I need some honest opinions here, please. First, some background...
My MBP's superdrive always seemed a bit slow when reading discs. Most of the time, it would read via iTunes, but sometimes I'd just read (copy) data for disc to computer. Finally, I decided to do some real testing, which included:
- iTunes on 2 different MBPs (both the same model, but different model optical drives) - both drives claim the same read/write speeds, but mine was slower in actual iTunes ripping.
- iTunes on my MBP and on my older PB 12" (1GHz) - my MBP was slower with iTunes ripping.
- Copied data off of a data CD. On the PB and PowerMac G5, it copied pretty quickly, in 2mb increments. 2..4..6..8... you get the idea. With the MBP, it also copied in 2mb increments, but slower. 2.....4.....6.....8.
- Finally, decided to install Windows to look for CD/DVD benchmarking programs since Mac has zero such programs. Found a program called Nero CD/DVD speed. Used it to benchmark my CD read speed - started at 4x and made it to about 8.5x before it started slowing down. The DVD speed rated at 1.1x.
- Used Nero on my friend's MBP. For CD, it started at 8x and went to 17x. We tested that same CD on mine. It went from 4x to 8x. On his machine, the test ran through a number of options and passed everything. On mine, it ended prematurely with some obscure read-error. Never tested the DVD speed on his machine.
I finally took it to an Apple store and left it with the "genius" staff for the last 5 days. They claim that the CD read speed of 8x is within spec of the superdrive. Now, call me crazy, but every Mac I've had - going back to my iMac DV 400MHz - has had a 24x CD read. Their reasoning was that iTunes slows down to convert songs.
Am I wrong in thinking that the "geniuses" dropped the ball because their only "benchmarking" method was iTunes? Even if that's the case, I fail to see why a Core 2 (dual-core) w/2.33gb RAM would fail to beat a 1GHz G4 w/512mb RAM.
Has anyone out here ever had to go elsewhere 2 or 3 times to finally get the service they needed?
Thanks!
My MBP's superdrive always seemed a bit slow when reading discs. Most of the time, it would read via iTunes, but sometimes I'd just read (copy) data for disc to computer. Finally, I decided to do some real testing, which included:
- iTunes on 2 different MBPs (both the same model, but different model optical drives) - both drives claim the same read/write speeds, but mine was slower in actual iTunes ripping.
- iTunes on my MBP and on my older PB 12" (1GHz) - my MBP was slower with iTunes ripping.
- Copied data off of a data CD. On the PB and PowerMac G5, it copied pretty quickly, in 2mb increments. 2..4..6..8... you get the idea. With the MBP, it also copied in 2mb increments, but slower. 2.....4.....6.....8.
- Finally, decided to install Windows to look for CD/DVD benchmarking programs since Mac has zero such programs. Found a program called Nero CD/DVD speed. Used it to benchmark my CD read speed - started at 4x and made it to about 8.5x before it started slowing down. The DVD speed rated at 1.1x.
- Used Nero on my friend's MBP. For CD, it started at 8x and went to 17x. We tested that same CD on mine. It went from 4x to 8x. On his machine, the test ran through a number of options and passed everything. On mine, it ended prematurely with some obscure read-error. Never tested the DVD speed on his machine.
I finally took it to an Apple store and left it with the "genius" staff for the last 5 days. They claim that the CD read speed of 8x is within spec of the superdrive. Now, call me crazy, but every Mac I've had - going back to my iMac DV 400MHz - has had a 24x CD read. Their reasoning was that iTunes slows down to convert songs.
Am I wrong in thinking that the "geniuses" dropped the ball because their only "benchmarking" method was iTunes? Even if that's the case, I fail to see why a Core 2 (dual-core) w/2.33gb RAM would fail to beat a 1GHz G4 w/512mb RAM.
Has anyone out here ever had to go elsewhere 2 or 3 times to finally get the service they needed?
Thanks!