(This is sort of a follow-on to [="http://www.recording.org/ftopict-24794.html"]the Hidden Track thread[/]="http://www.recordin…"]the Hidden Track thread[/] I started, but it's probably a good topic on its own.)
I was thinking of replacing an ancient CD-R drive with a PlexWriter Premium to gain speed, the QA tools and, yes, the ability to write pre-track-1 hidden tracks.
I also have a Pioneer DVR-A05 DVD burner that is pretty slow by today's standards and has a bad habit of creating coasters all the time except when you Control-Alt-Shift while right-click-dragging the Burn button, but only on odd-numbered Thursdays near a full moon. :P
This makes me wonder if I would be equally served to replace both drives with [[url=http://="http://www.plextor…"]PLEXTOR PX716A[/]="http://www.plextor…"]PLEXTOR PX716A[/] It seems to spec out comparatively to their flagship Premium CD-R/RW and is bundled similarly, including PlexTools Professional-- just slightly slower on CD writing (48x vs 52x).
The big questions are: 1. Do Plextor's DVD drives share the Premium CD drives' reputation of, to borrow the immortal words of papa/mixandmaster, "almost good enough to burn a playable DVD on a paper plate?" :) 2. Would this DVD drive do as good a job at burning a CD as a http://www.plextor…"]PLEXTOR Premium CD-R drive[/]="http://www.plextor…"]PLEXTOR Premium CD-R drive[/]?
Thanks
--Bob
Comments
From the "horse's mouth..." From: Tech Support [mailto:techsupp
From the "horse's mouth..."
From: Tech Support [mailto:techsupport@…]
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2005 3:26 PM
To: stickjam
Subject: RE: CD BLER validation and PX-716Yes it does.
Plextor Technical Support -*
-----Original Message-----
From: stickjam
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2005 1:20 PM
To: Tech Support [mailto:techsupport@…]
Subject: CD BLER validation and PX-716I'm looking to pick up a PX-716 drive and have a question... Does it have the capability (through PlexTools Professional) to verify CDs and DVD's for errors? (BLER - C1, C2, etc)
Thanks
Well, now we know the newer drive does as well! 8) 8-)
In a follow up message regarding hidden tracks...
From: Tech Support [mailto:techsupport@…]
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2005 5:20 PM
To: stickjam
Subject: RE: CD BLER validation and PX-716
If you have software that will support copying the disc, we can burn enhanced CD’s.~~Plextor Technical Support
-----Original Message-----
From: stickjam
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2005 2:05 PM
To: Tech Support
Subject: RE: CD BLER validation and PX-716Thanks for the quick reply.
One other question... I'm told by other audio mastering pros that the Plextor Premium CD-R drives permit burning discs from Sony CD Architect 5 that have pre-Track-1 hidden tracks (part of the CD-Enhanced specification permitting Track-1/Index-1 to be placed somewhere else than the standard 2-second mark). Would the same be the case for the PX-716?
Thanks again
--Bob
Sounds like a winner! 8) I may be DVD-drive shopping this weekend! :)
--Bob
You can't loose with Plextor, it's a good drive. I don't use it
You can't loose with Plextor, it's a good drive. I don't use it for testing though. I have a clover analyzer that does far more and believe it or not, has paid for itself 3 times over in the fact that I don't have to tie up my system to test a CD. I can move on to the next project while I test my CD. That gives me 1 more billable hour per day, 5 days a week, 20 days a month etc... I also like the fact that another unit is testing the disk and not the one that burned it. But that being said, you can't beat the fact that plextor rocks and gives you the tools to rock with.
I have a 712-A that does a good job. The 716 might be the new
I have a 712-A that does a good job. The 716 might be the new model.
One of the "perks" is PlexTools Professional - Make SURE that the drive (A) has it bundled with it and (B) will read BLER (C1, C2, CU, etc.).
Ponders for a moment...
"Perk" is a bad word - For me, it's (PlexTools Pro) the sole reason for having the Plextor drives - The quality of the wirte is obviously important, but READING the quality of the write is paramount - At least when creating the final production master. There are a decent amount of good drives out there, but if I can't document the BLER, they're all worthless, no matter how good the writing quality.
Plextor just hit the nail on the head by creating a fantastic drive AND the ability to CONFIRM it.