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vinster · 01:38 AM

Hi there,

I just got a replacement 15" (Rev. C) as my previous PowerBook was held up in repairs.

I've been reading the threads about slow burning on the new PowerBook's UJ-835E and noticed when checking the system profiler that I have the following drive:

Code:
  Model:	MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-845E
  Revision:	DMP2

Haven't really tested it for speed yet, but maybe Apple's doing something to circumvent continuing complaints about slow burn speeds in the latest PowerBooks.

EDIT: Just looking at reviews of this drive and found out it supports DVD +R DL writing!

...Schaweet!

Again, still need to do some testing. Will update this post once I've done so.

toddeastman · Apr 26, 2005, 07:33 PM

So Apple just ships a new drive in the Powerbooks!?!? What kind of Powerbook did you order?

vinster · Apr 26, 2005, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by toddeastman

So Apple just ships a new drive in the Powerbooks!?!? What kind of Powerbook did you order?

Yep, Apple supplied a UJ-845E DVDR with my new (replacement) PowerBook which I received last Thursday 4/21/05. Manufacture date is the 16th week of 2005, according to the serial number.

I can confirm it reads a burned DL DVD+R UDF (my previous PowerBook's UJ-825 drive didn't). I haven't tried to burn a DL DVD+R yet, but according to Panasonic's specs this drive does write to DVD +R DL discs (hope Apple's left it enabled in firmware).

Again, I'll update the forum as soon as I've had a chance to try a DL burn on this baby. Unless anyone else with a new unit confirms a DL burn (and any other valuable info. such as burn speeds) before I get the chance.

The description from the serial number plate in the battery bay says: PBG4 15.2"/1.67GHz-128/1GB(1x1GB)/80GB

TailsToo · Apr 26, 2005, 11:01 PM

Wow, that would suck for those of us with 835s! Let us know if you can burn DLs. Of course, every other notebook maker already has DL burning on their notebooks.

toddeastman · Apr 27, 2005, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by TailsToo

Wow, that would suck for those of us with 835s! Let us know if you can burn DLs. Of course, every other notebook maker already has DL burning on their notebooks.

No...this would suck for Apple b/c they figured out they screwed up with the other drive. There are going to be a bunch of angry users out there who are going to want something done about their supposedly 8x drives. I want what I paid for and never got!!

vinster · Apr 27, 2005, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by TailsToo

... Let us know if you can burn DLs. ....

Well I tried burning a Verbatim DVD+R DL using Toast and Apple's built-in disc burning and no go, the drive just spit the disc back out after chewing on it for a while. Apple must have intentionally disabled this feature to avoid the wrath of angry early-realease buyers (or perhaps for other reasons).

At least the drive can read authored DL discs as I have an external Plextor PX-716UF drive which I occasionally use to burn the DLs.

...hoping for a firmware release to unlock dual-layer burning!

asodamiac · Apr 27, 2005, 04:49 PM

awesome. i just got my pb little less than a week ago and i have the 845E. maybe apple will unlock the dual-layer burning with tiger! is so, this is GREAT news.

osxisfun · Apr 27, 2005, 04:54 PM

hmmm wonder if my BTO will have it...

asodamiac, where did you buy and did it come with 10.3? or tiger.

spiff72 · Apr 27, 2005, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by osxisfun

hmmm wonder if my BTO will have it...

asodamiac, where did you buy and did it come with 10.3? or tiger.

I bought mine about 3 weeks ago (17") and I got the 835.

Bummer, I guess.

spiff72 · Apr 27, 2005, 06:23 PM

How can you tell by the serial number what week it was manufactured?

TailsToo · Apr 27, 2005, 06:26 PM

There was a firmware hack that enabled the old TIs to burn at 2x... maybe someone will find out a way to enable DL.

TailsToo · Apr 27, 2005, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by asodamiac

awesome. i just got my pb little less than a week ago and i have the 845E. maybe apple will unlock the dual-layer burning with tiger! is so, this is GREAT news.

Apple won't do it.... then they would upset all of the people bought the same machine, but have the 835.

asodamiac · Apr 27, 2005, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by TailsToo

Apple won't do it.... then they would upset all of the people bought the same machine, but have the 835.

man

. are there any apps that could.. override this? dual layer burning would.. be nice.

vinster · 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by asodamiac

awesome. i just got my pb little less than a week ago and i have the 845E. maybe apple will unlock the dual-layer burning with tiger! is so, this is GREAT news.

...wouldn't get your hopes up for Tiger, it's definitely locked at the firmware level. If it wasn't, Toast would be able to burn a DL DVD.

The only way to ever see DL burning working is with non-Apple firmware, if it ever comes out, (so bye-bye superdrive warranty) but hey at least the hardware's capable.

vinster · Apr 27, 2005, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by spiff72

How can you tell by the serial number what week it was manufactured?

The date code's contained in the 3rd, 4th and 5th digits (i.e. xx516xxxxxx) would be 2005, 16th week.

spiff72 · Apr 27, 2005, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by vinster

The date code's contained in the 3rd, 4th and 5th digits (i.e. xx516xxxxxx) would be 2005, 16th week.

Gotcha.

I am xx509, and no fancy new drive for me

tooki · Apr 28, 2005, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by vinster

Code:
  Model:	MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-845E
  Revision:	DMP2

Haven't really tested it for speed yet, but maybe Apple's doing something to circumvent continuing complaints about slow burn speeds in the latest PowerBooks.

Regrettably, this is unlikely. Speed tests of the UJ-845 in the PC world have shown its burn speeds to be the same as the UJ-835.

