Micro Advantage 16X DVD+/-RW

[TCAS]

tig2002; I agree with majority point you have maid, for me personally this drive is a secondary burner drive (I have NEC3500), as I have indicated in previous post I did some testing on this drive with almost second rated DVD disk brand and the result is I could say shining. Just imagine if you want to buy just a plain DVD-ROM is cost more and some time twice of price of this one. As for Micro Advantage site, since M/A is a just repackager of this drive just go to AOpen site directly and get the f/w and any information from first hand there.

[tig2002]

TCAS: While some people state that the actual model of the drive shows DUW 1608, my drive's sticker shows 16DDVDRW-A13. Is this drive also made by Aopen? Has anyone tried to upgrade the firmware of the drive using firmware downloaded from Aopen?

[TCAS]

TCAS: While some people state that the actual model of the drive shows DUW 1608, my drive's sticker shows 16DDVDRW-A13. Is this drive also made by Aopen? Has anyone tried to upgrade the firmware of the drive using firmware downloaded from Aopen?

On the sticker that has all the information about the drive ( manufacturing, model number, and so on) should have marking as model no. "DUW1608/APP" which is AOpen model number for this drive. on second question I do't know any one has yet flashed the drive with AOPen F/W but I am thinking myself to flash it with latest AOpen f/w (A107) from AOpen web site, if I do I let every one know. Also for the part number and F/W on this drive you can visit the following site:

http://english.aopen.com.tw/products/dv ... 608ARR.htm

[CowboySlim]

I have no problem that I know of yet with the drive. The successful burns that I've made are of very high quality.

I think that my problems are of other sources and I've got so many independent variables going that I haven't been able run the problem source to ground.

I downloaded the CD-DVD Speed latest and installed it did the bitsetting thing and still wouldn't read on the Cyberhome player. However, I'm now thinking that that may be a player issue as I've got two of those players and when I first brought the drive home Sun. aft. I made a little DVD from some *.avi files from my Canon A85 and they played fine on one Cyberhome machine. It is the other CB that won't play. Need to test that tonight.

Also I'm testing two softwares to transcode and burn: Nero Vision Express and that which came ATI AIW 9600XT video capture/tuner card. I've experienced "errors" with both somewhere between transcoding and burning. In capturing the video, I have two files of 4.+ GB and one of 1.+ gb. I've had good burns with the smaller but problems with one of the larger ones. The problems have been with both the Nero and ATI software.

I keep losing self discipline and start jumping around randomly following hunches as to the source of the problem. I've got to regroup, systemize the effort and keep notes in order to run this to ground.

Worse yet, there is another variable to test with Nero. You have the choice of transcode with immediate burn, or transcode to hard drive *.nrg image file and burn later, or transcode to hard drive folders (*.vob files) and burn later. If I get the error with the first two of the above, everything is lost and I have to go through the lengthy transcode again. So know I'm looking to make the *.vob files because if it errors near the end I may still have most if not all of the stuff saved.

Anyway, if I can get through and burn out all three files with Nero, then I'll chase the Bitsetting/booktyping thing and then attack the burning with ATI.

Well maybe it is the M/A drive some how because I never had these problems with my NEC, but then I was doing shorter tests, not full 4.+ Gb burns.

Later

[ETP]

Fine print says ARR on the back. definately an AOPEN 1608.

[ETP]

Both FWs are the same size and about the same date. I think they are the same.
PS/ Slim= This POS is ok for $39. LOL

[TCAS]

[quote="ETP"]Both FWs are the same size and about the same date. I think they are the same.

That was my first thought, I believe both f/ws there are the same and M/A f/w is just AOpen f/w with slidely rename. At some point we might flash withAopen for the sake proving the case. Any How I am getting more and more impressed with the burning quality of this drive.

[ETP]

Good deal with all the software and hardware!

[TCAS]

ETP/Slim; For the latest work done on migration to AOpen f/w look at the following;

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=129517

[ETP]

Tried to flash with AOPEN and no luck. You would have to use a hack and I am not sure it will speed up anything.

[TCAS]

Tried to flash with AOPEN and no luck. You would have to use a hack and I am not sure it will speed up anything.

The usage for hack is only for flasher and not for the f/w, otherwise modded flasher makes it easy to flash the drive from M/A f/w "A070" to AOpen f/w "r107"

[TCAS]

For every one information, I just downloaded the latest f/w for this drive from AOppen site and when opened the flasher to flash my drive with AOpen f/w (r107), to my surprised I found out that my drive present f/w from Micro Advantage (A070) is exactly what AOpen f/w is and AOpen f/w is also (A070). Therefore I have no doubt that the latest f/w from M/A is exact one from AOpen and both are identified as "A070".

[ETP]

Good news! I will keep the Micro and if support becomes sparse then I will do the switch to AOPEN. It would be nice if TY +R 8X would burn at 16x like in the 3500.

[TCAS]

For sake some other experience I took the M/A (AOpen) drive back to Office Max and told them I am not satisfied with this, then they gave me choice of replacement with Digital Max 16X (Lite-On 1633S model) or Mad Dog (NEC3500 or3520 model) or the same drive that I purchased M/A (AOpen 1608 model) all with same sale price of $39. I have the Lite-On 1633S I might do some thinking to keep it or return and get NEC or AOpen back by tomorrow or Saturday. So if you have to choose from the following drives, which one you pick:

Lite-On 16X ( model 1633S)

NEC !6X (model 3500 or 3520)

AOpen 16X (model (DUW1608)

[CowboySlim]

TCAS,

So they have NEC ND-3500 or 3520s at Office Max? Which store? Spring near Cherry?

