[ZAPsx]

Is anyone else having problems with Memorex DVD-RW disks. They simply will not work in my PB. Disk Utility crashes (get a "unexpected error message")when I try to erase the disk crashing he program and Toast will not burn to it. I have Fuji DVD-RW disks that work just fine. My Memorex CD-R also work fine.

What's the best media manufacturer to use, the best I have found is Verbatim and Fuji.

Cheers.

[Fothb]

I haven't used Memorex for DVDs specifically because I've read complaints about them from Mac forumers, so I definitely don't think you're alone. As for the best brand to use, I asked Apple that question while I had them on the phone and I was told to use their brand (obviously) or Verbatim - who they say makes their brand. Personally I like Ritek. Shop4Tech.com seems to have the best prices and selection, and they often mention the SuperDrive in their discussions of compatibility. Here's wishing you better luck with future burns (using other brands)...

[Eug Wanker]

A lot of the Ritek's I've tried suck.

Apple is by far the best deal (if you want the case, since Apple doesn't sell spindles).

[parsec_kadets]

Considering none of the PowerBooks support burning DVD-RW, I think you should consider yourself lucky that the Fuji even works.

[Eug Wanker]

Originally posted by parsec_kadets:
Considering none of the PowerBooks support burning DVD-RW, I think you should consider yourself lucky that the Fuji even works.

The recent PowerBooks support DVD-RW, and the older ones can be flashed to work with DVD-RW. My Sony DVD-RWs work great.

[andrew davidoff]

i have upgraded the firmware in my 1ghz 17" and i burn with no problems using Memorex DVD-RWs.

andrew davidoff

[parsec_kadets]

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
The recent PowerBooks support DVD-RW...

If that's the case, then go to http://www.apple.com/powerbook/specs.html and show me where it says so. Under slot-loading optical drive I see "SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW)". Also, at http://www.apple.com/powerbook/superdrive.html it says "The SuperDrive plays DVD movies — the kind you buy or rent — and writes to 4.7-gigabyte DVD-R discs, and it reads CDs and writes to CD-R and CD-RW disks." So if the new ones do support writing to DVD-RW don't you think Apple would update their literature to reflect that?

Now, if someone has flashed their firmware to allow DVD-RW burning then he should really say so. I know I'm being kind of a pain here, but I'm sure none of us want someone here to read this thread and think they can burn DVD-RW discs, and then call Apple and complain when they can't.

As for the original question, I've applied the firmware update on my 17" PB and have had no problems with Memorex DVD-RW discs.

[madmacgames]

Originally posted by parsec_kadets:
If that's the case, then go to http://www.apple.com/powerbook/specs.html and show me where it says so. Under slot-loading optical drive I see "SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW)". Also, at http://www.apple.com/powerbook/superdrive.html it says "The SuperDrive plays DVD movies — the kind you buy or rent — and writes to 4.7-gigabyte DVD-R discs, and it reads CDs and writes to CD-R and CD-RW disks." So if the new ones do support writing to DVD-RW don't you think Apple would update their literature to reflect that?

Now, if someone has flashed their firmware to allow DVD-RW burning then he should really say so. I know I'm being kind of a pain here, but I'm sure none of us want someone here to read this thread and think they can burn DVD-RW discs, and then call Apple and complain when they can't.

As for the original question, I've applied the firmware update on my 17" PB and have had no problems with Memorex DVD-RW discs.

I do not know why Apple does not advertise it, but I can assure you the revisionB powerbook's superdrive is fully capable of burning DVD-RWs. That said mine will not burn Memorex media. I have to use TDK or Verbatim or Apple (which is made by Verbatim).

Code:
MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-816:

  Manufacturer:	MATSHITA
  Model:	MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-816
  Revision:	DXJ3
  Serial Number:	
  Drive Type:	CD-RW/DVD-RW
  Disc Burning:	Apple Supported/Shipped
  Removable Media:	Yes
  Detachable Drive:	No
  Protocol:	ATAPI
  Unit Number:	0
  Socket Type:	Internal

That is the system profiler info on the superdrives in the new powerbooks (which appear to be the same drive as the rev a powerbooks, with a different firmware to support 2x dvd burning and 1x dvd-rw).

