" New pricing on NewerTech Guardian MAXimus FW800/400+USB2 HARDWARE RAID 1 Mirror Solutions. Guardian MAXimus provides high performance, exceptional data protection, and plug and play via its Oxford924 based FireWire 800, FireWire 400, and USB 2.0 interface options. This solution is a hardware RAID 1 'Redundant Mirror' which automatically and real-time keeps your data backed up to protect against a hard disk failure. LED indicators on the front of the solution indicate the status of the two drives. And should a drive ever experience a malfunction, normal data operation continues seamlessly. If the malfunction if a recoverable 'soft' type, the Guardian MAXimus will rebuild the mirror (also without data interruption) automatically. If the disk failure requires a drive to be replaced, once the new drive is installed, the Guardian MAXimus will automatically rebuild the Mirror and without data interruption.

Offered in capacities of up to 1.0TB (1.0TB + 1.0TB Mirror), the Guardian MAXimus is a sleek, compact Aluminum design of only 9.0" Long x 2.8" Wide x 5.8" High. In addition to the benefits of Hardware RAID 1 Mirroring, these solutions are full certified for Audio/Video, Backup, Graphics, Music, General Data needs and more! With 2 x FW800 Ports, 1 x FW400 Port, 1 x USB 2.0/1.1 Port - units are fully Bootable and provide excellent access interface flexibility.
NewerTech Guardian MAXimus FW800/400+USB2 RAID 1 prices:

250GB + 250GB Mirror 7200RPM w/32MB total cache remains $319.99

320GB + 320GB Mirror 7200RPM w/32MB total cache NEW MODEL - $339.99

400GB + 400GB Mirror 7200RPM w/32MB total cache now $389.99 ($40 Drop)

500GB + 500GB Mirror 7200RPM w/32MB total cache now $429.99 ($70 Drop)

750GB + 750GB Mirror 7200RPM w/32MB total cache now $679.99 ($120 Drop)

1.0TB + 1.0TB Mirror 7200RPM w/64MB total cache now $1139.99 ($60 Drop)

150GB + 150GB Mirror 10,000RPM w/32MB total cache now $689.99 ($60 Drop)

0GB Kit - Build your own Guardian Mirror - $179.99

NewerTech Guardian MAXimus solutions 250GB to 1.0TB are covered by a 2 year warranty + up to an additional 3yrs warranty (for a total of 5 years) on the partner hard drive mechanisms used inside. 0GB Kit covered by 1 year NewerTech Warranty.
All models include FireWire 800 connecting cable, FireWire 400 Connecting Cable, USB 2.0 Connecting Cable, Intech HD Speedtools Utility Suite for Apple OS X, Prosoft DataBackup III (Full retail) for Apple OS X ($59 retail value), NovaStor NovaBackup (Full Retail) for Windows ($49 retail value), everything you need to plug and play and go.
Ground delivery within the 48 Continental states is $2.95 for any of the above solutions. 2nd Day Air delivery also available for $7.95 or less. "

" I have a Mac Pro Tower 2 x 3GHz with 4 GB RAM running 10.4.10.
I installed a Sony BWU-100A with 1.0e firmware in the second optical bay.

Over the last two days I have only managed to burn one successful dual layer Blu Ray disk (TDK 2X), on my first try and have had four others fail with the same error since.

"Sense Key = UNIT ATTENTION
Sense Code = 0x29
POWER ON, RESET, OR BUS DEVICE RESET OCCURRED"

I've tried both drives as cable select, and both Master/Slave combinations, with no effect.

I am using Toast 8.0.1 and attempting a "Data Disk" with 45GB of information. It fails within the first 20% each time.
-Robert"

If anyone else using this drive has seen this problem or has a fix, let me know.
I asked some questions:

• Does the same error happen if the Sony drive is the -only- drive connected? (i.e. use it as CS or Master alone, without the other optical drive connected)
• The error message does not sound like it's media related but does the problem happen with other types of media?
• Is there any later firmware for the drive? (if you have Bootcamp/Windows installed to update it - as I don't think there's any drive updaters for OS X for this drive)

Update: Rob replied that using the drive alone does solve the problem:

