Plextor PX-R412CSe, PX-R412CSi, 412-1, PlexWriter 4/12max User Manual

Model PX-R412CSi Internal and PX-R412CSe External

PlexWriter CD Recorder/Reader

4/12max



December 1997

Outside front cover

5.75" x 8.25" PLEX WRITER MANUAL

Plextor manual, Carla Williams

1/2/98

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 to 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.

For external Model Users: Please use the external shielded SCSI cables supplied with this
CD-ROM Drive. Using other signal cables may exceed the limits of the Class B Part 15 of the
FCC Rules.
Any changes or modifications should be approved by the party responsible for compliance
with FCC Rules; otherwise, the user loses authority to operate the equipment.

LASER INFORMATION

These products have been designed and manufactured according to IEC 825-1 on the Safety of
Laser products. This product comes under ‘‘Class 1 Laser Products.’’ A Laser Caution Marking is
attached on the top of the internal drive model: ‘‘Caution: Invisible laser radiation when open.
Avoid direct exposure to beam.’’

CAUTION

Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures other than those specified herein
may result in hazardous radiation exposure.
The laser beam emitted from the optical pickup is invisible. Accordingly: Do not open the
optical pickup housing, and obtain service only from Plextor-authorized personnel.

CAUTION

To disconnect the CD-ROM drive from an electrical current, pull out the power plug.

VORSICHT

DIE TRENNUNG VOM NETZ ERFOLGT DURCH ZIEHEN DES NETZSECKES.

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 muβ bei
Inanspruchnahme der ‘‘Allgemeinen (Betriebs-) genehmigung’’ nach
der BMPT-AmtsblVfg Nr. 243/1991 die gesamte Anlage folgenden Richtlinien entsprechen:

ÜG-Vfg.243

• Grenzwertklases B der EN55022

• Auflagen nach § 2 der BMPT-AmtsblVfg 243/1991

Dies ist bei der Zusammensetzung einer Anlage (z.B. Computersystem) aus nur einzein
geprüften Geräten nicht immer erfüllt.

5.75" x 8.25" PLEX WRITER MANUAL

Plextor manual, Carla Williams

1/2/98

CD-Recorder/Reader

4/12max

PX-R412CSi Internal

PX-R412CSe External

5.75" x 8.25" PLEX WRITER MANUAL

Plextor manual, Carla Williams

1/2/98

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 written
permission.

Manual copyright © 1997 Plextor Corp. First edition December, 1997.

Licenses and Trademarks

All licenses and trademarks are property of their respective owners.

5.75" x 8.25" PLEX WRITER MANUAL

Plextor manual, Carla Williams

1/2/98

Table of Contents

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2. Box Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Internal Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

External Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

A Gentle Reminder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3. What Else Do I Need? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

4. Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

5. Drive Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

PX-R412CSi Internal Drive

Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

PX-R412CSe External Drive

Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

6. Drive Switch/Jumper/Dial Settings . . . . . . . . . . . 13

PX-R412CSi Internal Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

PX-R412CSe External Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Other Switch/Jumper Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

7. Termination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

PX-R412CSi Internal Termination . . . . . . . . . . . 20

PX-R412CSe External Termination . . . . . . . . . . 20

5.75" x 8.25" PLEX WRITER MANUAL

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1/2/98

8. Hardware Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Board Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Mounting an Internal Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

External Drive Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Audio Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

9. Software Device Driver Installation . . . . . . . . . . 34

10. Using Discs, Caddies, and Tray/Caddy Adapter . . . . 36

Inserting the Disc into a Standard Caddy . . . . . . . 36

Inserting the Disc into a Tray/Caddy . . . . . . . . . 37

How to Change/Remove Disc from PlexWriter 4/12
without Removing Tray/Caddy Unit

from the Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Loading the Caddy into the Drive . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Removing the Caddy from the Drive . . . . . . . . . 39

Cleaning the Disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

11. How To Play Audio CDs on Your Drive . . . . . . . . 40

12. Contacting Plextor’s Technical

Support Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Before You Contact Us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

How to Contact Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Helpful Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

13. Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

About Plextor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Warranty Information . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover

