Device buffer fluctuates like crazy but discs burn fine

[HorseyBoy]

Hi guys,

I'm not having problems with my burns, so this is more a question out of curiosity than anything. I've noticed the device buffer of my LG BE06 (an external USB burner) goes up and down like crazy while it's burning Verbatim BD-R discs. Note that it's only the device buffer - the other buffer stays at 100% - but it dips to around 20% or so then rises again to 80% and keeps jumping around for the duration of the burn. As I said, I have absolutely no problems with the burn: nothing is reported in the ImgBurn log, the discs verify and play just fine. Everything is fine. But I'm wondering if it's anything to worry about or of it's just normal behaviour for the drive. Do some drives (especially USB drives) just work that way? Is it just doing a bunch of OPC calculations? Is it because it's also verifying as it burns (BD-R Verify Not Required is disabled)? What's going on?

[mmalves]

Sounds like the data isn't being sent fast enough to the burner. Post the log of one of such burns and also the Graph Data File that's specified in that log (for both look in ImgBurn's Help menu).

[HorseyBoy]

Here's the log and the graph data (as a png file).

As I said, the log is fine. Shows no problems at all. The graph data shows the device buffer jumping around.

 

I 10:02:11 ImgBurn Version 2.5.0.0 started!
I 10:02:11 Microsoft Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600 : Service Pack 3)
I 10:02:11 Total Physical Memory: 523,752 KB  -  Available: 311,348 KB
I 10:02:11 Initialising SPTI...
I 10:02:11 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices...
I 10:02:11 Found 1 HD DVD-ROM/BD-RE!
I 10:02:51 Operation Started!
I 10:02:51 Building Image Tree...
I 10:02:57 Corrected file system selection for Blu-ray Video disc.
I 10:02:57 Corrected UDF revision selection for Blu-ray Video disc.
I 10:02:57 Calculating Totals...
I 10:02:57 Preparing Image...
I 10:02:57 Contents: 67 Files, 9 Folders
I 10:02:57 Content Type: BD Video
I 10:02:57 Data Type: MODE1/2048
I 10:02:57 File System(s): UDF (2.50)
I 10:02:57 Volume Label: [Not Configured]
I 10:02:57 Size: 21,689,858,148 bytes
I 10:02:57 Sectors: 10,590,790
I 10:02:57 Image Size: 21,691,105,280 bytes
I 10:02:57 Image Sectors: 10,591,360
I 10:02:57 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:00:06
I 10:04:19 Operation Started!
I 10:04:19 Building Image Tree...
I 10:04:33 Calculating Totals...
I 10:04:33 Preparing Image...
I 10:04:33 Contents: 67 Files, 9 Folders
I 10:04:33 Content Type: BD Video
I 10:04:33 Data Type: MODE1/2048
I 10:04:33 File System(s): UDF (2.50)
I 10:04:33 Volume Label: ?????
I 10:04:33 Size: 21,689,858,148 bytes
I 10:04:33 Sectors: 10,590,790
I 10:04:33 Image Size: 21,691,105,280 bytes
I 10:04:33 Image Sectors: 10,591,360
I 10:04:42 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:00:22
I 10:04:42 Operation Started!
I 10:04:42 Source File: -==/\/[bUILD IMAGE]\/\==-
I 10:04:42 Source File Sectors: 10,591,360 (MODE1/2048)
I 10:04:42 Source File Size: 21,691,105,280 bytes
I 10:04:42 Source File Volume Identifier: ????
I 10:04:42 Source File Application Identifier: ImgBurn v2.5.0.0
I 10:04:42 Source File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn
I 10:04:42 Source File File System(s): UDF (2.50)
I 10:04:42 Destination Device: [1:0:0] HL-DT-ST BD-RE  BE06LU10 YE05 (D:) (ATA)
I 10:04:42 Destination Media Type: BD-R (Disc ID: VERBAT-IMc-00) (Speeds: 2x, 4x, 6x)
I 10:04:42 Destination Media Sectors: 12,219,392
I 10:04:42 Write Mode: BD
I 10:04:42 Write Type: DAO
I 10:04:42 Write Speed: MAX
I 10:04:42 BD-R Verify Not Required: No
I 10:04:42 Link Size: Auto
I 10:04:42 Lock Volume: Yes
I 10:04:42 Test Mode: No
I 10:04:42 OPC: Yes
I 10:04:42 BURN-Proof: Enabled
I 10:04:44 Filling Buffer... (20 MB)
I 10:04:47 Writing LeadIn...
I 10:04:48 Writing Session 1 of 1... (1 Track, LBA: 0 - 10591359)
I 10:04:48 Writing Track 1 of 1... (MODE1/2048, LBA: 0 - 10591359)
I 10:28:15 Synchronising Cache...
I 10:28:16 Closing Track...
I 10:28:17 Finalising Disc...
I 10:28:26 Exporting Graph Data...
I 10:28:27 Graph Data File: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\ImgBurn\Graph Data Files\HL-DT-ST_BD-RE_BE06LU10_YE05_THURSDAY-DECEMBER-24-2009_10-04_AM_VERBAT-IMc-00_MAX.ibg
I 10:28:27 Export Successfully Completed!
I 10:28:27 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:23:44
I 10:28:27 Average Write Rate: 15,055 KB/s (3.3x) - Maximum Write Rate: 20,288 KB/s (4.5x)
I 10:28:27 Cycling Tray before Verify...
W 10:28:30 Waiting for device to become ready...
I 10:28:52 Device Ready!
I 10:28:53 Operation Started!
I 10:28:53 Source Device: [1:0:0] HL-DT-ST BD-RE  BE06LU10 YE05 (D:) (ATA)
I 10:28:53 Source Media Type: BD-R (Disc ID: VERBAT-IMc-00) (Speeds: 2x, 4x, 6x)
I 10:28:53 Image File: -==/\/[bUILD IMAGE]\/\==-
I 10:28:53 Image File Sectors: 10,591,360 (MODE1/2048)
I 10:28:53 Image File Size: 21,691,105,280 bytes
I 10:28:53 Image File Volume Identifier: ????
I 10:28:53 Image File Application Identifier: ImgBurn v2.5.0.0
I 10:28:53 Image File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn
I 10:28:53 Image File File System(s): UDF (2.50)
I 10:28:53 Read Speed (Data/Audio): MAX / MAX
I 10:28:53 Verifying Session 1 of 1... (1 Track, LBA: 0 - 10591359)
I 10:28:53 Verifying Track 1 of 1... (MODE1/2048, LBA: 0 - 10591359)
I 10:53:50 Exporting Graph Data...
I 10:53:50 Graph Data File: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\ImgBurn\Graph Data Files\HL-DT-ST_BD-RE_BE06LU10_YE05_THURSDAY-DECEMBER-24-2009_10-04_AM_VERBAT-IMc-00_MAX.ibg
I 10:53:50 Export Successfully Completed!
I 10:53:50 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:24:56
I 10:53:50 Average Verify Rate: 14,159 KB/s (3.1x) - Maximum Verify Rate: 21,425 KB/s (4.8x)
I 10:58:34 Close Request Acknowledged
I 10:58:34 Closing Down...
I 10:58:34 Shutting down SPTI...
I 10:58:34 ImgBurn closed!

