Philips JR12CDRWK/05, JR12CDRWK/00, JR32RWDVK/00, JR32RWDVK/05, JR24CDRWK/05 User Manual [de]

1. What discs to use

1.1 CD-Recordable / CD-ReWritable: What are the differences and when should you use each type?

For optimum results it is extremely important that you use the right type of disc for your Philips CD­ReWriter or DVD+RW drive.

First you should choose between using a CD-R or a CD-RW disc, depending on your specific
application. The main difference between the two is that CD-R discs cannot be reused, since the data
can be burned into them only once. CD-RW discs can be erased, however, and used over and over,
hundreds of times. See the table below for an overview of application examples.

Disc Type Writable Erasable Use

CD-ROM No No To distribute information.

CD-R Yes No To archive your data permanently.

To share data with users who have a standard CD-ROM
drive.
For use in older CD-ROM drives (which cannot read CD­RW).
For audio CDs (most audio players cannot read CD-RW).

CD-RW Yes Yes For work in progress, such as presentations, documents,

etc.
To make weekly archives of your hard drive.
To transport large files between home and office.
For testing purposes before recording on CD-R

You should always use high-quality discs from well-known manufacturers for the best results when
(re)writing disc at higher speeds. The importance of disc quality increases with higher disc writing
speeds (expressed as x times the original standard CD data rate of 150 kB/s, or 1x). Since this Philips
ReWriter drive can (re)write at high speeds, and the faster you write the less time it takes to produce a
CD, we recommend that you use brand-name Recordable/ReWritable discs (preferably from Philips)
for which the speed rating is explicitly specified on the packaging (i.e., Multi Speed, High Speed).

Always use discs with a speed rating that is equal to or higher than the speed rating of your
Philips CD-ReWriter or DVD+RW drive .

HINTS:

Use CD-ReWritables, which are reusable, until you are comfortable with the recording software. If you
make a mistake, you can redo the recording without wasting a disc. After you record successfully to a

CD-ReWritable, repeat the recording onto a CD Recordable.

But if you want to check whether the actual burning of the disc will be successful, it is better to use the
"test write" option from the recording software, since burning speeds for CD-RW are usually limited to
lower values than burning speeds for CD-R. Most problems that occur during the creation of a disc are
buffer underruns, which occur if the source data cannot be delivered fast enough by your computer to
the CD-RW or DVD+RW drive. (Recent writing technology developments, like the proprietary Philips
“Seamless Link ” technology, are aimed at eliminating the problems this effect can cause.) The
likelihood of a buffer underrun greatly increases with higher writing speeds. So using a CD-RW for
checking the writing speed is not recommended, because, if the write operation on CD-RW (at a lower
speed) is OK, this is absolut ely no guarantee that writing on CD-R (at high speed) will also be OK.

Writing speed and strategy

1.2

Reliability before speed...

With Philips advanced CD-RW or DVD+RW drives you can be sure of the data that you read and
write.

The primary mission of the high-speed CD-RW or DVD+RW drives that Philips produces is to
safeguard your written data. The drive will always choose the best speed for writing your discs to
ensure the highest data integrity possible. This optimal speed may be lower than that claimed by the
disc manufacturer, or the disc may be defective in some way (dirty, scratched, etc.), but we take the
view that the most important thing is your data, so we go to the lower speed.

Not only do we safeguard your data for play back on your Philips CD-RW drive, but we ensure
compatibility with all major CD-ROM drives on the market through exhaustive testing in our Quality
Laboratories. You can send your finalized CD-R disc to anybody in the world with the knowledge that

they will be able to read it.

We recommend that you use only Philips CD-R and CD-RW discs to ensure the highest quality written
data and audio discs. See also: http://www.ce-europe.philips.com

The drive will perform an optimization check (OPC) to determine the best writing strategy at the
highest (re)writing speed possible. If it finds none, it will try to find the best writing strategy for lower
(re)writing speeds. The test is done in the OPC area (the inside of the disc). If the OPC area is not
representative of the rest of the disc (which may be often the case with media of marginal quality), this
may result in subsequent read problems on third-party CD-ROMs and even on Philips drives. So we
guarantee only that the specific Philips drive which wrote the disc will be able to read it back, at the
highest possible speed the drive determined for that disc.

Recently a number of new proprietary technologies have been developed by Philips that overcome the
problems generated by non-optimal circumstances during writing to discs. These new technologies
encompass: “ Seamless Link ” , “Thermo Balanced Writing”, and Self-Learning.