" Mike, Thanks for all the info, help and suggestions. I put the drive in a PC and flashed it with the latest firmware available from Sony when I first got it. (1.0e) I did that before I ever put the drive in my Mac. I am NOT an EyeTV user so that's not a problem. (Referring to my general comments on Toast 8.0.1 feedback from the past below) It comes up as a Sony drive when I use system profiler, so I think it actually is produced by Sony. (BTW - They can use another OEM MFR's drive and just have the firmware changed to list their brand/model number as has been done in the past.-Mike)

SUCCESS, disconnecting the other optical drive and just having the BD drive connected as Master has solved my problems.
(Just for the record I asked Rob if the other optical drive had a disc inserted in it during the original tests or was used in any way. )
At no other time, during any of my unsuccessful attempts did I have any other disk in the other optical drive. In fact, for the most part, the computer was left un-touched during the failed burns, no other applications were open.

A 45GB data disk takes 90 minutes to burn when the orginal data is on my desktop.

At some point when I'm feeling adventurous I will purchase some differant brand of media and re-connect my other optical drive and see what happens, but for now I'm up and running.

I would strongly suggest others stay away from this drive for the time being, there is corporate policy were I work about who I can purchase from, and this drive and media are the only ones available from our vendors at this time. I would have loved to have gotten the Panasonic drive.
Thanks again, Rob "

As a FYI to those that are not daily readers, when Toast 8 was first released there were some posts here that the preferred Blu-Ray drive model was a Panasonic SW-5582 (at least at that time) based on discussions at MWNY and past reports on the web on issues with some other models. (And I thought I recall some comments from the past that some sony BR drives were made by someone else -but can't recall the details now.)
BTW - there were also some reports earlier this year at the main site from some readers that had problems with EyeTV recordings (and some FW ext. Drives IIRC) after the Toast 8.0.1 update. (The FW drive owner removed the BR extension IIRC, but the EyeTV user said he reverted back to Toast 8.0.0)

"Digital TV for All Your Macs
Now you can watch free digital over-the-air or cable TV from all the Macs in your home or office. The HDHomeRun for Mac is an unique centralized digital TV tuner that connects to your Ethernet network, and can be shared by any Mac using the included EyeTV software. Thanks to its dual tuners, two users can be watching or recording different programs at the same time.
Because the HDHomeRun is a network device, you don't need to have an antenna or cable TV outlet near your computer. You just locate the HDHomeRun tuner wherever you have a convenient antenna or cable outlet and connect it to your network.

HDHomeRun for Mac is powered by award-winning EyeTV digital TV recording software:

Watch digital television on your Mac.

Watch and record live TV simultaneously or watch two channels.

Picture-in-Picture.

Rewind, fast-forward, and pause live TV.

Browse EyeTV menus in Full Screen mode.

Record hours of favorite TV shows directly on a Mac's hard drive and edit out unwanted content.

Find TV shows using the built-in Program Guide.

Store your collection on an external drive, or burn it to disc.

Export TV clips and entire episodes to an iPod, iPhone or AppleTV.

And much more...

System Requirements for HDHomeRun hardware:

100/1000base-T Ethernet network

TV antenna and/or digital cable connection for EyeTV

A Macintosh computer with 500 MHz G4 or higher processor (dual-processor G5 or Intel Core 2 Duo recommended for playing HD content).

512 MB of RAM.

Internet connection required to use the integrated electronic program guide. (Program guide not available in Canada)

A CD/DVD recorder and Toast Titanium (version 7 or 8) software is required to create DVDs, SVCDs or Video CDs. (not included). "

" Hi Mike, I always noticed that people are searching for Nokia iSync plugins. Well Nokia Europe has finally released a Mac Specific Media Transfer App plus they have added more iSync plugins that are not available in the US yet but work just as well. Just thought I would pass this along.
See http://europe.nokia.com/A4423133
(Their USA site has been updated now with the software at: http://www.nokia.com/A4423133-Mike)
below is a copy of their copy
-Derek

Download Nokia Media Transfer 1.0 Beta
The Nokia Media Transfer application enables you to transfer pictures, videos, podcasts, music, and files between your Nokia mobile device and your Mac.

