Request DVD-R media advice for Apple HL-DT-ST SuperDrive

[Ladd]

I have a newer G4 with a 2X SuperDrive burner, OEM: HL-DT-ST, model GCA-4020B

Recommendations for any and all DVD-R and DVD-RW media that has tested to work with this drive would be much appreciated. This info is essentially non-existent at the numerous DVD-media internet outlets I've visited.

[MichaelLAX]

This topic has been covered here before, so you may want to do a search. However, perhaps an update wouldn't hurt...

I use white-topped 1X DVD-Rs and DVD-RWs from www.americal.com (part nos. 702886 and 702837 respectively). What I give up in speed I make up in price, as I tend to buy in bulk (50 or 100 at a time).

They work extremely well; I have never had a coaster. They perform in all of my DVD players and those of my family and friends, too.

I use them with DiscomVOBulator+, DVD2ONEX and Capty DVD.

I burn the DVD-Rs in my iMac G4 and my Powerbook G4 12" and the DVD-RWs in my iMac G4 (the Powerbook will only play the DVD-RWs, not burn them)

[kagharaht]

So, does the PowerBook 12" have the same drive as the Titanium? Or different. Probably since you haven't coastered the white top DVD-Rs yet....So far I'm 8 out of 10 on those.

[MichaelLAX]

So, does the PowerBook 12" have the same drive as the Titanium? Or different.

Not being interested in purchasing the Titanium, I did not do any research on its SuperDrive. Let us know what you find out...

[Ladd]

This topic has been covered here before, so you may want to do a search. However, perhaps an update wouldn't hurt...

I very much appreciate the gentle way of reminding me and others to look first - most folks just blast away.

FWIW: I did actually search the Mac forums prior to posting my question, but didn't find anything. Perhaps my forum-searching skills need brushing up!

Anyway, Thanks for the media recommendation - I'll check out those folks today.

Any other readers have media recommendations for the HL-DT-ST burner? 2X media?

Regards,
Ladd

[MichaelLAX]

americal offers 2X and 4X DVD-Rs as well; check out their prices...

For me, I just like the idea of DVD-Rs below $1 each, so I go for their 1X's.

[Ladd]

americal offers 2X and 4X DVD-Rs as well; check out their prices...

For me, I just like the idea of DVD-Rs below $1 each, so I go for their 1X's.

I look forward to checking them out, but with all the crazy incompatibilities out there, it's not a given that if the 1x discs have been tested to work, the 2x discs will also.

I forgot to confirm earlier - does your iMac have the HL-DT-ST, GCA-4020B burner in it?

Ladd

[galactica]

Agreed
I ususally get the "generic" disks well generic in that they are not burner specific. Like I said earlier, maxell disks work great!

sometimes its good to get the 1x disks. They are less expensive and to be honest, when its a dvd i want to burn with no problems! i always do 1x even if the disks are 2 or 4x rated and i can burn at 2 or 4x.

Ive never had problems with a 1x burn. More so with 2x and 4x seems to be very pickey!

[kagharaht]

I think meritline.com sells a DVD sampler for SuperDrives. 12 total, 2 of each type for 19 bucks. I'm getting this sampler and I believe the thinking is if you have successfull burns with 2 of same type, its safe to say they are compatible. They have listings of compatible DVD-R per drive... mine is not listed yet.

[MichaelLAX]

I forgot to confirm earlier - does your iMac have the HL-DT-ST, GCA-4020B burner in it?

I am not sure where you get those model numbers...

Toast shows the internal models; on the iMac, I recall it being the typical Superdrive of Pioneer (2X model) and the Powerbook 12" is the Mashuita that you report.

[kagharaht]

To get the numbers, I go to About this Mac under Apple menu and click the More info. Then I click "Devices and Volumes" There it shows you the information about the built in SuperDrive. Toast does it to so perhaps he used Toast to come up with those numbers.

[Ladd]

To get the numbers, I go to About this Mac under Apple menu and click the More info. Then I click "Devices and Volumes" There it shows you the information about the built in SuperDrive. Toast does it to so perhaps he used Toast to come up with those numbers.

Yup, the "About This Mac" route is how I found the exact drive in my G4. It's actually starting up the "Apple System Profiler" program, and is an easy way to access it.

One additional note: when you click on the "Devices and Volumes" tab to display the drives connected, you have to click on the little triangle next to the "CD-RW/DVD-R" box to display the specifica model information. At least you do in OS X 10.2.4 ...

[Ladd]

Like I said earlier, maxell disks work great!

I'm guessing that the Apple-supplied media are Maxell - in the DVD Media section of this site, the Apple 2x discs are listed as "MXL RG01", which is the same code as the actual branded Maxell 2X discs.

I'ld like to use 2x media if the reliability of the selected media is good and the upcharge isn't too much.

I agree that sometimes a 1x burn seems to be necessary (this stuff is worse than SCSI voodoo!!), but I'ld like to believe that with the right media a 2X burner should reliably write to a 2X disk producing a product the all players can play. And no, I haven't been smoking anything!

Ladd

[Ladd]

I think meritline.com sells a DVD sampler for SuperDrives. 12 total, 2 of each type for 19 bucks.

You'll note that their "Superdrive" sampler pack has the identical discs in it as their "regular" sampler pack. Also, they're still working on the "all Macs have SuperDrives OEM'd from Pioneer" model as are all other media retailers I have contacted.

I appreciate them thinking of us Mac users by giving a separate listing, but it's just marketing with no specific benefit to Mac users in general or those of us who have the newer HL-DT-ST drives in particular.

The search continues!

Ladd