Plextor 712A and media

[BMW2000z]

Well, after comparing the NEC 3500A (oem) with the Plex 712A (retail) for about 3 months now, I finally decided to go with the Plex. I've read A LOT of reviews on both, and i noticed a many people complained about nec support and the fact they don't have firmware updates often. I checked out the NEC website and was not able to find any sort of info about the 3500. So i called them up and the guy curtly told me that it's only oem version, and NEC doesn't plan to release it for retail, nor do they plan on putting up any kind of support information on their website. And they don't provide free phone support for the dvd drive either. After this, I went to the Plextor website. Their site is great and right away i found info on the 712A, all the specs, manuals, forums, software installs and updates, and firmware info and downloads too.

Now the question is..... I've read some thing that said the 712 doesn't have bit setting (which as i understand allows the burner to set a bit on a burned dvd to allow for it to be read in dvd players just like an actual retail dvd disc). Is this true? Has anybody used the 712 to back up movies and have the new dvd work in all players?

Also, what is the best media? I saw Verbatim 4x dvd-R 50 pack for $30. Or AVB 8x dvd-r 50 pack also for $30. I know that verbatim is pretty quality, but anybody have experience with the AVB? I wonder if they're worse just because they're claiming to sell same amount of dvd's rated at double the speed for same price.

What kind of media would you recommend to be the best and fairly inexepensive? Is $30 for a quality 50 pack of 4x a good price? Or is $30 for a quality 50 pack of 8x a good price?

Thanks for the help and sorry for the long post!

 

[Big Lar]

Originally posted by: BMW2000z
Well, after comparing the NEC 3500A (oem) with the Plex 712A (retail) for about 3 months now, I finally decided to go with the Plex. I've read A LOT of reviews on both, and i noticed a many people complained about nec support and the fact they don't have firmware updates often. I checked out the NEC website and was not able to find any sort of info about the 3500. So i called them up and the guy curtly told me that it's only oem version, and NEC doesn't plan to release it for retail, nor do they plan on putting up any kind of support information on their website. And they don't provide free phone support for the dvd drive either. After this, I went to the Plextor website. Their site is great and right away i found info on the 712A, all the specs, manuals, forums, software installs and updates, and firmware info and downloads too.

Now the question is..... I've read some thing that said the 712 doesn't have bit setting (which as i understand allows the burner to set a bit on a burned dvd to allow for it to be read in dvd players just like an actual retail dvd disc). Is this true? Has anybody used the 712 to back up movies and have the new dvd work in all players?

Also, what is the best media? I saw Verbatim 4x dvd-R 50 pack for $30. Or AVB 8x dvd-r 50 pack also for $30. I know that verbatim is pretty quality, but anybody have experience with the AVB? I wonder if they're worse just because they're claiming to sell same amount of dvd's rated at double the speed for same price.

What kind of media would you recommend to be the best and fairly inexepensive? Is $30 for a quality 50 pack of 4x a good price? Or is $30 for a quality 50 pack of 8x a good price?

Thanks for the help and sorry for the long post!

OK, I have a Plex 712 sata, so I may be able to answer your questions.
Lets start with Bit setting. The 712 with use of Plextools version 2.17 and Firmware 1.05,( the latest), enable you to switch to Bit setting.
Media:
Verbatin 8x, and Taiyo Yuden 8x are the 2 I have used, and both burn very well on my 712. The verbatims,( some of them ), will burn at 12x (+R)
All the Taiyo Yuden 8x I have used will do 12x in +R.
A good buy, is Fuji, Make in JAPAN 8x dvd+R, which are TY disks. Hope I helped some.

 

[BMW2000z]

Great! I didn't know about the bit set. Thanks! So you've burned movies and it worked fine on the dvd player? Do you have any experience with dvd-r? I've also heard before about the Taiyo Yuden but i read they're pretty expensive. And all dvd+r media seems to be more expesnive in general than the dvd-r. Any recommendations for dvd-r? Or specificially, comparison of 50 pack of Verbatim 4x dvd-r with 50 pack AVB 8x both for $30?

 

[Big Lar]

I have never tried the AVB, so I cannot comment on them, As to the 4x verbatim, I havn't tried them either. Try the Forum at http://www.club.cdfreaks.com
In the media section, and or the Plextor section, you can get a lot of Insight as to the drive, and the media it will burn well.

 

[BMW2000z]

Have you actually gotten it to burn 8x media at 12x? Is that done with the official firmware update from plex? If not, where can i get this firmware crack? Also, would it enable me to burn 4x media at 8x or 12x also?

 

[salaku]

Verbatim 8X + media burns perfectly at 12X. Grab 50 pack Verbatim 8X PLUS media at Sams for $29.

 

[Big Lar]

The firmware is Plextors, off thier site, Yes some 8x will burn at 12x, it actually depends on the Write Strategy of the media. Some Verbatim 8x will do 12x, some will not.

 

[BMW2000z]

Ok, but can you burn 4x media at 8x or 12x? I was just at Sam's this weekend, they had a 50 pack Verbatim dvd-r but it was 4x not 8x for $30. I'm thinking of going with the taiyo yuden 50 pack of 4x for $30. I hear it's really good media, and if i can burn it at 8x or 12x with the firmware update that would be hot.

 

[Big Lar]

http://www.rima.com/Merchant2/...mp;Category_Code=DVPTY

Thats what you want to buy. Rima is a Very good place to buy from, and that is a very good price

 

[jmarkos]

Hay BMW if you've got your Plextor how does it operate, and the software, Roxio? I got mine about the same time and have yet to burn a DVD with still images, made a lot of coasters though. The system always hangs and i get no response messages (XP, Athion 2500). Three of the four tech support calls resulted in nada, after waiting 20 minutes each. The on-line support was a nano better than nada.

 

[BMW2000z]

Originally posted by: jmarkos
Hay BMW if you've got your Plextor how does it operate, and the software, Roxio? I got mine about the same time and have yet to burn a DVD with still images, made a lot of coasters though. The system always hangs and i get no response messages (XP, Athion 2500). Three of the four tech support calls resulted in nada, after waiting 20 minutes each. The on-line support was a nano better than nada.

No, i haven't tried burning anything yet. I will be burning some stuff next week, and i'm probably gonna be using nero. i wouldn't use the crappy software that comes with it. so stay tuned, and if you're still interested i can post the results next week (or actually the week after that cause it's new years and crap next week).

 

[Zepper]

When you are running a DVD burner, always be sure you have the latest ASPI layer installed - DL from adaptec.com (adaptec supplies it to M$). Solves a lot of strange burner problems.
. And don't forget to keep the drive's firmware updated as most firmware updates are for media compatibility.
.bh.

:moon:

 

[Nocturnal]

Plextor just released their 16x/4x DVDDL.

It's at newegg.com. It was in stock yesterday but apparently they sold out overnight.