Note: This is a Beta version of the Nokia Media Transfer application. Please keep in mind that beta means that this application is a work in progress. For this reason, Nokia cannot give any guarantees or warranties concerning its use, and our customer care is not able to assist you should you encounter any problems during its installation or use. The terms for using this application are displayed during the download process. "

Click on the iSync sidebar link there for a scrolling list with iSync 2.4 Plugin Downloads for E50, E60, E61i, E65, E90 Communicator, N75, N76, N93i, N95, 5700 ExpressMusic, 6110 Navigator, 6290. (Many models in the list have notes on native support in 10.4.9 (i.e. E61,E62, N70, N71, N72, N73, N80, N90, N91, N93...) I remember posting a link to free Nokia iSync plugins earlier this year from a reader mail (as one company had been selling plugins for some models).
A reader replied to this post with comments on the Nokia software:

" FWIW I have a new Nokia N75, and have been successfully utilizing all features of both Nokia's iSync plug-in and the "Nokia Media Transfer" app, via both Bluetooth and USB, on my Powerbook G4 10.4.10.
They are an absolute godsend.
Mark in Seattle"

Blu-Ray Drives:
• IDE Sony BWU-100A in Mac Pro (OS X 10.4.10)
  (noted problems burning BR discs using Toast 8.01 - see above news item. Fixed by using the drive alone on the optical drive bus)
  
  DVD+R/RW + DVD-R/RW Drives:
• IDE LG GSA-H55N in Mac Pro (OS X 10.4.10)
  (added as 2nd drive. Mentioned drive didn't work in Ext. cases. Noted updating firmware via Bootcamp/XP.)
• USB (cased) Lite-On LH-20A1H used w/iMac intel-CPU (OS X 10.4.10)
  (noted would not write to DVD+R discs, although not normally needed in 10.4.x, suggested he check ASP's media support list for the drive try installing a Patchburn 4 profile.)
• IDE SerialATA Card connected (ext. SATA cased) Pioneer DVR-212D (SATA) used with (Digital Audio) G4 Dual CPU tower (OS X 10.4.10)
• Firewire (cased) Panasonic/Matshita SW-9574-C in G4 Dual CPU tower (OS X 10.4.10)
  (drive also supports DVD-RAM/carts. Copies of report filed under Panasonic (parent company) and Matshita, as drive is reported as Matshita in ASP)
  
  Hard Drives:
• IDE Seagate ST3160815A 160GB in iMac G4 (OS X 10.4.x)
  (iMac G4 15in take-apart article here)

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). The database includes reports on DVD +/-R, CDRWs, Combo DVD-CDRW, DVD-ROM, Hard Drives and Removables (tape drive, ORB, ZIP, MO drives, NAS, CF/Smartmedia readers, etc.) in all interface types (IDE, IDE RAID cards, SATA, Firewire, SCSI, USB, adapters).
If you've added a IDE, SATA, Firewire, USB, or SCSI, hard drive, Optical drive/burner, NAS (including Airport Extreme base connected USB drive), tape drive, etc., send me the details (drive info/mac model/OS used, etc. - *Please take a minute to test for booting from CD with Optical drives*. Thanks.)

• TiVo HD review (Cnet)
• Personal Audio Link iPod Adapter Now Available on (some) GM Vehicles (GM)
• As promised last month, Apple finally lists AppleCare for the iPhone
• Quanta Mum on iPhone, Dell Smart Phone Orders
• iPhone Helps Give AT&T a Boost (but the CBS evening news and page 2 of their DOW takes a hit story mentions AT&T reported fewer activations of Apple's iPhone than analysts expected, and Apple stock down $8.81 share, worst drop in years although it's still over $130 a share.)
• IEEE Group Settles on Faster Ethernet Plans
• Mozilla Admits Firefox Has Same Flaw as IE
• VMWare Rivals Challenge its Benchmark Tool
• Apple investors await iPhone numbers
• Quick Tip of the Week: Capturing Screen Shots (Apple)
• Apple Store to Begin Charging Entrance Fee (parody site BBspot)
• Think you know games/game systems? Try this Quiz
• Symantec warns of Wii flaw
• Hot property -- Web domain names (CNN)

• iTunes Store reporting error - 3259
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• iLife: Alert message appears when attempting to share media between applications
• Final Cut Pro: Error 12 message when performing Media Manager operation on clip with long file name
• .Mac: Email sent to a .Mac address is delayed or returns with "452" error
• What is the wattage specification for iPod Hi-Fi? (not given)
• iTunes for Windows: Error -39 When You Try to Download Purchased Music
• Removing iTunes, QuickTime, and other software components for Windows XP