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pmg4lktan · Nov 9, 2003, 10:04 AM

Hi there,

there had been many Dual-format (DVD�R/RW) DVD Writer out there designed for Windows PC ... i would like to know if any of it support Mac? since Panther already support DVD+R/RW as well ... it would be great to have one of such drive on my Quick Silver G4 ...

by the way ... is Pioneer our (Mac users) only choice? any other manufacturer (i am not saying about Lacie, Formac, OWC ... who build external case for it) out there that make DVD Writer for Mac?

Thanks in advance!

dfiler · Nov 9, 2003, 10:36 AM

From System Profiler:
Manufacturer: PIONEER
Model: PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-106D
Revision: 1.05
Serial Number: CEDL019932WL
Drive Type: CD-RW/DVD-RW
Disc Burning: Apple Supported/Shipped

This drive supports + as well even though it's not listed here.

Your best source of info will be the drive compatibility database over at http://www.xlr8yourmac.com

tooki · Nov 9, 2003, 11:54 AM

Apple uses Pioneer, Matsushita (Panasonic), Toshiba, Hitachi (I think) and Sony DVD writers.

Only internal drives are supported by iDVD. Everything else doesn't care whether it's internal or not.

So if it's internal, just get a Pioneer or Sony and you'll know it'll work. (In reviews, the Sony has tended to have better performance than others.)

tooki

Steve Bosell · Nov 9, 2003, 12:05 PM

i have a sony dru-510a that is not supported. the dru-500a is supported though, i hope there is a hack or whatever soon.

tooki · Nov 9, 2003, 03:52 PM

?!?

The 510 is one of the drive models the G5 ships with!

Perhaps someone on xlr8yourmac.com has hacked the Apple support file anyway.

That aside, even if Apple's software doesn't support it, Toast will.

tooki

pmg4lktan · Nov 9, 2003, 07:13 PM

thanks for the information, guys!

yeah ... i'm going to get the DRU-510A as well ... but the Sony guys told me that it won't work with Mac ... :|

anyway ... is it true that new G5 came with it? if it does ... t should work with my Quick Silver as well, right? what hack do i need if not?

by the way ... the Pioneer one seems to have better compatibility with Mac ... which one should i use if intend to use on both platform (Mac/PC)? wouldn't use external one though ... because of the price ... thanks ...

proton · Nov 9, 2003, 08:33 PM

The Sony drive that has been coming with G5s is, according to System Profiler: SONY DVD RW DW-U10A

- proton

pmg4lktan · Nov 9, 2003, 09:16 PM

Originally posted by proton:
The Sony drive that has been coming with G5s is, according to System Profiler: SONY DVD RW DW-U10A

- proton

thanks for the info, proton ...

yes ... it is a DVD�R/RW drive ... but it said to be Windows-based and it work with Mac as you stated there ...

but it isn't DRU-510A ... which offer higher speed and reliability ... can anyone confirm that it works for Mac?

Thanks!

Steve Bosell · Nov 10, 2003, 12:19 AM

with 10.2, my dru-510a worked with everything, iTunes, iDvd, disk utility, the finder and toast. All I had to do is use a modified device-plugin. With Panther the only thing that works is toast. It is ok for now, but I hope there is a hack or whatever soon.

pmg4lktan · Nov 10, 2003, 12:50 AM

Originally posted by Steve Bosell:
with 10.2, my dru-510a worked with everything, iTunes, iDvd, disk utility, the finder and toast. All I had to do is use a modified device-plugin. With Panther the only thing that works is toast. It is ok for now, but I hope there is a hack or whatever soon.

thanks ... unfortuantely i am just upgrading Panther now ... anyway, i think i'll keep Jaguar ...

by the way ... may i know what's that "device-plugin"? Where can i get it? Thanks ...

Steve Bosell · Nov 10, 2003, 01:46 AM

just replace the sony.device-plugin with this one, only works in 10.2 though

sony.device-plugin

FlatLyna · Nov 10, 2003, 07:12 AM

I just added a Sony DWU-10A to my MDD G4 - fully supported in 10.3 Panther, no hacks required.

tr · Nov 10, 2003, 11:14 AM

Originally posted by Steve Bosell:
just replace the sony.device-plugin with this one, only works in 10.2 though
sony.device-plugin

yeah, i believe in Panther, no hacked device plug-ins work, because Panther doesn't handle hardware optical drives like that anymore.

from 10/31/03 xlr8yourmac.com:

Patchburn author comments on burn support mod limitations with 10.3
As most of you know, OS X 10.2.x and 10.1.x used individual "brand"CDR.device-plugin files which could be modified for different drive models to add burn support for many models of drives that were not supported by Apple's standard file installs. (Many modified files in the FAQ here since 2001, articles on editing the files, etc.) -- but 10.3/Panther doesn't use that scheme as noted in this Panther burn support article here from late June. The PatchBurn utility was a great way to automate this process in 10.2.x, but doesn't work with 10.3 of course due to the changes in the file structure. Many of us were hoping there would be workaround to allow a 10.3 compatible Patchburn utility, but that may never happen. Gary Minato wrote the author of PatchBurn (Chris Moeller) about the likelihood of a 10.3/Panther compatible version and he replied:

"...PatchBurn doesn't support 10.3 (Panther) and it probably never will.
Why? Because in 10.3 Apple has changed the way CD/DVD writers are recognized. There aren't special drivers any more, now there is an XML file instead. Unfortunately Apple has implemented some kind of security mechanism, preventing this XML file from being patched. Any patch will render the file to be corrupt and not loaded by the burning framework.

