Pioneer DVR-106BK

[drtobasco]

I'm looking at some deals for a Pioneer 106 drive for my G4 silver (got it two months before they launched the Superdrive, uggh). Plan to install it myself.

Catalog says... Internal DVR-106BK. The copy says "OEM bare drive only"

Does this simply mean that it doesn't include any extraneous software bundle (don't need any). Or does it also mean that various hardware, connectors, etc. essential for installation are not included.

If that's the case fine, but I'd rather find that out before I've got it opened up and gutted.

And while we're at it, is this model Mac friendly? It's easy to get thrown by catalogs and boxes that say "for Windows" - when that doesn't always necessarily mean "not for Mac... at all... ever... don't even think about it."

[galactica]

I'm looking at some deals for a Pioneer 106 drive for my G4 silver (got it two months before they launched the Superdrive, uggh). Plan to install it myself.

what do you mean before they launched the superdrive? Superdrives have been in there for a long time. I think you meant to say before the 106's were the drive in the machien.

Catalog says... Internal DVR-106BK. The copy says "OEM bare drive only"

Does this simply mean that it doesn't include any extraneous software bundle (don't need any). Or does it also mean that various hardware, connectors, etc. essential for installation are not included.

bare drive is just that bare. no cables, no software, no nothing but just the drive.

you dont need any of that anyhow. your mac has the cable for it as well as the powersupply. just pop the drive in hook up the power and off you go. it should be recognized immediatly by your mac.

If that's the case fine, but I'd rather find that out before I've got it opened up and gutted.

what do you mean by this. open and gut your mac. you can get your current drive info by going to the more info portnion of about this mac, or to yoru system profiler. Under devices it will show what drive you have in there now.

And while we're at it, is this model Mac friendly? It's easy to get thrown by catalogs and boxes that say "for Windows" - when that doesn't always necessarily mean "not for Mac... at all... ever... don't even think about it."

sure its mac friendly. I have a Toshiba SD-R5002 whose box says windows compatbile, no where does it say mac. thing is it wont work with iapps, but uses toast titanium fine. there is even a "krack" that allows it wo work with iapps now.

if you want the "mac" version of this drive its the DVR-AO6 which you can get for a REALLY good price at this site http://esbuy.com/pidvbadr.html
bare drive only.

[willrob]

I put this drive in my G4 when I still had OSX 12.2.8 and it was immediately recognized and worked with all iApps. Under Panther it continues to work flawlessly. To get 4X writing requires 4X media, but the 16x writing of CDs seems to work with any media I throw at it, making backups and audio CD writing a breeze.

Unless yo9u're using 12.2.8 or Panther, you will not be able to use iDVD with the 106.

William

[drtobasco]

if you want the "mac" version of this drive its the DVR-AO6 which you can get for a REALLY good price at this site http://esbuy.com/pidvbadr.html
bare drive only.

I guess that *this* is what is the most confusing thing about the entire process - A06 vs. 106 and the Mac compatibility.

From what I understand, the A06 is what ships from Apple and 106 is retail out of the box. Right?

Ultimately, it comes down to this... will the 106 ($135 at http://www.newegg.com) allow me to open iApps under system 10.x.x with or without xxx firmware upgrades etc.? Fill in the xx as necessary.

I wouldn't mind going through Toast to burn cds and dvds (I could probably even live without iDVD because I have access to DVSP) but the wife would be totally thrown if iTunes didn't just plain "burn the disc for her".

[galactica]

lets put it this way, what OS do you have?

i dont see any reason why it wouldnt work on say 10.2.x or 10.3.x
but now in 10.1.x maybe not, cant say for sure...


also what do you have in there now?
would you replace it? or have a 2nd drive?

i have my superdrive as master and my combo drive as slave, its way nice having two. if you have the ability do it!

if not, im 99% sure it will also work with iApps.

Can anyone confirm this?

[BernieR]

great info on installing DVD (DIY) drives ect ect at

http://xlr8yourmac.com/



Bernie

[drtobasco]

I'm running 10.2.8. I'll be replacing the Sony CD-RW CRX155E that came with the machine. Your comment on my initial posting was correct, I meant to say that I bought the machine before the dvd-r drives became a standard option on the G4s.

I've looked at the instructions on xlr8yourmac and feel pretty confident in making the switch myself. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to hamstring myself function-wise by getting the "wrong drive." Sometimes, it's really hard being a Mac person. Most of the time I feel superior, but when it comes to things like this, I just wish Apple would try to make it easier for us instead of trying to hold market share.

[WiseWeasel]

You can pretty much get any IDE drive, be it optical or magnetic, and it will work with your Mac, as long as it's the right protocol and connection (i.e. UATA, SATA, etc.), no matter what it says on the box. Some optical drives might not be compatible with Apple's iApps (they're getting rarer since 10.2.8 ), but Toast will still be able to use 'em in most cases. I agree that Apple could be better about letting their customers know which peripherals and upgrades are compatible, but they have long abandoned their NIH (Not Invented Here) complex, and have adopted most interconnect standards. Even things like RAM, PCI cards (mostly excepting sound and video cards) and USB devices (if they don't need proprietary drivers) will usually work, even if they don't advertise Mac compatibility. There are, of course some exceptions to this, but they aren't too common. Recently, I was looking for a FireWire PCI adapter card, and most of them didn't say anything about Macs. I just got one that was using some quality TI chipset, installed it, and it worked immediately without problems. That has been my experience with most peripherals and upgrades, as long as you get quality components. In fact, paying attention to get ones that conform to the correct standard, I've never had anything not work in my Mac, no matter what it said on the box. For those hazy ones like video cards and such, sites like XLR8YourMac.com are very helpful.

