Improved mechanics and greater processing power make today's DVD
burners up to 16 times faster than first-gen models (thus 16x).
But why are some DVDs rated faster than others? A disc has no
moving parts and no processors, so would a 4x disc really slow
down a 16x burner? Yes, says Bruce Youmans of disc manufacturer
TDK. DVDs that record data at up to 16x (22Mbps) use a more
reactive dye than their sluggish counterparts. Speedier DVDs
mean faster burn times -- a 16x disc can burn in less than 6
minutes, whereas a 4x disc takes about 15 minutes.
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