5.75" x 8.25" PLEX WRITER MANUAL

Plextor manual, Carla Williams

1/2/98

---- CHAPTER 1 ----

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing a Plextor PlexWriter 4/12max, a CD Reader/Recorder with
the performance and support you expect from Plextor. We appreciate the confidence
you have shown in us. Our goal is to put you ---- and keep you ---- on the leading edge
of CD technology. Throughout the rest of this manual we will occasionally refer to
the PlexWriter by the general model number PX-R412CS, as well as the model
numbers with a lowercase ‘‘i’’ or ‘‘e’’ added to it to indicate internal and external,
respectively. For your purposes, these references all apply to the PlexWriter 4/12 CD-R
drive. (CD-R is a common abbreviation for CD Recordable drives and recordable CD
media.)

To get you there, we first have to help you install your PlexWriter 4/12 drive properly
and operate it correctly. After that, the responsibility is yours to seek the applications
that make a CD-R such a powerful and exciting addition to your system.

For those of you with PCs, the installation process may seem a bit complicated (Mac
people have it easy). Fear not. We have successfully walked through the installation
process with many customers who previously had lived in mortal terror of the innards
of their computer.

In this manual you should find all the information you need to successfully install and
operate your drive. If you run into a problem, however, please
12 for the different ways you can contact us). You will be connected to our friendly,
helpful band of tech support reps
cooperative CD-R drive to you could very well be a 30-second fix to them. But we
will never know unless you CONTACT US. If you are having trouble, please don’t
give up and don’t take your drive back to where you bought it, until you have spoken
with one of our tech support reps.

who know their stuff. What might seem like a non-

contact us (see Chapter

cross-ref.

This manual is designed to be followed in sequence. It is aimed primarily at those
who will connect their PlexWriter 4/12 drive to a PC.
Mac users should look for this symbol:

Users of UNIX-based systems should look for this symbol: as an
indicator of sections of the manual that pertain to them.

Many of you reading this manual are experienced computer users who have
successfully installed peripherals in the past. There probably are a number of
sections in this manual that you can skip over. However, we ask everyone ---- from
novice computer users to experienced computer professionals ---- to read the sections
marked with this symbol:

PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL 1

5.75" x 8.25" PLEX WRITER MANUAL

Plextor manual, Carla Williams

1/2/98

---- CHAPTER 2 ----

Box Contents

YOUR TASK: Check the contents of the box.

YOUR OBJECTIVE: Make sure you got everything you paid for.

YOUR METHOD: Compare what you find in the box with the tables

on the following pages.

What you should find in your Plextor box depends on two factors: 1) what configu­ration you purchased; and 2) what the company that sold you the box put in ---- or
took out ---- while it was in their possession.

Plextor currently sells its PlexWriter 4/12 drives in three configurations:

1) Drive only (includes caddy and Plextor Manager software).

2) Drive with bundled software, including CD-mastering software for PC

2) and Mac, packet writing software and Plextor’s own CD Res-Q software

for HDD disaster recovery. (We may add more utilities as we uncover them.)

2)

3) Drive kit with SCSI interface board, the software listed above, cables,

2) media, Plextor Manager, and caddy.

The drive kits come with either ISA or PCI bus mastering SCSI controllers, or PCMCIA
controller for laptops. The configuration you received is indicated by stickers applied
to your box. Your drive may also have been integrated into a computer system or
subsystem sold by a third party.

PLEASE
NOTE:

There may be a perfectly good reason why the security sticker on the box was cut
before you received it. For example, a dealer may have purchased a ‘‘Drive Only’’
configuration from Plextor, then added a SCSI interface board and/or software
purchased separately before selling the box to you.

NOTE: If your drive came pre-installed in a computer, the rails, cables, interface

A security sticker was applied to the top of your box. The contents of
your box were carefully checked before this sticker was applied. If it was
cut before you purchased the box, you should carefully check the contents
to ensure nothing has been removed. If something is missing, you should
contact the party from whom you purchased the box for an explanation.

boards and other parts shown on the following pages may have been
installed and may not be separately available. Other accessories, espe­cially software, may not have been purchased from Plextor and thus may
be different from those sold in Plextor retail packages.

