Plextor 12-20C User Manual

---- CHAPTER 10 ----

Using CD-ROM Discs

and Trays

YOUR TASK: Learn how to handle, load, and care for your discs.

YOUR OBJECTIVE: Protect your discs. Insert and eject discs properly so

your drive operates without interruption.

YOUR METHOD:

Practice loading discs into trays.

Tray Loading and Operating

1) While the drive is powered up, push the Eject button. The tray drawer will
slide out in 2--3 seconds.

2) Press the Eject button again and the tray will slide shut within 2--3 seconds.

Note: We recommend you use the Eject button to close the tray in a smooth

and secure manner. Closing the tray by pressing the front of the drawer by
hand is not recommended.

Cleaning the Disc

If the disc is merely dusty, you may use a commercially available dust removal spray
such as Dust-Off or Vari-Air to blow dust particles off the disc.

After removing the dust particles, you may wipe the disc using a clean, soft cotton
cloth. Use a straight-line motion, wiping
in a circular motion.

from the center out. Do not wipe the disc

12/20PLEX OPERATION MANUAL 41

CHAPTER 10 ---- Using CD-ROM Discs and Trays

2) Lay the bare CD into the depression in the tray, label side up. If the
drive is mounted in the horizontal position and the CD
lays flat in the drive, you do not need to use the
clips in the tray. If the drive is mounted in
the vertical position (on its side with
the tray perpendicular to the
ground), the clips should be
gently pushed into place over
the CD so that it does not fall
out of the tray.

If a disc becomes dirty or soiled with grease or other contaminants not removable by
wiping, you may clean the disc with a CD-ROM disc cleaner available at most
computer dealers. Follow the directions packaged with the cleaner.

Hint:

Storing your CD-ROM discs in jewel cases or CD caddies at all times
will prevent them from becoming dirty or damaged.

42 12/20PLEX OPERATION MANUAL

---- CHAPTER 11 ----

How to Play Audio CDs

on Your Drive

YOUR TASK: Learn how to use your CD-ROM drive so that it can

also play audio CDs.

YOUR OBJECTIVE: Increase functionality of your drive. Provide

musical accompaniment for presentations. Goof off
at work.

YOUR METHOD:

A variety exists for you to choose from. You can
use anything from front panel controls or very
basic, bare bones audio CD software utilities up to
software utilities that rival or surpass the capabilities
of the CD player attached to your stereo system.

1) The most basic method is to use the 12/20PleX front panel audio controls.
No special drivers are needed to operate this feature.

Once an AUDIO CD is inserted into the drive, simply push the button to
begin AUDIO play. Once the AUDIO is playing, push the play button once
for track advance, or hold down the button for more than 1 second to begin
a fast forward search (ffwd). To eject, press the Stop/Eject button once to
stop AUDIO play and a second time to eject the CD.

While in audio CD play mode, you can read a CD-ROM data disc by simply
removing the audio CD and inserting a data CD into your CD-ROM drive.

2) For PC users, audio utilities are provided with Plextor Manager and Plextor
Manager 96. For installation and operating instructions, refer to the separate
Plextor Manager software manual.

3) Other alternatives include audio utilities designed into your operating
system (Media Player in Windows for instance) or various other utilities that
can be purchased commercially.

4) Mac users can run a program such as CDT Remote (which typically is
included with FWB’s CD-ROM device driver) .

In order to hear the audio CD your drive is playing, you can plug a pair of stereo
headphones or self-powered speakers into the headphone jack on the drive’s front
panel. You also can connect your drive to an audio amplifier as shown on the next
page. The audio cables shown are available at most computer and audio supply stores.

12/20PLEX OPERATION MANUAL 43

CHAPTER 11 ---- How to Play Audio CDs on Your Drive

PLEASE
NOTE:

The volume control wheel on the front panel of your drive adjusts only
the sound level of the headphone jack. It has no impact on the volume
level of the rear panel audio outputs.

