Just picked up my A06

[RimmeR]

Just got my Pioneer A06 OEM today, will give it a run for its money over the next few days. I'll try to post how it goes (Bugs or Not). Not a harware specialist just a good ole user

[whoster69]

That would be great! I may be getting the retail one tomorrow. What came with your drive? Specifically, what software?

Thanks! Can't wait to hear more!

[RimmeR]

No software just the drive itself. I have Instant CD/DVD 6.5 which i used with my A03 without any probs, but I'm looking to get the Version 7. I can get the v7.06SE but I'm not sure of the difference between that and the full version.

[energy80s]

Reading reviews of it, it seems that the only difference between the AO5 and AO6 is that the 6 adds +RW to the spec and it wasn't worth spending £110 extra (compared to the AO5 which I just bought) to have a +R option when -R is perfectly fine for DVD video use.

[Faustus]

energy80s: I agree, but when the next gen Pioneer comes outhowever and its a dual type with 8x (its just me hopeing by the way not fact) THEN is the time to consider upgrading. For now I think its just Pioneers way to get into best buy, and it worked.

[Gazorgan]

I'd be curious about the 8x. According to the big article about the technical differences bertween -R and +R, you ain't going to see reliable 8x in the -R because it's just not physically precise enough to do it. +R can handle 8x speed without an issue. That alone may be what ultimately kills -R (other than BlueRay).

Food for thought!

[w00tski]

where there's a will there's a way :P
im sure it could be overcome like most things

[Cornucopia]

Historically, Pioneer has made good on their claims and estimates. They expected to have A06 out now--and it is! They expect to have A07 out by Christmas (with 8x), so I pretty much believe it. I've heard about +R's superior addressing capability which seems to make sense, but I'm not so sure it's everything its cracked up to be (please no more flames here). If everything was as claimed, I would have expected +R to have beaten -R to the 4x milestone, and the reverse was true--though not by much.

Scott

[Kennyshin]

Historically, Pioneer has made good on their claims and estimates. They expected to have A06 out now--and it is! They expect to have A07 out by Christmas (with 8x), so I pretty much believe it. I've heard about +R's superior addressing capability which seems to make sense, but I'm not so sure it's everything its cracked up to be (please no more flames here). If everything was as claimed, I would have expected +R to have beaten -R to the 4x milestone, and the reverse was true--though not by much.

Scott

Not a flame but a historical observation: Pioneer DVR-A05 was first rumored in the first half of 2002. People waited and waited and waited, including myself. There was even people that expected DVR-A04 would be upgraded by firmware updates to write at 4x to DVD-R.

BenQ, Lite-On IT, and some other Taiwanese CD-R manufacturers are preparing for the launch of 8x DVD+R writers. They were late in mass producing 1x, 2x, 2.4x, and 4x DVD writers regardless of Plus/Dash/-RAM/Multi/Dual/Multi+Plus variety.

About one year ago I said: what will happen if Pioneer makes DVD writers that write to DVD+R(W) media?

Isn't the addressing capability about DVD+RW, and not DVD+R?

That Pioneer will introduce 8x DVD writers by the end of 2003 is no news by now, it's been known to the distributors since early this year. Ritek's preparing for their 8x DVD+R and 8x DVD-R production right now and some Japanese companies are preparing for mass production of 16x-capable PHU.

Pioneer helped in the early phase the Taiwanese manufacturers with few technological assets to produce inexpensive DVD-R media at low cost which in turn helped Pioneer to sell their DVD-R drives such as DVR-A03, DVR-A04, and DVDR-A05 well, often better than its competitors, Ricoh and Matsushita. That was also why Pioneer gave up producing their own DVD-R and DVD-RW media in Japan since the Taiwanese manufacturers were doing their job much better than themselves, in terms of cost per unit. Philips and Ricoh have tried to do the same, with BenQ of Acer group, Lite-On IT, BTC, Ritek, and others. Industry cooperation sometimes decides what standard will prevail as Microsoft and Intel often proved.

