Update: failed dvd drive photos

>
> From memory it looks like a IDE interface but I could very well be wrong.
>
> I'd appreciate some help trying to identiy this cable to know what kinda of
> dvd writer I should buy.

Yep, that's an IDE cable. So a straight replacement would be an IDE/PATA
drive. As has been said earlier, there are any number of 20X DVD writers
around for around £20. Pick one that is the right colour and go spend
your money

Cheers

Kevin
 >> Stay informed about: Update: failed dvd drive photos 

"Kevin F Stubbs" <kevin_f.stubbs.RemoveThis@virgin.net> wrote in message
news:2Zotj.765$yv1.165@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...
>>
>> From memory it looks like a IDE interface but I could very well be wrong.
>>
>> I'd appreciate some help trying to identiy this cable to know what kinda
>> of dvd writer I should buy.
>
> Yep, that's an IDE cable. So a straight replacement would be an IDE/PATA
> drive. As has been said earlier, there are any number of 20X DVD writers
> around for around £20. Pick one that is the right colour and go spend your
> money
>
> Cheers
>
> Kevin

Thanks guys much appreciated.

Just been broswing the drives, you certainly get a lot of bang for you buck
these days, once upon a time for a writer you have to spend silly money to
get these kind of specs.

Anyone had a go with this lightscibe technology ? worth it or just another
thing to go wrong ?
 >> Stay informed about: Update: failed dvd drive photos 

James wrote:
> "Kevin F Stubbs" <kevin_f.stubbs DeleteThis @virgin.net> wrote in message
> news:2Zotj.765$yv1.165@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...
>>> From memory it looks like a IDE interface but I could very well be wrong.
>>>
>>> I'd appreciate some help trying to identiy this cable to know what kinda
>>> of dvd writer I should buy.
>> Yep, that's an IDE cable. So a straight replacement would be an IDE/PATA
>> drive. As has been said earlier, there are any number of 20X DVD writers
>> around for around £20. Pick one that is the right colour and go spend your
>> money
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> Kevin
>
> Thanks guys much appreciated.
>
> Just been broswing the drives, you certainly get a lot of bang for you buck
> these days, once upon a time for a writer you have to spend silly money to
> get these kind of specs.
>
> Anyone had a go with this lightscibe technology ? worth it or just another
> thing to go wrong ?
>
>

I recommend reading the reviews for burners, on sites like cdfreaks.com .
They do error scans, so you can get some idea how well the burning process
is working. Generally, when you get a writer home, the first thing you do
is upgrade the firmware. That gives you the best media compatibility (since
the firmware upgrade adds the things they should have included in the first
place - it gives them a chance to finish product development, while
selling the drives at the same time).

I find error scans very important, and use an error scan when using a spindle
of new media. For example, I bought some CDs, and discovered they could only
be reliably burned at 4X. Which is fine, as long as I know that in advance.

Chances are, the media available at local stores, won't be exactly the same
as a CDFreaks article. By the time you buy sample media locally, and test them,
you spend more money on test media, than on the drive itself.

Doing error scans helps avoid the situation, where you do a backup of your
important files, and then six months from now, go to reach for the backup,
only to find the disc is unreadable. An error scan up front, helps warn you
of a marginal burn. But doesn't entirely protect you against media
degradation over time.

Paul
 >> Stay informed about: Update: failed dvd drive photos 

James wrote:
> "Kevin F Stubbs" <kevin_f.stubbs RemoveThis @virgin.net> wrote in message
> news:2Zotj.765$yv1.165@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...
>>> From memory it looks like a IDE interface but I could very well be wrong.
>>>
>>> I'd appreciate some help trying to identiy this cable to know what kinda
>>> of dvd writer I should buy.
>> Yep, that's an IDE cable. So a straight replacement would be an IDE/PATA
>> drive. As has been said earlier, there are any number of 20X DVD writers
>> around for around £20. Pick one that is the right colour and go spend your
>> money
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> Kevin
>
> Thanks guys much appreciated.
>
> Just been broswing the drives, you certainly get a lot of bang for you buck
> these days, once upon a time for a writer you have to spend silly money to
> get these kind of specs.
>
> Anyone had a go with this lightscibe technology ? worth it or just another
> thing to go wrong ?
>
>
I guess it depends on how you normally label your discs.

If you are happy to just scrawl on it with a permanent marker - then
there isn't going to be much point.