PX-12/20PleX (Internal or External)

Stereo Mini-Plug

(To Headphone Jack)

Audio Amplifier

PX-20TSe (External)

Audio Input

RCA-Type Plugs

44 12/20PLEX OPERATION MANUAL

(To Audio Out)

Audio Amplifier

Audio Input

RCA-Type Plugs

---- CHAPTER 12 ----

Troubleshooting

YOUR TASK: Review some of the common problems you may

encounter when installing or operating your
12/20PleX drive.

YOUR OBJECTIVE: Gain a better understanding of how your drive

operates. Attempt to prevent problems before they
occur. Quickly fix, on your own, many simple
problems rather than wait for assistance from a
Plextor representative.

YOUR METHOD:

Read this entire section. Many of the problems
discussed happen only rarely. Many may seem
as if they do not pertain to you. If you are familiar
with the variety of problems that

can occur,

however, you will be better prepared to deal with
them if they happen to you.

If you experience trouble with your 12/20PleX drive, follow these guidelines:

PC Users:

1) Most SCSI interface boards can sense when a problem has occurred and will
generate an error message on your computer. Take note of this message. Then,
run the test (diagnostic) program that probably is included with the device drivers
for your SCSI interface board. Follow the instructions given in the SCSI interface
board’s manual. If the information provided by the error message and test
program is not sufficient for you to fix the problem, proceed to step #2.

2) If your problem occurs during or immediately after the drive’s installation,
read Section 12.1----PC Compatibles: Initial Installation. If your problem
occurs after you have run the drive successfully for an extended period, read
Section 12.2----PC Compatibles: Existing Installations.

3) Attempt to match the problem you are having with the entries listed beneath
SYMPTOMS. Then narrow your search by checking to see if the ADDI­TIONAL SYMPTOMS apply to you as well. Because different SCSI interface
boards generate differently worded error messages, the messages displayed
by your computer may differ from those shown on the following pages.

12/20PLEX OPERATION MANUAL 45

CHAPTER 12 ---- Troubleshooting

Apple Computer Users:

Read Section 12.3----Apple Computers

Technical Support

If you still cannot solve your problem after reviewing the relevant sections of this
chapter, please contact Plextor’s Technical Support Department. See Chapter 13 for
information on how to prepare for, and then make contact with, Plextor’s technical
support staff.

46 12/20PLEX OPERATION MANUAL

CHAPTER 12 ---- Troubleshooting

12.1 PC Compatibles: Initial Installation

Symptoms Additional Symptom

• No sound when running a
CD-ROM program

Possible Causes and Solutions

Application Does Not Use CD-Audio

There are two types of audio you may encounter when using CD-ROMs:

1) Sound Card Audio:
This comes from data (e.g., .WAV or .MID files) that is transferred from your

CD-ROM disc via the SCSI host adapter into your computer, and is translated
by your soundboard into sound. If you do not have a soundboard, you will
not be able to hear this form of audio.

2) CD Audio:
This comes from audio discs (like the ones used by your home stereo) that

are translated directly by your CD-ROM drive into sound. You do not need
a soundboard to hear this audio. You can hear this audio by plugging a set
of headphones or powered speakers into the headphone jack on the front
of your drive.

One reason, then, that you might not hear sound when playing a CD-ROM disc is
that a soundboard is required. These discs use only sound card audio, not CD Audio.

To help you determine if you are having a soundboard problem, or a CD Audio
problem, try playing an audio CD in your CD-ROM drive. If you can hear music
(through headphones or speakers connected to the headphone jack on the front of
your drive), the CD-ROM disc you are playing may require the use of a soundboard
in order to hear sound. If possible, check the manual that came with the CD-ROM
disc and see if the use of a soundboard is recommended or required.

