Plextor 482448A User Manual

Model PX-W4824TA (Internal)
INSTALLATION AND USERS MANUAL
AUGUST 2002
Plextor reserves the right to make improvements in the products described in this
manual at any time without prior notice.
Plextor makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for
any particular purpose. Further, Plextor Corp. reserves the right to revise this manual
and to make changes in its content without obligation to notify any person or
organization of such revision or change.
This manual is copyrighted, all rights reserved. It may not be copied, photocopied, translated, or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form without
Plextor’s prior permission.
Manual copyright ©2002 Plextor Corp. First edition, August 2002.
Licenses and Trademarks
Plextor and the Plextor logo are registered trademarks and PlexWriter is a trademark of Plextor Corp. BURN-Proof is a trademark of Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. All other licenses and trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Record Your Serial Number
For future reference, record the serial number and the TLA code (found on your drive’s label) in the space provided below.
TLA/Firmware Revision Number
FCC NOTICE
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Subpart B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy, and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment causes harmful interference to r adio or televis io n reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Any changes or modifications should be approved by the party responsible for compliance of FCC Rules; otherwise, the user loses authority to operate the equipment.
LASER INFORMATION
These products have been designed and manufactured according to IEC 60825-1 on the Safety of Laser products. This product comes under Class 1 Laser Products.
CAUTION
specified herein may res ul t in hazardous radiation exposure.
: Use of controls or adjus tments or performanc e of procedures other than those
A Laser Caution Label is attached on the top of the internal drive model. The label reads:
“CAUTION –
CLASS 3B RADIATION WHEN OPEN. AVOID EXPOSURE TO THE BEAM.”
Detail of Laser Caution Labels Top View of Drive Showing Location of Laser
Caution Labels
The laser beam emitted from the optical pickup is invisible. Accordingly:
Do not open the optical pickup housing.
Obtain service only from Plextor-au thorized personnel.
CAUTION
: To disconnect the CD drive from an electrical current, pull out the power plug.
Ü
VORSICHT
: DIE TRENNUNG VOM NETZ E RF OLGT DURCH ZIEHEN DES NETZS T ECKERS.
Zur Einhaltung der Funk-Entstörung von nicht selbständig betreibbaren Hochfrequenzgeräten (periphere Anlagenkomponenten).
Dieses Gerät entspricht als Einzelgerät den Funk-Entstöranforderungen der Postverfügung Nr. 243/1991. Wird das Gerät innerhalb einer Anlage zusammen mit anderen Geräten betrieben, so muss bei Inanspruchnahme der Allgemeinen (Betriebs-) genehmigung” nach der BMPT-AmtsblVfg Nr. 243/1991 die gesamte Anlage folgenden Richtlinien entsprechen:
Grenzwertklasse B der EN55022
Auflagen nach § 2 der BMPT-AmtsblVfg 243/1991
G-Vfg.243
Dies ist bei der Zusammensetzung einer Anlage (z.B. Computersystem) aus nur einzeln geprüften Geräten nicht immer erfüllt.