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Hmm that's odd, you said it's an external USB burner and yet the OS reports it as being connected via 'ATA'.

 

To me it just looks like your system can't cope with > 20MB/s transfer speeds. That's why it get progressively worse as you get over 4x.

[HorseyBoy]

Hmm that's odd, you said it's an external USB burner and yet the OS reports it as being connected via 'ATA'.

 

To me it just looks like your system can't cope with > 20MB/s transfer speeds. That's why it get progressively worse as you get over 4x.

 

Yes, it's a USB burner but it's reported as an ATA drive because it's running in a virtual machine (VMWare Fusion) and the virtual machine is set to see it as a physical drive (setting it as a USB drive just doesn't work).

Looks like I should probably just slow the burns down to 2x, although as I said, even though the device buffer jumps around the burns have been flawless. Would it be better (safer) for the drive and the burns to do that?

Oh, and Merry Christmas to everyone!

[LIGHTNING UK!]

You'd be better off using a speed the drive can stick at without having to use the 'burnproof' feature. So yeah, stick to 2x.

[HorseyBoy]

You'd be better off using a speed the drive can stick at without having to use the 'burnproof' feature. So yeah, stick to 2x.

 

Thanks, Lightning. I'll give it a go and report back.

[HorseyBoy]

As expected, I tried another disc set to 2x speed and it worked just fine - no issue with the device buffer whatsoever. The only problem was the disc actually burned at 1x speed (and man, was it slow) even though I'd set it to 2x speed. I'm guessing my LG drive has the same write speed miscompare bug as reported here: http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=11300

Here's the log, just for kicks:-)

