LiteON 5005 weirdness

[bevills1]

There's a typo in the 4/26 LCSHG post about DRU-120C firmware that's reported to have no FF issue for 5005 burner replacement. MYR5 firmware is what it should be.

[kenmo]

I'm at work now...but does anyone now what model LiteOn drive is used in the LiteON 5005 when it leaves the factory?

[bevills1]

The 1 I replaced is model DDW 451S, but there are others. I read 1 thread on CDFreaks where a Sony drive was the original burner, but I don't recall the model.

[LCSHG]

So, the LG 4160B works on all functions in the 5005
It is some 3 yr old and most likely not available, It could be a rebaged Liteon

In the early 5005 the drive is most likely a DDW- 415 in later units the drive is a DDW-813s

[kenmo]

Yes...but the fast forward and fast reverse are very choppy. But since the 5005 is used for recording only, it's not an issue...

Does my theory for why the LG fails upon completing an erasure of a +Rw make sense...yet I'm able to record fine to the +Rw media?

[LCSHG]

Kenmo
It appears the LG is working much as the liteon 160, 165, etc. drives with no or questionable FF. That’s ok if the FF is not used as your case
If it works for you purposes that’s it.
Its just nice to get a report the gets to the specifics of what a replacement drive will and will not do

Any theory would have merit and should be followed up – I read your post and I assume we are talking of use in the 5005.
I am not aware that the 5005 with any drive will Book Type a disk or has anything to do with bitsetting.

There could be multiple problems the failure of the original drive
The replacement not dealing with certain disks correctly.
The LG is an older drive and may nor deal correctly with a +RW disk, in play or erase

An example
An older Toshiba that was listed as a –R/RW disk unit only. It would play a +R disk, sometimes fine and others erotically. It MIGHT accept a +RW disk but not play or erase

My ilo R04 units are the same as the 5005, The drives are a 451 or 813. They burn a +R/RW disk ONLY. The 5005 with the same drives will burn both + or – disks.

I can change the ilo R04 Firmware to that of a 5005x. and although as a 5005x it cannot be hacked, it will burn both + or - disks

It’s the Firmware

[kenmo]

The LiteOn drive in my 5005 is labeled "model DDW-451S" - manufacture date is October 2004.

I could not get the LiteOn tray dust door to fit onto the LG drive. I'm concerned about dust making it's way into the burner unit itself. Can I ask what you did about the tray door?

Thanks

Kenom

[LCSHG]

kenmo

I had left the s off. I would think your unit is an older one with the 451s - 4x.drive. The later units had the 813s - 8x drive speed. As said drive speed is not a factor in these units
Many would prefer the unit you have.

As to the LG and its fit
I have not used A LG burner In a PC or standalone unit. I should think that any PC unit would have the same dimensions except length

A drive should be moved forward as far a possible to allow proper positioning and room to insert a disk and install the front cover

Can I assume that you have now removed the 451s? If so you know how the front drive piece is attached to the tray front and that it is spring loaded to account for any slight difference in fit. On a Liteon burner the front of the tray is notched to fit the front piece but except for the 451s or 813s they do not match and must be cut slightly, to do so. This is not a problem with the liteon units. On the LG I don’t know but I should think it would be a similar problem and fit
The screws for the springs on the front piece can be released about one turn if the fit is to snug

The 5005 is one of the easiest to mod

My one R04 that has a replaced drive, which is a much tighter fit for the drive than the 5005, has not had the front face [dust] piece on it. I could put it on but never did. It has been this way over a year with no problem.

If the LG is installed in place, and is accessible and does as you want?
If attaching the front cover to the LG is a problem and you can live with it, as is?
You might consider leaving it off and plowing it out every so often


The LG seems to be working to your satisfaction, Much as a 160-165 etc [no FF].
That LG drive is older and it would seem that you want to retain the use of the 5005
If so give some thought to getting a replacement drive to have in reserve that operates to your satisfaction. I would get one 1693, [1633] or older. The cost would be about the same and it would work on all functions. While some of the newer drives are reported to work on everything but FF. Make sure it does

Take another look at those sites I gave. They cover much of this ireplacement ssue in both written and picture views
Post the results
Its nice to get an objective review of this or any drive. It can than be added to the list as to what it can or can not do

[kenmo]

The screws for the springs on the front piece can be released about one turn if the fit is too snug

At work now so I can't confirm, but I'm pretty sure there were no springs. Matter of fact the tray door fell off when I removed the LiteOn drive and I snapped it back on. My tray door is not hinged, but stays fixed in a stand upright position. It is attached directly to the drive tray itself and not to the case.

Is the LG is installed in place, and is accessible and does as you want?

Yes. I've removed the old LiteOn drive a and installed the LG.

If attaching the front cover to the LG is a problem and you can live with it, as is?

Not a problem, just concerned about dust as inside the case is pretty spotless as was the old LiteOn drive.

You might consider leaving it off and plowing it out every so often

Good idea.

[kenmo]

I tried a few Sony -Rws and Verbatim -Rws. They all erase quite quickly. In the old LiteOn drive erasing a -Rw took alot more time then erasing a +Rw. With the LG installed there is no time difference. Also doing a quick preparation of a -Rw takes a minute or less. With the LiteOn drive it would take about 10 minutes.....