1.3 Copying discs, copyright and copy protection

The Philips CD-RW or DVD+RW drive is designed to assist you in reproducing material in which you
own the copyright or for which you have obtained permission to copy from the copyright owner. Unless
you own the copyright or have permission to copy from the copyright owner, you may be violating
copyright law and be subject to payment of damages and other remedies. If you are uncertain about

your rights, contact your legal advisor.

When you are going to make a copy of your CD, follow the instructions from the copier software.

Some CD-ROMs employ copy protection techniques, so making backups of these discs is normally
not possible. You may be able to copy them, but the copy will not function because the software on

the copied CD-ROM itself performs certain checks and recognizes that it has been copied.

1.4 MultiRead

You will always be able to read CD-RW discs in the CD-RW drive you created them in, but they often
cannot be read in older CD-ROM drives or CD players that do not comply with the 'MultiRead'
specification.

The recorded tracks on a CD-RW disc are read in the same way as regular CD tracks: by detecting
transitions between low and high reflectance, and measuring the length of the periods between the
transitions. The only difference is that the reflectance is about one-third of that of the original CD
specification. That is why many older CD-ROM drives or CD players cannot read CD-RW discs.

Using modern techniques this presents no problem. The 'MultiRead' specification drawn up by Philips
and Hewlett Packard and approved by the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA) provides
for the necessary adjustments, thus solving any compatibility issues for all modern CD-ROM or DVD
drives and CD players.

The following table is a short summary of which CD drive types can read discs created with certain
application/media combinations:

Function CD Type Target drives

CD-RW MultiRead CD-ROM drive with UDF reader Drag and drop (UDF packet

writing)

CD-R
(Closed)

Most CD-ROM drives

CD-RW MultiRead CD-ROM drive Copying CDs
CD-R Any CD-ROM drive
CD-RW MultiRead CD-ROM drive Creation of audio CDs
CD-R Any CD-ROM drive, home/car CD player
CD-RW MultiRead CD-ROM drive Creation of data CDs
CD-R Any CD-ROM drive

CD format

1.5

Your Philips CD Rewriter can both record and read all popular CD formats to and from a CD-R/RW
disc. The list of formats may vary for different drive types. Always consult the Technical Specifications
for your drive, to be sure of the formats supported by your drive.

Your Philips CD ReWriter may also be equipped with an analog audio output terminal (headphone
plug) for playback of audio CDs and data CDs containing MP3 files. If you insert and play an audio CD
or data CD with MP3 files, you will be able to listen to the music by connecting headphones or
speakers to the headphone plug on the CD-ReWriter drive. (Only available on some models!)

1.6 X-minutes CDs ( > 74 minutes)

The Philips ReWriter drive can handle copying CDs with a capacity of more than 74 minutes, which
are now becoming commonplace.

Please download the 'Technical Specifications' for your drive (see the chapter Downloads) if you want
to check for details.

1.7 Choosing your CDs

You may use conventional CD-RW and CD-R discs (8 cm discs for 21 minutes, or 12 cm discs for 74
or 80 minutes) with your Philips CD-ReWriter drive. For best results, Philips recommends that you use
only Philips CD-RW and CD-R discs.

Make sure that the discs are rated for use at high (re)writing speeds.

Choose between CD-R and CD-RW depending on your application and the target drive for the created
disc. See the text about disc applications and target drives.

program groups contain the application pro

gram icon and other items (Help files, Electronic

2. How to use your drive

2.1 Copying CD-ROMs, Photo CDs, Video CDs, Audio CDs, etc.

Copying a CD is a simple process using the software delivered with the drive and installed for you by
the Setup program. This can take from only a few minutes up to 80 minutes per disc, depending on the

specifications of your drive and the recording speed. See also copyright & copy protection.

1. Quit all other programs on your PC while you are creating discs. Other programs will slow the

process and may complicate or even interrupt the recording.

2. Place the source CD in the CD-ROM drive .

3. Put a blank disc in your CD-ReWriter or DVD+RW . Be sure the speed of the blank CD matches

that of your CD-ReWriter or DVD+RW drive.

4. Start the 'CD Copier' recording software . Dialog boxes will lead you through the options.

5. Set your preferences, including those for recording speed. The CD-ROM must read the data

at least as fast as the CD-ReWriter will write it.

6. Start recording. Using your computer for other applications while duplicating CDs may interfere

with the duplication process. Activities that use very little of your computer's resources should be
no problem. But if moving your mouse causes an error, you should write at lower speeds. If a
problem should occur (buffer underrun), the burning process will be terminated and the application
will report errors. In most cases the CD will be lost (except if you were writing to a CD-RW disc, or
when your writer has the “Seamless Link ” feature).