Table of Contents
1. Getting Started................................................................................................. 1
About this Manual.............................................................................................. 1
Meet Your PlexWriter 48/24/48A...................................................................... 1
What the PlexWriter 48/24/48A Does ...........................................................1
Minimum Configuration to Use the PlexWriter 48/24/48A........................... 2
What You Can Do with the PlexWriter 48/24/48A........................................ 2
Save Your Box!.............................................................................................. 3
Whats In the Box.............................................................................................. 3
PlexWriter Drive Features and Controls............................................................ 4
Front Panel..................................................................................................... 4
Rear Panel......................................................................................................5
About Software..................................................................................................6
Precautions......................................................................................................... 6
2. Installing Your PlexWriter.............................................................................. 7
QuickStart InstallationFor Experienced PC Users Only.............................7
Open the Computer and Prepare for Installation................................................ 7
Determine Your Existing IDE Configuration..................................................... 8
Set the Drive’s Mode Jumper............................................................................. 9
Changing the Mode Jumper on Your Internal PlexWriter Drive....................9
Select an IDE Configuration..............................................................................10
About Cable Select.............................................................................................13
Identifying Whether Your System Uses Cable Select.................................... 14
Locating the Master Position on a Cable Select Cable................................... 14
Set the DMA Jumper.......................................................................................... 14
Install the PlexWriter Drive............................................................................... 15
Record the Serial Number.............................................................................. 15
Mount the PlexWriter Drive in the Computer................................................ 15
Using Sound Boards and Audio Cables ............................................................. 20
Choosing and Connecting Audio Cables........................................................ 20
Make Sure the Drive Is Recognized................................................................... 21
3. Using Your PlexWriter.................................................................................... 23
What Media to Use ............................................................................................23
Tray Loading and Operation.............................................................................. 23
Handling CD Media....................................................................................... 24
Cleaning Discs ............................................................................................... 24
Using the Writing Speed Indicator..................................................................... 25
Using SpeedRead...............................................................................................25
What SpeedRead Does................................................................................... 25
Manually Enabling SpeedRead ...................................................................... 26
Disabling SpeedRead.....................................................................................26
Advantages of BURN-Proof .............................................................................. 26
Advantages of VariRec Technology...................................................................27
How the Default VariRec Setting Is Determined ........................................... 27
PlexWriter 48/24/48A I nstallation and Users Manual v
Table of Contents
Changing the VariRec Setting........................................................................27
When You Write with VariRec......................................................................28
Advantages of Overburn.....................................................................................28
4. Maintenance and Troubleshooting.................................................................29
Upgrading Firmware ..........................................................................................29
Troubleshooting .................................................................................................29
Using the Self-Test Diagnostics......................................................................... 30
What Youll Need..........................................................................................30
CD Write/Read Test.......................................................................................30
What the Self-Test Results Indicate ...............................................................32
Appendix A: PlexWriter Specifications..............................................................33
Appendix B: Technical Support..........................................................................39
How to Contact Plextor Technical Support........................................................39
Before You E-mail/Log On/FAX/Call ............................................................... 40
Returns...............................................................................................................40
Contacting Ple xt or’s RMA Department.........................................................40
Shipping Your Drive to Plextor......................................................................41
Appendix C: Warranty........................................................................................43
Index......................................................................................................................45
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PlexWriter 48/24/48A I nstallation and Users Manual
1. Getting Started
Congratulatio ns! Thank you for purchasing the Plextor® PlexWriter™ 48/24/48A, a reliable, high-performance CD writer, CD rewriter and CD player. We appreciate the confidence you have shown in us. Our goal is to put youand keep youon the leading edge of CD technology.
About this Manual
Please read this manual carefully and keep it handy for easy reference. Use the manual for installation, operation and troubleshooting. If your drive needs service, see your dealer or call Plextors Technical Support Department.
In this manual you should find all the information you need to successfully install, operate and troubleshoot your drive. If you run into a problem that doesn't seem to be covered, however, please contact us. (See Appendix B: Technical Support for the different ways you can reach us.) You will be connected to our friendly, helpful band of tech support engineers. What might seem like an uncooperative drive to you could very well be a 30-second fix to them. But we will never know unless you contact us.
Meet Your PlexWriter 48/24/48A
The PlexWriter 48/24/48A is a CD-ReWritable drive that provides professional quality CD performance for writing, rewriting and reading.
What the PlexWriter 48/24/48A Does
The PlexWriter 48/24/48A:
Writes to CD-R (recordable CD) media at up to 48X speed.
Writes to Ultra-Speed CD-RW (rewritable CD) media at 24X speed. The drive also writes to High-Speed CD-RW media at 4X and 10X, and to Normal-Speed CD-RW media at 4X speeds.
Reads all CD-ROM and CD-R media at a maximum of 48X speed with an average access time of 65 milliseconds. (Maximum read speed of CD-RW media is 40X.)