If you have a soundboard and can hear an audio CD when it is played, but cannot
hear sound when you play a CD-ROM disc, you may have configured your sound­board incorrectly. Check the troubleshooting section of your soundboard manual for
further advice. If you have a soundboard but you cannot hear an audio CD when it
is played, check the following points:

No sound when playing an audio CD

12/20PLEX OPERATION MANUAL

47

CHAPTER 12 ---- Troubleshooting

Improper/Missing Audio Cable

If you use a soundboard, you must connect the soundboard to your CD-ROM drive
with an audio cable. See page 34 to ensure you have properly installed this audio
cable. If you have a soundboard and CD-ROM drive, but lack an audio cable, contact
one of the companies listed on page 61, or Plextor’s Technical Support Department,
for information on where a cable can be purchased.

Device Drivers Need to Be Updated

If you can hear an audio CD in your CD-ROM drive when it is in Audio CD play mode
(see Chapter 11), but you cannot hear an audio CD with another music CD utility
(e.g., Animotion’s MCS CDMaster, CorelCD), your device drivers may need to be
updated. Contact Plextor Technical Support for assistance.

Soundboard Volume Low

If, when playing an audio CD, you do not hear sound even though everything appears
to be functioning normally (busy light on drive flickers, the time counter on your audio
CD utility is advancing), you may have the mixer settings for your soundboard set too
low. Each soundboard has different settings for each input source, including one
for CD Audio. Run your soundboard’s mixer program and verify that the volume
is turned up.

Bad Soundboard Audio Cable

If you have verified that you have made the proper cable connections between your
12/20PleX drive and soundboard, and you have the correct device drivers installed
but you still do not hear sound when playing an audio CD, the problem may rest with
your audio cable. It may be defective and need to be replaced.

You can check to see if this is the case by doing the following: Unplug the audio cable
from the rear of your 12/20PleX drive. Plug a set of headphones or speakers that you
know are good into the jack on the front of the drive. Try to play an audio CD. If you
can now hear music, you may conclude that you do, in fact, have a bad audio cable.

Symptoms

• Cannot view Photo CD discs

• Can read only first session of a multisession disc

• Receive error messages while reading Photo CD images

Your 12/20PleX drive is capable of reading Kodak Photo CD multisession discs if you
use the appropriate device drivers and you run a Photo CD viewing program (e.g.,
Magic Lantern, Kodak’s Photo CD Access).

48 12/20PLEX OPERATION MANUAL

CHAPTER 12 ---- Troubleshooting

Possible Causes and Solutions

Device Drivers Need to Be Updated

Contact Plextor Technical Support for device driver information.

Bad Photo CD Disc

If you can see a list of files from your Photo CD (after issuing a DIR command), but
cannot read them, or experience errors while reading them, you may have a bad Photo
CD disc. Try another Photo CD disc. If it works, you should have the defective disc
replaced.

Symptoms Additional Symptom

• Invalid Drive Specification Error Appears upon Initial Installation

• No Device Found of the CD-ROM Drive and Device

• No SCSI Interface Board Found, Driver Software

• or No Response from SCSI

Interface Board

• No Drives in Use

Possible Causes and Solutions

Improper SCSI Device Driver Installation

Your computer needs a SCSI software device driver to link the SCSI interface board
to the CD-ROM drive. If this driver cannot be loaded properly, an error message will
normally be displayed on the screen.

Try rebooting the computer. Watch as the CONFIG.SYS file executes, and look for an
error message to appear. You can press the Control and S keys simultaneously to freeze
the display in order to read the error message (use the Control and S combination
again to continue).

If the SCSI device driver cannot be loaded properly, either a software or hardware
conflict exists. Software conflicts are generally caused by memory managers; hard­ware conflicts by two peripherals vying for the same DOS address space. Please read
the next two paragraphs on software and hardware conflicts.

Software Conflict with Other Device Drivers

The SCSI interface board normally designates the CD-ROM driver as the first device
driver loaded by the computer. When the computer has a memory manager (e.g.,
HIMEM.SYS, 386MAX.SYS, or QEMM.SYS), in most cases the memory manager is
loaded first and the CD-ROM driver loaded directly thereafter.

12/20PLEX OPERATION MANUAL

49