HELPFUL HINTS:

· Disc-to-disc copying, write-on-the-fly, and high-speed recordings are more likely to have data

transfer errors because the source data delivery may be too slow. Your system configuration and
your computer's capabilities limit the source data speed. If necessary, record at a lower speed to
avoid errors. “Write on the fly” recordings are made when the data is read from the CD-ROM
directly, while it is being copied to the CD-ReWriter. Such recordings are more sensitive to data
stream interruptions and prone to errors. Please also see: “Seamless Link ”

· Copying the source material to a folder on the hard drive of your PC can greatly increase your rate

of success.

· Use CD-ReWritables, which are reusable, until you are comfortable with the recording software. If

you make a mistake, you can redo the recording without wasting a disc. After you have recorded
successfully to a CD-ReWritable, repeat the recording onto a CD Recordable.
But if you want to check whether the actual burning of the disc will be successful, it is better to use
the “test write” option from the recording software, since burning speeds for CD-RW are usually
limited to lower values than burning speeds for CD-R. Most problems that occur during the creation
of a disc are buffer underruns, which occur if the source data cannot be delivered fast enough by
your comput er to the CD-RW or DVD+RW drive. The likelihood of a buffer underrun greatly
increases with higher writing speeds. (Please also see: “Seamless Link ”) So using a CD-RW for
checking the writing speed is not recommended, because, if the write operation on CD-RW (at a
lower speed) is OK, this is absolutely no guarantee that writing on CD-R (at high speed) will also
be OK.

· If your computer has only a CD-ReWriter or DVD+RW drive, you can still copy CDs. However,

you’ll have to use that one drive as both the source drive and the destination drive, which will add
significant time to the process.

· For copying audio CDs: Make sure your CD-ROM drive can read audio digitally. (Refer to the

manufacturer’s owner’s manual.) Drives that read only analog signals work too, but the sound
quality deteriorates each time you copy a copy.

· For detailed information about the use of the software, please read the information accompanying

the individual software packages. Each software package usually creates its own program group in
the Windows Start Menu, which is activated by clicking on the Windows Start button. These

Manuals, Uninstall Wizards, Readme files, etc.) for that specific software package. All available
information is usually accessible via the software's program group, or through the Help options
within the program.

· For more tips and info: visit www.roxio.com

2.2 How to make your own audio CD

You are not limited to copying existing CDs. It is also possible to create a music CD with your own
content, to combine individual tracks from existing CDs or other audio source files with each other, or
to fill an entire CD-R with your own audio material in the CD-DA format of regular Audio CDs.

1. Start the recording software .

2. To record audio tracks, you first need to create a CD layout, which is a list of tracks in their

recording order. Simply click the source material (CD track or sound file) you want to record, and
drag it from the Explorer window to the Audio CD Layout window (NOTE: not the Data CD Layout
window !).

3. Repeat this for each track and file you want to record.

4. Finally, insert a blank CD and start the CD recording process.

More information in Helpful Hints and online at http://music.cnet.com.

2.3 How to make a data CD

You are not limited to copying existing CD-ROMs. It is also possible to create a CD with your own
content.

1. Start the recording software .

2. To record files and folders, you first need to create a CD layout, which is a list of files and folders,

as they will be recorded. Simply click the source material (file or folder) you want to record and
drag it from the Explorer window to the Data CD Layout window.

3. Repeat this for each file and folder you want to record.

4. Finally, insert a blank CD and start the CD recording process.

More information in Helpful Hints.

2.4 How to append audio or data to a disc

If a disc was not used to its full capacity the first time you recorded on it, and you did not close the disc
(see below), then you can add extra audio tracks or data sessions to the disc.

Closed session:

If you want to listen to an audio CD on a home or car CD player, you must close the session first. You
can put additional audio tracks on the disc afterwards, but only the tracks in the first session will be
accessible (“seen”) by most CD players. Leaving the session open is only an option when writing
Audio. When writing data, the recording software will always automatically close the session.

Closed disc:

The user has the option to close the disc or not. The Close Disc option write-protects the CD. When
this operation has been performed, no more audio or data can be recorded to the CD.

Open disc:

1. Place the disc that has not been closed into the CD-ReWriter or DVD+RW drive .

2. Start the recording software .

3. Simply click the extra source material you want to record, and drag it from the Explorer window to

the CD Layout window to add it to the existing content.

