DVD Writer wont write to DVDR

[kungfu]

Hello sorry modorator is you feel this isnt the correct place for this post..

OK I have a Ricoh DVD+RW
when I write to DVDRW format I have no problem plays in my home DVD & our DVD downstairs. ecellent i hear you say.. well yes It would be...

I am now trying to write on a DVDR disk... & every time i put the disk in the drive it just wont do anything.... untill i eject... the lights are on but nobodys home

has anyone else got this problem & know how to cure it...


Cheers

Dave

[Da Man]

your dvd+rw won't write dvd-r..that are 2 different format....that why the sony dru500A is for...

[kungfu]

There is a Firmware update for the Drive... what will this do???
Im using firmware 1.31 at the moment & the update I have is 1.5.. what will this do & is it worth updating ??

Cheers again

Dave

[Gil T Pleasure]

Which Ricoh burner do you have (model #)? The first gen DVD+RW drives could not be firmware updated to burn +R discs despite being promised by the +RW manufacturers.

[solarfox]

kungfu -- Are you trying to write to a DVD+R disc, or a DVD-R? (No offense intended -- believe it or not, there are a significant number of people who don't realize there's a difference between the two formats and that burners intended for one can't write to the other...)

Assuming that you're trying to write the correct type of media (DVD+R), Gil is unfortunately correct -- the first-generation units can't be upgraded to DVD+R support.

Knowing the model # of your drive would be a big help; then we can point you in the right direction.

[kungfu]

i only bought the drive about 2 weeks ago
The Model is MP5120A-DP

if it wont update can I send it back... as I was expecting it to be updateable .... I am in the process of trying to get hold of the Sony Drive mentioned above....

DRU500A but not available in the UK yet.... after speaking to sony they recon it will cost around £500 which is a lot more than what it costs in America... ie $365 which comes to around £240 give or take.

Thanks for your help if you could let me know about my drive might sell it on if its not compatible

Sorry forgot to say you are correct I was trying to burn a -R disk... I didnt know there was a difference untill this post... then I did some research....
The +RW works great though with my DVD plays... It plays in all my DVD plays but only using Ulead software wont read them if i write with mydvd...

Thanks again everyone for your help....

[davidgp]

??? What are you talking about??... the sony dru 500a is in the uk market since some weeks...

Davidgp

[kungfu]

Not what they told me at sony...retailers....They said wont be avalible for another 2 or 3 weeks....
If you know where I can get one & the price of them....???


Dave

[davidgp]

http://www.aria.co.uk

This is an example... there is a lot of people in this forum from uk who can tell you where to buy it (I'm from Spain )... and this another link you have more shops: http://www.mediaforums.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17472...

btw: I'm not from UK... don't blame me if you buy it in a bad shop .

Davidgp

[solarfox]

After doing some digging (and wading through some rather bizarre machine-translations of foreign web pages -- apparently, your drive model is only sold in Europe(?), so most of the articles I could find on it were in German and French! ), it appears that your MP5120A-DP is, indeed, a first-generation DVD+RW drive and is not updateable to DVD+R support.

And yes, as you've just discovered, +R(W) and -R(W) media aren't compatible. (Unless, of course, you have the Sony multiformat drive.) Thank you so much, "DVD+RW Alliance", for starting another totally unnecessary format war to confuse the hell out of the public...

[kungfu]

Thanks solarfox,

I will email Ricoh as they are the makers of the Drive.... I'm not happy that it cant be upgraded... I will have to throw a tantrum...*L*

Well looks like its the sony for me then... I wish I knew about the formats then I wouldnt have bothered with the Ricoh as I cant even find disks except on the net... most DVDRs are -r or -rw... Doh!!!

Thanks again for your help


Dave