If that is not enough proof and you for whatever reason still do not believe us revision b owners, then feel free to take a DVD-RW disc into a store where they sell powerbooks and pop it into the drive of one and try it for yourself.

[Eug Wanker]

Originally posted by parsec_kadets:
So if the new ones do support writing to DVD-RW don't you think Apple would update their literature to reflect that?

No I do not, given Apple's history regarding DVD-RW.

Now, if someone has flashed their firmware to allow DVD-RW burning then he should really say so. I know I'm being kind of a pain here, but I'm sure none of us want someone here to read this thread and think they can burn DVD-RW discs, and then call Apple and complain when they can't.

Recent PowerBooks, straight out of the box with no flashing, burn DVD-RWs.

[tooki]

My 15" AlBook writes to Memorex DVD-RW media just fine.

Note that Apple put DVD-RW support into OS X in either 10.1 or 10.2 -- Disk Copy has an Erase Disc function that explicitly mentions DVD-RW.

Also, if you insert a supported DVD-RW disc, the Finder will show it with a DVD-RW icon -- it's obviously recognizing it correctly.

tooki

[thisisjames]

Wow, the lack of RW support in SuperDrives was what has always put me off slightly, but the ability to use iDVD etc kinda made up for it.

We talking complete (if "unofficial") support here? Erasing etc?

James

[Fothb]

Originally posted by thisisjames:
Wow, the lack of RW support in SuperDrives was what has always put me off slightly, but the ability to use iDVD etc kinda made up for it.

We talking complete (if "unofficial") support here? Erasing etc?

James

The way I understand it is that the previously released SuperDrives in the older PowerBooks could always handle DVD-RW from a hardware compatibility point of view, but the firmware for the drives didn't allow it (which meant installing non-Apple-condoned firmware to get around that problem).

But now, the SuperDrives in the new PowerBooks ship with full firmware support for DVD-RW right out of the box without the need to mess with firmware at all. If you buy one of the new PowerBooks today, it'll handle burning to DVD-RW at 1x and DVD-R at 2x without you having to do anything but turn the machine on.


- Actually now that I've re-read the earlier messages in this thread I noticed that tooki has also already explained the DVD-RW support from the software end of things (obviously needed in conjunction with the firmware).

[Eug Wanker]

Originally posted by Fothb:
The way I understand it is that the previously released SuperDrives in the older PowerBooks could always handle DVD-RW from a hardware compatibility point of view, but the firmware for the drives didn't allow it (which meant installing non-Apple-condoned firmware to get around that problem).

To be fair to Apple, I have heard it said that one reason Apple intentionally removed DVD-RW support was because some of the first run UJ-815 drives were not 100% reliable with DVD-RW. (That OS X supported DVD-RW made no difference, since the drive could not.)

Subsequent UJ-816 drives include DVD-RW compatibility, but I can't remember off-hand if later UJ-815 drives from Apple also came with DVD-RW support or not.

tooki, what drive (and generation AluBook) is yours?

[Orion27]

My Al 15 1.25 PB, has the Matshita R-UJ-816
System profiler says: Drive Type:
CD-RW/DVD-RW

[mintcake]

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
To be fair to Apple, I have heard it said that one reason Apple intentionally removed DVD-RW support was because some of the first run UJ-815 drives were not 100% reliable with DVD-RW. (That OS X supported DVD-RW made no difference, since the drive could not.)

Subsequent UJ-816 drives include DVD-RW compatibility, but I can't remember off-hand if later UJ-815 drives from Apple also came with DVD-RW support or not.

My understanding is that UJ-815 and UJ-816 are Apple's own label for identical Matsushita drives, which were always capable of writing to DVD-RW, only Apple disabled that in firmware for RevA models. The RevB 12" ships with DVD-RW enabled (though it's very fussy about the discs you use).

