GATEWAY AR-230 STANDALONE RECORDER

[mannyboo]

I purchased a gateway ar-230 last week in hopes of burning copies of my edited footage from the computer. I tried to hook it up to the computer to transfer footage out of pinnacle 5.0 with firewire.... The DVD recorder couldn't get a signal. I called customer service and the gentleman said the firewire only works with camcorders.... Has anyone figured a way around this or actually made it work? I thought firewire was built for computers?

[donpedro]

I beleieve that Gateway AR-230 is actualy LiteOn LVW-5001.

And he was right.... Not all DVD Recorders will support input from PC through FireWire. In LiteOn's case, they don't. It is all about firmware... what engineers enable and what they don't

Kind of almost official forum for LiteOn is here http://www.icdbuilder.com

[mannyboo]

There's a download on the website for the ar-230... Would this help? I'm clueless about this stuff. If this fails would I lose alot of quality if I went from the computer to mini-dv through firewire then from a camcorder to the dvd burner through firewire?



7514497.exe
Firmware Flash update for Gateway AR-230 DVD Recorder version 1139

[donpedro]

There's a download on the website for the ar-230... Would this help?

No. BTW: newest firmware is 1141 but it will take Gateway some time to match version

I'm clueless about this stuff. If this fails would I lose alot of quality if I went from the computer to mini-dv through firewire then from a camcorder to the dvd burner through firewire?

Some.... how much is a lot depends on you.

[gtruta]

For me the AR-230 is generally ok to good, with a few disappointments. It records great in SP mode (2 Hour) with great quality. (I can’t tell the difference between it and my Digital Dish Network PVR 500 Satellite feed). I upgraded the firmware to the latest from the gateway website and now it seems to finalize DVD+R’s for use with other players very well. I use FujiFilm DVD+R’s and Optodisc DVD+RW’s(from www.supermediastore.com – 1 dollar a piece) and HP DVD+RW’s. Both work very well. I have to say before I upgraded the firmware the Fuji DVD+R’s finalization did not always work. TDK DVD+R’s never worked. I have heard Imation work well too. I would use Fuji, or Imation DVD+R’s, and others may work now as well with the 1139 firmware upgrade. The new firmware said that it is supposed to increase media compatibility and since the upgrade of the firmware I have had no problems with my Fuji’s DVD+R’s. It works very well with DVD+RW’s. In general, I have had no problems with them at all with DVD+RW’s (OptoDisc and HP). For 300 dollars it has excellent recording quality (even EP (4 hour) is ok for children’s shows or things you don’t need great recording quality on.). Once in a while it locks up but it generally works fine (even computers do that). It pauses great when you record things off TV so you can edit out commercials. I would say if your anxious to get a DVD recorder and don’t need the recording ease of a PVR or TIVO it is worth it despite the negatives about it. The Liteon 5001 is the same unit as this and you can get the Lite-on about 30 dollars cheaper but Gateway does give you a 1 year warranty with it, which is comforting with this unit. It not the highest quality unit but is fair to good quality, and generally works if you use DVD media it likes. I have made about 20 DVD’s so far successfully and discarded a few of them before the firmware upgrade. Things are going ok now. Not Bad.

[yumagah]

My respect for the AR-230 is growing. Since I bought a LiteOn DVD-Rom drive the disks I record can now be easily copied in ISO mode. Using DVDDecrypter.

And I just learned about the hidden menu that disables macrovision and sets region change. Although there are other ways of defeating Macrovision, this is still an important hack to have. Do any other DVD recorders, in any format, allow the recording of protected material? Just wondering.

[jaybienweb]

Hi,
Can anyone recommend a specific brand of dvd+r/w that they've used on the AR-230? I just bought it, and I'm currently looking to buy dvd media on the internet.

What's worked the best for you? What hasn't?

Thanks!

[yumagah]

I have been using Fujifilm DVD+RW disks and Imation +R disks so far with few problems. I also tried a Memorex +R disk. The disks play on most DVD players I have tried - some older players have trouble with +R disks.

One problem comes if you try to copy disks made on the 230. Some DVD writers have trouble reading them. The soultion to that was to buy a cheap LiteOn DVD drive - it reads them ok.

[Andrue]

About that Macrovision security hidden menui... WHere is that on the LIteon DVD or Gateways AR 230 and how do you get it? Could you please eMail that to me instead or also with reply?
pfowles2002@yahoo.com

[Andrue]

Posted by: gtruta

I use FujiFilm DVD+R’s and Optodisc DVD+RW’s(from www.supermediastore.com – 1 dollar a piece) and HP DVD+RW’s. Both work very well.

8)

[Andrue]

Hi,
Can anyone recommend a specific brand of dvd+r/w that they've used on the AR-230? I just bought it, and I'm currently looking to buy dvd media on the internet.

What's worked the best for you? What hasn't?

Thanks!

gtruta wrote:

I use FujiFilm DVD+R’s and Optodisc DVD+RW’s(from www.supermediastore.com – 1 dollar a piece) and HP DVD+RW’s. Both work very well.

[RowMan]

About that Macrovision security hidden menui... WHere is that on the LIteon DVD or Gateways AR 230 and how do you get it? Could you please eMail that to me instead or also with reply?
pfowles2002@yahoo.com

Check the DVD Hacks section on the left side of this site.

[jaybienweb]

Hi,
Can anyone recommend a specific brand of dvd+r/w that they've used on the AR-230? I just bought it, and I'm currently looking to buy dvd media on the internet.

What's worked the best for you? What hasn't?

Thanks!

gtruta wrote:

I use FujiFilm DVD+R’s and Optodisc DVD+RW’s(from www.supermediastore.com – 1 dollar a piece) and HP DVD+RW’s. Both work very well.

Optodisc DVD+RW's are utter garbage. I bought 5 of them(good thing they were only $1), and none of them work. Upon experimenting with various brands, the Gateway likes Ritek and Verbatim media the best.

[leftybp]

how do you enable 3hr recording on the gateway?? email billydpowell@verizon.net

[RowMan]

If needed, first download the latest Gateway firmware for your recorder here...

http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/search.asp?st=pn&param=2521012


Then, hack the firmware before installing it using the info and program found here...

http://ncc2315.com/ilo/

Read everything and follow the directions exactly and you shouldn't have any problems.

[leftybp]

If needed, first download the latest Gateway firmware for your recorder here...

http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/search.asp?st=pn&param=2521012


Then, hack the firmware before installing it using the info and program found here...

http://ncc2315.com/ilo/

Read everything and follow the directions exactly and you shouldn't have any problems.

RowMan.. thank you very much, it worked like a charm. I have updated both units to 3hr mode and region free....