2 PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL

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Use the following tables to check the contents of your box:

PX-R412CSi Internal Drives

CHAPTER 2 ---- Box Contents

DRIVE

ONLY

CD-R drive

X X X
4 chrome and 4 black screws X X X
CD-R media X (2) X (2)
Caddy

X X
Tray/Caddy Adapter X X X
Plextor CD disc with bundled

software and Plextor Manager X X
Plextor CD disc with

Plextor Manager X
SCSI interface board and

manual*
Audio cable X (2)
SCSI cable

Plextor operation manual* X X X
Warranty registration card X X X
Extra jumpers for setting drive

switches

DRIVE

SOFTWARE KIT

SCSI KIT

X

X

X X X

* Manuals can be found on enclosed Plextor CD.

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PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL 3

CHAPTER 2 ---- Box Contents

PX-R412CSe External Drives

DRIVE
ONLY

CD-R drive

X X X
CD-R media X (2) X (2)
Caddy

X X X
Tray/Caddy Adapter X X X
Plextor CD disc with bundled

software and Plextor Manager X X
Plextor CD disc with

Plextor Manager X
SCSI interface board and

installation guide* X
Audio cable X
SCSI cable

Plextor operation manual* X X X
Warranty registration card X X X

DRIVE

SOFTWARE KIT

DRIVE KIT

X

* Manuals can be found on enclosed Plextor CD.

4 PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL

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CHAPTER 2 ---- Box Contents

A Gentle Reminder. . .

YOUR TASK: Save your box (if you received one).

YOUR OBJECTIVE: Have a secure container in which to ship your drive

back to Plextor, if necessary.

YOUR METHOD:

Find an empty space in your home/office and fill it
with the Plextor box.

If you received your PlexWriter 4/12 CD-R drive in a Plextor box, you should save
the box after you have installed your drive. There are many sets of hands ---- some of
them potentially unfriendly ---- that a PlexWriter 4/12 might go through on its way
from us to you. Our box and its packaging material were designed and drop tested to
ensure that your PlexWriter 4/12 can endure rough treatment and still arrive in working
order.

We advise you to hold on to your box in case you should ever need to return your
drive to Plextor for any reason. Unfortunately, some of our customers have not held
on to their boxes and have had to resort to some less-than-secure methods to get drives
back to us. We have received drives in a shoebox, in an unpadded express mail
envelope, and in a box filled with buttered popcorn.

We cannot assume liability for any damage your drive sustains during shipment.
Therefore, please ship your drive in the safest manner possible. We believe your drive
will be most secure if it is shipped in a Plextor box. We hope you will never have to
ship your drive back to us. If you do, however, we hope you will send it packaged in
a Plextor box.

If you did not receive a Plextor box (if, for example, your drive came pre-installed in
a computer), we recommend that you pay a packaging store (e.g., Mail Boxes Etc.) in
your area to ship your drive. The drives that we have received from most packaging
stores have arrived in good shape. If you don’t have a packaging store in your area,
call our Technical Support Department for packaging pointers before you ship your
drive. In fact, you must call our Technical Support Department to get an RMA number
before returning any drive (see Chapter 12, p. 44).

cross-ref.

5.75" x 8.25" PLEX WRITER MANUAL

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PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL 5

---- CHAPTER 3 ----

What Else Do I Need?

YOUR TASK: Review the software and hardware installed in your

current computer system.

YOUR OBJECTIVE: Determine what else you may need to operate your

CD-R drive.

YOUR METHOD:

Inventory your current computer system; check list
below.

If you purchased a Plextor box labeled ‘‘Drive Kit with PCI SCSI Interface’’ or ‘‘Drive
Kit with ISA SCSI Interface,’’ or ‘‘Drive Kit with PCMCIA Interface’’ your needs are
simple: none. Everything you need to successfully install and operate your PlexWriter
4/12 is included in the box you purchased.

