While Burning a DVD: OK to Use Computer?

[George Tyndall]

I recall reading that, when burning a music CD, one should not use the computer for anything else.

Is that also true of burning a DVD, even when one has a multicore processor?

Thanks.

[JohnnyO]

I use my computer when burning CDs and DVDs. I have never had an issue.

[Chuck Engels]

I am old school like George, still don't like to do anything else when the computer is doing processor heavy tasks like burning.
I guess it depends on the computer but it really doesn't make a difference anymore probably. My thought was that it would slow down both processes, the burning and whatever I was trying to do at the same time. It's just easier to not do anything while it is burning a disc

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

I am old school like George, still don't like to do anything else when the computer is doing processor heavy tasks like burning.
I guess it depends on the computer but it really doesn't make a difference anymore probably. My thought was that it would slow down both processes, the burning and whatever I was trying to do at the same time. It's just easier to not do anything while it is burning a disc

I am no great techie/geek but I seem to recollect that the issue was that during the burning process, if the write buffer wasn't being filled quickly enough then the write process could fail. If that is correct/only a partial explanation (emphasis on IF) then with modern, faster systems that should really no longer be a problem.

[Bob]

Newer burners also added a hardware burn safe feature which allowed resuming from the point of interruption if the burning software supported that. Older burners required a continous burn.

[Bobby]

Modern PCs should be able to burn as a background task. But there are some variables, one of which is how your DVD drive and HD attach. If the DVD and HD are, for example, both on the same EIDE cable (HD master, DVD slave) there COULD be some issues on slower PCs.

I also play it safe and don't use the PC while burning. But that is another reason why I have a separate video PC just for running PRE and writing DVDs.

[Bill Hunt]

I am just "old school," and give my machine full reign, when burning. I'll multi-task with Renders and Transcodes, but leave them alone for Burning. I am less inclined to do any I/O tasks, whatsoever, while Burning. Hold over from the CD days? Yes, probably. Still, I just get a cup of coffee, or work on the DVD artwork on another machine, while the Burn is on-going. I even do this on my dual, multi-core machine with separate I/O chips on the controller - just my habit. Will it work with no problem? It seems that many do all sorts of things, with no problems, what so ever. Sounds like it is *probably* safe, nowadays, but I still do it the old fashioned way.

Hunt, being his "old school" self.

[mark hansen]

Heck, I'm just old... But, I'm with them,,,I don't do anything on the PC while burning. that was the reason I gave for needing another PC.

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

.....I don't do anything on the PC while burning. that was the reason I gave for needing another PC.

[jdanniel]

I've done some reading about this.

The issue here is known as Buffer Underrun. A CD/DVD burner has a limited-size cache, also called the buffer, that can store data and feed it to the disk. If the cache empties out while the burn process in ongoing, there is no data available to write onto the disk, which ultimately will turn the disk into a beverage coaster.

The reason buffer underrun existed is because data would flow to the buffer from the computer's hard drive. If you had a somewhat older computer, and attempted to multi-task, the processor would not be powerful enough to do the other tasks you requested, AND feed data from the hard drive to the buffer.

In simple terms, the buffer and the other task(s) you requested would compete for the processor's time and attention. The buffer would often get the shaft, so to speak. The flow of data would slow down, or even stop dead in its tracks. The buffer would eventually run out of data; the stream of data to the disk would dry up, and voila....dead disk.

Newer CD/DVD burners have built-in buffer underrun protection. There are several types, such as BurnProof or SafeBurn. These systems do permit the slowing down of data, and can even instruct the burner to pause while data fills the buffer. This, combined with more physical memory and more powerful processors, virtually eliminate the possibility of buffer underrun and thus, a dead disk.

But you know what...even with all these advances in the technology, and even with a dual core Intel processor, 4 GB of ram, and a high-capacity buffer, I still put my multi-tasking on hold when I burn a disk. Fortunately, disk burning is pretty darned fast these days, so putting my productivity on hold while I burn a disk is not a real big deal.

Another thing you may want to consider doing, to reduce the possibility of ruining a disk: Compile an ISO image file. This permanently stores the entire disk in one file, perfectly structured. If you burn a disk using an image file, and the disk is ruined, you simply plop in another disk, burn it using the image file, and there you go.

Jd

[Bobby]

jd, all modern CD/DVD writing programs have underrun protection built-in. I would be very surprised if that is an issue any longer, especially at today's PC speeds.

But I would recommend to err on the side of caution, especially when writing those horribly expensive Blu-Ray BDR discs!

[tiny]

I use my computer when burning CDs and DVDs. I have never had an issue.

.