Info on Yamaha's new CRW-F1 (44x24x44) ???

[RalfHutter]

I'll cut 'em slack THIS time. I've bought tons of stuff from them and this is the first time they've erver screwed something up. According to Yamaha, they were going to be shipping by the 18th so someone at Mwave probably put up the webpage *hoping* they would arrive on time.

Anyone else claim to have any of these drives in stock?

 

[computer]

*In short*, what did that review say? They don't have any "jump to" navigation.

Pricewatch still has no listing for the drive.

 

[computer]

Does anyone know if this drive supports Roxio/Adaptec software?

 

[ragiepew]

Originally posted by: computer
Does anyone know if this drive supports Roxio/Adaptec software?

I could be wrong but usually its the software that doesn't support the drive... Anyway, I dont know for sure but I would bet that the drive would work w/ Roxio seeing as how Yamaha is one of the biggest CDRW manufacturers out there... I doubt they (Yamaha and Roxio) would not support each other. You may need to get a patch/update for Roxio but it should still work.

 

[ragiepew]

Originally posted by: computer
*In short*, what did that review say? They don't have any "jump to" navigation.

Pricewatch still has no listing for the drive.

In short they gave it an "editors" choice (something to that effect) award. They liked it quite a bit... although it does have a few short comings.... the biggest of which is the price IMHO. (~$179)

 

[computer]

I'm sure that will drop a lot as days go by. Probably due to that laser labeling system. BTW, did they say if that worked ok, could you really label CD's, and do they have to be special media or can you do it with any CDR and CDRW disk?
Thanks.

You guys know that with the new 5.xx updates from Roxio that those JERKS made it where the updates REMOVE "TakeTwo" from your system!!!!!!

 

[sparks]

Considering the fact that I can go to BB and pick up a TDK VeloCD 40X for $40 after rebate, I don't quite think the ability to draw on a CD is worth $140.

 

[ragiepew]

Yea the CD labeling worked fine... just an FYI though, you label on the bottom of the disk and also on the unused portion of the disk... so if you burn a complete disc then you can't label it.

AFAIK the labeling works on all kinds of disks. I too hope the price drops like a rock since I want the drive in my next upgrade (~1-2 months).

 

[computer]

Ok, 2nd try at this. This damn site is deleting replies again!! :disgust:

Hmm, now that is odd! How the hell do they expect one to label (for example) a copy of a 650mb CD??? I don't know why that would affect the NON data side of the CD. I wonder if you could put a typical paper CD label on the media and "laser" it in the drive?

 

[ragiepew]

The labeling takes place on the DATA side of the disk (bottom ).... that's why its affected. There's no laser to wrote to the top of the disc.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: ragiepew
The labeling takes place on the DATA side of the disk (bottom ).... that's why its affected. There's no laser to wrote to the top of the disc.

Well forget that . . . I think I'll keep my 40x TDK (rebadged LiteOn) that I got yesterday for $40 (after MIR from CUSA's current sale). It doesn't have to be the very fastest (I guess I could flash it to 48x) and as long as it copys SafeDisk2, I'll live with it.

 

[computer]

Oh I see. Yeah, that makes sense now that I think about it. If it were not on the data side, it would need a 2nd laser beam on the top, and no room for that. That would take a completely different design. I guess though it *could* have been accomplished by using mirrors that move into place to label the non data side. That could be a possibility with newer models.. Kind of pain getting used to placing the "Labeled side" down in a drive. Would also take a special note to my customers that the labeled side is the data side. Would probably have to put a note of "THIS SIDE DOWN" below any text for every CD labeled by this system.

 

[bwass24]

Now that's a good idea. Why not have a drive that burns the data on the data side first, and then after the user removes and flips the disk, it could label the entire top side? It would require special media, but that media shouldn't be any more expensive than normal disks since the mfg wouldn't have to put anything on the top of the disk, thus saving processing steps and materials.

Why not?

 

[computer]

Unless the laser labeler is part of the "CD recording process", then I don't see why you could not flip the CD to label the correct NON data side. ?? I don't know just what this "Laser labeling" process looks like, (if it's black, transparent, translucent, outlined) or what, but I would think you'd still be able to read the laser created label on the non data/label side. May not look quite as good but you still should be able to read something.

 

[computer]

Hey, or how 'bout this: putting a typical paper label on the non data side as usual, then labeling that with the laser labeler? Surely you should be able to see that. ?

 

[RalfHutter]

They're finally available around here. At least at Fry's, City of Industry, CA. The IDE version for $179. There's 8 left on the shelf. I just bought one.

 

[MazerRackham]

Originally posted by: RalfHutter
They're finally available around here. At least at Fry's, City of Industry, CA. The IDE version for $179. There's 8 left on the shelf. I just bought one.

Well, how is it? !!??

 

[RalfHutter]

Haven't even opened the box yet. Stuck doing "honey-dews" all afternoon. Probably won't put it in until tomorrow at this rate. Have to placate the little woman so she doesn't beat me for spending the grocery money on a new burner.

