In ImgBurn, should I use AWS speed, or set it to 16x instead?
 

AWS = "Automatic Write Speed".

In theory, it's a great idea for the advanced user. In reality, it's a lousy idea, because people are too lazy to read the instructions that came with ImgBurn. (Note that I have no problem admitting to being lazy, when it comes to reading software manuals cover to cover. Ugh! Can you find a more boring thing to read?)

LightningUK! discussed the process with a guide here: http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=4249

In brief, AWS lets you create a database on your local computer -- a list of media IDs and your preferred write speed. Knowledgeable and experienced "burners" (the people, not the hardware) know that under-speeding a disc is generally best. For example, a 12x burn on a 16x disc is generally best. In some cases, even 4x or 8x will work better for that particular disc, drive or disc-drive combination.

But here's the flaw in the plan: When not set, it burns at the burner default, which is the maximum burn speed.

Modern burners come with ridiculous/stupid burning speed options, all of which exceed to rating of available discs. Burners with 18x, 20x, 22x and 24x max write speeds are moronic, because the discs should NEVER be burned faster than a rating. In this case, 16x is the maximum disc available. And as previously stated, even 16x burning speed on a 16x disc can be rather lousy. (This has been explain before on this site, many times on both guides and forums. So I won't go over all the reasons and physics again in this thread. So without further explanation, just know that "too fast" is a problem for a disc.)

Now then, those burners tend to automatically (or "automagically" as it is sometimes referred to, as a mocking term) select the burn speed as the fastest one available on the burner. For example, a 22x DVD burner is likely going to pick 22x for your disc. That's a coaster waiting to happen.

When AWS has no manual setting, and you let it "just do stuff" without tweaking, you'll get a 22x burn.

In all honesty, while I'm too lazy to read the book -- and far too busy to tweak each computer with media ID settings best for that particular burner, repeated for each type of disc I may use -- I'm NOT too lazy to just manually pick the burn speed when creating discs.

So pick your speed manually. :thumb:

Burning 12x on a 16x disc is the standard suggested advice. :cool:

And LightningUK!, if you're reading this -- all due respect to your software, and that's probably a nifty feature for anybody that takes time to use it properly. But the rub will always come with the dullards of society, who just blindly click things and then don't understand why there's a problem. Few take the time to ask questions, as Superstar has done. (And kudos to him, too, for not being yet another dumb clicker.)

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