Slot loading DVD-R drive

encode_dvd · May 20, 2003

Greetings all. Any news if Apple will update the slot loading DVD-R/CD-R drive in the laptops to something faster than 1x speed burning speed for DVD-R?

It's sad that the new Pioneer 106 drive has been announced for the desktop units but the laptops live in the past with 1x DVD-R burning.

ftaok · May 20, 2003

Notebook DVD burners will always lag behind desktop DVD burners. That's just the nature of the beast.

However, Apple's DVD burners will lag behing standard notebook DVD burners because Apple insists on using slot loading drives.

The Powerbook will get 2x DVD-R's when other notebooks get 4/6x DVD-RWs and desktops are at 16x.

Freg3000 · May 20, 2003

I think the next redesign of the PowerBook might see the end of slot loading optical drives. Apple just has to realize, that while slot loading is cool, it is simply less efficent. I hopt they go to tray loading at least. But they probably won't.

applemacdude · May 21, 2003

Originally posted by Freg3000
I think the next redesign of the PowerBook might see the end of slot loading optical drives. Apple just has to realize, that while slot loading is cool, it is simply less efficent. I hopt they go to tray loading at least. But they probably won't.

how is it less eficiant?

Laslo Panaflex · May 21, 2003

Yeah, slot loading is the wrong idea, but I think that the superdrive in the powerbook is limited to 1X becuase if the size of it (thiness). I haven't read of any other notebooks even having a dvd burner in them, but I am sure that they are out there. I don't know about the drives being less effienct, but DVDs that I have burned on a friends 15" PB had problems playing on some DVD players, while from my 2X superdive they just fine on the same DVD player. I used the same media and I even burned the disk at 1x speed on my tower and tower disk still worked fine. Maybe it was just my friends superdrive or me, but I didn't like the outcome when burning on a PB superdrive. But hey, its still pretty convient taking a PB like that on the road and burning a DVD whenever.

vniow · May 21, 2003

I happen to prefer slot-loading, especially on a notebook, when you're carrying an expensive thing like that around and it has a tray-loading optical drive, its easier for it to break off, with slot-loading all the mechanisms are internal so there's less of a chance of accidentally damaging the drive.

ftaok · May 22, 2003

Originally posted by applemacdude

how is it less eficiant?

Slot loading optical drives are less efficient in that tray loading ones will always be faster. When 2x slot loading DVDs become available, the tray loading ones will be at 4x or so.

ftaok · May 22, 2003

Originally posted by Laslo Panaflex
Yeah, slot loading is the wrong idea, but I think that the superdrive in the powerbook is limited to 1X becuase if the size of it (thiness). I haven't read of any other notebooks even having a dvd burner in them, but I am sure that they are out there. I don't know about the drives being less effienct, but DVDs that I have burned on a friends 15" PB had problems playing on some DVD players, while from my 2X superdive they just fine on the same DVD player. I used the same media and I even burned the disk at 1x speed on my tower and tower disk still worked fine. Maybe it was just my friends superdrive or me, but I didn't like the outcome when burning on a PB superdrive. But hey, its still pretty convient taking a PB like that on the road and burning a DVD whenever.

Actually, I thought that 2x slot-loading DVD-burners weren't available yet (or at least at a reasonable price). The issue regarding the thinness of the Powerbook was that they had to remove the RW laser from the drive so that the SuperDrive on the PowerBook is only a DVD-R.

Finiksa · May 22, 2003

Originally posted by ftaok
Actually, I thought that 2x slot-loading DVD-burners weren't available yet

The Mat****a UJ-815 DVD-R in the new Powerbooks will do 2x DVD-R, 2x DVD-RAM, 1x DVD-RW, 16x CD-R, 4x CD-RW.

Apple use their own firmware to limit the speed and as such reduce the heat generated by the drive in such a thin case (and no DVD-RW etc because they stupidly don't support the format)

Edit: Censoring Matshita that really is ludicrous.

ftaok · May 22, 2003

Originally posted by Finiksa
The Mat****a UJ-815 DVD-R in the new Powerbooks will do 2x DVD-R, 2x DVD-RAM, 1x DVD-RW, 16x CD-R, 4x CD-RW.