If you are a PC owner who has purchased a PlexWriter 4/12 ‘‘Drive Only’’ box, life
gets a bit more complicated. These drives are intended for purchase by computer
resellers or computer enthusiasts. They do not have software, cables, or a SCSI
controller. Drive only packages are for those who need a Plextor CD-R drive but prefer
to use their own sources for all the accessories. So, if you purchased a drive only, you
will need to select CD-mastering or packet writing software that supports the Plex­Writer 4/12. You will also need some cables, CD-R media, and a SCSI controller. For
SCSI controller purposes, you fall into one of two groups:

1) You do not own a bus-mastering SCSI interface board.
In this case, you have to get one. Your local computer store and numerous

mail order vendors carry them. Due to the technical demands of producing
your own CDs, it is suggested that you buy a high-performance bus-mastering
interface board. Older PIO SCSI interface boards may not properly support
the recording of CDs. Call us if you need suggestions on which model to buy.

2) You own a bus-mastering SCSI interface board.
If you purchased your SCSI interface board several months or years before you

purchased your PlexWriter 4/12, you may need to update your device drivers.
See the discussion about device drivers in Chapter 9 of this manual.

NOTE: Do not use SCSI interface built into a soundboard.

Cross ref

6 PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL

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CHAPTER 3 ---- What Else Do I Need?

If you need to purchase a SCSI cable, note the following:

Internal Cables

You may already have a SCSI ribbon cable. If you are removing an existing internal
SCSI device and installing the PlexWriter 4/12, you can use the same cable. If you are
not removing an existing internal SCSI device, you may need to purchase a different
SCSI ribbon cable from your local computer supply store. The cable must have at least
as many connectors as you have SCSI peripherals (including one for your PlexWriter
4/12), plus one additional connector to attach to the interface board. Be sure to read
the section on ‘‘Termination’’ in Chapter 7 of this manual.

External Cables

If you have an external PlexWriter 4/12, you will need to purchase an external SCSI
cable. Make sure at least one end of the cable has the same kind of SCSI connector
as your PlexWriter. The other end of the cable must have the proper connector to fit
your SCSI controller

or another daisy-chained external SCSI device. Be sure to read

the section on ‘‘Termination’’ in Chapter 7 of this manual.

Once you have assembled everything you need, you’re ready to install your drive.
But first, a few words of caution are in order.

Cross ref

Cross ref

5.75" x 8.25" PLEX WRITER MANUAL

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1/2/98

PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL 7

---- CHAPTER 4 ----

Precautions

YOUR TASK: Read the list of precautions below.

YOUR OBJECTIVE: Avoid any undo harm coming to you or your drive.

YOUR METHOD:

Your new PlexWriter 4/12 is a precision electromechanical device. Like the rest of
your computer system, it requires reasonable care in its installation and use.

Review the list and use common sense.

Please read this manual carefully and keep it handy for easy reference. Use this

manual for installation, operation, and troubleshooting. See your dealer or call
Plextor’s Technical Support Department should your drive require repair or service.

✗ Do not put your computer monitor (or any other device weighing more than

30 lbs.) on top of the PlexWriter 4/12 external drive.

✗ Do not place your drive in direct sunlight, on heating units, or near electrical

appliances that draw large amounts of current, such as a high-powered
audio amplifier, microwave oven, toaster, hair dryer, etc.

✓ Keep the area around your drive clean from dust, smoke, and other

contaminants.

✓ Use a soft, dust-free cloth for cleaning your drive. Do not allow moisture or

liquids including water, cleaning fluids, or solvents to touch the drive.
Thinner, benzene, or alcohol-based solvents can mar your drive’s surface.

✓ To help ensure that your CD-R and CD-ROM discs remain free of dirt or

other contaminants, your drive requires a disc caddy. Use only an industry
standard disc caddy or the tray/caddy adapter included with your drive. Do
not insert a warped or cracked disc caddy into the drive.

✓ Keep your CD-R and CD-ROM discs clean. See Chapter 10 for tips on

handling and cleaning discs.

✗ 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.

Cross-ref.

8 PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL

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---- CHAPTER 5 ----

Drive Features

YOUR TASK: Get to know your drive.

YOUR OBJECTIVE: Learn how to operate different features of the drive.

Learn what goes where. Learn some terms that will
be used elsewhere in the manual.

YOUR METHOD:

Match the parts of your drive to the diagrams below.

