OptoRite DVD+/-RW and its support

[tig2002]

So far I am happy with my new OptoRite DVD+/-RW drive. The drive burns CD's and DVD's flawlessly even using cheap CompUSA media, although included in the retail box WinDVD software would not recognize any of the burned movies. I don't know if this is a problem with media, WinDVD or burner itself, but I am able to play these movies that are recorded on DVD-R and DVD+RW (the only media I tested so far) on xBox with no problem.

The manual included in the retail package is extremely poor as well as OptoRite's entire website. There are only a few FAQ's, not even related to the new DVD burner. The support site is nothing but joke, unless the new DVD burner is so perfect that people don't even ask questions about it. I guess that's why the drive is so inexpensive ($154 for DVD+/-RW drive in retail box!). Honestly, if you are pretty familiar with such computer peripheral devices and do not need detailed instructions on how to set jumpers and mount the drive in the computer case, or find answers on stupid questions - this is a good DVD burner for good price. I have not found any eject button issues or ugly front panel design as some people complained on this forum. The only thing I need from OptoRite at this point is firmware update - and it's there.

One of the things that people would like to see on OptoRite's website is the history of firmware updates. Does anybody know where to find the history?

[burninfool]

tig2002 wrote:"One of the things that people would like to see on OptoRite's website is the history of firmware updates. Does anybody know where to find the history?"

Try here:http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?category=4&manufactor=60

[natgas]

I would counter that Optorite's tech support is quick to respond; I asked them several questions one day and got an answer within a couple of hours on each; unfortunately, the answers were not very helpful!!!

[tig2002]

burninfool: the page from the provided link still has no info or link to firmware update history. It only has links to the firmware update file and the instructions on how to use the flash utility (with old firmware version shown on the pictures)

[dhc014]

Optorite doesn't provide changelogs, and there's no way that a simple user could tell them to you unless they're obvious like the 8MB buffer in versions after 2.07

[natgas]

As I indicated above, the answers from their tech support aren't always on the money: an example:

"I am seeing a lot of people with problems with this drive; both with HDBurn and reading/writing normally. Several forums are reporting various problems.

Is Optorite addressing the various issues at all?"

Their reply:

"Hello,

Our engineers are improving media compatibility with each firmware update. HDBurn media compatibility, even more than normal CD or DVD compatibility, depends on the quality control of the CD-R manufacturer, and quality can vary greatly."

Oh well. at least they respond

[tig2002]

I was able to burn several DVD's on my OptoRite - backup copies of one of my personal DVD movies with 104 minutes duration. I used the following media - CompUSA DVD-R, CompUSA DVD+R and CompUSA DVD+RW, all made by Optodisk. The burning process with all disks completed successfully, and I had no errors with my OptoRite so far.

All mentioned above DVD format disks were recognized by xBox. I also tried all DVD format disks on my Samsung DVD changer, and the DVD-R was the only quickly recognizable format. All of these burned disks had one same problem on both DVD players: the movie plays well at the beginning (inner side of the disk). After approx. 20-30 minutes mosaic garbage appears on different parts of the screen once in a while. This garbage appears more and more frequently while the movie is in playback. After another 30 minutes I get excessive garbage on the screen, and the DVD player starts having difficulties reading the disk. At the end of the movie the DVD player pauses at certain frame and won't play the movie at all.

I would like to ask OptoRite and other DVD burner owners: have you ever experienced such problem? Is this a media problem or the burner does not do a good job while burning outer side of the disk? If this is a media problem, what is the best media brand that you never had such problems with? I prefer DVD-R disks since this format is compatible with my home DVD player. Can you recommend any DVD-R media that will play flawlessly burned on OptoRite?

Thanks.

[P1Tom]

I am guessing that it is the cheap media. I used FujiFilm and didn't not have any issues like you described. Then I bought just cheap Media at OfficeMax it's call KHyperMedia or something like that, and I received some of the same issues you described. Nothing extreme that kept it from playing but I would see what you call mosaic garbage every now and then. It didn't build up but it had it's spots.

So far FujiFilm is the best DVD-R Media I have used and had zero flaws.

But it's hard to lay off the cheap Media, OfficeMax has it 10 for 9.99 this week, so I guess you can save money and have a chance of flaws or spend the bucks and live safe.

