Model PX-208U (USB External)
INSTALLATION AND USERS MANUAL
JULY 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, July 2002.
Licenses and Trademarks
All 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
Ü
FCC NOTICE
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class 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 radio or television 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 eq uipment.
CAUTION
specified herein may res ul t in hazardous radiation exposure.
The laser beam emitted from the optical pickup is invisible. Accordingly:
•
•
: Use of controls or adjus tments or performanc e of procedures other than those
Do not open the optical pickup housing.
Obtain service only from Plextor-au thorized personnel.
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.” A Lase r Caution Marking is attached on the
top of the internal drive model: “Caution: Invisible laser radiation when open. Avoid direct exposure to
beam.”
CAUTION
: To disconnect the CD drive from an electrical current, pull out the power plug.
VORSICHT
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:
•
•
Dies ist bei der Zusammensetzung einer Anlage (z.B. Computersystem) aus nur einzeln geprüften Geräten
nicht immer erfüllt.
: DIE TRENNUNG VOM NETZ E RF OLGT DURCH ZIEHEN DES NETZS T ECKERS.
G-Vfg.243
Grenzwertklasse B der EN55022
Auflagen nach § 2 der BMPT-AmtsblVfg 243/1991
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Table of Contents
1. Getting Started................................................................................................. 1
About this Manual.............................................................................................. 1
Meet Your PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U..................................................................... 1
What the PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U Does........................................................... 1
Minimum Configuration to Use the PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U........................... 2
What You Can Do with the PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U....................................... 2
Save Your Box!.............................................................................................. 3
What's in the Box............................................................................................... 3
PlexCombo Drive Features and Controls........................................................... 4
Precautions......................................................................................................... 5
2. Connecting Your PlexCombo..........................................................................7
Determine Your Computer’s Operating System................................................. 7
Connect the PlexCombo Drive...........................................................................8
Record the Serial Number and TLA Code.....................................................8
If You Have Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows Me........................8
If You Have Windows 98SE.......................................................................... 9
Make Sure the Drive Is Recognized................................................................... 10
If You Have a Macintosh................................................................................... 10
3. Using Your PlexCombo...................................................................................11
What Media to Use ............................................................................................11
Operating Position.............................................................................................. 12
Tray Loading and Operation.............................................................................. 12
Handling CD Media....................................................................................... 13
Cleaning Discs ...............................................................................................14
Playing CDs and DVDs......................................................................................15
Advantages of Buffer Underrun Proof Technology ........................................... 15
4. Maintaining Your PlexCombo........................................................................ 17
Upgrading Firmware .......................................................................................... 17
5. Frequently Asked Questions............................................................................19
Appendix A: PlexCombo Specifications............................................................. 21
Appendix B: Technical Support.......................................................................... 25
How to Contact Us............................................................................................. 25
Before You E-mail/Log On/FAX/Call............................................................... 26
Returns............................................................................................................... 26
Appendix C: Warranty........................................................................................ 27
Index...................................................................................................................... 29
PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U Installation and Users Manual v
Table of Contents
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vi
PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U Installation and Users Manual
1. Getting Started
Congratulatio ns! Thank you for purc hasing the PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U (the model
number is PX-208U), a reliable, high-performance external CD rewriter, CD
recorder, and CD/DVD reader. We appreciate the confidence you have shown in us.
Our goal is to put you—and keep you—on the leading e dge of CD technology.
About this Manual
This manual explains how to connect and use your external PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U
drive. With USB, the installation process is simple. And if you have problems, fear
not. We have successfully walked through installa tion with millions of customers
who previously had lived in mortal terror of their computer.
Please read this manual carefully and keep it handy for easy reference. Use the
manual for installation, operation and troubleshooting. See your dealer or call
Plextor’s Technical Support Department if your drive needs service. And if you run
into a problem that doesn't seem to be covered, please contact us. (See “Appendix B:
Technical Support” for the different ways you can contact us.) You will be
connected to our friendly, helpful band of tech support engineers, people who know
their stuff. 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 PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U
The PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U is a CD-ReWritable drive that provides professional
quality CD performance for writing, rewriting and reading. It also reads digital video
discs (DVDs).
What the PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U Does
This versatile and remarkable drive:
•
Writes to CD-R (recordable CD) media at up to 8X speed.
•
Writes to high-speed CD-RW (rewritable CD) media at up to 8X speed.
•
Reads all CD-ROM and CD-R media at a maximum of 24X speed with a typical
access time of less than 150 milliseconds.
•
Reads DVD-ROM discs at a maximum of 8X.
The PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U has a high-speed Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0
interface. You can also use it with USB version 1.1. (With USB 1.1 the drive’s top
performance is 4X for CD-R, 4X for CD-RW, and 6X for reading a CD-ROM. In
addition, with USB 1.1, DVD playback is limited to 0.7X DVD speed.)
PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U Installation and Users Manual 1
Section 1. Getting St arted
The PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U is compatible with Orange Book, Parts II and III. It is
fully MMC-compliant, and supports Track-at-Once, Disc-at-Once, Multi-Session, as
well as variable and fixed packet writing.
The PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U supports Running OPC (ROPC) and is compa t ible with
Windows Plug & Play. Flash memory allows upgrading the PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U
to the latest firmware revision (available from the Plextor web site) without opening
the drive. Buffer Underrun Proof technology eliminates buffer underrun errors, so
you can safely use your computer for other t hi ngs while you ’re 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 toll-free tech support.
Minimum Configuration to Use the PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U
PC Configuration:
•
Computer: Pentium 350-MHz CPU or faster.
•
Minimum RAM: 64 MB.
•
USB port: USB 2.0 or 1.1
•
Hard disk size: Minimum 800 MB. 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.
•
Separate CD-ROM drive: Only needed if you want to copy another CD directly
to the PlexCombo. If you don’t have a separate CD-ROM drive, you can still use
a single PlexCombo as the source drive, as well as the destination.
•
Operating system: Windows 98SE (Second Edition), Windows 2000, Windows
Me, or Windows XP
NOTE
: You must have one of these operating systems. You cannot operate this drive
if you have Windows 98; you must have Windows 98SE.
Macintosh Configuration:
Macintosh with USB port and OS 8.6-9.x (provides USB 1.1) or with OS X
(provides USB 2.0 performance).
What You Can Do with the PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U
Just look at some of the things you can do with your PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U:
•
Record data or audio onto recordable or rewritable CD media.
•
Play music CDs.
•
Play DVD movies.
•
Save photos and other images on rewritable or recordable CDs.
•
Create a “CD sneakernet” to share information with colleagues—just use
software such as Roxio 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.
2
PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U Installation and Users Manual
What's in the Box
What you find in your Plextor box
depends on what the company that
sold you the box put in—or took
out—while the Plextor drive was in
their possession.
Plextor currently sells its PlexCombo
8/8/24-8U drive in this configuration:
•
PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U
CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive
•
AC adapter and power cord
•
USB cable
•
Emergency eject tool
•
1 piece of approved CD-R media
•
Plextor CD with authoring
software bundle
•
PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U
Installation and Users Manual
•
Warranty registration card
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.
Section 1. Getting St arted
Save Your Box!
Be sure to save t he box after you have
installed your PlexCombo drive. The
box and its packaging material were
designed and drop tested to ensure your
PlexCombo can endure rough tre atment
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
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 at
rmasupport@plextor.com; or by calling
us at 800-886-3935, option 6; or by fax
at 510-651-9765.
PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U Installation and Users Manual 3
Section 1. Getting St arted
PlexCombo Drive Features and Controls
Before proceeding, become familiar with the controls and features of your
PlexCombo drive. Match the parts of your drive to the illustrations below.
Figure 1: Features and Controls on the PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U Drive
•
Disc tray: Slides out to let you insert a disc.
•
LED indicator: Blinks once when you turn on the power. Blinks continually
when reading or writing a disc.
•
Eject button: Push to eject tray.
•
Emergency eject hole: Insert emergency eject tool, paper clip, or other thin,
rigid object to eject tray if automatic eject button does not work. Turn OFF power
before using thi s feature.
•
Volume control: Controls volume of sound from headphone jack.
NOTE
: The volume control on your drive adjusts only the sound level of the
headphone jack. It has no impact on the volume level of the computer’s audio
outputs.
4
PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U Installation and Users Manual
Section 1. Getting St arted
•
Headphone jack: Stereo mini-jack for headphones and powered speakers.
•
Power switch: Slide this switch to turn power on or off. “0” is off, “1” is on.
•
Power connector: Connect the AC adapter here.
CAUTION
: Use only the AC adapter shipped with your PlexCombo.
•
USB connector: Connect the USB cable here.
CAUTION
: Use only the USB cable shipped with your PlexCombo.
Precautions
Like the rest of your computer system, your PlexCombo 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 drive’s surface.
•
Do not drop or jolt the drive.
•
Do not move, carry or transport a disc in the drive because this can cause
damage.
•
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 CD and DVD discs 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, use a radial motion: start at
the center of the disc and proceed to the outer edge. See Figure 6.
PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U Installation and Users Manual 5
Section 1. Getting St arted
CAUTION
vertical orientation, you may damage the disc or the drive if the drive falls over.
: Operate your PlexCombo so it sits horizontally. If you operate it in a
Figure 2. Operate Your PlexComb o in a Horizontal Position
6
PlexCombo 8/8/24-8U Installation and Users Manual
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