PX-R412CSi Internal Drive----FRONT PANEL

Door Closed

11 Headphone Jack

10 Volume Control

1 Front Door: Spring loaded for superior dust protection. Open door to insert

caddy.

2 Eject Button: Push to eject caddy. During CD play mode, playback is stopped

when pressed once, and the disc ejects when pressed twice.

3 Emergency Eject Hole: Insert emergency eject stick, paper clip, or other thin,

rigid object to eject caddy if automatic eject button does not work. Turn off
power before using this feature.

4 CD AUDIO Play Button: With audio CD in drive, push once to put drive in

Audio CD play mode. Push button once during CD play mode to skip tracks.
Push and hold down play button more than one second to fast forward.

5 WRITE 1X Indicator: Orange when recording at 1X speed.
6 WRITE 2X Indicator: Orange when recording at 2X speed.
7 WRITE 4X Indicator: Recording at 4X speed when both are lit.

1 Front Door

9 Disc
Indicator

8 ON/READ Indicator

5, 6, 7 1X, 2X, 4X
WRITE
Indicators

2 Eject Button

3 Emergency
Eject Hole

4 CD AUDIO Play Button

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PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL 9

CHAPTER 5 ---- Drive Features

8 ON/READ Indicator: Green when power is on and no disc is in drive.

Green flashing when disc is being accessed.

9 Disc Indicator: Green when disc is in the drive and power is on.
10 Volume Control: Controls volume of headphone jack. This control has no

effect on the rear panel audio outputs.

11 Headphone Jack: Stereo mini-jack for headphones and powered speakers.

NOTE: When all lights are flashing continuously the drive is in firmware upgrade mode.

PX-R412CSi Internal Drive----REAR PANEL

1 Audio Output Connector

2 Jumpers

3 SCSI Interface Connector

4 Power Connector

1 Audio Output Connector: Outputs stereo analog signal. Use to connect to

soundboard or audio amplifier. Use Standard MPC-3 type 4-pin connector.

2 Jumpers: Use to select SCSI ID number, parity, termination, test, block size,

or Flash ROM. Leave these jumpers at their factory settings unless one or more
of the following situations pertain to you:

SCSI ID number: If you are using more than one SCSI peripheral, you may have

to change your SCSI ID number. See page 17.

Termination: Review Chapter 7 to determine if you need to turn your termina-

tor switch off.

Block size: If you are working in a UNIX environment and want to boot from

your CD-R drive, see page 18.

3 SCSI Interface Connector: Connects to SCSI interface board using 50-pin

to

50-pin flat ribbon SCSI cable.

4 Power Connector: Connects to your computer’s power supply (DC +5V and

+12V).

10 PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL

Cross ref. X 3

5.75" x 8.25" PLEX WRITER MANUAL

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CHAPTER 5 ---- Drive Features

PX-R412CSe External Drive----FRONT PANEL

Door Closed

1 Front Door

2 Eject Button

11 Headphone Jack

10 Volume Control

9 Disc Indicator
8 ON/READ Indicator

5, 6, 7 1X,2X, 4X
WRITE Indicators

3 Emergency Eject Hole

4 CD AUDIO Play Button

1 Front Door: Spring loaded for superior dust protection. Open door to insert

caddy.

2 Eject Button: Push to eject caddy. During CD play mode, playback is stopped

when pressed once, and disc ejects when pressed twice.

3 Emergency Eject Hole: Insert emergency eject stick, paper clip, or other thin,

rigid object to eject caddy if automatic eject button
power before using this feature.

does not work. Turn off

4 CD AUDIO Play Button: With audio CD in drive, push once to put drive in

Audio CD play mode. Push button once during CD play mode to skip tracks.
Push and hold down play button more than one second to fast forward.

5 WRITE 1X Indicator: Orange when recording at 1X speed.
6 WRITE 2X Indicator: Orange when recording at 2X speed.
7 WRITE 4X Indicator: Recording at 4X speed when both are lit.
8 ON/READ Indicator: Green when power is on and no disc is in drive.

Green flashing when disc is being accessed.

