CDR-DVD Burner, 18x IDE internal mount CDG Certified

[ddouglass]

What version of Microstudio and what type of CDs are you using? Microstudio was upgraded to 4.005 on Dec 3. As far as the CDs go if you use cheap CDs you will get poor copies. At the least use Music quality CDs and the best would be to order MTU's CDs since they have quality CDs.
Slowing down the drive really doesn't help as the drives today are made to work better at max speed than they do a slower speeds.
And no it isn't your power supply.

[dcrog]

4.005 on the program. I've used Imation's and HP's for quite a few years with another program. And as I said, with the Sony burner the backups look quite good.

I know slowing down the burner isn't supposed to help, although many people recommend it. But when the CD's are acting as strange as these were you start trying most anything.

Music quality? I've always read that they aren't any different except that you pay an added cost to RIAA or someone because you are putting music on them.

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by dcrog

4.005 on the program. I've used Imation's and HP's for quite a few years with another program. And as I said, with the Sony burner the backups look quite good.

I know slowing down the burner isn't supposed to help, although many people recommend it. But when the CD's are acting as strange as these were you start trying most anything.

Music quality? I've always read that they aren't any different except that you pay an added cost to RIAA or someone because you are putting music on them.

Slowing down the burner was a viable way to make better/cleaner burns back when CD drives came out, but that isn't true with the newer burners. The newer ones actually do a worse job when you slow them down.

Music Quality CDs have a thicker backing and higher quality burn area than data CDs. And no you are not paying the RIAA or anyone extra. That is just rumors and propaganda and someone's excuse for not paying the higher price for them. I have also heard that standard low cost data discs will lose their data after 3 years. I can't disprove this one because I have had several photo collections done on the cheaper discs that no longer work now. Fortunately I have those photos in other locations.
My personal choice is Memorex Music CDs. I have never had a bad one and I can get 75 disc packages at Sam's for less than I can get them or any others else where.

[dcrog]

I believe you are wrong about the royalty on the audio cdr's:

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/1004.html

3% is the figure I come up with.

http://www.cdrfaq.org/faq05.html#S5-12

http://www.cdrfaq.org/faq07.html#S7-17

And although the second and third reference may not be the ultimate knowledge base for the differences in the media, they do comply with everything else I've read on the subject.

By all means I'm not saying that there isn't a difference in cdr media's. Just that no place have I seen what you are saying the difference is.

In fact I believe I do have some memorex audio cd's at the house and may try that when I get home later. But with the files burning fine on the Sony to the Imation and HP media I don't think this is the case. Unless the firmware on the Optiarc won't allow them to work properly. Although it did work with them for a while. Some artifacts were printed to the back ups but nothing intolerable.

But back to the problems with the burning with this drive, does anyone have any other ideas?

MTU, Admin? Or you ddouglas, it's looking to me like it is likely a bad drive. Not MTU's fault by any means. They didn't manufacture it.

But the question of firmware is still out there. I have read that this drive was actually made by Lite-on and people are suggesting using firmware for their drives on it. I won't do this unless asked to by MTU since they are the ones who certified it for CDG.

[bobcox- with the Lord]

I am told the nec drives are made by sony
you may try updating firmware.??

[dcrog]

Sorry I got home last night and had to take the wife to the doctor and didn't get home until about 9 PM, so I didn't get a chance to look or try anything with the drive.

Bob, I did find updates this morning for the Optiarc drive here

http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_result.php?kaj=1&isces

But I'm not going to flash it unless MTU support tells me to do so. I believe this drive has a one year warranty from the factory. But since it is certified for CDG, and I'm not sure at the moment what firmware it has on it, I don't want to do anything that might have a more negative effect on its performance.

The firmware page also led me to here

http://www.sonynec-optiarc.eu/en/sup...ad-series.html

which has an update for the P-ATA, which I am not sure is what this drive should be flashed with although it appears to be the same zip file from the first link for 1.05.