[Telstar]

Based on what I have read from various sources and my own experience, the hardware of the Optorite DD0203 made by Sanyo is very good, but the firmware developed by Sanyo still needs great improvement. Optorite doesn't write the firmware and therefore their tech support is rather clueless regarding most issues. If you want to avoid problems, always use the most recent firmware with the brand name media recommended by Optorite. Currently the 10-pack Fujifilm DVD-R discs made by Taiyo Yuden are the only high quality 4X -R discs sold in the US. Also some people suggested that Nero 6.0 seemed to have problems with this burner, but I cannot confirm this since I don't use the 6.0 version.

[tig2002]

Correction: I made more testing with burned CompUSA (Optodisk) DVD-R and DVD+R disks. Actually the mosaic garbage effect appeared when I installed the DVD-R in my home 5-disk Samsung DVD-C631P player after playing the movie approx. 20-30 minutes. I placed the same disk in xBox and it played well up to the end with no problem. No such effect was with EPO DVD-ROM drive and WinDVD 4.0 installed on my other computer. So I guess the problem might be caused by Samsung home DVD player, and not media or DVD burner.

I find that DVD-R media is compatible with more home DVD players versus DVD+R. After burning the movie on DVD-R and DVD+R disks I tried to play the movie on xBox and Samsung DVD-C631P. The xBox would not recognize the DVD+R disk at all while DVD-R disk played with no issues. Same thing was with the Samsung DVD player. May be the problem was bad quality DVD+R media. Also, almost all Panasonic home DVD players (not multi-format ones) support DVD-R/W media, not DVD+R/W.

I would like to do the following: burn a copy of movie on DVD-R and DVD+R disks, take them to Best Buy and check every single home DVD player for compatibility (if they allow me to do so) with both types of media. That would be the best test on which media type is more compatible with today's home DVD players. I will post the results if I can go through that test.

[cfitz]

I would like to do the following: burn a copy of movie on DVD-R and DVD+R disks, take them to Best Buy and check every single home DVD player for compatibility (if they allow me to do so) with both types of media. That would be the best test on which media type is more compatible with today's home DVD players. I will post the results if I can go through that test.

I would encourage you do that, and am interested in hearing your results. In fact, I would encourage everyone to do the same thing when considering the purchase of a new DVD player. Take a test disc or two burned on your DVD writer and test it on the various DVD player models you in which you have an interest in buying. It would be quite frustrating to buy a new DVD player only to find out it doesn't like discs burned by your writer.

cfitz

[dragonfireblade]

That is a great idea! Post your results here! I am very interested in which player works and which doesn't.

[jase]

As I indicated above, the answers from their tech support aren't always on the money: an example:

"I am seeing a lot of people with problems with this drive; both with HDBurn and reading/writing normally. Several forums are reporting various problems.

Is Optorite addressing the various issues at all?"

Their reply:

"Hello,

Our engineers are improving media compatibility with each firmware update. HDBurn media compatibility, even more than normal CD or DVD compatibility, depends on the quality control of the CD-R manufacturer, and quality can vary greatly."

Oh well. at least they respond

To be fair natgas, that conversation boils down to:

natgas: your drive is arse, are you doing anything to fix it?

optorite: yes, but some media is arse too.



I don't think it's an unreasonable response. You need to ask more direct questions

[tig2002]

I will run the test for DVD-R and DVD+R compatibility with most on-shelf DVD players in Best Buy and provide the results under a new topic. I wish more DVD burner owners share the experience with their own home DVD player(s) compatibility with DVD-R and DVD+R media types under that new topic so the future DVD burner buyers can determine which media type is more compatible with today's home DVD players, although I think multi-format DVD burners will replace the single format burners pretty soon, but both types of media will be in stores for quite a while.

[cfitz]

I wish more DVD burner owners share the experience with their own home DVD player(s) compatibility with DVD-R and DVD+R media types under that new topic so the future DVD burner buyers can determine which media type is more compatible with today's home DVD players.

They do, but at the format level of detail (-R vs +R), not at the burner level of detail:

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdplayers

cfitz

[tig2002]

I don't think that database is accurate. For instance, my Samsung DVD C631P does not accept neither DVD+R nor DVD+RW formats (DVD-R/W only) while the page states that that particular player supports both DVD-R/W and DVD+R/W formats.