Plextor PX-708A Problems

[pjskeet]

Good for you Babar. I wasn't able to reach anywhere near those speeds with 6.0.0.11. My success has been with Nero 5.5.10.42 or CD Creator included in the retail box.

[babar]

update: just successfully burned a 4352mb file in 8:41 with nero 6.0.0.11. looks like the problems were with nero 5.5.10.42 and nero 6.0.0.15 and not the size of the burned file.

babar

[babar]

I just noticed that my Plextor drive (TLA #0001) did not come with an application CD including PlexTools. It came with a software CD with Roxio 6, Photosuite 5 SE, Roxio Drag-to-Disc, and Dantz Retrospect...

but no PlexTools.

Have you guys gotten PlexTools with your drives?

babar

[VEFF]

To answer your question:
I don't think mine came with PlexTools.

[MadBurner]

Mine came with the following on one CD-ROM:

Roxio Easy CD & DVD Creator 6
PhotoSuite 5 SE
Roxio Drag-to-Disc
Dantz Retrospect

[RoyPh]

My Plextor drive (made in China, TLA#0000) came with two cd's:
- a dark red one with Pinnacle Studio 8 SE
- bright red one with Nero 5.5, InCD, PowerDVD, Plextools Pro 2.06 (2.07 update available from website) and the operation manual.

There was no media included and no printed manual (only a quick install guide, a warranty sheet and a little piece of paper saying it is possible to burn some 4x DVD+R at 8x). I live in Europe (the Netherlands) and the drive was ordered locally (if it makes any difference).

[aviationwiz]

European drives come with what RoyPh mentioned, and the American drives come with:

DVD containing:

Roxio Easy CD & DVD Creator 6
PhotoSuite 5 SE
Roxio Drag-to-Disc
Dantz Retrospect (availible for download once emailing Plex, only a trial)


Blank Piece of DVD+R Media
Huge Manual
Quick Setup Guide (I think)

can anyone else think of anything else?

[MadBurner]

can anyone else think of anything else?

40-pin IDE ribbon cable
4 mounting screws
Extra jumper
Emergency eject tool

Now that's everything

[RoyPh]

40-pin IDE ribbon cable
4 mounting screws
Extra jumper
Emergency eject tool

You're right. I forgot . That was in the European version also.

[Nhawk]

I got the 1.01 firmware from Plextor and after doing some more tests, it seems that I was getting the "Write error - recovery needed - [03/0C/07]" because rather than slow down while writing CDRs, the drive just fails the write.
I tried some TY media again and this time I was able to complete the write successfully at 40X. However, after doing C1 scan using KProbe, I saw a steady increase of C1 errors from 60min on.
A 79min burn using TY media on Plextor produced 2.827 avg C1 error rate with 31 as the high.

The same 79min burn using TY media on LiteOn 52X produced 0.344 avg C1 error rate with 6 as the high.

Doing some more writes (4650MB) with Memorex DVD+R media (Ricoh), I was able to burn 8X discs, although in the last 50-100MB of the write, the drive automatically slowed down the burn from 8X to 4X

[technics]

I was able to burn 8X discs, although in the last 50-100MB of the write, the drive automatically slowed down the burn from 8X to 4X

i got the same problem when using alcohol and TDK4x, it starts with 6x, then rises to 8x and at the last gig of the disc it drops to 4x. with nero 60011 it doesnt even reach 8x, speed goes from 6x back to 4x and stays there. i have no idea why it does that or how to fix it

[RoyPh]

I got the 1.01 firmware from Plextor

Does anybody know what the difference is between the 1.00 firmware and the 1.01 and where to find the 1.01 (it's not on the American or the European website, only the PX-504 is listed there).

[aviationwiz]

I emailed Plextor and they said that as soon as new firmware is released, it is put on thier website. They also said that the new 7.01 CD isn't even out yet. I have no idea what the differences are between 1.0 and 1.01, but I am waiting for Plextor to release it, along with a changelog.

[MadBurner]

According to PlexTools Pro 2.07 I am running firmware version 1.01 out of the box

[drakus]

Ok so I could burn at 8x with no problem and had no errors using TDK media. But when I played the movies in some parts it had small gaps; I would rewind and playback again and it would play fine sometimes. Also the recorder buffer during the 8x recording mode did not stay at a constant percent. When I did record the movie at 4x I did not have this problems and the movie played perfectly and the buffer was always at 91% Any ideas? could this be media or just my Panasonic DVD player (DVD-R31)?