 

[Entropy007]

It's in stock at MWave now. The white one is anyway.

YAMAHA CRW-F1ZE 44X/24X/44X EIDE INTERNAL CDRW W/SW (White)

 

[JackBurton]

AWESOME, Yamaha has a SCSI version! I might just have to go SCSI.

 

[computer]

So........how much are they at multiwave?

I only see one place that has them at pricewatch, CDRexpress, $168 shipped for OEM white, $176 for retail white, and $177 for OEM black. Naturally, as usual, no retail black.

Can someone please enlighten us of you can put a typical paper label on these on the NON data side and label them as I described above?

 

[RalfHutter]

Well, I ended up taking mine back. If I didn't already have a 40x Plextor I may have kept it.



The Good Stuff:

With OWSC enabled, it burned everything I threw at it. Everything from cheap-ass no-names to TYs. The fastest rated CDrs I have are the Fry's 40x "GQ" brand. Burned them fine at 40x. No errors when checked with Neros' ScanDisc utility in CD Speed. I burned data, audio (mp3 to WAV), images and bootable (made a bunch of slipstreamed Win2000 sp3 CDrs). Used Nero 5.5.9.0. CloneCD 4.0.1.6. Didn't try using the Mt. Ranier or Disc Tatto thingy.



The Funky Stuff

You can't manually set any record speeds between 16x and 44x.

Those are the only choices you have. No 20x, 24x, 32x, 40x. Nothing. If you leave the OWSC enabled, and choose 44x, it will burn the CDr at the fastest speed it considers is safe (that may be 16x, 20x, 24x 32x etc). It burned most of my discs at their rated speeds, at least.

My problem is that I have a lot of discs that are rated (either on the package or on the media) at 12x or 16x that will actually burn at 24x or 32x and give perfect burns (as reported by CD Speed's ScanDisc) in my Plextor 40x or my Lite-on 32x. If I burn these same disks using the Yamaha, they are limited to 16x and 24x, respectively.

If I turn off the OWSC and try to burn I have trouble. Even with the OWSC turned off there is still no option to record at anything but 16x or 44x. If I choose the 44x setting it starts recording at 20x and keeps speeding up (actually forcing 44x) to 24x, 28x, 30x, 32x until I get burn errors and a coaster. So I have all these CDrs that I can't record at the same (safe) speeds as I can with my Plextor or Lite-on.

Yes, DMA is enabled....blah, blah, blah. It does record fine at high speeds, as long as it thinks the discs are good at those speeds, it just doesn't let you choose any in-between speeds to record at.

I talked to Yamaha tech support about this and first the guy told me I had to have the latest version of Nero in order to be able to set my own in-between record speeds. When I told him I WAS using the latest version he then told me I'd have to wait for upgraded firmware or software. Pffft.....



Summary

This burner works fine. If I didn't already have a 40x Plextor that also works fine, maybe I'd keep it.

BUT, the locked-in record speed thing pisses me off. I'd like to be able to record at the speeds I want (and work fine, according to CD Speed tests) .

The blue light is way cool.

The air-bag that the burner's packed in is also pretty neat.



BTW - It's $171 at Mwave

 

[computer]

Good info, thanks. Sorry I have to ask; what is OWSC?

Am I to understand that with it enabled, it WILL record at for example 24x?

Is there disadvantages to having it enabled?

None of these come with Adaptec software? If you use Adaptec, I wonder if the record speeds will still be limited?

Did you try the laser labeling bit?

Thanks.

 

[RalfHutter]

what is OWSC?

OWSC = Optimum Write Speed Control. It supposedly only burns as fast as the media can reliably be written to.

Am I to understand that with it enabled, it WILL record at for example 24x?

Yes, it will record at 24x IF that's the maximum safe recording speed that OWSC has determined for that particular media.

Is there disadvantages to having it enabled?

In my case yes, for some types of media. I have discs that I have been burning at faster than their rated speed with no problems. I test the burned CDrs by using the ScanDisc feature that is built in to Neros' CD Speed application. It tests the discs for good and bad sectors. Any disc that tests with 100% good sectors I consider as a good quality burn. Yamahas' OWSC is limiting the burning speed of these discs to a slower rate than I can safely burn at using my Plextor 40x and Lite-on 32x burners. This is the issue for me.

None of these come with Adaptec software?

I think it does come with EZCD. [rant]My personal opinion though, of Abaptec is that it is the worst burning software there is. If it was the only burning software available I would not burn CDrs. It sucks real bad. My 2 cents, FWIW.[/rant]

Did you try the laser labeling bit?

Nah, I didn't try it. It's not something I'd use. Form follows function for me. I burn Cdrs to store data on, not to look at.

 

[computer]

Thanks Ralf.

I never label CD media either......and usually end up paying for it too! Bad habit:..."Hmmmmm.....I wonder what is on this CD????????" *Laughs*.

I only label them for our customers when they get computers from us (and I'll put certain programs and PC tests on them, drivers, etc), or for OEM products we sell I'll make a CD for them with manuals & drivers on them.