[whoster69]

I just got my Pioneer A06 as well (at Best Buy for $329). If anyone would like to know anything about it or have me run some specific tests, let me know...

[gcutler]

Anyone know if Cendyne is putting out an OEM of the A06?, if not is anyone else putting out on OEM of this model? What can I say, I like the Cendyne price

[edsmith77]

gcutler,
In another post thread, I had mentioned of a trip to my local BB where they were selling Sony, Pioneer, Centdyne and TDK dual format DVD drives. The Centdyne version was selling at $299.


Ed

[Kennyshin]

Anyone know if Cendyne is putting out an OEM of the A06?, if not is anyone else putting out on OEM of this model? What can I say, I like the Cendyne price

The last Cendyne price I can recall was US$150, right? DVR-A06 now needs not cost more than DVR-A05 then.

[gcutler]

gcutler,
In another post thread, I had mentioned of a trip to my local BB where they were selling Sony, Pioneer, Centdyne and TDK dual format DVD drives. The Centdyne version was selling at $299.


Ed

But is the Cendyne Dual Format the Pioneer repackaged? I believe it is a Verbatim repackaged (which is a repackaged NEC)

[gcutler]

On Yahoo Shopping, cheapest price is BulkPack Bare Drive $230 (No SW)

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/cooler-express/pidvdvindudv.html

[whoster69]

So Reimmer, have you burned any +RW's yet? I bought some to burn, but I think my discs are bad. Everything else works like a champ! I can burn -R, -RW, and +R just fine!

[vric]

gcutler,
In another post thread, I had mentioned of a trip to my local BB where they were selling Sony, Pioneer, Centdyne and TDK dual format DVD drives. The Centdyne version was selling at $299.


Ed

But is the Cendyne Dual Format the Pioneer repackaged? I believe it is a Verbatim repackaged (which is a repackaged NEC)

yes Cendyne = Verbatim = Nec

Anyway.. as sayd here, why paying 110$ more for the +r support ? I still love my LG burner that cost less than 130$US now

[energy80s]

energy80s: I agree, but when the next gen Pioneer comes outhowever and its a dual type with 8x (its just me hopeing by the way not fact) THEN is the time to consider upgrading. For now I think its just Pioneers way to get into best buy, and it worked.

But when will cheap x8 media come out? At the moment, even x4 media is quite rare and still more expensive than x1 or x2. I still have a x8 CDRW drive that I'm more than happy with. Even on fast CD Writers, I drop the speed down to x12 as I don't trust them at high speed, plus the fact that the lead in & out is burn at x1 so there isn't much of a time saving anyway.

[Faustus]

Well some 4x disc are slowly starting to drop in price, I would get the drive because I'd want to be there when it does. On that note however I wouldn't buy it when it was brand new, I'd do like I did with my 105, wait until the price slips then pick one up.

As far as not trusting a highspeed CDR burn, using Liteon and Plextor drives with some good quality media I've never had a problem with high speed burns except on a few audio disc that my car play didn't want to read.

[energy80s]

When I was talking about not burning CDR's above x12 speed, I was talking about data discs. I don't like using CDR's for audio as they are very delicate and not many CD players will actually accept them. CDR's are great for archiving material, but not for day-to-day usage.

[whoster69]

When I was talking about not burning CDR's above x12 speed, I was talking about data discs. I don't like using CDR's for audio as they are very delicate and not many CD players will actually accept them. CDR's are great for archiving material, but not for day-to-day usage.

Man, I've had none of those problems. I burn all my disks at 40x or above; data, music, etc. All of them work fine in my devices that are less than a few years old. I'm surprised you're having these troubles...

[vric]

When I was talking about not burning CDR's above x12 speed, I was talking about data discs. I don't like using CDR's for audio as they are very delicate and not many CD players will actually accept them. CDR's are great for archiving material, but not for day-to-day usage.

what are you talking about ? is it a ghost post that came back from 1995 ?