4. Repeat this for each file and folder you want to record.

5. Finally, start the CD recording process.

2.5 How to use your CD-RW or DVD+RW drive as a disk drive

Install 'Packet Writing' software on your computer to be able to access CD-R/RW discs directly in your
CD-ReWriter or DVD+RW drive, just like any other disk drive to which data can be written.

This software will load automatically each time you start Windo ws. It runs in the background, so that
you may read and write from and to the CD-R/RW disc in the drive from within Windows Explorer or

any other Windows application (word processor, spreadsheet, etc.).

The CD-R/RW disc used for this purpose stays 'open' and can only be read on computers that have
'Packet Writing' software or a UDF Reader installed. Alternatively, the 'Packet Writing' software can be
used to close the current session, thereby making the disc readable for regular 'MultiRead' drives.
After this, data can still be added to the disc by opening a new session.

NOTE: On CD-R discs, files cannot actually be erased or overwritten, but they can be made invisible
and written again when updating files.

2.6 How to combine audio and data (mixed mode)

Perform these steps to write a Mixed-Mode CD:

1. Prepare the data portion of your CD, just as described in How to make a data CD. (Select the

data files you want to add and drag them into the Data CD Layout window.)

2. Click the Audio CD Layout tab.

3. Prepare the audio portion of your CD, just as described in How to make your own audio CD.

(Select the songs you want to record and drag them into the Audio CD Layout window.)

4. A message box notifies you that the disc settings have automatically been changed to support

Mixed-Mode CDs.

5. Finally, insert a blank CD and start the CD recording process.

The recording software begins creating your Mixed-Mode CD. It records the files listed in the Data CD
Layout tab in the first track, then records the songs listed in the Audio CD Layout tab in the following

tracks. All tracks (data and audio) are recorded in a single session.

2.7 Starting applications with Blue Button

Newer drive types will have a button with the Blue Button-logo next to it. Watch for the logo because
the button itself might not be blue on all drive types. See the “Instructions for use” for the position of
the Blue Button.

Pressing this button on your drive brings up a window with useful access buttons for several web sites
and disc applications.

Option 1: Using the Blue Button

Press the Blue Button with the logo next to it on the drive or double-click the Blue Button icon in the
Windows system tray or restart the Blue Button program via the ‘Programs/Philips external drive’
program group. This will open a window with three buttons. This will open a window with three buttons.

You need to meet some requirements for the Blue Button feature to work:

1. The drive must be connected to your computer and it must be switched on (if applicable).

2. You must have completed the Philips installation wizard included with your drive.

3. You must have an Internet browser installed and configured for your system.

4. The resident Blue Button application (the icon in the system tray) must be active on your computer.

This will be the default setting after installation. However, you may also decide to disable the
system tray icon. In addition, please be aware that some versions of Windows® may automatically
hide inactive system tray icons.

5. Should you have disabled the Blue Button program, you may re-activate it by clicking on the item

‘Blue Button’ in your Philips program group (For Mac: open the Blue Button program file in the
Applications/Blue Button map). Doing this will open the Blue Button window on your screen but it
might it not activate the Blue Button on the drive itself. If necessary, please reboot your computer
to load the resident Blue Button application (the icon in the system tray) for opening the Blue
Button window with the Blue Button on your drive.

Your options in the Blue Button window

After opening the interface window, you will see a number of buttons and a menu bar.

2.8 What is “EasyWrite”?

EasyWrite is a new open standard for dragging and dropping files to CD-RW and DVD+RW discs, as
initiated by the Mount Rainier group formed by Philips, Compaq, Microsoft and Sony, and supported

by over 40 industry leaders.

EasyWrite combines the simplicity of a floppy disk, the large storage capacity of CDs and DVDs, and
the robustness needed for frequent storing, moving and sharing of your data, audio, image and text
files.

Simple

EasyWrite operates like a regular drive, just like a hard disk or floppy drive, and uses
regular CD-RW and DVD+RW discs. This means that you can instantly drag and drop
files to a RW disc and back again.

Fast

EasyWrite is fast. Insert a new CD-RW or DVD+RW into the drive. Within seconds,
you can start dragging and dropping files. The drive handles formatting in the
background causing no additional delays. Even if you eject the disc before
background formatting is complete, the disc will still be readable in all MultiRead CD­ROM and DVD-ROM drives. (Ejecting might take up to 1 - 4 minutes if the background
formatting has not finished yet. If it has finished, the ejecting will be almost

immediate.)