My M/A will still not produce movies playable in my Cyberhome player, even after I got the latest Nero CD-DVD Speed tool and set the booktype deal as you suggested. My NEC ND-3500 produced movies were playable with out setting the booktype to DVD-ROM.

Slim

[TCAS]

TCAS,

So they have NEC ND-3500 or 3520s at Office Max? Which store? Spring near Cherry?

My M/A will still not produce movies playable in my Cyberhome player, even after I got the latest Nero CD-DVD Speed tool and set the booktype deal as you suggested. My NEC ND-3500 produced movies were playable with out setting the booktype to DVD-ROM.

Slim

Yes they do have Maddog which is repackage of NEC, if the maddog is from old shipment chances that would be NEC3500 is OK but if new shipment almost certain that is NEC3500. They did not have any Maddog left today they may have tomorrow; that way I took the Digital Max (Lite-On 1633) one to see how is working which was not good experience. I am planning to return it and get either NEC or AOpen back. Hay comes to the point that I think the AOpen is not bad drive after all.

[CowboySlim]

Thanks, I think I'll take it out tonight and check the store in HB on Beach Blvd. Maybe I'll go in first to look for MadDog and then go out and bring in the M/A - AO.

[ETP]

How long do we have to take them back? I may trade them out for MADDOGS.

[TCAS]

How long do we have to take them back? I may trade them out for MADDOGS.

Slim/ETP; What is your experience so far with this drive?, How is the quality of its writing?, at what max speed rip the pressed S/L & D/L DVD Video?, how satisfied are so far with it?.

BTW: I am planning to go back today and return this repackaged Lite-On 1633( useless drive) and hopely get the Madog if they have reieved the new shipment they were out of completely yesterday.

[tig2002]

I just went to local Office Max to check if they will exchange the Micro Advantage drive with other brand. They said that the drive that I have is the only one that they have on clearance for $39. They are sold out, but they have different 8X burner for $49 and 8X HP burner for $99. They will not exchange Micro Advantage on any other brand simply because the prices are different. TCAS: how could they offer you different brand? Do those drives sell for the same price - $39?

[tig2002]

I am not sure if I would like to return this drive or exchange on different one. I tried burning three DVD's using three different DVD media: 4X Vanguard DVD-R, 8X Maxell DVD-R and 8X TDK DVD+R. All three burnt with no problem at 4X and 8X respectively. However, the playback is not perfect. All three DVD's play on three different stand alone DVD players, but I am having the same problem as I always had with most DVD's burnt on my older Optorite DD0203 burner: after playing approx. 30 minutes smooth playback changes to intermittent "digital garbage", and sometimes the playback stops. I thought that I will not have these issues at least with decent brand as TDK, but I don't know who to blame, TDK or Micro Advantage since TDK DVD+R media is made in Taiwan and reads as CMC in DVDInfoPro. I am trying to find Japanese made TDK media in local stores with no success, and all Taiwanese DVD recordable media is garbage. I searched in local CompUSA stores 50-pack 8X DVD+R or DVD-R spindles that are made in Japan with no success. The price is good - $17.99 one week special, but the quality sucks.

[ETP]

Burns are great but slow. No problems at all with my two.
I think I will call office max first.

[CowboySlim]

I think it is thirty days to return.

Looks like exchange for another model/brand is a local store manager option.

TCAS: Which store? This afternoon - what time? I'm leaving here about 4 and will check board before I leave.

Only burns Fuji/Made in Japan TY, 8X at 12X CLV; my NEC ND-3500 burned at 16X CAV, much faster.

I'm having problems getting burns completed on DVD+RWs with my ATI burning DVD Videos from captured TV. Some times it just hangs and quits and I don't get complete burns and funny stuff from previous burns doesn't get overwritten. Don't really know if it is ATI S/W or M/A burner as the ATI is pretty new to me also. But I'm thinking that a lot of this wouldn't have happened with my NEC ND-3500 before it went down.

[TCAS]

I think it is thirty days to return.

Looks like exchange for another model/brand is a local store manager option.

TCAS: Which store? This afternoon - what time? I'm leaving here about 4 and will check board before I leave.

Only burns Fuji/Made in Japan TY, 8X at 12X CLV; my NEC ND-3500 burned at 16X CAV, much faster.

I'm having problems getting burns completed on DVD+RWs with my ATI burning DVD Videos from captured TV. Some times it just hangs and quits and I don't get complete burns and funny stuff from previous burns doesn't get overwritten. Don't really know if it is ATI S/W or M/A burner as the ATI is pretty new to me also. But I'm thinking that a lot of this wouldn't have happened with my NEC ND-3500 before it went down.

Slim during my lunch time today I went to Lakewood store and they didn't have the Maddog one, they check with H/B and Signal Hills stores none had it, so they return my money and gave me piece paper with signature of store manager that when they receive the shipment for Maddog they will give one for the same price.

[ETP]

WOW!