been told, they read both +R and -R discs (i somehow have one that doesnt read +R)
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