Robust

EasyWrite embodies a dramatically improved defect management system, resulting in
less sensitivity to disc wear and scratches. You will always have the highest reliability

of recorded data during many years of disc usage, in all circumstances!

Compatibility and Operating System Support
Discs written with EasyWrite are backward compatible and can be read (not recorded) by virtually all
CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM and DVD+RW drives. Reading EasyWrite discs on older
systems is done by software that is placed on every EasyWrite-recorded disc. It enables virtually all
computers to read EasyWrite recorded discs.
EasyWrite will be included in future ve rsions of popular operating systems, including Windows and
Linux. Apple is also expected to join.
What do I need to use the “EasyWrite”?

• First, you need a (Philips) CD-RW or DVD-RW drive with full EasyWrite functionality. You can
recognize this capability by checking for the EasyWrite logo on the front of the drive or on

the product label (external drives).

• At the moment ‘bridge’ application software, as delivered on the installation CD accompanying
the EasyWrite drive, remains necessary.
Philips supports the following bridge applications:

1. DirectCD from Roxio.
Please install the DirectCD version delivered with the drive.
Make sure the version number is 5.3.1.154 or higher.

2.9 What is DVD?

DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) is the new optical storage medium that combines an enormous
amount of digital storage capacity with the convenience of the well-known Compact Disc.

Pre-recorded DVDs may have a dat capacity from 4.7 up to 17.1 GB. In addition, most players will be
capable of playing Recordable/ReWritable DVDs with a storage capacity of 4.7 GB.

To give you an idea of what this means in practice: 4.7 GB is more than enough storage capacity for
more than 7 CD-ROMs, or four hours of digital video with a crystal-clear picture resolution including

several spoken languages and subtitle languages.

There are three main applications for DVDs:

1) Data on DVD

DVD data disc access works just like with any disk storage station in your computer. Just put a DVD
data disc in the DVD drive and you may browse through its content just like with any other drive in
your computer.

DVD data discs have the same functionality as CD-ROMs (except for their largely greater data
capacity of course). With the auto-start feature enabled for the DVD drive, a DVD data disc may
automatically start a program from the DVD itself, for example, a disc browser or a presentation.

2) Games on DVD
The popular game platforms like GameCube, Xbox and PlayStation2 use DVD discs for distributing
their games. These DVD Game discs will not play on DVD-R/RW/ROM drives. You will need specific

PC Game CDs or DVDs to be able play these games through a DVD-R/RW/ROM drive.

Sometimes a DVD Game discs may contain a DVD Video part with trailers or music or clips that can
be played through the DVD Video player functionality of the drive (see below).

3) Video on DVD
The most popular application of DVD-ROM drives is playing pre-recorded DVD-Video on your

computer monitor.

For this you will need software in the form of a DVD Player program like the one you may install from
the installation CD: PowerDVD. (If you want to know how to use PowerDVD, please read in the
document “How to use the software with this drive?” the chapter on “How to play a DVD-Video or a
Video CD on my computer?”.

The DVD Player program you have installed on your computer will display the DVD menu that is
present on the DVD-Video. This menu gives you full control over the disc options and works just the
same as if the disc would be played on a Home Cinema DVD Player.

Always use the Help file - and other documentation delivered with the DVD Player program - for
information on program settings and optimizing the player for your system. Also, read your computer

manual and the graphics card manual if you want to know more about hardware settings and
capabilities.

Special features (how to watch DVDs on a TV screen)

1) Connecting your computer to a television

If your computer has a TV OUT for displaying your computer screen on a television and a line-out for
connecting an external audio system to your computer, you may be able to display DVD-Video on your

television screen.

You will need to consult your television manual, your computer manual and graphics card manual to
see what cables to use, what connections to make, and what set tings to change to activate the TV
OUT. We stress that making these computer & graphics card connections and troubleshooting any
problems is something NOT related to the DVD drive, and is therefore not a subject for service and
support.

2) Connecting your DVD drive to a television
Some (external) DVD drives may have outputs for connecting the drive directly to a television. In those
cases, the appropriate cables will probably be delivered with the drive and sometimes there will be a
remote control for operating the drive. Always consult the “Instructions for use” of the drive for how to
make the right connections, how to use the drive as a separate DVD-Video player, and for

troubleshooting.

2. InCD from Ahead Software.
Please install the InCD version delivered with the drive.

Make sure the version number is 3.31.1 or higher.

Notes:

• When using DirectCD from Roxio:
To eject the CD from the drive, either push the eject but ton on the drive or apply a “soft eject”.
DirectCD will display a message that this will take approx. 1-4 minutes. (Ejecting might take
up to 1 - 4 minutes if the background formatting has not finished yet. If it has finished, the
ejecting will be almost immediate.)