[dcrog]

Okay, I just checked and the firmware is version 1.0.

[George]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

What version of Microstudio and what type of CDs are you using? Microstudio was upgraded to 4.005 on Dec 3. As far as the CDs go if you use cheap CDs you will get poor copies. At the least use Music quality CDs and the best would be to order MTU's CDs since they have quality CDs.
Slowing down the drive really doesn't help as the drives today are made to work better at max speed than they do a slower speeds.
And no it isn't your power supply.

The MTU media is by far the best around for burning CDG's, or audio. I have never had a bad burn using them.

With that in mind, if you don't have a stand alone cd recorder deck, you have little need for Music cd's. Most stand alone decks require Music cd's. I have one, and use Music CDRW's to do my vocal recordings on, and when I get them right, import to the hard drive and burn on MTU media.

[dcrog]

Oops. Looks like I misspelled TAIYO in the previous post. From what I've researched they are the best on the market. I guess I'll see when they arrive.

I understand about the audio versions of the CDR's also. I think the wife happened to pick the ones I have up in a checkout line some time ago.

But thank you George for the input.

[dcrog]

Okay MTUsupport got to my ticket and sent me the 1.04 firmware. I flashed the drive and still the same thing. I responded on the ticket for this problem. Guess we'll see what happens next.

[dcrog]

I know you folks are busy, but could someone get back to me on this problem.

[George]

There have been problems in the past reported on the forums with programs such as Roxio Easy CD Creator interfering with cdg burns.

That has been awhile though, but thought it may be worth mentioning.

[dcrog]

I don't think I have Roxio on that particular box. But I will check when I get home. I know Nero is on it.

[shoekaraoke]

Originally Posted by dcrog

Okay MTUsupport got to my ticket and sent me the 1.04 firmware. I flashed the drive and still the same thing. I responded on the ticket for this problem. Guess we'll see what happens next.

I have the same problem and submitted a ticket to tech support today. I bought and installed the drive about 2 weeks ago and updated the firmware to 1.005 today, but no improvement. In fact, my RSQ triple-tray player doesn't even read the disks I've burned since getting the new drive. I didn't have this problem with my old Plextor, but it bit the dust a few weeks ago and MTU recommended the Optiarc. I tried burning a disk with another sortware application, but with the same (lack of) results. It's getting frustrating......

[madjim- with the Lord]

Originally Posted by shoekaraoke

It's getting frustrating......

It's the nature of the Windows beast. It's a pain to set up but works well once it's done. You can rest assured the MTU tested the Optiarc drives but this doesn't mean that Optiarc won't change something or let a bad drive come off of the line. MTU wants to sell you a drive that works.

A few versions back Hoster only worked with drives like Plexdor that were specificly made to read video information but they upgraded the program so it works with most drives. I use a standard Dell CD burner and have no problems.

If it means refunding your money, MTU will make it right. Be patient, I'm sure they don't like "your dirve not working" as much as you don't like it.

Just trying to help.

Jim

[shoekaraoke]

When we first encountered the problem, I made sure we had the latest firmware for the drive (1.006), updated Java, double-checked to make sure we had all the latest Windows updates....then I called our computer tech guy. A couple hours and $100.00 later (ouch! ), he couldn't find the source of the problem in any software, so he decided it must be the physical drive.

Well, I had a second techie check it out yesterday. We went through a dozen disks, trying different settings, write speeds, every variable we could come up with. He couldn't understand why it was burning in "hit or miss" mode and he concluded that it must be the drive - maybe the eye was just slightly out of alignment, or some such defect. I went to a local retailer and got an external drive off the shelf, and it works perfectly! So I submitted a request for an RMA and refund on the Optiarc.

I'm sure that almost all optiarc drives are perfect out-of-the-box, otherwise MTU would not recommend it so highly. I just got that rare "oops". It happens - no big deal.