(req) Information on Plextor 708A + OSX 10.3

[Qianlong]

hello

I'm planning to upgrade my QS G4 800 (OS X 10.3) with a DVD burner. I'm thinking about the Pioneer 106 or the Plextor 708.

I know the Pioneer 106 is fully supported under OSX Panther (iTunes, DiskBurn,....).

But I want the Plextor due to it's faster CD-R writing speed (40X instead of 16X for the Pioneer).
With a patch from this site http://www.hardmac.com/niouzcontenu.php?date=2003-11-29
the 708A should be supported under iTunes.
Burning is supported, but they don't mention anything about CD-audio ripping.

Just wondering if anyone with a Plextor or any other CDRW or DVDRW drive has tried this patch?

Or any info on a Plextor 708 under OSX Panther is welcome

Thanks

Ps:I've already been looking on XLR8yourmac.com

[terryj]

According to Plextor's website, by native default, the 708 will be seen as
a CD-R/RW drive at the end of the ATA chain in ASP.
To utilize the drive, you will need a third party extension such
as one made by FWB or Roxio ( Toast)."
http://www.plextor.com/english/support/faqs/SW00044.htm

further, Plextor reccommeds you use Toast Titaninum 5.21 or better for its products.
The Plextor 708 is MMC compliant.
MMC is the standard by which Roxio, Charismac, and others write their drivers so that
they can universally support hadrware that has been coded to
match this spec. They do not specifically write one driver for each
individual burner, but rather ONE driver that supports ALL burners.

A quick check of the roxio site shows that at the supported recorders
page
http://rpp.roxio.com/drives/?page=supported_drives
that the Plextor 708 is/will be supported with all Roxio products
shipping after 20030811 ( August 11th, 2003).


finally, in article 60891 on the apple website:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=60891
Apple empahtically states that third party dvd burners can write
from DVDSP, but because of a bug with DVD PLayer app,
some third party burners will be unable to preview projects
natively before burning.

This has also been confirmed with the Plextor 708 here:
http://discussions.info.apple.com/WebX?13@227.3JJNa4oVnP1.12@.599b5597/2

long and short...use at your own risk with Apple products,
Will work with Toast 6 in Panther, but better to buy a internal
Superdrive by Pioneer, or at least a repacked ( Cendyne, LaCie)
superdrive, if you wish to use iDVD/DVDSP2.[/url]