The Firmware Page

I tried using CD/DVD Speed (Create Disc option) and this rates the drive at x1 only.

Strangely, I found a review of this drive on the net somewhere (I'll have to do a search again) where they also used CD/DVD Speed to test write to BD-RE discs and they claimed it was writing at close to rated speeds, i.e. x2. They even showed proof in the form of an image showing a burn in about 45 minutes at a rated speed of x2. This was what alerted me to the fact that my burns were taking twice as long as they should.

NigelS

OK. The review is at:

http://www.cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.ph ... erformance

where it states:

"To test the BD writing performance of LG's new drive I used BD-R and BD-RE media from Memorex, RiDATA, Philips, Sony, TDK and Verbatim. To get the writing times, CD Speed's "Create Data Disc" feature was used. I also ran the discs through CD Speed's transfer rate test to make sure that the GGW-H20L could read them back.

The GGW-H20L is one of the first drives that can write to BD-R media at 6x. It starts writing at 2.6x and accelerates, reaching 6x at the end of the session.

The GGW-H20L also features 4x BD-R DL and 2x BD-RE writing speeds. Looking at the screenshot above, you can see that the drive writes at these speeds from start to finish. "

I presume they were using the initial firmware release YL01 for the review. I wonder if something got changed / broken in YL02?

NigelS

its possible, have you checked in nero, for the option Flash posted concerning about, this as with DVD-Rom, can add alot of time to the burn

I can assure you that the reason for that behaviour is the automatic verify done by the drive (any BD burner) and no firmware bug.

You could also visit the cdfreaks forum and their review of the drive.

Do you have a link, I can't find a review of the LG GGW-H20L only the combo reader: LG GGC-H20

NigelS

Hi

OK, no review but I'm reading a forum thread over there. Seems BD Defect Management needs disabling in Nero to get it to stop doing auto-verification. Will test this when I get a chance.

Sorry guys, didn't mean to doubt you honestly...

NigelS

OK, check this thread: http://club.cdfreaks.com/f142/lg-ggw-h2 ... al-237591/

The GGW20 were not review yet, my mistake.
But the GGW10: http://www.cdfreaks.com/reviews/LG-GBW- ... ner-Review

Thanks for the links.

I have tested turning off BD Defect Management in Nero and got a proper x2 burn on a BD-RE; completed in just over 39 mins.

I couldn't find a similar option in the CD DiscSpeed program (Nero version of CD/DVD Speed) so I wonder how they managed to create graphs for a 2x burn?

NigelS

OK reading the forum link you gave has the answer; "Streaming" is the option that needs setting in CD/DVD Speed.

All very intuitive isn't it?

Just grateful to have so many helpful experts round here!

Cheers
NigelS

I got my GGW-H20L some days ago.
Unfortunately I'm having many troubles with media recognized by the burner. Had problems with all CD-R/CD-RW and all DVD-R DVD+R I have at home.
CD-R HP 700 MB 52x not recognized
CD-R from other unknown suppliers not recognized
CD-RW Pleomax 10x not recognized
DVD-R Princo 8x not recognized
DVD+R DL Verbatim not recognized
DVD+RW Pleomax working
BD-RE 25Gb Verbatim(included in retail box) working
BD-RE 25Gb Sony working

Using Vista 32, Nero and Power2go burning software.
Firmware of burner YL02(last one)
When insert a media in the burner and it is not recognized burning software hangs.

I think is a firmware problem.

Ciao
Sergio

more an issue with some software you have on the machine, or the drive itself, could say the firmware if there was one or two problem discs, but that is alot you have listed, boot into safemode and see if the drive recognises the discs, or use msconfig to disable all non microsoft processes, and reboot, try then

Puma,
first of all want to explain that problem is only with blank media.
I do not think is a problem of software. In fact the problem is with some blank media not with all.
Tried what you suggested (windows safe mode) but problem is still there.
I also heard other people having trobles with blank media.
I am quite sure that the problem is in the burner because when correct blank media is inserted blue led after some slow flash is fast flashing.
When uncorrect media is inserted after slow flashing no fast flashing.
Do you have such burner?
I will try to check with other media

Ciao
Sergio

my friend has this drive yes, which i fitted in for him, he has had no issues with verbatim DL at all, cannot comment on the other brands, i have some HP CDR, so i will pop them in that drive and see

have you any other systems, you can try the drive in?

Sergio,

please start up Nero cd dvd speed, insert some blanks and check the info from the DISC INFO tab.

Chef,
unfortunately if I insert a not regognized disk nero speed disk (and other software) hangs.
Should be something hardware, but what is strage that it happens only with some media type.
Thanks for any further suggestion.

Ciao
Sergio

you must either have an issue with a faulty drive or the drivers controlling it, unistall all the device drivers and restart, tested HP CDR in my friends, they where identified ok, and burnt

Puma,
thanks for your help. I will try. My mothrborard is Asus A8V Deluxe. Drive is connected to one of the two SATA connectors of the VIA chipset. Hard Disk is on channel 0 and GGW-h20L is on channel 1.
I already loaded last drivers for the VIA chipset from Via Arena site.
Will try something more....
I'm running Vista, but on one HDD I have also XP. I will try with that system.
If you have more idea......

Thanks for now

Ciao
Sergio

Puma,
tried with WinXP and all is correctly working. Unrecognized media are now correctly working!
Now I thinks that the problem can be:
- some problems with drivers in Vista
- some problems of the burner firware under Vista

Can you let me know if your friend is running Vista or XP?

Thanks

Ciao
Sergio

he is running vista, did the xp machine have a via chipset? two things to try here, try unistalling the sata drivers and then reinstall say 5.14 or lower from via hyperion drivers, secondly disable vista's inbuilt cd function, i used to get alot of messages asking to format the disc etc, even though they had data on, until i disabled the function

Puma,
thaks for your info.
The machine is the same I only booted XP from a different HDD.
In any case, and I do not know why, when I rebooted after a complete switch off of the machine the burner was recognizing all media under Vista.
Wow at last it worked!!
May be it was the fact that machine had to be switched off or the last loaded drivers of Via chipset.
However now I can access all the features of this nice burner!
Thanks for the help.

Ciao
Sergio

You can find this drive (GGC-H20L) for USD$ 229 out there.

I guess is time to me to give a go.

Gradius

get them for around 100 pound here in the UK

Including the infamous VAT?

Btw, I'm living in Chile now.

Gradius

I can add:
BD-RE Platinum (Manufakture Ritek) not working.
The Disc is recognize by the Burner, i see the Disk info, but imgburn and Nero 8 can't burn, they end up with an errormsg. FW is YL02.