Verbatim 16x BD-R 25

[BijouMan]

How has your experience been with Verbatim's "16x" BD-R 25 discs? Which half-height drives have you guys tested to burn these at 16x speed, and what is the MID? Please provide graphs from your favorite disc utility software (Nero DiscSpeed, Opti Drive Control, etc.)

[smithb]

All I can say is that I have burned several hundred over the past few years with absolutely no issues. I have a Pioneer Electronics USA Internal Blu-Ray Writer (BDR-209DBK) full height drive that I use just for burning. I don't burn at 16x, only 2x, and have no graphs to offer, just personal experience.

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by smithb

All I can say is that I have burned several hundred over the past few years with absolutely no issues. I have a Pioneer Electronics USA Internal Blu-Ray Writer (BDR-209DBK) full height drive that I use just for burning. I don't burn at 16x, only 2x, and have no graphs to offer, just personal experience.

You don't have to slow down the write speed for better results. In fact, slowing down the write speed can make the finished product worse as the laser in a modern half-height drive is powerful enough that slowing down the speed will make the disc burn too hot. The maximum speed that the drive will burn the disc at is the optimal speed that the drive manufacturer has tested with that particular model of disc. The drive has a database of MIDs in its firmware to support different speeds depending on what model of disc you are using. For example, even if two BD-R 50 models advertise themselves as "6x", a Pioneer half-height drive in their latest series might burn a Verbatim BD-R 50 at 8x, but try a Panasonic BD-R 50 in the same drive and you will get the full 14x advertised in the drive specifications.

[smithb]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

You don't have to slow down the write speed for better results. In fact, slowing down the write speed can make the finished product worse as the laser in a modern half-height drive is powerful enough that slowing down the speed will make the disc burn too hot. The maximum speed that the drive will burn the disc at is the optimal speed that the drive manufacturer has tested with that particular model of disc. The drive has a database of MIDs in its firmware to support different speeds depending on what model of disc you are using. For example, even if two BD-R 50 models advertise themselves as "6x", a Pioneer half-height drive in their latest series might burn a Verbatim BD-R 50 at 8x, but try a Panasonic BD-R 50 in the same drive and you will get the full 14x advertised in the drive specifications.

I hear what you are saying and maybe things are better now then they used to be. I've successfully burned over a 1000 DVD's and Blu-ray's over the last 15 years following a basic principle, quality media, quality drive, and slow speeds. I know many who had issues in the earlier days with either failures during the burn or identifying bad disks during playback. Whether that be the media, drive, or speed is hard to say, one doesn't like to test theories that result in bad disks.

However, I'll try burning at 8x to see the results. Thanks.