Help Me Before I Smash My Optorite DD0201 !!!

[sohosources]

Hi, gang:

Before I smash this piece of &^%$#$ DVD recorder, I thought I'd seek
guidance from the group

Trying to get the thing to record on non-RW media is making me crazy!

Here's what I've done so far:

The Optorite DD0201 (1X-4X, +/- R,RW, rebadged Sanyo guts, flashed
with latest and greatest firmware) is in an external Firewire
enclosure (just like my Pioneer 105 -- which works like a charm, as
did the Pioneer 104 before it).

I burn DVDs (movies and Data Disks) with Recordnow Max 4.6. I updated
the PX engine to what I think is the latest release. It recognizes
the DD0201, so I'm figuring it's okay). In days past, when the PX
engine couldn't recognize a newer drive, the software made a fuss.

Anyway, when I try to burn a data disk at 4X onto 4X-rated Memorex or
4X-rated Ritek G04 media, the disks burn and verify just fine in
RecordNow Max (verify every round, closed session selected). They are
also readable in DVD recorder drives -- BUT ARE NOT READABLE IN ANY OF MY LITE-ON DVD READERS (using Win XP).

Oddly, using the same software and the same drive, I can burn the same
data set at 1X to a Memorex DVD-RW, and it's readable in all drives,
no problem !!!

The frustration is maddening!

The Memorex I can forgive, but a 4X burner that can't write to Ritek
G04 has to be goofy, right? I have burned hundreds of DVDs with the
same setup using the Pioneer - and on way more types of media.

If I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong (if I'm doing something
wrong ), the Optorite's gotta go...

Not wanting to waste a lot of money on still-expensive-enough blank
DVD-Rs, I haven't tried burning the data at 2X...I haven't tried
burning any +R media (don't have any), and I haven't tried burning in
Nero, etc.

For some reason I've yet to figure out, the +R disks I recorded in my
Philips set-top DVD recorder don't seem to play very well (or at all)
in my Apex AD-1100W DVD players...but that's another story.

Any suggestions or experiences will be welcomed.

Thanks,

--Kirk

[Synergy]

If you have the patience, you can read through the last few pages of comments made by the owners of the DD0203/0201 at the Firmware Page Forum:

http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?t=13300&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=500

What you'll find out is that no matter how many times Optorite updates the firmware, there are still problems for some afterwards. If anyone still has problems after the latest firmware update, then getting rid of it is probably the best choice since there are other better and even cheaper solutions besides the Optorite. The Pioneer DVR-106D and NEC ND-1300A are two good examples, or consider the NEC ND-2500A for its 8X DVD±R burning speed.

[camBB]

Hi,
I got rid of my 0203 because they are crap. i managed to get £70 on Ebay 2 weeks ago and now i'm looking to get a pioneer 107

[quadforce]

They must have fixed all the issues in the dd0401 model because i havent had any problems with it at all.

[indolikaa]

An interesting problem.

I've burned many a Memorex 4X DVD+R disc (the Wal-Mart 'purple' jewel case variety) and they play fine in anything that will play +R discs. I have a DD0203 and run firmware 2.16. I don't use +R very often compared to -R, but I'm almost positive they played in my -1100W.

[deezer]

I can't say a bad word about the 201. I got it at Xmas and have burnt over 30 discs (Ritek G04) and every single one is perfect. I've passed them around my family and 9 different DVD players have had no problem playing them. Sorry your having problems because I think this writer is great value for money.

[sohosources]

Update:

Don't ask me why...but when I burn with RecordNowMax 4.6 I get disks that read okay in the burner (as detailed earlier in the thread)...but when I burn with Nero 6.3xx...I can burn my Ritek G04s at full speed (4X)...with everything working just fine.

Previously, I'd had a lot of problems getting a good burn w/Nero DVD. That's why I switched to Prassi and then RecordNowMax!

Whatever

--Kirk