• When using InCD from Ahead Software.
In today’s InCD versions, a “soft eject” must be applied to eject the disc from the drive. (Do not
use the eject button on the drive.) The disc eject process will take approx. 1 - 4 minutes.
(Ejecting might take up to 1 - 4 minutes if the background formatting has not finished yet. If it
has finished, the ejecting will be almost immediate.) InCD does not inform you of the progress
during this time.

Check out the Philips and Mount Rainier web sites for more information.

www.philips.com/pcstuff

www.mt-rainier.org

Button 1
Clicking this button will open your Internet browser and link you to the Philips PC Peripherals product
information web page.

Button 2
Clicking this button will open your Internet browser and link you to the Philips PC Peripherals
Service&Support web page.

Button 3
Click this button to open the application program associated with the type of disc in the drive.

NOTE: This table shows the default settings of the Blue Button program.
If you have changed your preferences (see below), other applications may be launched when pushing
the Blue Button.

Disc type in the

drive

(see: Discs to use)

CD-R/RW discs Start a recorder / rewriter application. See your ‘Recorder’ setting in the

CD-ROM, CD Audio

Changing your preferences (in the Blue Button menu from the menu bar)
Click on Blue Button in the menu bar to open the menu. Click on Options in this menu to open the

Options window.

Launch...

1. A Media Player for an audio disc a
Video CD or a DVD (if applicable).

2. A disc explorer program for a data
disc.

Clicking button 3 will... As determined by...

CD tab of the Options menu.

See your ‘Player’ setting in the CD
tab of the Options menu.

See your ‘Explorer’ setting in the CD
tab of the Options menu.

Click the Browser tab to change the Internet browser program used for opening the web pages.

Click the CD tab to be able to change the programs used for opening the disc. These settings have
been automatically detected during installation, but may be changed manually at any time. Click

next to one of the settings to browse for other executable programs (*.exe for Windows®) you want to
open for that specific application.

(Actual applications may vary)

Option 2: Keeping the Blue Button pressed

Keeping the Blue Button pressed for 2 seconds or more opens your Internet browser program and
points you directly to a drive support website for downloading the latest firmware for your drive

automatically. Please follow the instructions given on that website.

Blue Button: The fastest way to results

3. General information on CD-R/RW

3.1 Settings / configuration

When connecting an external drive to your computer, certain cable connections and settings are
essential for the correct operation of that drive.

1. Cable connections

2. Hardware settings

3. Software settings

4. Firmware updates

Cable connections

To be able to use the drive, it is essential that you connect the data cable and the power cable
correctly to the drive.

1. Please open the lid and remove the plastic transport protection insert before you start using the
drive for the first time.

2. Take the cable for the interface you have chosen to use and plug it into the appropriate connector
on the drive.

3. Plug the other end of the cable into the appropriate connector on your PC.
Always consult your computer manual for assistance .

4. Plug the small power plug into the drive.

5. Plug the mains adapter into the mains socket and, if applicable, use the on/off button to switch on
the drive.

6. Windows will automatically start the 'Add/Found New Hardware Wizard' dialog. Please complete
this dialog to install the necessary driver for your new drive. Refer to the installation CD (or the
location to which you have downloaded the driver files from the Internet if you do not have a CD
drive yet) when asked for the location of any driver files.

Hardware settings

Your controller (e.g. USB, FireWire) should be working correctly.

You can check this in the Windows Device Manager (Click on the My Computer icon on your desktop,
right-click Properties, then click on the Device Manager tab).

Let's look at USB for instance: an icon with the name 'Universal serial bus controller' should be visible.
Click on this icon and Windows will tell you if this part of your computer system is operating correctly.
Similarly, FireWire and other controllers can be checked.

More info: go to chapter 'Interfaces'.

Software settings

BIOS

Your computer's Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) controls the hardware start -up, when (re-)booting
your computer. Usually, during this start -up, the BIOS will search for internal controller devices in your
system. But sometimes this BIOS search for individual controllers has been disabled, for instance for

serial port controllers and USB.

So always check whether your BIOS allows detection of the controller you want to connect the
external drive to, otherwise the Windows operating system will not be able to use the drive.

For checking and/or changing your BIOS settings, watch closely for any texts appearing on your
screen during start -up of your computer. You will have to press the key mentioned on the screen (e.g.
F2, Delete, Esc, etc.) to go to the BIOS settings menu. Then find the peripheral device menu and
make sure the controller you want to connect the external drive to is set to "ENABLED".

