EAC => I performed the Drive test (following Configuration Wizard)

Here my Results:


HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8162B

Caching: No
Accurate Stream: Yes
C2 Error Info: Yes


ASUS CD-S520/A4

Caching: No
Accurate Stream: Yes
C2 Error Info: No


EAC told me:

Best Drive: HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8162B
2nd Best: ASUS CD-S520/A4



QUESTIONS:

1 - I have read about the EAC settings on this forum... There is something I still don't understand... Do I have to tick the "Drive caches audio data" Box?... Even with those test results???

2 - What about the C2 Error? Do I just ignore that thing? (that is what I understood on previous readings) ???

3 - It is the second time I performed the Drive test. And guess what?... The other day, EAC told me that the Best drive to use was the ASUS! So now, I just don't know wich one to pick. :-( Wich one should I pick??


Thanks for helping me with those 3 questions,


will be waiting for answers,


norton

This would be the best way to set up EAC. I have the very same drive and guess what? It DOES cache audio data. Do not rely on the configuration wizard. Use the above guide. If you have to do it yourself, then do the following:

• Check "Accurate Stream"
• Check "Drive caches audio data"
• UN-check "C2 Error info".

You will be fine.

Well... Thanks A Lot!!

You have the same Drive?... The ASUS CD-Rom or the LG DVD-Rom?

I am wondering... I have just finished ripping 200 CDs with the ASUS Drive with "Drive Caches audio data" unchecked!!!... Does that mean that my ripped files are not secure??

thanks,

norton

How can we know if a Drive 'caches audio' or not ? Is that something the Drvive does one day, an doesn't the other?

While not foolproof, you can always go to Drive Options -> Detect Read Features and attempt detection 2-4 times (I have seen different responses per attempt). Drives either cache audio, or they don't, the only time i've ever seen a drive's feature set change is between various firmware releases (or perhaps different revisions in manufacturing), and even then I belive its still rare.

-----
Domain

I have done this 'detection' 6 times now. It always says the same... Caching Audio: NO. But, some people are saying to do not rely on this test. So, I would like to be sure that my Drive (ASUS CD-S520/A4) really does not cache audio. How can I be sure?... Is that something I can learn by reading 'specs' of my Drive?

Feurio! has a rather elaborate cache test.

Install then open Feurio! CD-Manager, next go to the menu 'Program' (where 'File' usually is) and select 'Program Parameters' (or easier: press ctrl+alt+p).
Under the tab opened by default, the 'Device Parameters' tab, there is a button in the lower right corner labeled 'Test Device'.
Click this and enable 'Cache test' and finally press 'Start test'.

Remember, you will need an audio disc in the drive.

Personally, I suggest people enable the 'Drive caches audio data'.
Reason: One of my Plextor drives used not to cache audio data the latest firmware update for it does allow audio to be cached.
Most people will not think to check and certify settings are identical to prior firmware versions after updating and won't know until it is too late.

FYI, I also believe the EAC drive features analyzer is not perfect.
I always attempt to confirm these issues in more than one way.
(But I am much more methodical about these things than normal people so that may not carry the same importance to me as it does to you or someone else)

Caching in drives seems to be getting more popular, if anything, going by a once (roughly) calculated estimation I made.

I also rarely recommend using C2 information, unless certain and specific criterion are met e.g. they use Test & Copy and/or certain settings in EAC 0.9 beta 4 and so forth.

This goes even for drives which do report C2 correctly due to the internals of the drive wearing out and becoming less-and-less accurate.

These settings do decrease ripping speed and causes more strain on the drive but IMO that is acceptable, especially if one is archiving their discs losslessly.

What am I still doing awake?, tec

Edit:
To answer 2 of your other questions directly, "How can I be sure?... Is that something I can learn by reading 'specs' of my Drive?"

1) There is a rather manual method which results in an answer of high probability.
Unfortunately, it is slow, tedious and complicated compared to programs like EAC or Feurio!.

2) No.
This shouldn't be confused with the drives' cache/buffer.
This is to reduce the jitter and protect against buffer underruns.

Certain websites such as cdfreaks publish wether a drive caches audio data during a drives' review.

But, there is a possibility that this will differ with a firmware change or hardware revision.

I followed your instructions.

Result:
Maximum transfer rate: 2937 kBytes/Second
Cache size for audio data: 0 kByte
It seems that your device isn't able to cache audio data!






This is exactly what I'm doing... I am archiving my CD collection (500+) losslessly (ripping to FLAC).

As I want to have the perfect accurate rip, as I am not 100% sure that my ASUS CD-S520/A4 Drive does cache audio data or not, I have no problem in the idea of enable the 'Drive caches audio data' (even if it slows the speed, even if my drive is probably NOT caching audio data).

The problem is: I have already ripped nearly the half of my collection (250 CDs) without the 'Drive caches audio data' checked (assuming that my drive didn't cache audio)!! I stopped ripping when I read that the EAC test was not accurate (meaning that my drive could cache audio (!?))

So now,___ I want to know FOR SURE if my Drive is caching audio or not, because I want to know if I did my first 250 CDs wrong (?). I want to know if I have to re-rip those 250 CDs (???)



Thanks for helping me with this situation.


regards,

norton