I actually gave up on the 2.6.14 kernel and went back to the more stable (for me) 2.6.12.5 kernel. Here is the config file for that:
http://65.33.184.6:8008/thelupine/documentation.php?selectedtable=Linux&...

What I had to do exactly, was use the above kernel config file, and then edit the "/usr/src/linux-2.6.12.5/include/linx/libata.h" file by removing the # from the front of the following lines:

define ATA_ENABLE_ATAP /* define to enable ATAPI support */
define ATA_ENABLE_PATA /* define to enable PATA support in some */
define ATAPI_ENABLE_DMADIR /* enables ATAPI DMADIR bridge support */


Before the changes:

hdparm -tT /dev/cdrom
Timing cached reads: 1828 MB in 2.00 seconds = 914.14 MB/sec
Timing buffered disk reads: 4 MB in 3.30 seconds = 1.21 MB/s


After the changes:

hdparm -Tt /dev/cdrom
Timing cached reads: 3780 MB in 2.00 seconds = 1889.34 MB/sec
HDIO_DRIVE_CMD(null) (wait for flush complete) failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device
Timing buffered disk reads: 4 MB in 3.08 seconds = 1.30 MB/sec
HDIO_DRIVE_CMD(null) (wait for flush complete) failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device

...not sure about the errors, but things seem to be working better.

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For kernel versions 2.6.14, the above edit of the libata.h file is NOT needed, however the kernel compile options are the same. The only other thing I had to add is a parameter to the GRUB boot command. Add the following: libata.atapi_enabled=1 to the end of the boot line, and things should work correctly, so it should look like this:

kernel /boot/blfskernel-2.6.14 root=/dev/sda1 libata.atapi_enabled=1

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As for the 2.6.15 kernel, I'll be rebooting in a minute to see how it's performance compares.

*EDIT* Just rebooted, and noticed I still need to have the GRUB line:
kernel /boot/blfskernel-2.6.15 root=/dev/sda1 libata.atapi_enabled=1
...for the DVD/CDROM to show up. The drive shows up as /dev/sr0 and I'm getting the same performance as before.

After adding the following lines to the top of my /etc/udev/24-cdrom.rules file:
KERNEL="sr0", SYMLINK="cdrom", GROUP="disk"
KERNEL="sr0", SYMLINK="dvd", GROUP="disk"

....everything appears to be working as it should =)

Oh, and here's my config file for the 2.6.15 kernel
http://65.33.184.6:8008/thelupine/documentation.php?selectedtable=Linux&...

are you using kde? there's a kded-module called mediamanager (i think) polling all devices suspected to be mass-storage -- thus even the cdrom/dvd. if there's no cd/dvd inside the device does not respond thus freezing the system.
probably there are other tools too, able to cause that look, because it's merely a kernel-bug i think.
insert a cd and check whether the lock-ups are gone. if so, then you need another patch too, http://rtr.ca/dell_i9300/kernel/libata_error_handling.patch

which genius came up with that stupid boot-parameter to enable s-ata? is a s-ata device to be used only accidentally? my s-ata-cdrom/dvd is built-in, why should i use a boot-parameter instead of enabling it inside the kernel? is it anew trend? do i have to enable my graphics-adapter likewise in future kernel-versions? or my keyboard? or just everything?