I 12:07:29 Operation Started!
I 12:07:29 Building Image Tree...
I 12:07:36 Corrected file system selection for Blu-ray Video disc.
I 12:07:36 Corrected UDF revision selection for Blu-ray Video disc.
I 12:07:36 Calculating Totals...
I 12:07:36 Preparing Image...
I 12:07:36 Contents: 169 Files, 16 Folders
I 12:07:36 Content Type: BD Video
I 12:07:36 Data Type: MODE1/2048
I 12:07:36 File System(s): UDF (2.50)
I 12:07:36 Volume Label: [Not Configured]
I 12:07:36 Size: 43,293,713,595 bytes
I 12:07:36 Sectors: 21,139,604
I 12:07:36 Image Size: 43,295,571,968 bytes
I 12:07:36 Image Sectors: 21,140,416
I 12:07:36 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:00:07
I 12:08:22 Operation Started!
I 12:08:22 Building Image Tree...
I 12:09:00 Calculating Totals...
I 12:09:00 Preparing Image...
I 12:09:00 Contents: 169 Files, 16 Folders
I 12:09:00 Content Type: BD Video
I 12:09:00 Data Type: MODE1/2048
I 12:09:00 File System(s): UDF (2.50)
I 12:09:00 Volume Label: ????
I 12:09:00 Size: 43,293,713,595 bytes
I 12:09:00 Sectors: 21,139,604
I 12:09:00 Image Size: 43,295,571,968 bytes
I 12:09:00 Image Sectors: 21,140,416
I 12:09:16 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:00:54
I 12:09:17 Operation Started!
I 12:09:17 Source File: -==/\/[bUILD IMAGE]\/\==-
I 12:09:17 Source File Sectors: 21,140,416 (MODE1/2048)
I 12:09:17 Source File Size: 43,295,571,968 bytes
I 12:09:17 Source File Volume Identifier: ????
I 12:09:17 Source File Application Identifier: ImgBurn v2.5.0.0
I 12:09:17 Source File Implementation Identifier: ImgBurn
I 12:09:17 Source File File System(s): UDF (2.50)
I 12:09:17 Destination Device: [1:0:0] HL-DT-ST BD-RE  BE06LU10 YE05 (D:) (ATA)
I 12:09:17 Destination Media Type: BD-R (Disc ID: VERBAT-IMf-00) (Speeds: 2x, 4x)
I 12:09:17 Destination Media Sectors: 24,438,784
I 12:09:17 Write Mode: BD
I 12:09:17 Write Type: DAO
I 12:09:17 Write Speed: 2x
I 12:09:17 BD-R Verify Not Required: No
I 12:09:17 Link Size: Auto
I 12:09:17 Lock Volume: Yes
I 12:09:17 Test Mode: No
I 12:09:17 OPC: Yes
I 12:09:17 BURN-Proof: Enabled
W 12:09:17 Write Speed Miscompare! - Wanted: 8,991 KB/s (2x), Got: 17,982 KB/s (4x)
I 12:09:17 Filling Buffer... (20 MB)
I 12:09:19 Writing LeadIn...
I 12:09:20 Writing Session 1 of 1... (1 Track, LBA: 0 - 21140415)
I 12:09:20 Writing Track 1 of 1... (MODE1/2048, LBA: 0 - 21140415)
I 14:51:11 Synchronising Cache...
I 14:51:13 Closing Track...
I 14:51:14 Finalising Disc...
I 14:51:38 Exporting Graph Data...
I 14:51:39 Graph Data File: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\ImgBurn\Graph Data Files\HL-DT-ST_BD-RE_BE06LU10_YE05_SATURDAY-DECEMBER-26-2009_12-09_PM_VERBAT-IMf-00_2x.ibg
I 14:51:39 Export Successfully Completed!
I 14:51:39 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 02:42:21
I 14:51:39 Average Write Rate: 4,354 KB/s (1.0x) - Maximum Write Rate: 6,246 KB/s (1.4x)

[LIGHTNING UK!]

I 12:09:17 BD-R Verify Not Required: No

 

You've changed that, enabled it again.

[HorseyBoy]

I 12:09:17 BD-R Verify Not Required: No

 

You've changed that, enabled it again.

 

I'm not sure what you mean: I didn't change it. It's the same on both burns. But if enabling it will make a difference, I'll give it a go:-)

[LIGHTNING UK!]

The default is enabled so someone/something has changed it somewhere.

 

If the drive decides it wants to verify as it goes along, it'll take ages to burn.

 

Telling the drive that it's not required should prevent that from happening - and that's what that option does.

[HorseyBoy]

The default is enabled so someone/something has changed it somewhere.

 

If the drive decides it wants to verify as it goes along, it'll take ages to burn.

 

Telling the drive that it's not required should prevent that from happening - and that's what that option does.

 

This will surprise no one, but you were 100% right:-) Enabling BD-R Verify Not Required did the trick: burned flawlessly at the chosen speed (2x), not buffer problems anywhere. Thanks, Lightning.