Model PX-755UF External USB/FireWire Drive DVD±R DL (DOUBLE LAYER/DUAL LAYER), DVD±R/RW, CD-R/RW DRIVE INSTALLATION AND USERS MANUAL October 2006 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 LLC 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 ©2006 Shinano Kenshi Kabushiki Kaisha First edition, October 2006. Licenses and Trademarks ©2006 Shinano Kenshi Kabushiki Kaisha. All rights reserved. Plextor and the Plextor logo are registered trademarks of Shinano Kenshi Kabushiki Kaisha. Other brands and products are trademarks of their respective holder/s. 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 FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION STATEMENT This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. CAUTION: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. CANADIAN DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS STATEMENT This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications. This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme a la norme NMB-003 du Canada. 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 bottom of the external drive model. The laser beam emitted from the optical pickup is visible and invisible. Accordingly: · Do not open the optical pickup housing. · Obtain service only from Plextor-authorized personnel. CAUTION: To disconnect the external DVD/CD drive from an electrical current, pull out the AC adapter power plug. PX-755UF Installation and Users Manual iii Bottom View of External Drive, Showing Caution Label Location Detail of PX-755UF Laser Caution Label iv PX-755UF Installation and Users Manual Table of Contents 1. Getting Started ..............................................................................1 About this Manual...........................................................................1 What's In This Manual................................................................1 Printing the Manual .....................................................................1 Meet Your PX-755UF .....................................................................2 What the PX-755UF Does...........................................................2 Features of the PX-755UF...........................................................3 Minimum Configuration to Use the PX-755UF ..........................6 What You Can Do with the PX-755UF.......................................7 About Plextools Professional ..........................................................7 Precautions ......................................................................................8 Where to Go From Here..................................................................9 2. Installing the PX-755UF External USB/FireWire Drive..........11 PX-755UF Drive Features and Controls .......................................11 Front Panel--PX-755UF External Drive ..................................11 Rear Panel--PX-755UF External Drive....................................13 What Else Is In the PX-755UF Box ..............................................14 Save Your Box!.........................................................................15 Mount the PX-755UF Drive..........................................................15 Determine Your Computer's Operating System ...........................16 Determine What Interface to Use ..................................................16 Connect the PX-755UF Drive .......................................................17 Record the Serial Number and TLA Code ................................17 Install the Drive in Your Windows Computer...........................17 Identifying Cables and Ports .....................................................19 Switching Between USB and IEEE 1394 Interfaces .....................20 If You're Using FireWire ..............................................................20 If You Have a Macintosh ..............................................................21 3. Using Your PX-755UF ................................................................22 What Media to Use........................................................................22 DVD Media ...............................................................................22 CD-ROM Media........................................................................23 Tray Loading and Operation .........................................................24 Handling DVD and CD Media ..................................................24 Cleaning Discs...........................................................................25 PX-755UF Installation and Users Manual v Table of Contents Mounting Position......................................................................... 26 Playing DVDs ............................................................................... 26 Writing to DVD Media ................................................................. 27 Specifying +R/RW or -R/RW ................................................... 27 Writing to CD-R and CD-RW Media ........................................... 27 Using the LED Indicator ............................................................... 28 4. Maintenance and Troubleshooting............................................ 29 Cleaning the PX-755UF Drive...................................................... 29 Upgrading Firmware..................................................................... 30 Emergency Eject ........................................................................... 31 Troubleshooting ............................................................................ 32 Make Sure the Drive Is Recognized.......................................... 32 Using the PX-755UF Self-Test Diagnostics ............................. 34 What You'll Need ..................................................................... 34 Performing the Self-Test........................................................... 34 What the Self-Test Results Indicate.......................................... 35 5. Frequently Asked Questions ...................................................... 36 Appendix A: PX-755UF Specifications ......................................... 38 Appendix B: Technical Support .................................................... 51 How to Contact Plextor Technical Support................................... 52 Before You E-mail or Call for Support......................................... 52 Returns .......................................................................................... 53 Contacting Plextor's RMA Department.................................... 53 Packing Your Drive .................................................................. 53 Shipping Your Drive to Plextor ................................................ 54 Appendix C: Warranty................................................................... 55 If You're Outside the U.S. or Canada ........................................... 56 Index................................................................................................. 57 Notes................................................................................................. 63 vi PX-755UF Installation and Users Manual 1. Getting Started Congratulations! Thank you for purchasing the Plextor® PX-755UF, a reliable, high-performance 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. What's In This Manual 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. Printing the Manual This manual has been sized for viewing on a computer monitor screen. To print a hard copy of this manual: 1. In Adobe Reader, select File | Print. You see the Print dialog box. 2. In the Print dialog box, choose the printer. 3. If you want to print on standard 8-1/2 x 11 paper, select Page scaling and Fit to paper. This expands the manual's pages so they nearly fill up a standard-sized page. 4. When you have made your selections, click OK. The manual is printed. PX-755UF Installation and Users Manual 1 Section 1. Getting Started Meet Your PX-755UF The PX-755UF is a DVD ReWritable/CD ReWritable drive that provides professional quality DVD and CD performance for writing, rewriting and reading. What the PX-755UF Does For DVDs, the PX-755UF: · Writes DVD+R (recordable DVD, "plus" format) media at up to 16X speed on recommended 16X media. · Writes DVD+R DL (double layer) media at up to 8X speed. · Writes DVD-R DL (dual layer) media at up to 4X speed. · Writes DVD-R (recordable DVD, "dash" format) media at up to 16X speed on recommended 16X media. · Writes DVD+RW (rewritable DVD, "plus" format) media at up to 8X speed. (Requires 8X media for 8X writing.) · Writes DVD-RW (rewritable DVD, "dash" format) media at up to 6X speed. · Reads DVD-Video discs with CSS at up to 2X CLV. · Supports DVD-RW DRT-DM (Distributed Real Time Defect Management) · Supports DVD+RW background format NOTE: Depending on the USB chipset used in your computer, the PX-755UF's DVD read speed may be limited to 14X maximum with USB 2.0 only. Maximum IEEE 1394/FireWire read speed remains 16X. For CDs, the PX-755UF: · Writes to CD-R (recordable CD) media at up to 48X speed. · Writes to CD-RW (rewritable CD) media at up to 24X speed. · Reads all CD-ROM and CD-R data media at a maximum of 48X speed. · Reads CD-DA (audio) and CD-R audio media at up to 48X speed. · Reads CD-RW audio media at up to 32X speed. 2 PX-755UF Installation and Users Manual Section 1. Getting Started Features of the PX-755UF · USB 2.0 and FireWire interface: Features both USB 2.0 and FireWire® (IEEE 1394), to connect to a PC or Macintosh computer with either of these high-speed interfaces. Supports both Hi-Speed USB 2.0 (480 megabits per second) and Full-Speed USB 1.1 (12 megabits per second). · AUTOSTRATEGY®: Writing technology for unknown media. When a writable disc isn't listed in the drive's internal media catalog, AUTOSTRATEGY automatically checks the disc and develops a write strategy for it. · PoweRec for CD-R, DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+R DL, and DVD-R DL media: Plextor Optimized Writing Error Reduction Control (PoweRec) adjusts laser power and writing speed so they're at the optimum settings for that particular disc. · VariRec: Lets you change the write strategy to record at highest quality on different types of discs. Also provides user adjustment of the recording power above or below a default level. This adjustment lets you customize the optimum laser power to your own needs. · Silent Mode: Unique technology that sets the drive for super-silent operation. By controlling access speed, read/write speed, and tray opening and closing speed, you redu ...