9 Disc Indicator: Green when disc is in the drive and power is on.
10 Volume Control: Controls volume of headphone jack. This control has no

effect on the rear panel audio outputs.

11 Headphone Jack: Stereo mini-jack for headphones and powered speakers.

NOTE: When all lights are flashing continuously the drive is in firmware upgrade mode.

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PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL 11

CHAPTER 5 ---- Drive Features

PX-R412CSe External Drive----REAR PANEL

1 DIP Switches

4 SCSI Interface
Connector

3 Audio Output Connectors

2 Power Connector

1 DIP Switches: Use to select SCSI ID number, parity, termination, test, block

size, or Flash ROM. Leave these jumpers at their factory settings unless one or
more of the following situations pertain to you:

SCSI ID number: If you are using more than one SCSI peripheral, you may

have to change your SCSI ID number. See page 17.

Termination: Review Chapter 7 to determine if you need to turn your termina-

tor switch off.

Block size: If you are working in a UNIX environment and want to boot from

your CD-R drive, see page 18.

2 Power Connector: Connects to AC power supply.
3 Audio Output Connectors: Outputs stereo analog signal. Use to connect to

soundboard or audio amplifier. Use Standard RCA jack connectors.

4 SCSI Interface Connector: Connects to SCSI interface board using 50-pin

high-density connectors.

cross-ref. x 3

Cross ref.

12 PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL

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---- CHAPTER 6 ----

Drive Switch/

Jumper/Dial Settings

YOUR TASK: Find the location of jumpers (internal drive) or

switches and rotary dial (external drive). Check
their settings. Change them if necessary.

YOUR OBJECTIVE: To ensure that your new CD-R drive can coexist

peacefully with other equipment you might have
installed in your computer. To ensure that your
drive will work properly after it is installed.

YOUR METHOD:

Find locations of jumpers/switches/rotary dial on
diagram in Chapter 5. Read below to determine if
your drive’s settings need to be changed. If so, follow
the directions on making the necessary changes.

Your PlexWriter 4/12 needs to be flexible enough to work with the variety of computer
systems (PC, Mac, Sun, Silicon Graphics, DEC, etc.) that can use SCSI peripherals. To
provide this flexibility, Plextor gives its customers options on how a drive can be set before
it is installed. On an internal drive, settings are determined by the position of jumpers on
the jumper block at the rear of the drive. On an external drive, settings are determined by
the position of DIP switches and the rotary dial on the rear panel of the drive.

Fortunately, we have a pretty good idea of the environment in which most of our
drives will be used (a single SCSI device connected to a PC or Mac). Your drive ships
from our factory with its jumpers/switches/dial set to work in this environment.

You should leave the jumpers found on the rear panel of the PX-R412CSi and the
switches and rotary dial found on the rear panel of the PX-R412CSe at their factory
settings unless: 1) you plan to use another SCSI peripheral (e.g., hard disk, scanner)
with your computer system in addition to your CD-R drive; 2) you find it necessary to
change the device type setting (most likely in an older UNIX system); or 3) you need
to upgrade the drive’s firmware.

If you plan to use additional SCSI peripherals, you may need to change the
jumper/switch/dial settings of the PX-R412CSi/PX-R412CSe. This section will describe
how to make these changes. For information on #2 and #3, see page 18.

If the CD-R drive is the only SCSI peripheral you will use with your computer and you
do not need to change the device type setting, skip now to Chapter 8, Hardware
Installation. (Take our word for it, most of you can now skip to Chapter 8.)

Cross-ref

Cross ref.

Cross ref.

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PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL 13

CHAPTER 6 ---- Drive Switch/Jumper/Dial Settings

PX-R412CSi Internal Drive

Factory Setting of Jumper Block

The functions shown are ON if the jumpers are installed and OFF if jumpers are
removed. The jumpers are set by the factory as follows:

On (Jumper installed)

Off (Jumper removed)

SCSI-ID

PARITY

TEST FLASH

TERM

BLOCK SIZE

Installing and Removing Jumpers

Ensure power to the drive is OFF before installing or removing jumpers.
To remove a jumper, pull it off with your fingers or a pair of needle-nose pliers.
To add a jumper, push it onto the jumper pins. Extra jumpers are supplied with the

PX-R412CSi in addition to the three jumpers already installed at the factory.

