the thing i dig about the masterlink is you can preview it before you burn it to disk which includes checking levles and pre view hearing the conversion so the 20 gig drive does wonders for storing takes til you burn your hottest mix without wasting cdrs!

(Dead Link Removed)

HB

Is anyone using the Plextor PlexWriter Premium-U - CD-RW on OS X?

mark4man wrote: OK...Do the mastering house favorites (CD-RW2000, Masterlink, etc.) offer any distinct advantage (in burning for CD-R pre-master) over high end external consumer burners (Plextor, TEAC, etc.)...

...in the quality of the written CD-R (not device features, but burn quality in general)

Thanks,

mark4man

The Plextor PlexWriter Premium is the mastering house favorite exactly because of the quality of the burn. I would struggle to think of one M.E. that doesn't use that drive on a regular basis. Well, maybe one...

Most places (mine included) have the ML's and what not for playback - Not for processing. Burns are reseverd for the Plextors.

Massive & beachhunt,

Thanks.

Yeah...I'm sold. Trying to find one (Plextor Premium) now...they're not exactly a CompUSA or BestBuy stock item.

mark4man

Really?

Any decent online shop then - NewEgg.com is one of my faves, but almost any of them have it.

John S.,

I've been looking for the PlexWriter Premium-U...the external USB model...& believe me...nobody has these (including NewEgg.) Apparently, the Premiums have been discontinued. I can't even get thru to sales at Plextor for a confirmation. I may have found one at CD.ROM.HQ...won't know 'till I call to see if they're actually still in stock.

Thanks,

mark4man

http://www.unityelectronics.com/product-product_id/2315

zemlin,

That's the internal drive [E-IDE (ATAPI.)] They're still available as new (&; I may have to go that route...although I've always been leery of burning in the box, so to speak.) But I'm actually looking for the external drive [USB], the Premium-U.

Interestingly, I heard back from Plextor today; & they're telling me that their new DVD drive (PX-716UF) offers all the advantages of their Premium CD-RW drives. I'm not so sure, as lasers are implemented differently in DVD drives with respect to CD writing.

Have no idea which way to go now...I suppose I need to research the DVD burner further.

Thanks,

mark4man

mark4man,

I'm in the same position as you. I've been looking for the Plextor Plexwriter Premium-U. But with no luck. Did you ever find one?
Has your research on the new DVD drive (PX-716UF) turned up any info?

Also, is the internal plexwriter premium any different from the from the external one? (Besides the fact that its internal of course) Is the quality of the burn between internal and external one the same?

Johnjm22,

Did you ever find one?

No...the run-of-the-mill internet resellers I had lined up turned out to be BSr's (claiming to have the external available...but then of course being out of stock.)

I went with an internal, which I drove to Radnor, PA to pick up (at Micro Center, an authorized Plextor reseller.) (I'm in the Trenton, NJ area...& it only took a half hour.)

Has your research on the new DVD drive (PX-716UF) turned up any info?

Yeah...a support tech at Plextor told me not to go there. Just as I thought, the laser config is implemented differently. For CD-A pre-masters, CD-RW's are the best route (save for Exabyte)...&; in our case, the Plextor Premium is the premier choice of mastering houses & project studios alike.

is the internal plexwriter premium any different from the external one? (Besides the fact that its internal of course) Is the quality of the burn between internal and external one the same?

No difference. Same animal in a different case. We're better off with the internal anyway. Most CD-RW's are mfg.'s as E-IDE (ATAPI); & then adapted to USB external via a bridge chipset. Included software is also identical (& PlexTools is just tremendous.)

My dilemma had been that I already had 4 devices attached to both IDE channels (primary & secondary.) So all I did was give up the cheapo DVD/CD combi drive that came with the PC...unplugged that & plugged in the Premium...was even able to leave it (the Premium) jumpered default, as a Master.

On the internal, the mfg.'s model # you're looking for is: PX-Premium/SW. But be careful of the add-on designations. I found a PX-Premium/SW-BL...which was "Black"...which was also ideal for me. May not be the case for you (no pun intended.) They also had a PX-Premium/SW-B, which was I believe "Beige"...& the straight SW is I think "Silver". But I'm not sure, so check (if color matters.)

Get the internal...you won't find an external anywhere. You'll plop down your credit card # only to find the supply house empty. Look on the Plextor site for local authorized resellers.

Good luck,

mark4man

Thank you very much for the informative reply. 8-)

'solrite.