[willrob]

From what I understand, the A06 is what ships from Apple and 106 is retail out of the box. Right?

Ultimately, it comes down to this... will the 106 ($135 at http://www.newegg.com) allow me to open iApps under system 10.x.x with or without xxx firmware upgrades etc.? Fill in the xx as necessary.


Apple doesn't ship this drive in any of its macs AFAIK. The 106BK is a black bezel which may or may not match the machine you want to install in. There is also a beige bezel (the bezel is the drawer that pops out). On my dual G4 I had to remove the front panel of the drive to fit in the opening. Other than that it took all of two minutes to install. No firmware upgrade is necessary (or available for the Mac).

It WORKS WITH ALL iApps, both via software and via the desktop burning. But unless you are running Jag 12.2.8 or Panther the drive will not be recognized. Apple built in this recognition in the 10.2.8 update (as you probably read on xcelr8 web site)

The $135 price you quote is twenty bucks cheaper than I paid last month. I believe they are closing the drive out in preperation for the new 107 (8x DVD speed)model due next year. For that model to work with the iApps, Apple would have to include it in an OSX update.

william

[drtobasco]

DUDE

Okay, I ordered the 106 from NewEgg and it arrived lickety split. Very nice.

Now, I pop open the side of my G4 to install it. I've got the instructions from xlr8yourmac.com and dvdcreation.com. But as I go through the steps, I realize that it's not going to work. My drive assembly is NOT coming out the front like the instructions say. I've got a solid metal front underneath that cute plastic exterior and what appears to be a very solidly installed drive assembly (zip slave included).

I'm not sure what the slang name is for this model G4 (733 mhz single processor with the oval shaped drive doors on the front - bought in July 2001) but it doesn't seem to conform to the models shown in the popular instructions.

Any advice??

I could send the drive back and get an external. Or perhaps get an external box to install it in. Or find some instructions for this particular G4 assembly.

Any help you guys can throw my way would be appreciated.

[WiseWeasel]

This isn't really the right forum for this, and I don't have experience with that particular model, but I'll take a stab. See if there aren't some tabs you can push in on inside of the tower, upper left side when you open the side door, on thew right side of the faceplate; that would maybe release the faceplate and allow you to gain access to the bare drives. Usually, there are two tabs you have to push at once from the inside of the tower, and the faceplate comes off (at least that's how it worked on my G4 case). At that point, the drives should slide forward on a sled, and allow you to swap your current drive for the 106.

[galactica]

That particular model cant have 2 optical drives that are cd/dvd.
UNLESS YOU GO TO TOWN WITH A BLADE AND SOME MUSCLE POWER TO THE CASE.

unfortunately, the only way for this one to work in there is to replace the current drive which is in the top drive bay.

(in 99% sure about this) but i could be mistaken. i dont have that model, but thats what i remember from when a friend was asking me the same question

[willrob]

I also don't have your model (I have a DDR G4), but when I installed my 106 it was removed through the back of the carrier not through the door. I put it in the upper of the two optical drive bays because the 106 has its own cooling fan and needs the open space behind it, which the lower bay does not provide.

Basically, I unplugged the 104 (which I will probably put on eBay), pulled it back out of the carriage and slid in the new 106, plugged everything in and then realized I had forgotten to remove the bezel, which is too large to fit through the drive opening.

Removing the bezel required carfule inspection (and some luck). There are very tiny "dohickies" which have to be squeezed so the bezel will slip off.

If you have two drive bays and wish to keep your combo drive, make it the slave and the 106 the master (bondage parifinalia available on SM sites). Or set the 106's pins to cable select, which will make it the master since it sits in the upper bay. Given the speed of the CD writing on the 106, I don't know what advantage having the slower combo drive would have (direct CD copying?)

william

[drtobasco]

My intention was to replace the CDR with the DVDR and keep the zip.

I was able to get the plastic cosmetic faceplate off and was stunned to see solid metal box with a hole only large enough for the bezel to pop through. The drive assembly is attached to the side of the tower in several places that I can't see (and maybe unreachable). The fan assembly is immediately behind the drive assembly so there's no sliding it back. This thing is put together as tight as the engine compartment of a japanese car.

I'm going to go back inside in a couple days and see if I can't get the drive assembly out, but there's a pessimistic feeling in the back of my skull.

Anyone know anything about getting an external box to put this sucker in?

[drtobasco]

Okay, I've had a couple cups of coffee and came up with this crackpot idea...

Find a used external firewire Cd-r drive on ebay, cheap. Open it up, remove that drive and replace with the dvdr drive. Then put the CDr in my old Performa.

Crazy?

[willrob]

For true iApp support, the DVD-R needs to be internal. Unless Panther changed that requirement.

william

[WiseWeasel]

That will work, but I'm sure there's a way to replace the current optical drive in your G4 if you persist. Here's Apple's CIP page for your model, all the instructions and even a helpful video are available there.

[galactica]

yea, there should be NO problem putting that drive in the top bay.

the only reason you wouldnt is if you wanted 2 drives, that case you would have to have an external enclosure, which you would probably just want to put your current drive in there! because why not have this drive be internal on your mac.

its really easy to do, as you can see with the quicktime movies on the site wiseweasel posted.