[pjskeet]

Did you have any other programs or applications running while you were burning? If so, it can affect the buffer on the burn.[/quote]

[drakus]

No, just the Norton AV. The thing is that it's at 8x speed that I have that problem. I have a P4 1.7 / 512

[VEFF]

Ok so I could burn at 8x with no problem and had no errors using TDK media. But when I played the movies in some parts it had small gaps; I would rewind and playback again and it would play fine sometimes. Also the recorder buffer during the 8x recording mode did not stay at a constant percent. When I did record the movie at 4x I did not have this problems and the movie played perfectly and the buffer was always at 91% Any ideas? could this be media or just my Panasonic DVD player (DVD-R31)?

It could be your player, I guess.

I have used TDK media without a problem at 8X. They play fine on my home DVD player; it could depend on how the media was stored too, or which batch it was, assuming you got unlucky.

[RoyPh]

Does anybody know what the difference is between the 1.00 firmware and the 1.01 and where to find the 1.01 (it's not on the American or the European website, only the PX-504 is listed there).

The update is now to be found on the European Plextor Website: http://www.plextor.be/english/technical/downld_firmw_708A.html

Fixed Bugs:
* Compatibility with Dantz's Retrospect, Roxio's Drag to Disc and other utilities.

Improvements:
* Write performance for 8x writing on DVD+R media.
* Write performance for DVD-R media.
* Write performance for DVD-RW media.


See also: New Plextor PX-708A firmware 1.01

[VEFF]

I edited the registry to show the real recording speed in Nero.
My PX-708A starts at 5.9X (i.e. 6X) and then rises to 7.9X - 8 .1X (i.e. 8X) quickly - about 1 gig into the burn.

The average is about 7.7X, according to anandtech.

[dudeman000]

I followed your suggestion, but all I'm getting is the movie. I want to back up my DVDs just like the originals. However, every time I do the steps below, I just get the movie. I'm not getting the Title menu, and anything else for that matter... just the movie, ie. burn the DVD, put disc in DVD player, and movie plays. If I push the DVD Menu on the remote, I don't get the Title menu.

Is there a way to backup the "whole" DVD so if I lose the original, I still have a backup just like original?

-dudeman000

-----------------------------------

Basically...here is what I do when I back up a movie.

1. Press the insert button for three seconds...the light blinks a few times and the drawer opens...that is when to insert the movie disk.
2. Put the movie in...use DVD Decrypter to rip the "Movie only" files.
3. Take the ripped movie files...and run them in "Movie Only" mode with DVD2One...(make sure to create a seperate directory for the finished files).
4. Now that you have a bunch of .vob files in the seperate directory...Open Nero 5.5.10.42
5. Run the wizard...choose DVD...other format...DVD Movie.
6. Copy all the contents of the folder to the Video_TS folder on the left and choose burn. Insert a DVD into the drive
7. The burn dialog comes up. If using Verbatim Data Life Plus...you will have the option to burn at 8X. Choose 8X and burn the DVD...should take about 7:30.

Bob

[FoSsiL]

Im having problem burning a regular cd. Im trying to burn a 699MB size video with a 700MB CD and the message came up saying i dont have enough space. wtf! Also Im using the lastest nero v60015.

[cfitz]

Also Im using the lastest nero v60015.

That is your problem. The latest versions of Nero 5.5 and 6 have some bugs with overburning and capacity recognition. There are some patches on Ahead's site at http://www.nero.com/us/631998579711357.html that may help you, or you could revert to an earlier version (6.0.0.11 or 5.5.10.42), but at this point I would suggest just waiting for the end of the month when the next version of Nero will be released. It isn't that far away, and it will save you some repetition of downloading and installation.

cfitz

[karopi]

nero 5510.50
firmware 1.01

Backup about 4.5GB data -->

1.DVD-R: burn successfully at 4X, but can't be read.
2.DVD+RW: burn successfully at ONLY 2.4X, and can be read.

[mcstream]

Hi,

My 708A is a European version (TLA# 0001 bundled with Nero...) and I've had nothing but problems. First of it reboots my machine randomly while writing cd/dvd. Sometimes in the beginning of the write, sometimes in the end, sometimes not at all. After writing about 25 cds I got a "write error" when trying to start the lead in. Now I get a "write error" as soon as I click "Burn" in Nero 6.0.0.11. So as it is right now I can't burn anything with the damn thing. It's got the 1.01 firmware. I've got the 6.0.0.11 nero. I've tried Adaptecs Aspi layer. I've tried nForce2 drivers 2.41, 2.45, 2.64... no go... I'm about to give up on this drive...

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Abit NF7-S
Ati 9700
1024Mb Kingston HyperX
160Gb Maxtor Raid 0
Audigy 2 Platinum
Liteon 48X CDR
Plextor 8X (0X at it is right now) DVDR