Reliable writing is virtually guaranteed, thanks to unique PoweRec circuitry that automatically detects the type of media being recorded and adjusts the PlexWriter 48/24/48A to provide the optimum laser power and length of burnwhich means the highest quality playback. In addition, the PlexWriter 48/24/48A has VariRec technology, a feature offered by Plextor that allows you to manually adjust the drive's laser power during the audio recording process. The drive has an EIDE interface that supports the ATAPI-5 command set, including special commands for CD-R and CD-RW.
PlexWriter 48/24/48A I nstallation and Users Manual 1
Section 1. Getting St arted
The PlexWriter 48/24/48A is fully MMC-compliant, and supports the following recording modes: Disc-at-Once, Track-at-Once, Session-at-Once, and Multi-Session, as well as variable and fixed packet writing. It also supports the UDF file system implemented through packet writing.
The PlexWriter 48/24/48A supports the Mt. Rainier (MRW) function for the formatting and management of CD-RW media. It also offers SpeedRead, a feature that boosts read speed to 48X without sacrificing data integrity or safe operation. Another important feature of this drive is Overburn; If your application software supports Overburn, you now have the capability to burn an audio disc up to 94 minutes 55 seconds in length, or a data disc up to 830 MB in capacity.
The PlexWriter 48/24/48A supports running OPC and is compatible with Windows Plug & Play. Flash memory allows upgrading the PlexWriter 48/24/48A to the latest firmware revision (available from the Plextor web site) without opening the computer or physically accessing the drive. BURN-Proof
technology eliminates buffer underrun errors, which means you can safely use your computer for other things while youre writing to a CD-R or CD-RW disc. And Plextor backs up this remarkable drive with a one-year full warranty on parts and labor, and unlimited toll­free tech support.
Your PlexWriter also has a self-diagnostic feature. The drive can actually determine if it is working properly, an invaluable feature for troubleshooting.
Minimum Configuration to Use the PlexWriter 48/24/48A
Computer: Pentium II 300-MHz CPU or faster.
Minimum RAM: 64 MB.
Hard disk size: To write to a CD in image mode (that is, to write an image of a CD to your hard disk), you need 1 GB of free space.
ATAPI settings: The IDE controller should be set to “Auto in the motherboard BIOS.
What You Can Do with the PlexWriter 48/24/48A
Just look at some of the things you can do with your PlexWriter 48/24/48A:
Record data or audio onto writable or rewritable CD media.
Play music CDs.
Save photos and other images on rewritable or writable CDs.
Create a CD sneakernet to share information with colleaguesjust use software such as Roxios DirectCD to drag and drop files onto CD-R or CD-RW media, then continue adding files and sharing the same CD disc.
Archive images and video to CD.
Master new software programs on CD.
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PlexWriter 48/24/48A I nstallation and Users Manual
Section 1. Getting St arted
Whats In the Box
What you find in your Plextor box depends on what the company that sold you the box put inor took out—while the Plextor drive was in their possession.
Plextor currently sells its PlexWriter 48/24/48A drive in this configuration:
PlexWriter 48/24/48A CD-RW drive
40-pin IDE ribbon cable
4 mounting screws
Extra jumper
Emergency eject tool
1 piece of approved CD-R media
Plextor CD with bundled pre­mastering and packet writing software
PlexWriter 48/24/48A Installation and Users Guide
If the security sticker on top of your box is cut, there may be a good reason: for example, a dealer may have added other components or software. Carefully check the contents to ensur e nothing has been removed. If something is missing, contact the party from whom you purchased the box for an explanation.
NOTE
: This applies to the Plextor retail box. Your drive may have been shipped in a different box with other contents, depending on whom you purchased the drive from and what they included inside the box.
If your drive came pre-installed, some or all of the items above may have been installed and may not be separately available. See the Plextor web site for locations to purchase additional or replacement accessories.
Save Your Box!
Be sure to save t he box after you have installed your PlexWriter drive. The box and its packaging material were designed and drop tested to ensure your PlexWriter can endure rough treatment and still arrive in working order.
