iomagic IDVDRW4DB : big problems

[yelloguy]

Hi All:

Here is the page for my DVD burner http://www.iomagic.com/Products/show_all_results.asp?Category=6&ProdID=IDVDRW4DB&Search=Search

I bought it with 2.15 firmware and burned some DVD+R's successfully with it. Had just a couple of coasters out of a 10 pack and all the DVD's played well in my standalone DVD player.

Not leaving well-enough alone, I upgraded its firmware to 2.30 since it was available on IOMagic website and it successfully updated the firmware. Then I did not use the burner for several weeks and recently when I got back to using it, I have a string of coasters that burn successfully but don't play in my DVD player. I was thinking it was having problems with -R media but now I have switched to +R and I am still having problems playing them. They play fine in the PC/Laptop DVD players though (all -R's and +R's). It has burned a couple of them that are playable but out of about 10, the success rate is very low.

Yesterday night, it occurred to me that it must be the firmware upgrade that is doing this because I have tried various software, media brands, + vs -, burning an image vs folders and burning a multisession DVD etc.

Question is where can I get the 2.15 firmware that my burner originally had?

TIA.

[yelloguy]

Related problem: Is this really a rebadged Optorite DD0203? I based this assumption on the fact that (a) someone told me it is an Optorite and (b) the "which is my model" link on Optorite website has a picture of 0203 along side 0201 and the 0201 has a curved tray front and mine does not.

Also, the firmware version that Optorite is giving (2.30) is the firmware that IOMagic gave me.

Finally, one little thing I noticed yesterday was that the drive was marked for region 2 while I bought it in region 1 (US). Or did that happen during the firmware upgrade?

[stphilli]

I have the same iomagic drive and I have been using the 2.30 firmware without any trouble. I found that my drive was an optorite dd0201. A good way to tell is the following...

one light + two buttons = dd0201
two lights + one button = dd0203

I don't know which one your drive is, but it is possible it is the 0201. I flashed mine with the firmware directly from the optorite website. I had problems getting it to flash in windows, but after I disabled dma and closed ALL programs it worked. I have had no problems with the drive since. Hope this helps.

[yelloguy]

Thanks. By your description, mine is a 0203. My upgrade went perfectly, so no problems on that count. I was hoping to eliminate the couple of coasters it made with 2.15, didn't know it will turn into a coaster factory with 2.30

I have got my hands on the 2.15 fw so I am going to downgrade it tonight. Just can't decide between the hacked or the original version. Maybe I will stick in the original version for now. And keep the hacked version around.

[stphilli]

I agree with you. Stick with the original 2.15 firmware first and see if that works before using the hacked. Also since the discs will play in a PC DVD-ROM drive, my guess is that you may have a media problem or are somehow burning non-compliant DVDs. What are the media codes of the discs you have been using? What programs are you using to "make" the dvds? As far as media goes, I have had excellent success with TDK +r disks with media code RICOHJPNR01 and Ritek g04 -r disks.

[yelloguy]

Downgraded it last night. No joy!

First +R burned perfectly and played as well. Second one, the same sob story. I don't think it is the media. I have tried Ritek G04 and so many people have had good luck with that media on this burner.

I am going to format my PC this weekend to eliminate the possibility of a software malfunction. I use Nero 6 to burn but it hangs on -R media (both Imation and Ritek). When I burn -R's using Instant Copy or burn-at-once, they don't play. Nero burns +R perfectly but they play only sometimes. When I say "play" I mean play in standalone DVD players. Evrything plays in PC/Laptop DVD drives.

I am thinking about buying some RW media to save me the cost of burning so many coasters. Not sure if -RW is the same as -R meaning playing -RW would mean -R would play or not. Also, I will contact IOMagic support to see if they can be of some help. I wish I could just return this burner to Circuit City.

[stphilli]

Sounds like the media is ok if you have one work and then one of the same brand not work right after that. Do you have DMA enabled on the drive? You can check this by going to Control Panels > System > Hardware (tab) > Device Manger > click plus next to IDE channels > right click IDE channel drive is on and selct properties > Advanced Settings (tab). Device 0 is master and 1 is slave. If the transfer mode for your drive says PIO only and current mode is PIO, change it to say DMA if available. After you apply this change, restart and see if it helps at all. I have heard of people having problems because DMA is disabled. Also, if you ever flash the drive again, make sure you are in PIO mode before flashing then switch back to DMA after. This might not be your problem, but it doesn't hurt to try. Also, I would be interested to see if any of the disks that do not play have read errors. Have you used DVDInfoPro to scan any of the discs that don't work in the standalone for read errors?

[yelloguy]

Thanks a bunch. DMA is enabled. No read errors on any of the DVD's -- playable or not. I didn't know about flashing in PIO mode. Will keep in mind for future.

Spoke to the IOMagic tech support yesterday. After a couple of quick questions about media brands and firmware versions, the guy asked me to send it in for a replacement. Which leads me to believe that they have faced this problem before and some of their drives are defective.

I ended the conversation with him all happy but soon found out that I don't have the retailer receipt anymore. He wanted me to send in a copy to get an RMA number. I will probably see if Circuit City would re-print my receipt. I am so disappointed now.

Oh and I formatted my machine last night but have not had a chance to try the burner on the "new" machine yet.

[stphilli]

Thats great that they are going to replace it. I hope you have better luck with the new burner. I vaugely recall seeing a Circuit City commercial awhile back where they said you didn't need the receipt for returns because they kept it on file. This leads me to believe that you should not have a problem getting them to re-print the receipt as long as you used a credit card for purchase and/or know the date of purchase. Again, good luck.

[yelloguy]

CC could not reprint my receipt because it has been longer than 3 months.

I have emailed IOMagic with the receipt number CC gave me. But I am yet to hear back from them. IOMagic support sucks. I am never buying another IOMagic product again and would urge you guys to stay away if possible.