All -Rw I've tried so far erase without an error message.

All +Rw I've erased display the "FAIL" message after going to 100%. However I've been able to record to +Rw media with the exception of Fuji +Rw. They will record for a period of time (20 minutes) and then stopped with a "disc fail" message.

The LG 4160b is a little longer in length then the original LiteOn drive, so the fit is quite snug. The only place I could attach via screws was in the front.

[bevills1]

The 5005 doesn't do book typing specifically, but wouldn't it create DVD-ROM for +R media if book typing were enabled via firmware or bit setting tool while updating in PC before installing in the 5005? Interesting -RW can be erased with LG drive replacement in the 5005 but fail to erase +RW especially since I've had 3 5005s of which none would erase -RW including 1 that had burner replaced with LiteOn SHM-165P6S but all 3 erase +RW with no problem. Have you tried VCD/SVCD recording with the LG installed?

[kenmo]

The LG4160B doesn't do booktyping. I'll try creating a VCC/SVCD when I return home from work....

[LCSHG]

Kenmo

You can not remove the drive without first removing the front trim piece that in the5005 is reflective mirror like plastic and shows to the outside. It snaps on the drive tray straight down to install and straight up to remove. A thin object, like a butter knife can be used to separate the snaps on this front piece from the disk tray.

The disk tray has to be open to do this

This front piece assembly that snaps to the disk tray is in two pieces. The part that attaches to the disk tray and the one that is the piece that shows in front. The two are attached together by two spring-loaded screws that allow play for the disk tray and tightness for the front piece
The fact that it fell of would indicate that it was either pulled loose [and you were lucky it didn’t break] Or it was not affixed correctly to begin with




--- NOTE ---

The 5005 does not do book-typing and the LG may not deal with +RW disks

A drive that is set region free and will burn a specific disk in a PC will not be region free or burn the same disk when installed in the 5005 [etc.]
The operation disk use and speed is governed by the unit itself
In my PC a 1693s will burn a specific disk at 16x [on the outer area [rim] of the disk
In the 5005 the Same Drive will Not Burn any faster than the 451s or a disk that it didn’t burn with the original 451s

They will Not Copy faster than the 451s did

The 451s or 813s drives in a 5005 drive will burn both a + and - disk
The SAME 451s or 813s drives in the ilo-R04 Will Not Burn a - disk Because the Firmware In The Unit will not allow it

The Same for any drive 1693s or 160p or whatever

[kenmo]

I tried to burn a VCD & a SVCD and both were no goes. The recorder would start to record however an while later I would get the stopping message, at which time the video being recorded would freeze and the stopping message would display for 10+ minutes. The only thing I could do was unplug the unit as it would not respond to the power off button....

This is not a big deal for me as I never used my LiteOn in the past to record VCDs or SVCDs....

However it's still working great with +Rw and -Rw media....

[kenmo]

Still working great... like how much faster it is with erasing -Rw, preparing -Rw and finalizing -Rw.

With the LiteOn drive I would mostly use +Rw media due to time. Now I don't see much difference between -Rw & +Rw....

[kenmo]

Just curious...why all the drive failure problems with LiteOn recorders ? Are LiteOn recorders/writers more fragile then other manufacturers?

I have a Pioneer A05 dvd burner that must have close to a 1000 burns with it and not one single problem..... I swear it's bullitt proof... My Toshiba DR2 recorder is still going strong and it's a few years older then my LiteOn 5005... Never had my Toshiba apart once... Only things I dislike about the Toshiba is it's fuzzy about media, only burns -R/-Rw and slow loading discs, very slow erasing/finalizing media...

I wanted to pickup another burner for one of my 4 computers and decided against a LiteOn and went with an LG (already have 3 LGs and no problems at all)...

So what's the story with LiteOn?

[bevills1]

From what I've read consensus seems to be LiteOn put cheap burners in the recorders. Reading the LiteOn forums on CDFreaks as well as customer reviews from vendors it seems many have short lived LiteOn burners for the PC as well. The only reason I chose the 5005 is ability to make it macrovision free. I choose Pioneer burners for the PC and have a 107D that still performs flawlessly after many hundreds of burns.

[kenmo]

Still going strong with the LG burner in my Liteon 5005. I still get the FAIL warning when I erase a +Rw however I've been able to record to the media with no hiccups...

[kenmo]

Still working great....

[lordsmurf]

My LiteOn 5104 recently quit working. I've not tried to clean it yet. What sucks is that unit got very little use.

[kenmo]

Still working fine....

[otpw1]

Still going strong with the LG burner in my Liteon 5005. I still get the FAIL warning when I erase a +Rw however I've been able to record to the media with no hiccups...

My experience also with my ilo clone

[bevills1]

March 2007 my 5005 burner was replaced with LiteOn SHM-165P6S cross flashed to Sony DW-G120A (aka DRU-120C) to gain normal fast forward function, and book type set to DVD-ROM for DVD+R media. The drive still works very well after just over a year, and book type is changed to DVD-ROM for 5005 recordings using +R media.

[bevills1]

FYI the Sony DRU-190A is another drive that retains normal fast forward as replacement drive according to post #129 at http://club.cdfreaks.com/f102/replacement-drives-liteon-5xxx-recorders-207698/index6.html , and it should be easier to find than some of the older models that are getting progressively harder to find.