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News stories of April 7th, 2004: (later posted items first) |
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| Pioneer DVR-107/A07 Firmware 1.13 |
Bryan sent a note that Pioneer has posted a 1.13 firmware update for the DVR-107/A07 DVD burner at their DVR-107 support/downloads page. (Note: Pioneer has separate pages for DVR-107 and DVR-A07, but the drives are reported as the same "DVR-107D" model and the download file links are same on both pages.)
Before posting this I removed my DVR-107D drive from the G5 here and installed it in my OWC Firewire case (removing my Plextor PX-708A drive) and flashed it to 1.13 (was 1.12) using a Windows XP notebook.
The Pioneer page notes "Frimware update 1.13 improves recording quality" but I hoped it would allow selecting faster than 4x burn rates in Toast with some TDK DVD+R 4x rated discs (which show up to 8x rates with my PX-708A and up to 6x rates with an NEC ND-2500A drive - although actual burn rates are less.) No such luck - as even with 1.13 Toast reports only 4x max rates with these discs in the 107D. If anyone else updates to 1.13 and sees any improvements let me know.
(Note: The FAQ's DVD section tip on fixing unsupported ID DVR-107Ds includes links to the rpc1.org site modified firmware, but the last time I checked there they had mod versions based on 1.10. That may soon change though.)
This is the 2nd time in a week I've done this swap routine which is getting old, but Pioneer has not released a mac flasher since the DVR-105 model, and that one required rebooting to OS 9 to run. I had a bit of a scare at first after putting the drive back in the G5 tower - it was not recognized at all/didn't see any optical drive. I suspected a cable connection (Power or IDE) loose so I took it out and checked the cable connections and tried again - still
not recognized. I then put it back in the FW case - recognized ok.
Reinstalled it again double checking the connector seating and Y cable connections (Y power cable required as I'm powering the Verfax G03 fan on my OEM 9800 Pro) and all seems OK. And for those that asked - it's still reported as natively support in 10.3.3. (Did not change the "DVD-RW" ID. Some rare DVR-107D drives had "DVD RW" IDs and are not natively supported in 10.3.3 - see FAQ's DVD section for tips on that.)
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| ATI Displays 4.2 includes 9200 PCI card logo |
At MWSF 2004 ATI had a 128MB PCI Mac card based on the 9000 series graphics chip running at their booth. I've had several readers ask about this card since posting that info back in January, but no official product announcement yet from ATI. However the reader that did the patches to the ATI 4.2 Displays for the OEM 9800 Pro and 9600 Pro cards recently posted a note that the 4.2 ATI displays contains the ID/logo of the new card:
"
While digging throught the newly released ATI Displays 4.2 (figuring out how to make it work with my OEM card), I came across this graphic.
http://www.etracer.net/graphics/radeon_9200_pci.gif
It's in a resource file containing logo graphics for all the rest of the Mac ATI cards that the ATI Displays application supports.
It can be found in the Contents/Resources/en.lproj/Localized.rsrc file
inside the ATI Displays package.
Looks like we'll soon be seeing a PCI Radeon 9200.
Etracer"
Rumor has it the card will be priced similarly to the existing 7000 PCI card model but only time will tell. I'm planning on replacing my older PCI Radeon card in the B&W G3 with one of these when it's available.
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| OWC Price cuts on Firewire/USB Hard Drives and 8x DVD Burners |
| (email from sponsor OWC - updated)
"
OWC Mercury Elite Pro FireWire 400+USB2 Combo Solutions. These include all cables, Dantz Retrospect Backup, Intech HD Speedtools, & pretested/loaded with free software. 2 Year OWC Warranty:
250GB 5400RPM was $279.99, now $269.99
40GB 7200RPM 2MB remains $136.99
80GB 7200RPM 2MB remains $149.99
120GB 7200RPM 2MB remains $179.99
120GB 7200RPM 8MB was $199.99, now $189.99
160GB 7200RPM 8MB was $219.99, now $209.99
200GB 7200RPM 8MB was $279.99, now $249.99
250GB 7200RPM 8MB was $309.99, now $299.99
OWC Neptune FireWire 400. These include all cables, Dantz Retrospect Backup, Intech HD Speedtools, &
pretested/loaded with free software. 1 Year OWC Warranty:
40GB 7200RPM 2MB remains $99.99
60GB 7200RPM 2MB remains $109.99
80GB 7200RPM 2MB was $119.99, now $115.99
120GB 7200RPM 2MB remains $149.99
160GB 7200RPM 2MB was $179.99, now $159.99
200GB 7200RPM 8MB was $219.99, now $199.99
250GB 7200RPM 8MB was $279.99, now $259.99
Firewire/USB 8x DVD Burners
OWC Mercury Firewire+USB2 8X DVD-+R/RW,24X CD-R/RW was $239.99, now $199.99
OWC Neptune FireWire 8X DVD-+R/RW, 24X CD-R/RW was $229.99, now $189.95
Both feature the Pioneer DVR-107 Mechanism and include 5 pieces of 4X DVD-R
Media in jewel, 25 pieces 52X CD-R media, all cables, Dragonburn Authoring
Software, and a 1 Year OWC Warranty.
Best Regards,
Lawrence R. O'Connor
Other World Computing
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| Reader Request - Any 7300-9600 Owners using a Serial ATA PCI controller card? |
A reader asked I post a request to see if any older PCI Mac owners (i.e. 7300 to 9600 models or clones) had used a PCI Serial ATA controller card like the Firmtek model and if so have you seen any issues with it. (Compatibility problems or stuttering Audio on playback from connected drives, etc.)