We hope you will never have to ship your drive back to us. If you do, however, it's best to send it packaged in the original box. Some of our customers have not held o n to their boxes and have had to resort to less-than-secure methods to get drives back to us.
We cannot assume liability for any damage your drive susta ins during shipment. Therefore, please ship your drive in the safest manner po ssible.
Before shipping your drive, refer to the support section of the Plextor web site for pointers. The web site is at: http://www.plextor.com
If you did not receive a box (for example, your drive came pre-installed in a computer), we recommend you pay a packaging store (such as Mail Boxes Etc.) to ship your drive. If you don’t have a packaging store in your area, ask for packaging pointers when you contact us to get an RMA number before returning any drive. You can contact our RMA Department by e-mail at rmasupport@plextor.com; or by calling us at 800-886-3935; or by fax at 510-651-9765.
PlexWriter 48/24/48A I nstallation and Users Manual 3
Section 1. Getting St arted
PlexWriter Drive Features and Controls
Before proceeding, become familiar with the controls and features of your PlexWriter drive. Match the parts of your drive to the illustrations below.
Front Panel
Figure 1: Front Panel of the PlexWriter 48/24/48A Drive
Tray front door: Attached to tray drawer.
Headphone jack: Stereo mini-jack for headphones and powered speakers.
Volume control: Controls volume of headphone jack.
NOTE
: The volume control 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.
LED indicator: Illuminated green during disc loading and when BURN-Proof is operational. Illuminated yellow when a disc is being read. Blinks amber when writing a CD-R or CD-RW disc. The indicator changes its blinking interval to indicate different writing speeds. The indicator also blinks green three times when SpeedRead is enabled.
Eject button: Push once to eject tray. Push again to insert the tray back into the PlexWriter. To prevent wear on the drive, always use the eject button to insert the tray. For SpeedRead, press and hold this button for 3 seconds or more be for e inserting the disc. The LED indicator blinks green 3 times to indicate SpeedRead is enabled. SpeedRead enables high speed (48X) CD reading.
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PlexWriter 48/24/48A I nstallation and Users Manual
Section 1. Getting St arted
Emergency eject hole: If the automatic eject button does not work, insert the emergency eject tool, paper clip, or other thin, rigid object in this hole to eject tray. Turn OFF power before using this feature.
Rear Panel
Figure 2: Rear Panel of the PlexWriter 48/24/48A Internal Drive
Digital audio output connector: Outputs digital stereo signal. For connecting to a sound board that supports Sony/Philips digital interface (SPDIF) or Digital-In.
Analog audio output connector: Outputs analog stereo signal. Use to connect to sound board or audio amplifier. Use standard MPC-3 type, 4-pin connector.
DMA jumper: Use the DMA jumper to convert between Ultra DMA Mode 0-2 (no jumper, default) and Multiword DMA Mode 0-2 (with jumper installed). In general, leave this jumper at its factory setting, which is Ultra DMA (that is, no jumper installed).
Mode jumper: Use the mode jumper to select operation as an IDE master or slave, or for cable select. In general, leave this jumper at its factory setting, which is master.
IDE cable connector: Connects to IDE (ATAPI) interface using 40-pin IDE flat ribbon cable.
Power connector: Connects to your computer’s power supply to provide DC +5 volts and +12 volts to the PlexWriter.
PlexWriter 48/24/48A I nstallation and Users Manual 5
Section 1. Getting St arted
About Software
In order to create CD-R and CD-RW discs you will need to have mastering, packet writing, or duplication software installed on your computer system. If you purchased a retail kit from Plextor, youll get software packages that include such software.
For details on the various software packages for writing to CD-R or CD-RW, please visit the web sites of the companies whose software you are interested in, refer to their users manuals, or look at the help option within the software. A list of various software packages that you can use with your Plextor drive can be found in the Support/Compatibility section of www.plextor.com
.
Precautions
Like the rest of your computer system, your PlexWriter requires reasonable care in its installation and use.
Keep the area around your drive clean from dust, smoke, and other contaminants.