If you buy (expensive) labels and cover them in (expensive) inkjet ink,
then take a lot of time to stick them on, very carefully aligning them..

Only to find that, now and again, you have to repeat everything back to
rewriting a new disk because you have stuck the label on the wrong
side... BTDTGTTS.. then you might think the extra costs of lightscribe
to be worthwhile.

It does add a nice touch if you are producing disks to give someone
else, rather than purely for yourself. Plus, the cost of permanent
markers that have magically gone topless whilst sitting in the drawer
need to be factored in..


At least if you have a lightscribe drive, you have the choice.
--
Sue
 >> Stay informed about: Update: failed dvd drive photos 

"James" <James.TakeThisOut@here.com> wrote in message
news:Q9adnf8lWPevuyvanZ2dnUVZ8uudnZ2d@bt.com...
>
> "Kevin F Stubbs" <kevin_f.stubbs.TakeThisOut@virgin.net> wrote in message
> news:2Zotj.765$yv1.165@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...
>>>
>>> From memory it looks like a IDE interface but I could very well be
>>> wrong.
>>>
>>> I'd appreciate some help trying to identiy this cable to know what kinda
>>> of dvd writer I should buy.
>>
>> Yep, that's an IDE cable. So a straight replacement would be an IDE/PATA
>> drive. As has been said earlier, there are any number of 20X DVD writers
>> around for around £20. Pick one that is the right colour and go spend
>> your money
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> Kevin
>
> Thanks guys much appreciated.
>
> Just been broswing the drives, you certainly get a lot of bang for you
> buck these days, once upon a time for a writer you have to spend silly
> money to get these kind of specs.
>
> Anyone had a go with this lightscibe technology ? worth it or just another
> thing to go wrong ?
>

They're worth buying from Play.com as delivery is still free

--
Dan
Clio V6
 >> Stay informed about: Update: failed dvd drive photos 

> If you buy (expensive) labels and cover them in (expensive) inkjet ink,
> then take a lot of time to stick them on, very carefully aligning them..
>
> Only to find that, now and again, you have to repeat everything back to
> rewriting a new disk because you have stuck the label on the wrong
> side... BTDTGTTS.. then you might think the extra costs of lightscribe
> to be worthwhile.
>

I hope you don't actually do all that. Seriously ! Sticking labels onto
DVDs or CDs is a very bad idea. They can unbalance the disks, over time
the glue can damage the disk and they can come unstuck while spinning
inside the drive. I had all three happen over the short time I used
labels for CDs and DVDs. Just get a printer that can print directly onto
them. Inkjet printable blank disks are no longer significantly more
expensive than the regular shiny backed ones. Cheaper in some cases
I bought an Epson R200 for just that purpose when my old HP injet
finally packed up. Easier, cheaper and without all of the potential
problems later.

Cheers

Kevin
 >> Stay informed about: Update: failed dvd drive photos 

Kevin F Stubbs <kevin_f.stubbs.DeleteThis@virgin.net> writes:
> Just get a printer that can print directly onto them. Inkjet
> printable blank disks are no longer significantly more expensive than
> the regular shiny backed ones.

How does that work exactly? Aren't disks rather thick, stiff, and
fragile for feeding into the gnashing wheels of a printer? Do modern
inkjet printers typically have an absolute straight-through feed path?

[Real question, btw, ... I basically only use the laser printers at
work, where the paper seems to be quite well-spindled and mutilated.]

Thanks,

-Miles

--
`To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to,
all of life's problems' --Homer J. Simpson
 >> Stay informed about: Update: failed dvd drive photos 

Miles Bader wrote:
> Kevin F Stubbs <kevin_f.stubbs RemoveThis @virgin.net> writes:
>> Just get a printer that can print directly onto them. Inkjet
>> printable blank disks are no longer significantly more expensive than
>> the regular shiny backed ones.
>
> How does that work exactly? Aren't disks rather thick, stiff, and
> fragile for feeding into the gnashing wheels of a printer? Do modern
> inkjet printers typically have an absolute straight-through feed path?
>
> [Real question, btw, ... I basically only use the laser printers at
> work, where the paper seems to be quite well-spindled and mutilated.]
>
There are printers specifically designed for printing CDs. Typically
with a special tray to load the disc onto - so it goes in and out again
in a straight path.

