User manual PLEXTOR PX-504A

Model PX-504A ATAPI DVD+R/RW AND CD-R/RW DRIVE INSTALLATION AND USERS MANUAL FEBRUARY 2003 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 ©2003 Plextor Corp. First edition, February 2003. Licenses and Trademarks Plextor and the Plextor logo are registered trademarks of Plextor Corp. 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 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 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: Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures other than those specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure. 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-authorized personnel. CAUTION: To disconnect the drive from an electrical current, pull out the power plug. VORSICHT: DIE TRENNUNG VOM NETZ ERFOLGT DURCH ZIEHEN DES NETZSTECKERS. 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 ÜG-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 PX-504A.......................................................................................... 1 What the PX-504A Does................................................................................ 1 Features of the PX-504A................................................................................ 2 Minimum Configuration to Use the PX-504A ............................................... 3 What You Can Do with the PX-504A............................................................ 3 What's In the Box .............................................................................................. 4 Save Your Box!.............................................................................................. 4 PX-504A Drive Features and Controls .............................................................. 5 Front Panel ..................................................................................................... 5 Rear Panel ...................................................................................................... 6 About Software .................................................................................................. 7 Precautions ......................................................................................................... 7 2. Installing Your PX-504A ................................................................................. 9 QuickStart Installation--For Experienced PC Users Only ............................ 9 Open the Computer and Prepare for Installation................................................ 9 Determine Your Existing IDE Configuration .................................................... 10 Set the Drive's Mode Jumper............................................................................. 11 Changing the Mode Jumper on Your Internal PX-504A Drive...................... 11 Select an IDE Configuration .............................................................................. 12 About Cable Select............................................................................................. 15 Identifying Whether Your System Uses Cable Select.................................... 16 Locating the Master Position on a Cable Select Cable................................... 16 Install the PX-504A Drive ................................................................................. 16 Record the Serial Number .............................................................................. 16 Mount the Drive in the Computer .................................................................. 16 Using Sound Boards and Audio Cables ............................................................. 21 Choosing and Connecting Audio Cables........................................................ 21 Make Sure the Drive Is Recognized................................................................... 22 3. Using Your PX-504A ....................................................................................... 23 What Media to Use ............................................................................................ 23 DVD Media.................................................................................................... 23 CD-ROM Media ............................................................................................ 23 Tray Loading and Operation .............................................................................. 24 Handling DVD and CD Media....................................................................... 24 Cleaning Discs ............................................................................................... 25 Playing DVDs .................................................................................................... 25 Writing to DVD Media ...................................................................................... 26 Writing to CD-R and CD-RW Media ................................................................ 26 Advantages of Buffer Underrun Proof Technology ........................................... 26 PX-504A Installation and Users Manual v Table of Contents 4. Maintenance and Troubleshooting ................................................................. 27 Upgrading Firmware .......................................................................................... 27 Troubleshooting ................................................................................................. 27 Appendix A: PX-504A Specifications ................................................................. 29 Appendix B: Technical Support.......................................................................... 35 How to Contact Plextor Technical Support........................................................ 35 Before You E-mail/Log On/FAX/Call for Support............................................ 36 Returns ............................................................................................................... 36 Contacting Plextor's RMA Department ......................................................... 37 Packing Your Drive........................................................................................ 37 Shipping Your Drive to Plextor...................................................................... 37 Appendix C: Warranty........................................................................................ 39 If You're Outside the U.S. or Canada ................................................................ 40 Index...................................................................................................................... 