APPLICATION SOFTWARE
You do not need any special software for reading discs with the external drive. When your operating
system detects the drive, it will automatically assign it a new drive letter. You may use it as any other
CD-ROM drive connected to your system.

But for writing data to a disc, you will have to install a CD Writer software package. Such software is
provided on the installation CD. Run Setup.exe from the CD and start the Application software setup

from the Main Menu to install the application software for writing discs.

Firmware upgrades

The embedded software in the drive itself can also be updated with newer software versions. Go to the
Philips Support web site for downloading the necessary software tools and firmware updates. See

Downloads for more information.

See http://www.pctechguide.com/search.htm for an explanation of any terms in the text above.

3.2 Erasing / formatting CD-RWs

Erasing a CD-RW disc is performed by returning the material in the recording layer back to its
crystalline state. This is done by an annealing process, consisting of heating the layer to a temperature
of about 200ºC (i.e. lower than the melting point) and maintaining that temperature for an extended
period of time (in practice, this may take up to 37 minutes for a complete disc). The disc is then

returned to its original, completely unrecorded state.

A much faster 'on the fly' erasing facility is also available, allowing the last recorded trac k to be erased
simply by erasing the subcode reference to that track while leaving the recorded data in place in the

recording layer. This method usually requires no more than 1 or 2 minutes.

Finally, the direct overwrite strategy combines the write and erase techniques. In this case, new pits
are written in the recording layer using the same pulsed laser beam energy as in the standard writing
strategy. However, in the areas between the newly recorded pits, a lower-energy, non-pulsed laser
beam is used to write new crystalline lands. The laser beam is repeatedly switched to the lower­energy erase level between the new pits, resulting in complete erasure of the data that was formerly
contained in these areas.

3.3 Track-at-Once, Disc-at-Once, Session-at Once and Packet

Writing

There are four basic methods of writing to a compact disc: Track-at-Once, Disc-at-Once, Session-at­Once and Packet Writing. These are independent of both the physical format and the file system in

which a disc may be written.

Track-at-Once

In Track-at-Once recording, the recording laser is turned off after each track is finished, and turned on
again when a new track must be written, even if several tracks are being written in a single recording

operation.

Tracks recorded in Track-at-Once mode are separated by gaps. If a data track is followed by an audio
track, the gap is 2 or 3 seconds. The gap between audio tracks is usually 2 seconds.

The software can do nothing to suppress or reduce the gap, unless both recorder and software
support variable-gap Track-at-Once. This feature allows you to set the size of the gap, from near zero

(2 sectors, or 2/75 of a second) to 8 seconds, before each audio track on an audio disc.

Disc-at-Once

In Disc-at-Once recording, one or more tracks are recorded, without turning off the recording laser,
until the disc is closed. Disc-at-Once recording requires a blank disc, and cannot be used for
MultiSession recording.

Disc-at-Once is primarily needed for recording audio discs with a variable (or no) gap between tracks
(for example, live concerts).

Session-at-Once (NOT supported by all drive models!!)

Session-at-Once is used primarily for CD Extra. In Session-at-Once recording, a first session
containing multiple audio tracks is recorded in a single pass, then the laser is turned off, but the disc is
not closed. Then a second (data) session is written and closed.

Packet Writing

Packet writing is a method of writing data on a CD in small increments, in accordance with the
industry-standard UDF specification. Not every CD-ROM drive can read packet -written discs. Packet
writing is a feature that must be built into the recorder's hardware. It cannot be implemented by a
firmware upgrade.

Two kinds of packets can be written: fixed-length and variable-length. Fixed-length packets are more
suitable for CD-RW in order to support random erase, because it would be cumbersome and slow to
keep track of a large, constantly-changing file system if the packets were not written in fixed locations.
The drawback is that these fixed packets, with a length of 64 kilobytes, take up a great deal of
overhead space on the disc. The normal data capacity of a CD-RW disc formatted for writing in fixed­length packets is about 500 megabytes.

Variable-length packets save space, because the size of the packet can vary with the size of the data
being written. This is more useful when writing to a standard CD-R disc, because these are write-once
media, and it is not necessary to track and allocate free space when files are 'erased'. (NOTE: On CD­R discs, files cannot actually be erased, but can be made invisible.)

For more info visit: www.roxio.com or www.nero.com

Seamless Link

3.4

Seamless Link protects the disc writing process against the effects of buffer underrun.

