Memorex 4x DVD+R and HP 300i

[BigRedDog]

I've read in various posts/forums that Memorex DVD+R 4x are good quality and that most have not had any problems using them, even with the 300i. I have an HP 300i and have burned about 10 of these with 3 coasters. Some won't even burn at 4x (calibrations error or something close to it), but will burn at 2.4x. These are coded RICOHJPNR01. Am I doing something wrong, or should I just return the unopened ones?

BTW I'm using Nero 5.5 to burn with. Thanks.

[tompika]

Update your firmware and Nero

[BigRedDog]

I'm already using firmware 1.25, which is supposedly the latest from HP's site, and Nero 5.5.10.54. I saw firmware 3 from the firmware page, is that a hacked version? There aren't any instructions, and I hessitate to do it less i kill a brand new drive .

[beyondgoodandevil]

i've burned 60 memorex 4xs in my hp 300i, using both dvd decrypter and NERO to burn, without any problems. are you having the same problems with other media?

[BigRedDog]

So far I've only used Philips 2.4x and haven't had any problems with those. I'e only used 1 Fuji and it burned OK too. Strange. I just had another coaster with CopytoDVD just now. Darn if I'm not doing something wrong.

[tbud1]

I have a Plextor and also have been getting power calibration error. I think some of these Memorex is no good. I called their support and was told they would send replacements. I bought about 150 of these, used about 50 with 5 that would not burn.

[BigRedDog]

One other note: the Memorex disks have noticable grooves around the edges, whereas the Philips I've used don't. Is this something that could cause the bad burns?

[beyondgoodandevil]

now i'm getting this problem, too! i just got a new spindle of these from amazon and they are giving me power calibration errors with my 300i. i can only burn them at 2.4x. they have the exact same RICOH media code on them. the only thing distinguishing them from the other, perfect memorex media that i bought in september from amazon is that on the underside of the spindle there is a "5" inside of a trinagle composed of arrows. on the new package i bought, this label is smaller than on the older, good packs. maybe there is a bad batch of memorex discs or mabye the 300i just doesn't like this new batch of memorex discs, but there's something different about these new discs from the ones that were available previously. anyone else having similar experiences?

[gammite]

hello folks,

i have an hp dvd300e (the external version of the 300i) and I have recently come across this problem as well.

here is my system:

p4, 1.7ghz
512 mb ddr ram
hp dvd300e with the lastest firmware
i burn with nero 6.3.0.2.

i have had two previous packs of memorex disks and they all burned fine at 4x. this latest pack will only burn at 2.4x. I bought some TDK 4x disks and they worked fine. It is just this current batch of memorex that do not want to burn at the listed speed.

did anyone find a solution to this issue?

otherwise i am stuck with these disks and I will lose anywhere from 10-12 minutes per disk burning at 2.4x versus 4x.

[gammite]

folks,

hp has recently released a new firmware update for the hp dvd300e. it is dated as 1-13-2004 but i have been checking the site every few days for the past couple of weeks and it has just shown up.

i have not used it yet but here is what it is supposed to do:

-New laser write strategies for 8x DVD+R, 4x DVD+R and 4x DVD+RW media.
****The firmware update will NOT allow the DVD300 drive to write at 8x speeds. The DVD300's maximum recording speed is 4x no matter what recordable DVD media is utilized.****

-Further support of black CD-R media.

-Improvement in readability of certain DVD+RW media.

-Improved strategies to increase the number of writes to DVD+RW and CD-RW media.

-Other general errors resolved.

download the firmware here:

http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/softwareList.jhtml?reg=&cc=us&prodId=hpdvdwrite241028&lc=...etype=software

i hope that this update solves my burning speed problems with the cmc memorex that i have.

if anyone uses this update please report your results back to this thread.

[gammite]

the new firmware has fixed the problem were the 4x disc would only burn at 2.4x.

thank god!