41 vi PX-504A Installation and Users Manual 1. Getting Started Congratulations! Thank you for purchasing the Plextor® PX-504A a reliable, highperformance recordable DVD and CD writer, rewriter, and player. We appreciate the confidence you have shown in us. Our goal is to put you--and keep you--on the leading edge of DVD and 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 Plextor's 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 PX-504A The PX-504A is a recordable DVD/CD-ReWritable drive that provides professional quality DVD and CD performance for writing, rewriting and reading. What the PX-504A Does For DVDs, the PX-504A: · Writes DVD+R (recordable DVD) media at up to 4X speed. · Writes DVD+RW (re-writable DVD) media at up to 2.4X speed. · Supports DVD+VR real time editing. · Reads DVD discs at up to 12X. (Fixed at 2-5X for video.) · Supports DVD+RW background format. For CDs, the PX-504A: · Writes to CD-R (recordable CD) media at up to 16X speed. · Writes to CD-RW (re-writable CD) media at up to 10X speed. · Reads all CD-ROM and CD-R data media at a maximum of 40X speed. · Reads CD-RW and CD-DA (audio) media at up to 32X speed. PX-504A Installation and Users Manual 1 Section 1. Getting Started Features of the PX-504A · ATAPI interface: Easily installs in virtually any PC with an E-IDE ATAPI interface. · High speed transfers: Supports PIO Mode 4, DMA Mode 2, and Ultra DMA33. · MMC compliance: Supports the MMC-3 command set. · Flash memory: Allows upgrading the PX-504A to the latest firmware revision (available from the Plextor web site) without opening the computer or physically accessing the drive. · Black tray: Reduces the effect of optical distortion on the laser beam, enhancing read quality. · Plug and Play: Supports Windows Plug and Play. DVD Features · Lossless linking: Allows DVD+RW discs to be edited and still play on DVDROM players. · Wide DVD+R and DVD+RW media compatibility: Compatible with a wide range of DVD+R and DVD+RW media. · DVD+VR: Supports DVD+VR format. · Multiple DVD types: Supports DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, multi-border for DVD-RW read, multi-session for DVD+R/RW read and write. · Versatile recording modes: Including sequential write, random access write, disc at once. CD-R and CD-RW Features · Variety of recording modes: Supports track-at-once, disc-at-once, session-atonce, and multi-session, as well as variable and fixed packet writing. · Buffer-Underrun-Proof technology: With 2-megabyte buffer, eliminates buffer underrun errors, so you can safely use your computer for other tasks while you're writing to a CD-R or CD-RW disc. · Wide compatibility: Wide CD-R and CD-RW media compatibility. · Orange Book compatibility: Compatible with Orange Book, Parts II and III. · UDF support: UDF file system implemented through packet writing. · OPC and ROPC: Optimum Power Control and Running Optimum Power Control, which adjust the laser power for the optimum write strategy. 2 PX-504A Installation and Users Manual Section 1. Getting Started Minimum Configuration to Use the PX-504A · Computer: Pentium III 500-MHz CPU or faster. · Minimum RAM: 128 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. For a DVD, 6 GB of free space is recommended. (For more accurate guidelines, see the help files or documentation for the recording software you're using.) · Operating System: Windows XP, Me, 2000, 98, 98SE. What You Can Do with the PX-504A Just look at some of the things you can do with your PX-504A: · Record slide shows or digital video onto DVD+R and DVD+RW discs. · Play DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, and DVD-RW discs. · 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 or DVD "sneakernet" to share information with colleagues--just use software such as Roxio's DirectCD to drag and drop files onto DVD+R, DVD+RW, CD-R or CD-RW media, then continue adding files and sharing the same disc. · Archive images and video to DVD or CD. · Master new software programs on DVD or CD. PX-504A Installation and Users Manual 3 Section 1. Getting Started 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 drive in this configuration: · PX-504A DVD+R/RW and CD-R/RW drive · 40-pin IDE ribbon cable · 4 mounting screws · Extra jumper · Emergency eject tool · 1 piece of approved CD-R media · 1 piece of approved DVD+R media · Plextor CD with bundled software for writing DVDs and CDs · PX-504A 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 ensure 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. Save Your Box! Be sure to save the box after you have installed your drive. The box and its packaging material were designed and drop tested to ensure your can endure rough treatment and still arrive in working order. If you have to ship your drive back to Plextor, you'll want to send it in the original box. (For more details about returning your drive to Plextor, see page 36.) 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. 4 PX-504A Installation and Users Manual Section 1. Getting Started PX-504A Drive Features and Controls Before proceeding, become familiar with the controls and features of your Plextor drive. Match the parts of your drive to the illustrations below. Front Panel Figure 1: Front Panel of the PX-504A Drive · LED indicator: Illuminated green for disc loading, ejecting, initializing, playing, and writing. Also illuminated green when Buffer Underrun-Proof technology is operational. · 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. · 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. · Eject button: Push once to eject tray. Push again to insert the tray back into the PX-504A. To prevent wear on the drive, always use the eject button to insert the tray. PX-504A Installation and Users Manual 5 Section 1. Getting Started Rear Panel Figure 2: Rear Panel of the 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. · 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 PX-504A. 6 PX-504A Installation and Users Manual Section 1. Getting Started About Software In order to record on DVD+R, DVD+RW, 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, you'll get software packages that include such software. You can use Roxio's Easy CD Creator DVD Edition to burn both DVDs and CDs. The software lets you burn and share anything on CD or DVD, including music, photos, and videos. You can also back up your critical data to a CD or DVD. One component of Easy CD Creator is DirectCD, which makes the Plextor PX 504A drive as easy to use as a disk