[deedar]

I want to buy a Firewire CD-RW, I dunno, maybe 16-20X (doesn't need to be 24X) - I use pretty much exclusively OSX. I'll be using it mainly for phot archiving, but I also wanna burn some music CDs. What drives are supported? What drive(s) would you recommend???? Thanks!!!!

[deedar]

Is this a stupid question or something? Why hasn't anyone replied????

[Fredo]

Not sure if they support OSX yet.... http://www.ezq.com/

[one]

Originally posted by deedar:
<STRONG>I want to buy a Firewire CD-RW, I dunno, maybe 16-20X (doesn't need to be 24X) - I use pretty much exclusively OSX. I'll be using it mainly for phot archiving, but I also wanna burn some music CDs. What drives are supported? What drive(s) would you recommend???? Thanks!!!!</STRONG>

You & I are in circuit on this. My Yamaha 4416 has been getting flakey (coasters up 20% & rising, toast reporting hardware errors...), and now that I have Firewire, I'm thinking about upgrading. Gotta do my part for the economy, after all!

Apple has posted a list of OS X-compatible drives (w/ firmware versions) at http://www.apple.com/itunes/notes.html .

I can look up specs on these drives all day & that won't replace the experience of actual burner-jockeys, so how about a word from all you Firewire-burner-owners?

What did you buy, & why? Are you happy w/ yer choice? What would you buy if you were buying now?

[aaanorton]

I have a QPS QueFire CDRW (12x). I made some bogus disks, then I learned how it works. No problem since. Works w/ DiscBurner or Toast flawlessly.
I also like that sitting on top of my G4, the tray slides ouy (just) above the handle.

Cliff

[one]

OK, so I went thru Apple's compatiblity list, and did some sorting:

Here's a breakdown of the list by drive mechanism:
yamaha sony sanyo teac plextor
iii iii iiii iii iiiii
i iii iiii iii
-------------------------------------------------------------------
4 3 7 7 8


Here, the sort is by rank / drive manufacturer / sales brand / speed config(s). I've also arbitrarily removed drives w/ CDR speeds below 8x (on the theory that if 4x is good enough, SCSI is cheaper), as well as models that gave no hint of the drive speeds, and mechanisms used in only single product.

1 Plextor....Buffalo 8x4x32x 12x10x32x
Fantom 8x4x32x*
Logitec 12x10x32x
QPS/Que! 8x4x32x 12x10x32x 16x10x40x**

2 Sanyo.....CDCyclone (CDRevo) 24x10x40x
LaCie 12x10x32x 16x10x40x*** 24x10x40x
EZQuest Boa 16x10x40x**** 24x10x40x
QPS/Que! 16x10x40x**

2 Teac.......EZQ / Boa 8x8x32x 12x10x32x 16x10x40x****

3 Yamaha..LaCie 16x10x40x***
Logitec 16x10x40x
Yamaha 16x10x40x

4 Sony.......Sony Spressa 12x8x32x
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* this speed available in both a Plextor and a MKE mechanism
** this speed available in both a Sanyo and a Plextor mechanism
*** this speed available in both a Sanyo and a Yamaha mechanism
**** this speed available in both a Sanyo and a Teac mechanism


So, looking at this list (8x#x#x and above), it's pretty clear that Sanyo & Plextor are tied for most drives on the market, w/ Teac a rather distant second. If there's any basis for considering either Sanyo or Plextor to be a superior drive, then that mechanism would probably have a higher price point, while the other would be more of a midline product. Then, too, the 24x drives are all Sanyo, so they'd likely command a premium on that basis alone, and LaCie tend to have an exceptionally high opinion of themselves, so all their stuff is liable to be pricey,

Based on this list, then, it would seem that the Plextor would be more a mid-line mechanism, w/ Sanyo occupying the high end.

I find I particularly want to hear about the EZQuest Boa, and the Que! Fire, since they represent pretty much all the drive mechanisms from top three manufacturers collectively.

Comments? Arguments? If you have experience that supports or contradicts my notions, let's hear it....

[one]

[ 11-14-2001: Message edited by: one ]

[one]

While everyone's been playing w/ their 'Pods, I've been digging.

A search of the Drive Compatibility database over @ Xlr8YourMac ( http://forums.xlr8yourmac.com/drived....drivedb.lasso brought up lots of info about this stuff; bottom line is that the Plextor seems to be considered the best and fastest drive, no (or nearly so) compatibility problems. However, there's lots of interesting reports to read.

Also, I found a thing called PriceWatch ( http://www.pricewatch.com/newhomepage.htm , that is invaluable for turning up obscure sources of components, including OS X-compatible CD-R/W drive mechanisms.

For example, one outfit is offering the specific Plextor mech @ 24/10/40 for $165, and a $30 rebate for a total of $135.