Caution:

Install Jumpers This Way Do
(Except when upgrading firmware.
See following section.)

Install jumpers
to another by installing the jumpers lengthwise. Doing so could result in
damage to the drive.
connected lengthwise.

across each pin as shown. Do not connect one pin switch

ONLY when upgrading firmware are jumpers

Jumper

NOT Install Jumpers This Way

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CHAPTER 6 ---- Drive Switch/Jumper/Dial Settings

Upgrading Firmware

NOTE: Firmware upgrade can only be done using software supplied by Plextor.

Under normal circumstances you will never need to upgrade firmware. If,
in the unlikely event you do, please follow directions provided with the
software as a primary reference. The following instructions are merely a
rough guide.

Internal Drive:

1) Power off your system.

2) Place a jumper in the flash upgrade mode. When looking at the back of the
drive it is the two, rightmost pins on the bottom row. Jumper is installed
lengthwise across these two pins.

3) Make sure the power cable and the SCSI cable are still connected.

4) Power on your system.

5) You will see that all 4 LEDs on the front panel of the drive are blinking. This
means that the drive is in ‘‘Program Mode.’’

6) When the system comes up, execute the Firm412.exe program, which you
may receive or download from Plextor along with the new firmware (*.BIN
file) and placed in the same director as Plextor Manager.

7) When the applications starts, specify the location of BIN file.

8) Click the Update button. The Update button will be grayed out during the
upgrade procedure.

9) When the Update button becomes highlighted again, you are done.

10) Power off the system

11) Remove the flash upgrade jumper.

12) Power on the system.

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PX-R412CS OPERATION MANUAL 15

CHAPTER 6 ---- Drive Switch/Jumper/Dial Settings

External Drive

Follow steps for internal drive, but replace step #2 with the following:

2) Move #5 DIP switch
to ‘‘ON’’ position.

(ON) l

(OFF) O

CAUTION: DO NOT install jumper in vertical position connecting rightmost top and

bottom pin. DO NOT use lengthwise jumper installation on any pins
except bottom two pins on right when facing rear of drive.

SCSI ID Number

It is possible to chain (using a daisy chain cable) up to seven SCSI peripherals to a
single SCSI interface board, or to the SCSI port of an Apple computer. However, when
using multiple SCSI peripherals, it is necessary to set each peripheral to a unique SCSI
ID number.

Your PlexWriter drive can be set to use one of eight SCSI ID numbers. The drive should
arrive with its SCSI ID set to 4. Accordingly, if you already use another SCSI peripheral
and its SCSI ID also is set to 4, you must change the SCSI ID number of your PlexWriter
4/12 or the other peripheral.

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CHAPTER 6 ---- Drive Switch/Jumper/Dial Settings

Changing the SCSI ID: PX-R412CSi

The SCSI ID number of the PX-R412CSi is determined by the placement of jumpers
on Pins 1, 2, and 3. To find the location of Pin 1, Pin 2, and Pin 3, refer to the diagram
of the jumper diagram on the previous page. To change the SCSI ID number, follow
the chart below.

Jumper Installed Across

SCSI ID Number Pin 1 Pin 2 Pin 3

0 Off Off Off
1 On Off Off
2 Off On Off
3 On On Off

Factory
Settings

For example, the factory setting for SCSI ID 2 is made by installing a jumper across
Pins 1 and 3 of the jumper block, leaving Pin 2 uncovered. To set the SCSI ID at 7,
you would install a jumper across Pin 1, another jumper across Pin 2, and a third
jumper across Pin 3. To set the SCSI ID at 4, you would install a jumper across Pin 3,
leaving Pins 1 and 2 uncovered.

4 Off Off On
5 On Off On
6 Off On On
7 On On On

PX-R412CSe External Drive

SCSI ID Number

Please see description on page 16. It is also applicable to the external drive.