--
Sue
 >> Stay informed about: Update: failed dvd drive photos 

Kevin F Stubbs wrote:
> > If you buy (expensive) labels and cover them in (expensive) inkjet ink,
>> then take a lot of time to stick them on, very carefully aligning them..
>>
>> Only to find that, now and again, you have to repeat everything back
>> to rewriting a new disk because you have stuck the label on the wrong
>> side... BTDTGTTS.. then you might think the extra costs of lightscribe
>> to be worthwhile.
>>
>
> I hope you don't actually do all that. Seriously ! Sticking labels onto
> DVDs or CDs is a very bad idea. They can unbalance the disks, over time
> the glue can damage the disk and they can come unstuck while spinning
> inside the drive. I had all three happen over the short time I used
> labels for CDs and DVDs. Just get a printer that can print directly onto
> them. Inkjet printable blank disks are no longer significantly more
> expensive than the regular shiny backed ones. Cheaper in some cases
> I bought an Epson R200 for just that purpose when my old HP injet
> finally packed up. Easier, cheaper and without all of the potential
> problems later.
>
I've been doing it for years, using a "special applicator" ( ) that
aligns the label accurately to the disk. Plus using quality (Avery)
purpose-designed labels that have glue formulated not to come unstuck or
damage the disk.

I've never had a problem with many, many hundreds of disks - except the
aforementioned putting the label on the wrong side of a disk, once or twice.

A main part of the reason of using labels is that I have had many disks
damaged due to scratching over time of the top surface - which is, of
course, the data layer. Never had such a problem with one with a label
stuck on it.

So, for me, labels have prevented problems later - not created them. YMMV.

It is, of course, vital that the labels are good quality from a
reputable manufacturer and machine-accurate aligned when putting them on
the disk.

I'd actually rather trust Avery and its labels than some ink
manufacturer (who buys genuine printer-manufacturer ink?). And I woud
rather trust to the extra protection of a paper label layer than to the
physical protection offered by a layer of ink...

--
Sue
 >> Stay informed about: Update: failed dvd drive photos 

James wrote:
> "Kevin F Stubbs" <kevin_f.stubbs RemoveThis @virgin.net> wrote in message
> news:2Zotj.765$yv1.165@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...
>>> From memory it looks like a IDE interface but I could very well be wrong.
>>>
>>> I'd appreciate some help trying to identiy this cable to know what kinda
>>> of dvd writer I should buy.
>> Yep, that's an IDE cable. So a straight replacement would be an IDE/PATA
>> drive. As has been said earlier, there are any number of 20X DVD writers
>> around for around £20. Pick one that is the right colour and go spend your
>> money
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> Kevin
>
> Thanks guys much appreciated.
>
> Just been broswing the drives, you certainly get a lot of bang for you buck
> these days, once upon a time for a writer you have to spend silly money to
> get these kind of specs.
>
> Anyone had a go with this lightscibe technology ? worth it or just another
> thing to go wrong ?
>
>

LightScribe works pretty much as advertised but it is slow (_very_
slow!) and the discs seem to cost at least twice what "normal" discs do.
I have two writers that support it but after trying it a couple of times
I decided to go back to my nice cheap fast Casio thermal writer. I don't
think that simply having LightScribe in a drive would make it any less
reliable at least if it was never used. Prices today are amazing when I
look back at what I paid for my first Plextor DVD writer.

--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com
 >> Stay informed about: Update: failed dvd drive photos 

"Palindrome" <me9 DeleteThis @privacy.net> wrote in message
news:JRptj.193824$ST4.67823@fe07.news.easynews.com...
> James wrote:
>> "Kevin F Stubbs" <kevin_f.stubbs DeleteThis @virgin.net> wrote in message
>> news:2Zotj.765$yv1.165@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...
>>>> From memory it looks like a IDE interface but I could very well be
>>>> wrong.
>>>>
>>>> I'd appreciate some help trying to identiy this cable to know what
>>>> kinda of dvd writer I should buy.
>>> Yep, that's an IDE cable. So a straight replacement would be an IDE/PATA
>>> drive. As has been said earlier, there are any number of 20X DVD writers
>>> around for around £20. Pick one that is the right colour and go spend
>>> your money
>>>
>>> Cheers
>>>
>>> Kevin
>>
>> Thanks guys much appreciated.
>>
>> Just been broswing the drives, you certainly get a lot of bang for you
>> buck these days, once upon a time for a writer you have to spend silly
>> money to get these kind of specs.
>>
>> Anyone had a go with this lightscibe technology ? worth it or just
>> another thing to go wrong ?
> I guess it depends on how you normally label your discs.
>
> If you are happy to just scrawl on it with a permanent marker - then there
> isn't going to be much point.
>
> If you buy (expensive) labels and cover them in (expensive) inkjet ink,
> then take a lot of time to stick them on, very carefully aligning them..
>
> Only to find that, now and again, you have to repeat everything back to
> rewriting a new disk because you have stuck the label on the wrong side...
> BTDTGTTS.. then you might think the extra costs of lightscribe to be
> worthwhile.
>
> It does add a nice touch if you are producing disks to give someone else,
> rather than purely for yourself. Plus, the cost of permanent markers that
> have magically gone topless whilst sitting in the drawer need to be
> factored in..
>
>
> At least if you have a lightscribe drive, you have the choice.
>