I searched the drive upgrade db here (selecting only "IDE Serial ATA PCI Card" as the interface - leaving other fields blank) and to date there's only reports from B&W G3 and later Mac models.
If any older Mac owner (pre-Beige G3) has used a Mac Serial ATA PCI Card, please either write me or better yet, post a report in the Drive Upgrade database. (Entry page linked on the db search page.)
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| Problem report on Radeon 7000 w/ATI 4.2 Displays Update and PCI Quartz Extreme enabled |
| (Update - Several other 7000 card owners replied to this post saying they were using ATI 4.2 displays w/PCI Quartz Extreme enabled OK - most were running 10.3.3 but one noted using 10.2.8. The reader that originally reported the problem later sent a note that he solved the problem by manually enabling Quartz Extreme.)
"
... just wondering if anyone else is having the
problems I'm having with the ATI Radeon Update.
I have a Beige G3 with a Radeon7000 PCI edition running 10.2.8. And I applied the (ATI Displays 4.2) update then when I restarted, the computer would get to loading the LoginWindow.app (i sshed in so I could tell that was the last thing loaded), but seemed to freeze there. (there were many past reports of long delays at the starting loginwindow during boot under 10.3.2 - a tip for fixing that is in the FAQ's OS X section-Mike) So I had to reformat (!) and
reinstall to get it working.
When I was reinstalling software I
installed the ATI Update, restarted...installed PCI Extreme so I can
have Quartz Extreme. When I restarted, same problem where it dies at LoginWindow.app. So I was wondering if anyone knows why PCI Extreme is causing these problems or if anyone else are having similar problems?
Thanks, Bob
(He later wrote)
I actually got my Beige to work with Quartz Extreme. Instead of using
PCIExtreme I just edited the one file. (How to manually enable Quartz Extreme for PCI Radeon cards is at the bottom of the originally article from 2002 here on Quartz Extreme with PCI Radeon cards) And now I have Quartz Extreme,
which let me tell you really makes a difference...
Thanks again, Bob
"
I wonder if his verion of PCI Extreme (utility) wasn' t up-to-date. (I assume some other owners used it vs hand editing the file.)
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| Rate Your CPU Upgrade Reports Database Updated |
| The Rate Your CPU Upgrade database has been updated with 3 new reports this morning (entries from Tuesday; entries today are added the next newsday morning). Total to date: 9,277. Here's a summary of the new reports added today (search by brand/mac model for full reports - latest reports always shown first):
- Giga Designs G4 1.4GHz in (Sawtooth) G4/AGP (rated 10)
- Other World Computing G4 1.467GHz in (Quicksilver) G4/AGP (rated 9)
- Other World Computing G4 1.33GHz in (Gigabit) G4/AGP (rated 9)
(My reviews of G4 and G3 upgrades w/apps/game tests, install info, etc. are linked on the CPU upgrades page. OC/CPU module articles are on the Systems page.)
(Warning - Overclocking may not be reliable and could lead to hardware failure or corrupted data.) You can find the full reports by searching the database selecting the indicated Mac model and upgrade card brand/type. If you've upgraded the CPU on your Mac, please post an entry in the database. Search the database for entries from most every upgradable Mac model *before* you buy. (Searchable by mac model/upgrade brand). For detailed reviews with performance tests and install tips, see the CPU Upgrades page.)
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| CDRW/CD/DVD/Hard Drive/Cardreader Compatibility Database Update Listing |
| The Drive Compatibility Database had 3 new reports added (reader entries from Tuesday; entries today are added the next newsday morning. Entries with no comments are not posted). The database includes reports on Combo DVD-CDRW, CDROMs, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD+R, CDRW, Hard Drives and Removables (tape drive, ORB, ZIP, MO drives, CF/Smartmedia readers, etc.) in all interface types (IDE, IDE RAID cards, Firewire, SCSI, USB, adapters). Current total 12,842 reports. (searching by drive type/brand, mac model etc. listed below will show the full reports, most recent first)
DVD-R + DVD-RAM Drives:
- IDE Matshita UJ-815A in PowerBook G4 (OS X 10.3)
(using OWC supplied iApps burn support profile. Another option
for unsupported drives is Patchburn II for Panther.)
DVD+R/RW + DVD-R/RW Drives:
- Firewire TDK Indi DVD 880N (8x) used w/iMac G4 (OS X 10.3)
(no native iapps burn support - using edited TDK 840N profile)
- IDE Pioneer DVR-106D in Dual G4 (OS X 10.3)
(Illustrated CD drive install guide here covers G4 towers up to the Digital Audio Model, Beige G3 MiniTower and B&W G3 Macs)
You can find full owner reports (latest shown first) by searching the database by drive/brand/interface/mac models (the latest reports are shown first in searches).
For guides to installing CD/CDRW/DVD drives or Hard drives in many mac models, see the IDE Articles page. The Firewire articles page also has guides on case kits, installing drives, etc.
If you've added a IDE, SCSI, Firewire or USB hard drive, CDRW, tape drive, etc. make sure you add a report to the database. (If you post an updated entry - make sure you use the same name, etc. as you did before so I can find your past entry. Thanks.)
(Incomplete entries are deleted. Do not post questions in the database, it's for drive reports not questions on what drive to buy - for that try searching the database for reports from owners of your mac model on the drive type/brand/interface, etc. you're interested in.)
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