Various theories why Apple disabled the -RW function in earlier models, most plausible theory I've heard is that the drive ran too hot in the RevA but with improved cooling and power management in the RevB they overcame the problem. That's certainly a more charitable theory than the one which says that Apple held it back to make the RevB more attractive.

Oh, and: nice nick. ;D

[tooki]

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
tooki, what drive (and generation AluBook) is yours?

It's a 15-incher. There's only been one generation of 15" AlBooks!

Like all the 15" AlBooks, it's a UJ-816.

Also, let me add one caveat: AFAIK, iDVD will not burn onto DVD-RW, even on drives that support it.

tooki

[Eug]

Originally posted by tooki:
It's a 15-incher. There's only been one generation of 15" AlBooks!

Like all the 15" AlBooks, it's a UJ-816.

Oh OK, I forgot you had a 15".

Also, let me add one caveat: AFAIK, iDVD will not burn onto DVD-RW, even on drives that support it.

Actually, it does, with the appropriately named iDVD DVD-RW trick.

Once you finish your project and want to burn it, you stick in a DVD-R as requested by the app. Start the process. Once it gets going hit eject on the keyboard and take out the DVD-R, and stick in a blank DVD-RW. (You have lots of time to do this, because as you know it takes a long time to encode everything first, before the actual burn.) iDVD will burn onto that DVD-RW just fine.

You should probably adjust your CD/DVD System Prefs first so that it doesn't launch another app or whatever when you stick the blank disc in.

[madmacgames]

um actually iDVD will burn DVD-RWs for me without any trick. Have you tried it without doing the trick?? Just stick the DVD-RW in there and burn?? Always has worked for me.

[Eug]

Originally posted by madmacgames:
um actually iDVD will burn DVD-RWs for me without any trick. Have you tried it without doing the trick?? Just stick the DVD-RW in there and burn?? Always has worked for me.

Never worked for me in iDVD 3. Haven't tried it with 4.

[madmacgames]

Originally posted by Eug:
Never worked for me in iDVD 3. Haven't tried it with 4.

I don't have 4, so I don't know about it it either... I have 3 and it works for me (superdrive UJ-816). Opening iDVD is even one of the options OS X gives me when inserting a blank DVD-RW (have only used TDK 2x DVD-RW).

[Phat Bastard]

I just inserting a Memorex DVD-RW and it worked fine. Took a while to actually mount, but mount it did.

I should say I didn't have to do anything special. I burned it on a iMac 17" Superdrive using Toast 5.2.1, and my laptop is a rev. A. 12" Powerbook.

Originally posted by ZAPsx:
Is anyone else having problems with Memorex DVD-RW disks. They simply will not work in my PB. Disk Utility crashes (get a "unexpected error message")when I try to erase the disk crashing he program and Toast will not burn to it. I have Fuji DVD-RW disks that work just fine. My Memorex CD-R also work fine.

What's the best media manufacturer to use, the best I have found is Verbatim and Fuji.

Cheers.

[nate_02]

One of my intructors gave the each student a Memorex DVD-RW to put their project on and I was using my PB with iDVD and the computer didn't recognize the disc. I haven't tried any other brand yet.

[rprata]

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
The recent PowerBooks support DVD-RW, and the older ones can be flashed to work with DVD-RW. My Sony DVD-RWs work great.

This is what I was wondering. I just picked up the 1.33GHz 17" PB. Does it support DVD-RW or just DVD-R? I have been trying to figure this out, but it doesn't seem to be documented anywhere.

[Eug]

Originally posted by rprata:
This is what I was wondering. I just picked up the 1.33GHz 17" PB. Does it support DVD-RW or just DVD-R? I have been trying to figure this out, but it doesn't seem to be documented anywhere.

DVD-RW should work fine. Just buy a blank DVD-RW (good name brand though) and give it whirl.