Factory Setting of Dial and DIP Switches

Caution: Turn the drive’s power OFF before changing the setting of the dial or DIP

switches.
The SCSI ID number of the PX-R412CSe is determined by the position of

the pointer on the SCSI ID rotary dial. The drive will arrive with its SCSI

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CHAPTER 6 ---- Drive Switch/Jumper/Dial Settings

ID set to 4. The rotary dial and DIP switches are set by the factory as
shown below:

(ON) l
(OFF) O

SCSI ID

PARITY

TERM

TEST

FLASH
BLOCK

SIZE

Changing the SCSI ID

Using the blade of a screwdriver, rotate the dial’s arrow to a different SCSI ID number.

Other Switch/Jumper Settings----

PX-R412CSi/PX-R412CSe

The remaining switches (external drives) and jumpers (internal drives) are:
Parity Leave this ON. The parity check provided by the ON setting enhances the

reliability of the SCSI bus. Set to OFF only if your computer system or SCSI
controller specifically requests that parity be disabled.

Term This enables or disables (turns ON or OFF) SCSI termination. Factory setting

is enabled (ON). See page 19 for an explanation of SCSI termination and to
determine if you need to change this setting.

Test Leave this OFF. It is for factory use only.
Block Leave this OFF, unless you are working in a UNIX environment and want

to boot from your CD-ROM drive. If so, set this switch/jumper ON.

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---- CHAPTER 7 ----

Termination

YOUR TASK: Find the location of the SCSI termination jumper or

switch.

YOUR OBJECTIVE: Determine if you must disable the SCSI termination.

YOUR METHOD:

Your drive was shipped with termination enabled.
If necessary, remove termination jumper or turn off
SCSI termination DIP switch by following instructions
below.

You must enable SCSI termination if the PlexWriter 4/12 is the only SCSI peripheral
used with your computer. In addition, you must enable termination if you are using
multiple SCSI peripherals with your computer and the PlexWriter 4/12 is positioned

last peripheral in a daisy chain. If you are using an Ultra SCSI host adapter, we

as the
recommend enabling active termination.

If you have internal SCSI peripherals only, or external SCSI peripherals only (but not
both), then you should be using an internal ribbon cable or daisy-chained external
cable (or cables), respectively (but not both). In this case, all devices between the host
adapter and the last peripheral on the opposite end of the ribbon cable, or the last
peripheral at the end of your daisy chain, should have their termination removed,
disabled, or turned off.

If you have both internal and external SCSI peripherals (both the internal and external
connectors of your host adapter are used), then the termination of your SCSI host
adapter should be removed or disabled. The last peripheral on your internal cable
and the last peripheral on your external daisy chain should retain their termination.
All other SCSI peripherals connected to the host adapter should have their termination
removed, disabled, or turned off.

NOTE: Some host adapters and peripherals have the ability to disable and enable

termination power. This should not be confused with termination itself.
Termination power can and should be provided by at least one device
attached to your SCSI host adapter. Your Plextor CD-R drive automat­ically supplies termination power. Any additional devices supplying
termination power will NOT cause any problems.

Remember:

Only the
enabled. If you have any SCSI devices chained
4/12, you must disable or turn OFF the PlexWriter’s termination using
the following instructions:

last SCSI peripheral in a daisy chain should have termination

after your PlexWriter

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CHAPTER 7 ---- Termination

Internal Termination

The PlexWriter 4/12 internal drive is shipped from the factory with its termination
enabled (ON).

To disable termination, remove the jumper from the termination pins on the back
panel of your drive. Refer to the diagrams on pages 14 and 18 for the location of the
termination pins (labeled ‘‘Term’’). They are the second set of pins from the left.

If your drive already is installed in your computer, be sure to turn off your computer
before removing (or reinstalling) the jumpers. We recommend that you retain the
jumpers so you can reinsert them onto the termination pins if you later need to turn
the drive’s termination ON.

External Termination

The PlexWriter 4/12 external drive is shipped from the factory with its termination
turned ON.

To turn the termination OFF, first turn off the drive’s power, then change the second
DIP switch on the rear panel of the drive to the OFF position. Refer to the pictures on
pages 14 and 18 for the location of the termination switch (labeled ‘‘Term’’). It is the
second of the five switches.

cross-ref x 2

cross-ref x 2

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