Do not allow moisture or liquids, including water or cleaning fluids, to touch the drive. Thinner, benzene, or alcohol-based solvents can mar your drives surface.
Do not drop or jolt the drive.
Do not attempt to open the drive and service it yourself. Removing the cover may expose you to harmful electrical voltages or the laser beam. For your safety, entrust service to Plextor-authorized service personnel only.
Keep your CDs free of dirt or other contaminants, by storing them in jewel cases. Use only industry-standard discs. Do not insert dirty, warped, poorly balanced, or cracked discs into the drive.
Do not clean discs using a circular motion. Instead, using a soft, dry cloth, wipe gently in a radial motion; start at the center of the disc and proceed to the outer edge.
CAUTION
performance in a vertical position.
: Install your PlexWriter horizontally. Plextor does not guarantee the drive’s
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PlexWriter 48/24/48A I nstallation and Users Manual
2. Installing Your PlexWriter
This chapter explains how to physically install your PlexWriter in your computer. The steps you'll need to do are as follows:
1. Turn OFF your computer system.
2. Set the jumper for your new PlexWriter drive, if necessary.
3. Mount the PlexWriter drive into an available drive bay inside the computer system.
4. Make all necessary cabling connections: IDE cable, power cable, and audio cable.
5. Turn your computer system ON.
The following pages give more details for this procedure.
Open the Computer and Prepare for Installation
To determine whether your PlexWriter will be a Master or a Slave, open your computer and examine the IDE connections to the motherboard.
To open the computer:
1. Before proceeding, make sure the power to your computer and any external peripherals is OFF and your computer is UNPLUGGED from its power source.
2. Remove your computers cover, following the directions provided by your computers manufactur er. Typically, this involves loo s ening or removing several screws on the back panel of your computer and sliding off the cover. See Figure 3 for an example.
QuickStart Installation—For Experienced PC Users Only
If youve installed computer peripherals before, youre in luck with the PlexWriter drive. Use this QuickStart installation to get up and running quickly.
Typical Scenario 1: You have a P C with an IDE interface installed, you have Windows 95, 98, 98SE, Me, XP, or 2000, and you have nothing installed on the secondary IDE port. What to do: Leave the PlexWriter’s jumper set to Master, attach it to the secondary IDE port, and go. Windows will recognize the drive automatically.
Typical Scenario 2: You have a P C with an IDE interface installed, you have Windows 95, 98, 98SE, Me, XP, or 2000, the primary IDE port already has two devices connected and you have a CD-ROM installed on the secondary IDE port. What to do: Change the CD-ROM to Slave, leave the PlexWriters jumper set to Master and attach the PlexWriter to the secondary IDE port. Windows recognizes the new drive automatically.
If neither of these situations applies to you, or you re not comfortable with IDE installation, read the rest of this chapter for more detailed installation instructions.
PlexWriter 48/24/48A I nstallation and Users Manual 7
Section 2. Install i ng Your PlexWriter
Figure 3: Removing a Typical Computer's Cover
Determine Your Existing IDE Configur ation
With your computer open, determine the existing IDE configuration. You can do this by looking at the 40-pin IDE ribbon cable (or cablesthere may be two) and seeing what is connected to them.
One end of the IDE cable is connected to a port on the computers motherboard; and the other end is connected to one or two peripheral devices (such as a hard disk or CD-ROM drive). If there are two devices, one is configured as Master and the other the Slave, as indicated by the position of jumpers on the back of the drive. (This is also true for the Cable Select bus.) If there are two IDE ports, one is for the primary IDE bus and the other is for the secondary bus.
Before you install your PlexWriter, your computers IDE configuration is usually one of the following:
Configuration A: Hard disks connected as Master and Slave devices on primary IDE port; CD-ROM drive connected as the Master device on secondary IDE port.
Configuration B: Hard disk connected as Master device and DVD or CD-ROM drive connected as Slave on the primary IDE port; nothing connected to secondary IDE port.
Configuration C: Hard disk connected as Master device on primary IDE port; nothing connected to secondary IDE port.
Configuration D: System uses special Cable Select cables; all devices are jumpered for Cable Select.
