I purchased the Plextor PX-708A a couple of days ago, and I'm having several small problems with it. First of all it should be able to burn DVD+R at 8 speed, yet when using Nero 6.3.0.2 (OEM) the only option I have is 2,4x. The medium I use is Nashua DVD+R (4x), DMA is enabled and I have the latest firmware installed. Does anybody know what causes this problem (media, software) and how to fix this? Second, each time I burn a DVD using Nero the speed of my DVD-ROM (Toshiba SD-M1712) sets back to 8x and needs to be reset to the original 48x in the installed Plextools Professional 2.11. Is this a compatibility glich or does the problem lie with Plextools? Third and last: I'm having problems with CD-R media. Verbatim CD-R burns OK, but in the end fixation fales. Nashua CD-R seems not to be recognised as empty because the Plextor reads the CD which causes XP to hang! Does anybody have similar problems with this media or others? I saw the compatibility list on the Plextor homepage, but almost none of those brands are sold here in the Netherlands (not where I live anyway). I would apriciate any help! System Specs: AMD Athlon XP 2200+ 512 MB SDRAM ASUS GeForce 3 Ti200 Graphics Card Creative Audigy Soundcard Maxtor Diamondmax Hardrives (7200 Rpm) Plextor PX-708A DVD+-RW Writer (Firmware 1.04) Toshiba SD-M1712 DVD-ROM (Firmware 1004) Windows XP Sp1 Nero Burning ROM 6.3.0.2 (OEM) Plextools Professionel 2.11
First the 708A will only burn at 8X with certain high quality +R discs, not all discs. I've had success with Taiyo Yuden +R's and TDK 4X +R's (Ricoh). Second DVDs can only be read at 16X tops. 48X is for CDs only. The fastest DVD read speed I've had with my LTD 166 is 14X. This is normal. Third and last, is the finalizing failing in Nero, Plextools or both? Have you tried a different brand of media to rule out the media as the problem? I haven't had any problems using my 708A with Plextools, Nero or RecordNow DX. I've never used Nashua media before but I've run some really crappy CDR's through the 708A with decent results. Are you able to order media over the net? If you can try to get some higher quality media like those listed on Plextor's website. _X_X_X_X_X_[small]Gigabyte 8INXP, Intel P4HT 3.06 Mushkin 1024 MB PC2100 Sapphire 9800 Pro Plextor PX-708A/Plextor Premium/LTD-166S M-Audio Revolution 7.1 "And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." Numbers 13:33[/small]
When using 4x media I expect to be able to burn them on 4x (wishfull thinking?)! The problem is that Nero doesn't show any speed possibility other then 2,4x when using DVD+R. I will try other media soon, to see if the Nashua is restricted to 2,4x. Second, I was talking about CD reading speed (should have mentioned that). When I copy any CD to my HD before using Nero it goes up to 48x. After using Nero the speed is suddenly reset to a max of 8x and has to be restored to 48x in Plextools. It is a small problem, but inconvenient. The last problem is with NERO, I haven't tried other programs because NERO's just so damn good (and pretty). The problem does seem to be media related though. I tried Verbatim again and this time no problem. Nashua (several CD-R) however still causes problems. It looks like the empty CD-R is being read over and over again by the Plextor, but there is nothing to read (empty CD-R!) so programs like Nero and Explorer hang. Over the weekend I'm trying Nero opgrade 6.3.0.3. Maybe this will help. _ _X_X_X_X_X_[small]Greetz Deznaj[/small]
It sounds like dodgy media all around. Some of the cheaper or off brands rate their DVD media at 4X but when you put it in your burner the burner looks at it and thinks differently. I seen posts here in the past relating to that. My version of Nero, 5.5.10.56, will rip CDs at max speed so it may be something with Nero 6 but I can't say for sure. Do you have Plextools running in your system tray when using Nero? Let us know if updating Nero helps at all Cheers
Nero update doesn't make a difference, however... The DVD+R speed problem IS media related. I used a new pack of the Nashua 4x DVD+R and now I can choose from 2,4 to 8x! The CD-R issue seems to be more complicated. The Plextor won't read ANY CD's! I insert the CD and I hear it spinning and spinning down over and over again. I tried this with several different CD's (data and music) but the drive doesn't read! Can anybody help???
It won't even read the Verbatim CD-R's you burned with it earlier? _X_X_X_X_X_[small]Gigabyte 8INXP, Intel P4HT 3.06 Mushkin 1024 MB PC2100 Sapphire 9800 Pro/M-Audio Revolution 7.1 Plextor PX-708A/Plextor Premium/LTD-166S "And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." Numbers 13:33[/small]
The drive was defective. I called Plextor and they advised to send ik back to them. The read mechanism seemed to be defective and now I've received a new drive because it was DOA... Now I'm able to write all CD-R and read all CD's and DVD's... The Plextools still sets my DVD-drive CD read speed back to 8x, but otherwise...PROBLEM SOLVED.
That explains a lot That's still strange with PlexTools, I haven't run into that problem, I guess because I never use Nero to rip to my HD.