Chances are it's the same hardware as the 835, but with updated firmware to allow DL burning. It wouldn't surprise me if the 845 firmware worked on the 835.

tooki

vinster · Apr 28, 2005, 12:41 AM

Originally Posted by tooki

Regrettably, this is unlikely. Speed tests of the UJ-845 in the PC world have shown its burn speeds to be the same as the UJ-835.

Chances are it's the same hardware as the 835, but with updated firmware to allow DL burning. It wouldn't surprise me if the 845 firmware worked on the 835.

tooki

I Read about slower-than-rated burns from this drive when searching through reviews as well. Apple's probably only using this drive because they can't get a hold of any UJ-835's (kind of like how they're putting Seagate 5400RPM 40GB drives and PC3200 DDR RAM in the Mac minis).

asodamiac · Apr 28, 2005, 01:22 AM

Originally Posted by osxisfun

hmmm wonder if my BTO will have it...

asodamiac, where did you buy and did it come with 10.3? or tiger.

sorry osx, missed your post.

my pb was a BTO. i ordered directly from apple and i ordered it on april 14. just got it last thursday and it has the new drive. so if you ordered sometime around then, you should have it as well. the pb came with panther installed. i ordered the tiger upgrade though for 9.95.

osxisfun · Apr 28, 2005, 02:06 AM

awesome. i want 10.3

i don't mind upgrading to tiger.

tooki · Apr 28, 2005, 02:55 AM

Originally Posted by vinster

Apple's probably only using this drive because they can't get a hold of any UJ-835's

Indeed, I'm sure that with the 845's release, the previous models were discontinued.

tooki

striker100 · Apr 28, 2005, 09:02 AM

I just purchased a 15" Ultimate Powerbook from an Apple Retail Store yesterday. The manufacture date is the 10th week of 2005. I haven't opened it yet, should I return it for one manufactured later?

vinster · Apr 28, 2005, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by striker100

I just purchased a 15" Ultimate Powerbook from an Apple Retail Store yesterday. The manufacture date is the 10th week of 2005. I haven't opened it yet, should I return it for one manufactured later?

I would, now that you know you're not going to get the newer-model drive.

striker100 · Apr 28, 2005, 10:00 AM

So are there any advantages to the new drive if Apples firmware doesn't allow it's full functionality? I want to open this baby up!

azdude · Apr 28, 2005, 10:14 AM

Oh please, vinster... striker100 --- keep the Ultimate Powerbook and enjoy it.

What's the benefit of this newer drive?

- Burn speeds are rated exactly the same as the 835.
- You'll never see the ability to burn DL from Apple... they don't do that kind of thing to *half* the people who think they bought an identical machine.
- Even if you do find an updated 845 firmware, it'll be unsupported, will invalidate your warranty.

Take comfort in the fact that you got precisely what you paid for... don't try to squeeze more out.

Eug Wanker · Apr 28, 2005, 10:18 AM

This is perfect... for the PowerBook purchase I plan on making at the next revision, and the iMac purchase I plan on making too in early 2006.

Mind you, I already have a dual-layer Firewire burner, and I have NEVER burned a dual-layer disc.

spiff72 · Apr 28, 2005, 10:37 AM

835 Specs (from the website posted earlier):
Features
- 3X Speed DVD-RAM Writing
- 8X Speed DVD-R Writing
- 4X Speed DVD-RW Writing
- 24X Speed CD-R Writing
- 10X Speed CD-RW Writing
- 8X Speed +R Writing
- 4X Speed +RW Writing
- 24X Speed CD-ROM Reading
- 8X Speed DVD-ROM Reading
- Buffer Under Run Protection

845 Specs:
Features
- 5X Speed DVD-RAM Writing
- 8X Speed DVD-R Writing
- 4X Speed DVD-RW Writing
- 24X Speed CD-R Writing
- 16X Speed CD-RW Writing
- 8X Speed +R Writing
- 4X Speed +RW Writing
- 24X Speed CD-ROM Reading
- 8X Speed DVD-ROM Reading
- Buffer Under Run Protection
- +R Dual Layer Writing

Looks to me like the only diffences are the 5X vs 3X DVD RAM speed and 16X vs 10X for CD-RW.

I am not that broken up about it having the older model.

striker100 · Apr 28, 2005, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by azdude

Oh please, vinster... striker100 --- keep the Ultimate Powerbook and enjoy it.

What's the benefit of this newer drive?

- Burn speeds are rated exactly the same as the 835.
- You'll never see the ability to burn DL from Apple... they don't do that kind of thing to *half* the people who think they bought an identical machine.
- Even if you do find an updated 845 firmware, it'll be unsupported, will invalidate your warranty.

Take comfort in the fact that you got precisely what you paid for... don't try to squeeze more out.

Yeah I opened it, downloading all the updates now even though I'll be doing a reformat of Tiger tomorrow. I checked and I do have the 835E drive but I don't care, it's not gonna mean anything to me.

vinster · Apr 28, 2005, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by striker100

So are there any advantages to the new drive if Apples firmware doesn't allow it's full functionality? I want to open this baby up!

It really isn't a big deal as azdude mentioned (looks like you didn't take my post too seriously which I thought you wouldn't), just that Apple's made a slight change that as a new owner you're in a position to take advantage of.

The only advantage I'm aware of over the older UJ-825 is the ability to read an authored consumer DL disc. The UJ-825 couldn't read a burned Verbatim +R DL but the 845 could (not sure about the 835, though).

P.S. I've only ever burned one DL disc on my external Plextor (they're too expensive at present). I still have two blanks waiting for something I think's valuable enough to fit on a single 8.5GB disc as compared to splitting over multiple 4.7GBs (perhaps a good movie).