Today, many advances in CD writing technology are not only related to speed and to ensuring optimal
write operations on nearly all media, but also to writing integrity.

However, users with older systems may still be presented with an occasional buffer underrun error
message. Though a less frequent error for users of new computer systems, buffer underrun still is an
annoying problem as the recordable media will be irretrievably lost. For both users of new and older
systems, Philips Seamless Link offers an excellent solution for minimizing this disastrous effect of
buffer underrun.

About Buffer Underrun

Buffer underrun can occur when the users’ computer cannot supply a steady and uninterrupted flow of
data from the data source, typically a CD-ROM or hard disk drive, to the memory buffer of the CD or
DVD writer drive.

If this transfer of data, to the drive memory, is interrupted long enough to empty the write buffer in the
drive, then the writing process stops and the disc is ruined. Buffer underrun occurs most frequently

when users are writing in either Track-at-Once (TAO) or Disc-at-Once (DAO) mode.

Possible causes for buffer underrun:

· Insufficient processing power (low speed CPU, insufficient RAM size, no DMA support)

· System configuration not optimal (DMA switched off)

· Too much user interaction during writing (starting or running additional applications, thermal
recalibration of older hard disk types)

· Insufficient performance of the source drive (CD-ROM, hard disk, network drive)

· Scratched or dirty source media (source drive needs multiple retries to read the data successfully)

The solution? Seamless Link from Philips

Seamless Link, the Philips solution, detects the clues of an imminent buffer underrun ahead of time. It
pauses the writing in a controlled way, and restarts the writing when the danger of the buffer underrun
is gone.

Seamless Link technology, however, does not prevent the occurance of buffer underruns. Seamless
Link only acts to prevent buffer underruns from wasting a disc, it is not a speed or quality optimization
algorithm. For speed and quality optimization it is always better to try and remove the cause for the
buffer underruns.

How Seamless Link Works

Seamless Link constantly monitors the writer buffer level. If this level drops below a threshold value,
the writing process is stopped in a controlled way. This means that the data stream from the buffer to
the disc is halted, and it allows the buffer to be filled up again.

The exact location on the disc, where the write operation was stopped, is stored in the drive’s internal
memory. In the meantime, the buffer level is continuously monitored and as soon as the buffer is full

again Seamless Link resumes the writing process from the exact spot where the writing stopped. This
type of writing eliminates the gap, which occurs between two individual writing operations during

traditional writing. Hence the name Seamless Link.

3.5 Thermo-Balanced Writing (TBW)

Introduction

TBW intelligent drive technology, developed and patented by Philips, is a powerful new feature that
assures data integrity by physically testing each disc, then tuning the output of the recording laser, and

choosing the recording speed to suit each individual disc.

Even if the drive determines to use a recording speed lower than the maximum possible, it will always
choose the maximum speed which can safely be used for the inserted disc.

This results in an "intelligent" drive, which adapts its behaviour to suit the precise requirements of each
individual disc, ensuring the best possible recording quality on all media. It provides a very high

success rate even when recording on discs of a quality below the internationally recognised standards.

The Philips 12x8x32x ReWriter internal drives were the first products utilising TBW technology and
from these drives onwards, all Philips ReWriter drives have this feature.

IMPORTANT NOTE: ReWriter drives also write CD-RW discs of course. However, TBW technology is
not applicable to the RW function as ReWritable discs utilise a completely different recording

methodology than Recordable discs.

The problem

Numerous recordable disc manufacturers all over the world are now producing what has become a
commodity item. Unfortunately, in some cases, the quality of these discs is not in accordance with
global standards for this media. There may be areas on the disc surface with an insufficient amount of
recording medium (in addition to scratches, dirt marks or other surface defects), or even gross
mechanical damage which results in imbalance.

Unfortunately, there is no reliable way a consumer can judge what he or she is buying (there exists no
universal authoritative quality logo on the disc packaging). So when you buy and "burn" what are
effectively sub-standard discs, any resulting problems are more likely to be attributed to the CD drive
unit than to the disc. It is a question of compatibility, something you as the end user implicitly desire,
but are unable to verify yourself.

The solution

Philips has applied considerable effort to developing and testing an "on board" system of self­calibration for recording CD-R discs. It is part of a continuous Philips programme that is devoted to the
perfection of writer technology, and particularly, to anticipating and solving end user problems, thereby
enabling greater ease of use.

The Philips solution lies in a technique designated TBW [Thermo-Balanced Writing] , a feature which is
to be introduced in all new Philips ReWriter drives.