Not a specific IMGBurn fault but curious why my Blu-Ray drive burns to BD-R discs fine but not CD's ?

[BlizzardUK]

I had to get a replacement drive recently, Pioneer BDR-206D, for my Primera Bravo SE as it suddenly stopped burning BD-Rs. So I got the replacement, a 2nd hand one from Ebay, and now I find this replacement drive can burn BD-Rs fine but not audio CDs, whenever I try and burn a CD (in any software) it just either doesn't go beyond lead-in or will crap out half way through. The crazy thing is this is the same sort of problem I got with my last drive but that was BD-Rs that wouldn't burn and CDs were fine, it is like it has just swapped around. I have tried different brand blank CDs, same result. 

I burn primarily BD-Rs, so I guess I can understand why my previous drive eventually stopped working as I guess the blue laser wore out. Do I presume this is likely to be the same issue but this time it is the CD laser ? I can only use Pioneer BD-206D drives as I have to use specific firmware from Primera so it has to be a specific drive. In the UK I can't see any for sale now. I have not yet tried a DVD. Can anyone tell me what lasers are used inside a drive, one for CDs, one for DVDs, and one for BD-Rs ? So one can wear out before the others ? 

Below is an example of a fail............

I 00:25:27 Operation Started!
I 00:25:27 Source File: H:\Vol 1.cue
I 00:25:27 Source File Sectors: 257,900 (AUDIO/2352)
I 00:25:27 Source File Size: 606,580,800 bytes
I 00:25:27 Source File File System(s): None
I 00:25:27 Destination Device: [0:0:0] PIONEER BD-RW   BDR-206D 9.06 (I:) (USB)
I 00:25:27 Destination Media Type: CD-R (Disc ID: 97m26s66f, CMC Magnetics Corp.)
I 00:25:27 Destination Media Supported Write Speeds: 4x, 10x, 16x, 24x, 32x, 40x
I 00:25:27 Destination Media Sectors: 359,844
I 00:25:27 Write Mode: CD
I 00:25:27 Write Type: SAO
I 00:25:27 Write Speed: 16x
I 00:25:27 Lock Volume: Yes
I 00:25:27 Test Mode: No
I 00:25:27 OPC: No
I 00:25:27 BURN-Proof: Enabled
I 00:25:27 Write Speed Successfully Set! - Effective: 2,823 KB/s (16x)
I 00:25:27 Advanced Settings - Optimal Writing Speed: No
I 00:25:28 Filling Buffer... (256 MiB)
I 00:25:29 Writing LeadIn...
W 00:26:19 Failed to Write Sectors 432 - 458 - Reason: The semaphore timeout period has expired.
W 00:26:19 Retrying (1 of 20)...
W 00:26:19 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:19 Retrying (2 of 20)...
W 00:26:19 Device Removal Detected!
W 00:26:19 The device list will be refreshed at the next available opportunity.
W 00:26:19 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:19 Retrying (3 of 20)...
W 00:26:19 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:19 Retrying (4 of 20)...
W 00:26:19 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:19 Retrying (5 of 20)...
W 00:26:19 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:19 Retrying (6 of 20)...
W 00:26:19 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:19 Retrying (7 of 20)...
W 00:26:19 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:19 Retrying (8 of 20)...
W 00:26:19 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:20 Retrying (9 of 20)...
W 00:26:20 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:20 Retrying (10 of 20)...
W 00:26:20 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:20 Retrying (11 of 20)...
W 00:26:20 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:20 Retrying (12 of 20)...
W 00:26:20 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:20 Retrying (13 of 20)...
W 00:26:20 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:20 Retrying (14 of 20)...
W 00:26:20 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:20 Retrying (15 of 20)...
W 00:26:20 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:20 Retrying (16 of 20)...
W 00:26:20 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:20 Retrying (17 of 20)...
W 00:26:20 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:20 Retrying (18 of 20)...
W 00:26:20 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:20 Retrying (19 of 20)...
W 00:26:20 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:20 Retrying (20 of 20)...
W 00:26:20 Retry Failed - Reason: The device is not connected.
E 00:26:52 Failed to Write Sectors 432 - 458 - Reason: The semaphore timeout period has expired.
I 00:26:52 Synchronising Cache...
W 00:26:52 Synchronise Cache Failed! - Reason: The device is not connected.
E 00:26:55 Synchronise Cache Failed! - Reason: The device is not connected.
W 00:26:57 User opted to skip the 'Close Track/Session/Disc' functions.
E 00:26:57 Failed to Write Image!
E 00:27:21 Operation Failed! - Duration: 00:01:30
I 00:27:21 Average Write Rate: 0 KiB/s (0.0x) - Maximum Write Rate: 0 KiB/s (0.0x)
W 00:27:21 Device Removal Detected!
W 00:27:21 The device list will be refreshed at the next available opportunity.
E 00:27:41 CreateFile Failed! - Device: '\\?\usbstor#cdrom&ven_pioneer&prod_bd-rw___bdr-206d&rev_9.06#089d00047841&0#{53f56308-b6bf-11d0-94f2-00a0c91efb8b}'
E 00:27:41 Reason: The system cannot find the file specified.
 

 

[dbminter]

I would hazard a guess that you just happened to have had an exact opposite issue, as you pointed out.  As you also pointed out, there are 2 lasers in a BD burner: one for CD and DVD and the 2nd for BD.  So, your first drive's blue laser probably played out and the replacement burner you got had no problem with its BD laser but does have a problem with the red laser for CD/DVD.  And, with the red laser, CD's can be fine, but DVD's not, or the other way around.

[BlizzardUK]

Thanks. So DVDs and CDs use the same laser but can also just burn CDs and not DVDs (and vice versa) if the laser is faulty ? 

[dbminter]

Yes, I have personally seen cases where in DVD burners, CD's burned fine but DVD+R DL's did not.  And DVD-R's were fine but not DVD+R DL's because DL's consume more laser power.