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

[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.

[bobcox- with the Lord]

I would update firmware, that will not harm anything.
it is just a fix for that drive. Bob