[RimmeR]

Fantastic!!
My A03 was great but this drive was well worth the wait.
I've been using the new version od Pinnacle Instant CD/DVD SE oem to burn my discs and at under £5 for the OEM software its a bargain. The older 6.5 version doesn't support the A06.

Not had a single problem or coaster. Burn times have been between 15 - 20 mins on a 4x DVD-R and the quoted 2x for RW.
Whats been a big improvement is the new way it writes to -RW discs and it shows. I have 3 standalones for testing, but my older generation standalone wouldn't play DVD-RW's. It does now after they've been burnt in the A06.
(any updates will follow.)

Well done pioneer!

[energy80s]

When I was talking about not burning CDR's above x12 speed, I was talking about data discs. I don't like using CDR's for audio as they are very delicate and not many CD players will actually accept them. CDR's are great for archiving material, but not for day-to-day usage.

what are you talking about ? is it a ghost post that came back from 1995 ?

Actually from the 1980s!

Not everyone uses the latest CD players!

I work in the BBC and most of our gear dates from the last 30 years. It is all professional stuff costing many thousands of pounds, but it won't play the average CDR or graphic+CD. Also, CDRs are very delicate and scratch easily, I don't trust them for any "daily" operation. I've seen just too many ruined discs over the years.

[whoster69]

When I was talking about not burning CDR's above x12 speed, I was talking about data discs. I don't like using CDR's for audio as they are very delicate and not many CD players will actually accept them. CDR's are great for archiving material, but not for day-to-day usage.

what are you talking about ? is it a ghost post that came back from 1995 ?

Actually from the 1980s!

Not everyone uses the latest CD players!

I work in the BBC and most of our gear dates from the last 30 years. It is all professional stuff costing many thousands of pounds, but it won't play the average CDR or graphic+CD. Also, CDRs are very delicate and scratch easily, I don't trust them for any "daily" operation. I've seen just too many ruined discs over the years.

Man, that's some OLD equipment! I'm amazed it's still working!

As to discs being ruined, I've had none out of a total of over a thousand over the last 12 years or so, scratched or otherwise. Mine have held up very well.

[troyvcd1]

Will this A06 actually burn better on cheaper media than the A05 or A06. Does anyone know anything about this. Will the A06 be better made and have a more precise laser????

[txpharoah]

Will this A06 actually burn better on cheaper media than the A05 or A06. Does anyone know anything about this. Will the A06 be better made and have a more precise laser????

Huh?

[troyvcd1]

Let me clarify my question. I know that some burners burn cheap media good and some burners burn cheap media not so good. Say if I picked up some cheap pinco media would the A06 have a better probability of burning this media good as opposed to the A05 or A04.

[txpharoah]

Let me clarify my question. I know that some burners burn cheap media good and some burners burn cheap media not so good. Say if I picked up some cheap pinco media would the A06 have a better probability of burning this media good as opposed to the A05 or A04.

The Pioneer A05/105 was flawless with cheap media, and the A06 is based on the same architecture (from what I've read), just with added +R/RW now. The 103/104 had issues with cheap stuff that came out AFTER the drives were developed. They are old, that's all. Good, but old.

[energy80s]

Man, that's some OLD equipment! I'm amazed it's still working!

As to discs being ruined, I've had none out of a total of over a thousand over the last 12 years or so, scratched or otherwise. Mine have held up very well.

Considering that CDR's have only been around for a few years, that's a hell of a feat!

Just in case you think I'm making this up, today we had Greg Dyke (the Director General of the BBC) in for a visit to open our new roof garden and the PA required some CD playout. Two Tascam machines dating from May 1991 (and that won't play CDR's) were used for the event! My own CD player is a Marantz from 1988 and it still works fine. We bought a few new Marantz CD players for CDR's but the majority of studio CD players still won't accept a CDR disc! Most music is either played out from DAT, MiniDisc or Hard Disk.