OT - Sony Burner Problem

Jameson_Prod wrote on 5/4/2004, 4:11 AM
I apologize for posting this here but.........

I emailed Sony Tech Support but no answer. I also posted under the DVDA forum but nothing. I am hoping someone here might could shed some light on this.

I recently purchased a Sony DRU530A DVD burner. With Nero 5.5.10, when I try to erase a +RW I get the error message "Power Calibration Error". I also notice that if I try to burn two DVDs back to back from Nero or from DVDA...I get the same error on the second DVD. The only work around I have found is to power down the computer. (Re-starting doesn't fix the problem)

Anyone know what this problem is and how to correct it?

P4 2.8
512 RAM
ASUS P4P800 MB with newest flash update
350 watt Power Supply
DVD set to master on the secondary IDE

Thanks.

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 5/4/2004, 6:19 AM
Sounds like a hardware or resource problem, not a DVDA problem. Sony Media Software isn't going to be able to help much if it's a hardware Sony device problem. They are different companies, in very different parts of the US. Have you tried different kinds of media to eliminate the media from the puzzle?
IIMvideo wrote on 5/4/2004, 8:03 AM
I have the same problem(error message) with DVDA1.0 and my 530a, but only with certain no-name media. TDK, Memorex, Sony, seem to work fine with my DRU530A. I had a old Sony DRU500A that would burn anything I put in it. Why is it that the newer one only burns on certain types of media??

While on the topic of burners, I also have a Pioneer 106. When I ask it to burn at the preferred rate of 1x for video, it burns my memorex discs, and others, in only about 12 minutes. This time indicates it is burning at actually 4x, because when I do burn data discs in nero at 4X it take approx 12-15 minutes. When I burn the same video file to my Sony DRU530, it takes about 45 minutes at 1x. This time seems to be accurate. I've updated the firmware on my 106 to the latest version and get the same results.

There always seems to be issues with different burners in one way or another. I must say, the only burner I never had issues with was my old Sony DRU500a using 1X discs. I also just purchased a cheap Toshiba burner that only burns -DVDr. It seems to burn all media and also at the correct speeds.

Does anyone know if 1x discs are available for purchased anymore?
Thanks,

Frank
Jameson_Prod wrote on 5/4/2004, 10:13 AM
Thanks guys....

I had emailed Sony Hardware support...no answer. That was the reason I was looking here. I have seen some very intelligent indiviuals here who seem to be able to handle most anything. I thought it was worth a shot.

As for the media, the media I use and have always used is TDK. I haven't tried a different brand but I will....although it seems if it would burn the first TDK, it would burn the second as well. But stranger things have happened!

Thanks for the suggestions.
eejackson wrote on 5/4/2004, 11:30 AM
Hi Jameson_Prod:

I too recently purchased the Sony DRU530A and I was having the exact same problem. In addition to switching media, I was aslo told by a Sony Tech support person that if I ever burned anything on an RW dics using Roxio Easy CD creator, then my new Sony drive would not be able to read or write to that disc!!!!! She also told me that even though I am burning my DVD's using DVD Architect, that I should completely unistall anything having to do with Roxio burning software. I hopes this helps a little.
desire_vie wrote on 5/4/2004, 5:27 PM
I have the same burner. Do not upgrade the bios to 2 or higher, search for a downgrade to 1c or 1d if needed.
I use nero 6.3.1.2 for everything BUT +RW, for that I use the included record now or whatever its called.
go get dvdinfopro at www.mindvision.com and do the diagnostics.

1. did you set the region yet?
I had made 3 coasters before I remembered to set it in control panels, system, hardware

2. did you enable dma mode?
i did in the same place and it set to ultra dma mode 2 on my box

3. i burnt some discs with that crummy roxio with memorex discs on a memorex burner that died after 20 discs, returned it for the sony, and i have burnt over 200 of any type imaginable on it without a failure. I make tourist dvd's and sell them wholesale, and sometimes do 30-50 in a row.
I had archived some data on the older memorex discs from memorex burner with roxio, and the sony read em perfectly.

I had that calibration error on my memorex dual, and i called them and without even allowing me to finsh my sentence they said to return it, so my guess is it was a terminal error. Nero for all but +rw, sony's bundled for that, no upgrades to the software or rom hardware/bios needed, not a single failure. AND, i bought the most generic 4x dvd's I could find, 200 for like $102 with no label, no clue who the hell made them and all burnt at 4x without a single coaster.

Now, If windows XP could get its act together and allow me to keep the box going long enough to burn 50 in a row I'd be truely happy. DVDInfoPro will give you a ton of dope on the drive, bios, speeds, rpms etc and then you can take the data to google or their forums and get more help than you could want.

Good Luck.

PS I forgot to mention, I have made my little jem mpg in vegas, authored it in dvdlab, and burnt from there fine. Normally i compile the dvd to a hard drive, test it with windvd or whatever. Once Im satisfied its ready, I burn it with nero, not the authoring software, but both work. It just seems nero dvd movie wizrd goes faster to complete discs.
I also found this in the readme file on the sony software install disc...

Roxio Easy CD Creator 6 contains a device driver (cdralw2k.sys)
that checks drives for updates so often that it causes recording
failures and a compatibility problem with Sonic RecordNow!.
You will be prompted to uninstall Easy CD Creator 6 when
Sonic RecordNow! is installed.