Thanks for the advice there Sue, I think you have a good point. I often lose
my permanent markers and end up not marking my discs and have to check them
physically in the drive what they are so lightscibe may solve some
frustration. I think I need to find out a bit more about lightscibe tbh, for
example I re-burn different things to the same disc often and am not sure
lightscibe I be written over ?

But I'll give it a bit more of a look, there not too much more expensive and
a nice feature.

I can't believe how cheap these drives are now, once upon a time there were
heaven and earth.
 >> Stay informed about: Update: failed dvd drive photos 

"Palindrome" <me9 DeleteThis @privacy.net> wrote in message
news:jrytj.259248$X56.220169@fe06.news.easynews.com...
> Kevin F Stubbs wrote:
>> > If you buy (expensive) labels and cover them in (expensive) inkjet
>> ink,
>>> then take a lot of time to stick them on, very carefully aligning them..
>>>
>>> Only to find that, now and again, you have to repeat everything back to
>>> rewriting a new disk because you have stuck the label on the wrong
>>> side... BTDTGTTS.. then you might think the extra costs of lightscribe
>>> to be worthwhile.
>>>
>>
>> I hope you don't actually do all that. Seriously ! Sticking labels onto
>> DVDs or CDs is a very bad idea. They can unbalance the disks, over time
>> the glue can damage the disk and they can come unstuck while spinning
>> inside the drive. I had all three happen over the short time I used
>> labels for CDs and DVDs. Just get a printer that can print directly onto
>> them. Inkjet printable blank disks are no longer significantly more
>> expensive than the regular shiny backed ones. Cheaper in some cases I
>> bought an Epson R200 for just that purpose when my old HP injet finally
>> packed up. Easier, cheaper and without all of the potential problems
>> later.
>>
> I've been doing it for years, using a "special applicator" ( ) that
> aligns the label accurately to the disk. Plus using quality (Avery)
> purpose-designed labels that have glue formulated not to come unstuck or
> damage the disk.
>
> I've never had a problem with many, many hundreds of disks - except the
> aforementioned putting the label on the wrong side of a disk, once or
> twice.
>
> A main part of the reason of using labels is that I have had many disks
> damaged due to scratching over time of the top surface - which is, of
> course, the data layer. Never had such a problem with one with a label
> stuck on it.
>
> So, for me, labels have prevented problems later - not created them. YMMV.
>
> It is, of course, vital that the labels are good quality from a reputable
> manufacturer and machine-accurate aligned when putting them on the disk.
>
> I'd actually rather trust Avery and its labels than some ink manufacturer
> (who buys genuine printer-manufacturer ink?). And I woud rather trust to
> the extra protection of a paper label layer than to the physical
> protection offered by a layer of ink...

The problem with that is you are sticking a label on the delicate side of
the disk.
You can do lots of damage to the side the laser shines through and it will
still work or be fixable but very little to the label side.
Not that it stops me using a sharpie to write on them.
>
> --
> Sue
 >> Stay informed about: Update: failed dvd drive photos 

"James" <James DeleteThis @here.com> wrote in message
news:EOOdnbTI2a-cUCvanZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@bt.com...


>
> Thanks for the advice there Sue, I think you have a good point. I often
> lose my permanent markers and end up not marking my discs and have to
> check them physically in the drive what they are so lightscibe may solve
> some frustration. I think I need to find out a bit more about lightscibe
> tbh, for example I re-burn different things to the same disc often and am
> not sure lightscibe I be written over ?

You can't over write the label side.
AFAIK its not possible to add stuff easily either as there is no index to
allow you to line the old and the new printing up.
 >> Stay informed about: Update: failed dvd drive photos