drive. You can drag and drop files, rename files, delete files, and create new directories right on the recordable CD or DVD disc. You can even save files directly from your word processing software, spreadsheet, or other application directly to the disc. DirectCD takes advantage of the PX-504A's ability to write small packets of data to the disc, providing fast, uninterrupted data flow and optimum use of disc space. For more information about Easy CD Creator, install this application and examine the help files. For details on other software packages that are available for writing to DVDs or CDs, please visit the web sites of the companies whose software you are interested in, refer to their user's 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 PX-504A 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 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. PX-504A Installation and Users Manual 7 Section 1. Getting Started · Keep your DVDs and 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. 8 PX-504A Installation and Users Manual 2. Installing Your PX-504A This chapter explains how to physically install your PX-504A in your computer. The steps you'll need to do are as follows: 1. Turn OFF your computer system. 2. Set the jumpers for your new PX-504A drive, if necessary. 3. Mount the 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. QuickStart Installation--For Experienced PC Users Only If you've installed computer peripherals before, you're in luck with the PX504A drive. Use this QuickStart installation to get up and running quickly. Typical Scenario 1: You have a PC with an IDE interface installed, you have Windows 98, 98SE, Me, XP, or 2000, and you have nothing installed on the secondary IDE port. What to do: Leave the PX-504A'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 PC with an IDE interface installed, you have Windows 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 PX-504A's jumper set to Master and attach the PX-504A to the secondary IDE port. Windows recognizes the new drive automatically. Open the Computer and Prepare for Installation To determine whether your PX-504A 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 If neither of these situations applies to your computer is UNPLUGGED you, or you're not comfortable with from its power source. IDE installation, read the rest of this 2. Remove your computer's cover, chapter for more detailed installation following the directions provided instructions. by your computer's manufacturer. Typically, this involves loosening or removing several screws on the back panel of your computer and sliding off the cover. See Figure 3 for an example. PX-504A Installation and Users Manual 9 Section 2. Installing Your PX-504A Figure 3: Removing a Typical Computer's Cover Determine Your Existing IDE Configuration With your computer open, determine the existing IDE configuration. You can do this by looking at the 40-pin IDE ribbon cable (or cables--there may be two) and seeing what is connected to them. One end of the IDE cable is connected to a port on the computer's 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. In the case of the Cable Select bus, both devices must be jumpered as Cable Select. This configuration requires a special Cable Select cable. 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 PX-504A, your computer's 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. 10 PX-504A Installation and Users Manual Section 2. Installing Your PX-504A Set the Drive's Mode Jumper You specify your drive's Master, Slave, or Cable Select 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 PX-504A 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 PX-504A Drive The 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 Jumper at the Rear of the Drive Changing to a Master, Slave, or Cable Select The Master/Slave/Cable Select 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 drive to be a Slave, move the jumper to the right set of mode pins, leaving the other pins uncovered. To change the drive for Cable Select, move the jumper to the left set of mode pins. 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. PX-504A Installation and Users Manual 11 Section 2. Installing Your PX-504A 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: Install the mode jumper across the pins as shown (vertically). Do not connect one pin switch to another by installing the jumper lengthwise (horizontally). Doing so could result in damage to the drive. 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 PX-504A 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 PX-504A to be the Master, if possible. 12 PX-504A Installation and Users Manual Section 2. Installing Your PX-504A Before PX-504A Installation A Hard disks connected as Master and Slave devices on primary IDE port; CD-ROM connected as Master device on secondary IDE port. How to Install the PX-504A Remove the CD-ROM drive, change it to Slave, and re-connect it to the secondary IDE port. Set the mode jumper to Master, and connect the PX-504A as Master device to the secondary IDE port. NOTE: This configuration can make it very difficult to write from the CD-ROM to the PX-504A at maximum rated speed 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 PX-504A, 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 Buffer Underrun Proof technology, your PX-504A can still make successful copies if you use software that supports this feature. (All software shipped with the Plextor PX-504A drive retail kits supports Buffer Underrun Proof technology.) 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 PX-504A If Your Computer Is Originally Set Up in Configuration A PX-504A Installation and Users Manual 13 Section 2. Installing Your PX-504A Before PX-504A Installation B Hard disk connected as Master device, and CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive connected as Slave on the primary IDE port; nothing connected to secondary IDE port. How to Install the PX-504A Set the mode jumper to Master, and connect the PX-504A as Master to secondary IDE port. Figure 7. How to Install the PX-504A If Your Computer Is Originally Set Up in Configuration B Before PX-504A Installation C Hard disk connected as Master device on primary IDE port; nothing connected to secondary IDE port. How to Install the PX-504A Set the mode jumper to Master, and connect the PX-504A as Master to secondary IDE port. Figure 8. How to Install the PX-504A If Your Computer Is Originally Set Up in Configuration C 14 PX-504A Installation and Users Manual