User manual PLEXTOR PX-716A

[. . . ] Model PX-716A Internal ATAPI Drive Model PX-716SA Internal SATA Drive DVD±R DL (DOUBLE LAYER/DUAL LAYER), DVD±R/RW, CD-R/RW DRIVE INSTALLATION AND USERS MANUAL MARCH 2005 Plextor reserves the right to make improvements in the products described in this manual at any time without prior notice. Plextor makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. reserves the right to revise this manual and to make changes in its content without obligation to notify any person or organization of such revision or change. This manual is copyrighted, all rights reserved. [. . . ] If you forget your password, your data will not be retrievable. Plextor cannot be held liable for any damage, unreadable discs, or loss of data. If you do not agree, please do not use this function. Using VariRec This drive is equipped with VariRec (Variable Recording) technology, a unique feature offered by Plextor that allows you to manually adjust the drive's laser power during the recording process. VariRec operates both for DVD and CD recording. NOTE: In order for you to actually perform the adjustment, VariRec must be supported by the recording software you're using. PlexTools Professional is one recording application that supports VariRec. Being able to adjust the laser power during the recording process can have some definite advantages. For instance, depending on the capabilities of your specific audio equipment, you may be able to change the sound quality of your recordings to suit the equipment. Or you may be able to correct compatibility problems that occur when playing discs on certain audio players or older CD-ROM drives. How the Default VariRec Setting Is Determined In most cases you don't have to worry about setting VariRec. The setting is 0 (zero) by default, and this usually works best. This default setting is determined by a combination of steps: 1. First, we test many types of recordable DVD±R and CD-R media in our factory to determine the best write strategy (laser power and other factors) for that media. 62 PX-716 Installation and Users Manual Section 5. Advanced Features and PlexTools Professional 2. We include a catalog of the tested media and their write strategy in your drive's firmware. (This catalog is updated when you update your drive by downloading new firmware from the Plextor web site. ) 3. When you insert a recordable disc into your drive, Plextor's PoweRec technology automatically identifies the manufacturer, model, and special features of the media, then adjusts the laser power and writing speed so they're at the optimum settings for that disc. The drive uses OPC (Optimum Power Control) to further fine-tune the laser power setting to the specific disc that is in your drive. The combined values of the pre-defined write strategies, along with the OPC test results, create the default VariRec setting of zero. Changing the VariRec Setting VariRec lets you increase or decrease the laser power setting by up to 4 degrees in either the positive or negative direction. You can make these changes for DVD+R 4X and 2. 4X, DVD-R 4X and 2X, and CD-R 4X and 8X CD-DA/data writing. VariRec also lets you change the write strategy to match the dye profile of your disc. You can make these changes to do comparison testing with your DVD or CD player to find the setting that best suits you. Changing the laser power and write strategy changes the characteristics of the audio or data being written. For audio, you can hear these changes during playback, although what you hear will depend on speaker quality, audio settings, and environment. To use PlexTools Professional to change VariRec settings for writing: 1. [. . . ] Plextor will then return the RMA form to you via e-mail, with the RMA number and shipping information included. When you receive the RMA number, pack the Plextor drive securely in a box, and include the RMA form as a packing slip. Write the RMA number in large letters on the outside of the box, and ship the box and the drive to Plextor. Contacting Plextor's RMA Department You can contact our RMA Department and request RMA forms at: · rmasupport@plextor. com · Or by fax at 510-651-9765 · Or by calling us at 510-440-2000 PX-716 Installation and Users Manual 131 Appendix B: Technical Support Packing Your Drive Check the drive to make sure there is no disc inside, and if possible, pack your drive in the original box. Some of our customers have not held on to their boxes and have had to resort to less-than-secure methods to get drives back to us. CAUTION: Never ship the drive with a CD or DVD disc inside it. If you did not receive a box (for example, your drive came pre-installed in a computer), we recommend you pay a packaging store (such as The UPS Store) to ship your drive. [. . . ]