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PlexWriter 48/24/48A I nstallation and Users Manual
Section 2. Install i ng Your PlexWriter
Set the Drives Mode Jumper
You specify your drive's Master or Slave setting before installing it. You do this by changing the position of a jumper on the mode jumper block at the rear of the drive.
Your drive ships from our factory with its mode jumper set to operate the PlexWriter as a Master. This will work in most custom system configurations. If your computer is from a large OEM system manufacturer such as IBM, Hewlett Packard, Gateway or Compaq, you will need to pay particular attention to whether the computer uses the Cable Select scheme.
Changing the Mode Jumper on Your Internal PlexWriter Drive
The PlexWriter drive arrives from the factory with its mode jumper set to Master. (A function is ON if the jumper is installed and OFF if the jumper is removed.)
Figure 4: Factory Settings for Mode Jum per at the Rear of the Drive
Changing to a Master, Slave, or Cable Select
The Master/Slave setting for the drive is determined by the mode jumper. The jumper is placed over one of the sets of mode pins. To change the drive from Master to Slave or to Cable Select, you must move the jumper.
For example, to change the PlexWriter drive to be a Slave, move the jumper to the right set of mode pins, leaving the other pins uncovered. To cha nge the drive for Cable Select, move the jumper to the set of mode pins just to the right of the DMA jumper. (Usually, you leave the DMA jumper off.)
PlexWriter 48/24/48A I nstallation and Users Manual 9
Section 2. Install i ng Your PlexWriter
Note that if any device is jumpered as Cable Select, then both devices connected to that cable must be jumpered as Cable Select. In addition, the cable you use must be a special Cable Select cable.
Changing Jumper Settings
To remove a jumper, pull it off with your fingers or a pair of needle-nose pliers.
To install a jumper, push it onto the jumper pins.
CAUTION
: Ensure power to the drive is OFF before installing or removing a jumper.
Figure 5: Install the Mode Jumper Across Vertical Pairs of Pins
CAUTION
connect one pin switch to another by installing the jumper lengthwise (horizontally). Doing so could result in damage to the drive.
: Install the mode jumper across the pins as shown (vertically). Do not
Select an IDE Configuration
Set the jumper according to the desired configuration, as shown in the tables and illustrations on the next few pages.
NOTE
: For best CD-RW performance, try to connect the PlexWriter to the IDE port that is not connected to the hard disk drive or to a CD-ROM drive. In most cases, this will be the secondary IDE port.
NOTE
: For best results, set the PlexWriter to be the Master, if possible.
10
PlexWriter 48/24/48A I nstallation and Users Manual
Section 2. Install i ng Your PlexWriter
Before PlexWriter Installation How to Install the PlexWriter
A
Hard disks connected as Master and Slave devices on primary IDE port; CD-ROM connected as Master device on secondary IDE port.
Remove the CD-ROM drive, change it to Slave, and re-connect it to the secondary IDE port.
Set the PlexWriters mode jumper to Master, and connect the PlexWriter as Master device to the secondary IDE port.
NOTE:
Configuration A can make it very difficult to write from the CD-ROM to the PlexWriter at 48X using “on-the-fly” copying. System configuration and performance will make a big difference.
Depending on how fast the CD-ROM drive can stream data to the PlexWriter, it may not be fast enough to keep the buffer full. In this case, the buffer may become empty and a buffer underrun error may happen. However, because it is equipped with BURN-Proof, your PlexWriter can still make successful copies if you use software that supports BURN-Proof. (All software shipped with PlexWriter 48/24/48A drive retail kits supports BURN-Proof.)
If you still have problems writing with this configuration, use the image writing method (that is, write an image to your hard drive, then write that image onto the CD-R or CD-RW media), or record at a lower speed for best results. We also recommend that DMA be enabled on your computer, if your system supports it.
Figure 6. How to Install the PlexWriter If Your Co mputer Is Originally Set Up in
Configuration A
PlexWriter 48/24/48A I nstallation and Users Manual 11
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