Currently there is no known way to get around this. Please direct your complaints to Apple. (Apple's OS X feedback page is http://www.apple.com/macosx/feedback/-Mike) Maybe they will change it in 10.3.1 then.
Sorry again.
Chris"

tr

ReggieX · Nov 10, 2003, 06:02 PM

Pioneer 106 works out of the box with 10.2.8, and there's a patch to bring Toast 6 up to full compatibility with the buffer underrun protection.

saru boy · Nov 10, 2003, 08:18 PM

Originally posted by ReggieX:
Pioneer 106 works out of the box with 10.2.8, and there's a patch to bring Toast 6 up to full compatibility with the buffer underrun protection.

I'd go with the Pioneer - the Pioneer 106 sells for about $130 now, which is about $20 less than the cheapest prices for the Sony DRU-510A.

pmg4lktan · Nov 10, 2003, 08:29 PM

thanks for the info, guys ... "unfortunately" ... i'm on Panther now ...

will they work with Toast Titanium 6.0.3?if it does, that's great ... i think Pioneer's work with iDVD and DVD Studio as well ... right?

by the way ... may i know how much is Sony DWU-10A? and what's its difference with the DRU-510A? anyone know about TDK 440N? it's an external drive ... anyone know how it performs?

Thanks ...

FlatLyna · Nov 11, 2003, 10:49 AM

I'm using the DWU-10A with Toast 6.03 - no problems so far. iDVD and iTunes work perfectly also.

Sony makes drives in retail boxes as well as for OEM.
OEM drives have the DWU prefix and retail ones are DRU models. In researching I found the following to be equivalent.

OEM Version Retail Version
DWU-10a --> DRU-500, DRU-500A/AX
DWU-14A --> DRU-510A

What is important though is the firmware identifier that the mac sees to get full support. The physical drive mechanism is similar, though the tray and bezel may differ in looks between OEM/Retail.

The Pioneer DVR-106D is also available from several other manufacturers, Teac and Acer being two, but again the firmware identifies the drive diferently and so they may not be fully supported by OSX unless you were to re-flash the drives firmware using a PC and the orignal Pioneer 106D firmware.
There was a post in the forums here by AssasyN who bought a retail model Pioneer DVR-106D and it was not fully supported. That was a shock as the retail Pioneer box was thought to be the right one.

As to cost for the Sony DWU-10A I paid �103uk and it was slightly cheaper than the OEM Pioneer.

Good luck!

pmg4lktan · Nov 12, 2003, 08:40 AM

Thanks for your explanation FlatLyna ...

do you mean that OEM make it compatible with Mac which means that they installed the compatible firmware on it? if then, will there be different firmware in different region?

if i am to get the original thing ... which brand should i choose? Sony or Pioneer? Pioneer seems a better choice as it has better compatibility + price ...

anyway ... Thanks ...

FlatLyna · Nov 12, 2003, 04:22 PM

Yes, in the case of the Sony the DWU-10A is compatible and the retail model DRU-500 is not. That is totally down to the name that the firmware reports to OSX.

Take a look over at xlr8yourmac in the drive compatability database for reports on the drives that work.

Pioneer or Sony - tough choice... I've owned both makes before, this time I chose the Sony because I was 99% confident I could use the drive. Choose the one that you can get easiest near you!

pmg4lktan · Nov 12, 2003, 06:31 PM

Originally posted by FlatLyna:
Yes, in the case of the Sony the DWU-10A is compatible and the retail model DRU-500 is not. That is totally down to the name that the firmware reports to OSX.

Take a look over at xlr8yourmac in the drive compatability database for reports on the drives that work.

Pioneer or Sony - tough choice... I've owned both makes before, this time I chose the Sony because I was 99% confident I could use the drive. Choose the one that you can get easiest near you!

cool xlr8 guide ... but my machine is uickSilver G4, which model should i choose under the menu? by the way ... i don't see any instllation guide for Quick Silver G4 ...

can you help? Thanks ...

FlatLyna · Nov 13, 2003, 09:01 AM

I wouldnt worry too much about which model of G4 to pick in the search options, afterall the size of bay to put a cd or dvd drive in is the same size for most macs, the only exceptions being laptops, imac lcd and the cube.

As to installing it, best thing would be to open the side of the quicksilver and look at the way the existing combo or cd drive is installed. You may need to look in your G4 manual to see what if any screws need removing to get at the bays.
You may also need to remove the front of the cd tray so that the tray itself can fit through the slot on the quicksilver case. Fortunately on most drives you can remove the front as they slip on and click into place. There was a thread somewhere on this board that had a picture showing this, all I remember of the thread though was that someone had cut their case to allow the cd tray to open - that person didn't realise the tray front could be removed.

pmg4lktan · Nov 13, 2003, 09:22 AM

Thanks Nick, but is it possible to install it in the "second" 3.5" bay by removing the 3.5" metal piece?

i would like to keep existing CD writer ... or maybe an external drive or external case wouold be a better solution? any advice? Thanks ...

P/S : i'll have to go outstation tomorrow ... so i can only check back when i come back ...