'Course, it will need a case, like the ADS 1394 drive kit (a c-note @ CompUSA), but that's like a 5 minute process - if you can open your (surface) mail you can put a drive in a case.

Anyhow, now you have the tools - go forth and prosper!

[ 11-14-2001: Message edited by: one ]

[deedar]

Excellent resources! Thanks a lot!

I have the LaCie StudioDrive 24x10x40 FireWire, I use it on OS X exclusively, works fine with iTunes for audio and the OS X built in 'burn' software for data. Highly recommended.

[one]

FYI:

Just got back from Micro Center: 22% discount off pretty much everything (dunno 'bout Macs themselves (got my first look @ the 22" Cinema Display - OMG!!! :cool ).

As a result, I sprang for the Que! 24x @ $241 (from recent research, I know I couldn't buy the bare drive and a box for that price).

Hooked up in seconds, downloaded Toast 5.1 PR2, and it's burning away as I type this (now it's verifying). This is GREAT!!! No more taking a few days to back up my HD !!!! [insert maniacal laughter]

SO - Toast reports my drive as PX-W2410A...it's a Plextor! (Thank you, thank you)

What this means, for those of you who're considering a Que! Fire:

On the box, left of the UPC code, are 2 numbers. The one on the bottom is the drive serial number. THIS NUMBER BEGINS w/ the DRIVE PRODUCT CODE.

For example, my S/N begins "W2410TA", and then the numbers. So if you go in & look at the boxes, you should be able to get a good idea of the drive mechanism inside. See the iTunes/notes page to get the drive code structures for Sanyo, Teac, etc. if you're after one of those.

Hope this helps!

[bergie]

Deedar: I just bought an AcomData 16x10x40x external firewire CDRW, and it works fine at the finder level for data files, but to burn audio CDRs, I need Toast Titanium. (Toast 4 that it came with doesn't work with anything newer than 9.0.4) This seems strange, because the mechanism is the same Lite-On LTR-16101B that is in other drives that Apple claims are supported. I was sure that when the new version of itunes came out, I wouldn't need Toast any more, but I do. If OSX 10.1 can recognize the drive, why can't itunes, which came out later?

Btw, I just bought a Logitech cordless mouseman optical, and it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

One, does your que work with iTunes? I was looking at their compatability list and Que's 24x isn't listed at all.

[tinrib]

I have a Yamaha 16x 10x 40x drive. I am VERY happy with it - works with iTunes and DiscBurnere just fine, no coasters, nice looks (compared to something like the formac). They do a 24x version as well. I bought the yamaha after searching here and reading the reviews.

One company I wouldn't buy from again is QPS. My USB burner was a piece of crap. Too painful to talk about but burning a CD was generally more hassle than it was worth, and a hit and miss affair at best.

[one]

Originally posted by &lt;Chris Flynn&gt;:
<STRONG>One, does your que work with iTunes? I was looking at their compatability list and Que's 24x isn't listed at all.</STRONG>

I haven't tried burning from iTunes yet, Chris, but iTunes DID recognise it once I'd edited one of its files (Plextor.device-plugin, for me). There's a good guide to doing so over @ www.xlr8yourmac.com . I have successfully burned from Disc Copy,btw.

I'd have to say I'm pleased w/ it, but I'm getting some bizarre behaviour w/ it trying to share the 1394 bus w/ my OWC Mercury Pro HD (60gb). This has resulted in nearly a dozen coasters, due to lock-up during burn (might be Toast PR2, but it seems to be the burner).

OWC tells me I (probably) don't have the 911 chip, but their only suggestion is to back the beast up & reformat it w. 10.1s Drive Utility! (connect the HD, copy 5gb to my PB, disconnect the HD, hope the burner burns, repeat...oy!)

[Zoom]

For those of you still looking, 2BuyStore has the LaCie 24x FW drive on sale for $220 with free UPS Ground. I may just have to pick this one up.

[deedar]

Still himmin' and hawin'. Does anyone have any experience with Caldrives 24x10x40? It has an "AOpen" mechanism??&gt;&gt;??

[rjc3]

For what it is worth, I just picked up a Yamaha 2100EZ (16x10x40) in a 911 chipset firewire enclosure from Other World COmputing (www.macsales.com) for $200 and am very happy with it. I've owned a yamaha cd-rw before (4x4x16) and was also quite satisfied with it. My new drive came with toast 5 and works great with OS X.

[precious]

does anyone know if the
"Sony Slim external 8x4x24 Firewire CDRW (I-Link)
Only 7oz. for use with Windows 98SE/2000/Me and Macintosh systems"
works with the titanium ?

i have one on order (due to arrive any day now), and was wondering if this worked well with the titanium or not.

thanks!

[-Q-]

If you're looking for a good price on the QUE 24/10/40 Outpost has it for $227 with a $30 rebate.

Thanks to One's insights and the info at XLR8yourmac I just placed my order!

Thanks One!

Q