Apple use their own firmware to limit the speed and as such reduce the heat generated by the drive in such a thin case (and no DVD-RW etc because they stupidly don't support the format)

Edit: Censoring Matshita that really is ludicrous.

This is what I heard about the PowerBook's SuperDrives. Apple had to remove the laser (or use a different one) that enables DVD-RW to be read/written because the casing was too thin. So even though the drive can't do DVD-RW no matter what.

This is unlike the PowerMacs SuperDrives which can do DVD-RW even though Apple doesn't officially support it. The drive is physically capable of using DVD-RW, even with the standard Jaguar apps.

In regards to the speed reduction, I'll take your word for it.

pfranzen · May 23, 2003

noooo....

dont take away my slot loading drive...

Its sleek

And my towers are better for DVD authoring...

MacBandit · May 23, 2003

Originally posted by ftaok
This is what I heard about the PowerBook's SuperDrives. Apple had to remove the laser (or use a different one) that enables DVD-RW to be read/written because the casing was too thin. So even though the drive can't do DVD-RW no matter what.

This is unlike the PowerMacs SuperDrives which can do DVD-RW even though Apple doesn't officially support it. The drive is physically capable of using DVD-RW, even with the standard Jaguar apps.

In regards to the speed reduction, I'll take your word for it.

Well that's not totally true as the 17PB can in fact at least reburn DVD-RWs.

This is from Xlr8yourmac.com

Notes on PowerBook Superdrives and DVD-RW Support - In the past I've had reports that the PowerBook 12in and 15in model superdrives do not support DVD-RW media (even though the Mat****a UJ-815 standard specs note it does - however Apple has never to my knowledge noted DVD-RW support with any superdrive, even though the desktop superdrives have been reported to work with DVD-RW media since at least 10.1.0 and with Toast5.)
One reader with a PowerBook 12in was upset because he said the PB 17in (same drive model, but not sure about firmware version) supported DVD-RW media, even though the 12in and 15in PB models didn't. I wasn't sure about this (never had a PB G4 17in to try) so I wrote a reader with one to ask if he had tried DVD-RW discs:

"Hi Mike,
Yes I have tried a DVD-RW disc in my PB17 superdrive and I can confirm it works but there are limitations. The DVD-RW I used was not brand new, mine already had dat burned to it and finalised using Toast. The disc was then erased using quick erase in Toast and written to again successfully using the same Pioneer DVD-RW disc.

The specs on the Apple site does not specify any of this but then again it also does not mention that CD burn speeds reach 16x (which they do - toast confirms this and full 80 min CD burns take approx 4 to 4.5 mins)

I have read on various forums that brand new unwritten DVD-RW discs are not recognised by the superdrive - I have not tested this however.

For the record, my superdrive details are as follows in my System Profiler:

CD-RW/DVD-R:
Disc Burning : Fully supported.
Device Revision : DWDB (normally firmware version-Mike)
Product Identification : DVD-R UJ-815
Vendor Identification : MAT****A

Cheers, Paul"

Since the first use of this drive in PowerBooks, there's been may asking if there are any firmware updates that would enable support of media that Apple's OEM models don't. I don't know of any firmware updates (at least mac flasher versions) for this drive however. If anyone does let me know.

hugemullens · May 23, 2003

If i remember right when the 17 was announced it was advertised as being 2x. Apple apparently had problems burning at 2x while the computer was moving, so its limited to 1x in the firmware.

MacBandit · May 23, 2003

Originally posted by hugemullens
If i remember right when the 17 was announced it was advertised as being 2x. Apple apparently had problems burning at 2x while the computer was moving, so its limited to 1x in the firmware.

That was the unofficial story but I don't think there was ever confirmation from Apple.

I think that it has to do with movement and heat. I don't know why people are complaining. The last time I checked only Toshiba and Sony had DVD burners in there laptops and I don't know about now but when Sony released there's you could only burn while plugged in to a wall you couldn't do it from battery. I don't know about the requirements of the Toshiba but I know that all the current laptops with DVD burners can only burn at 1x also.

Schiffi · May 23, 2003

I type on my 15" with my right hand resting right on top of the DVDR slot. I can atest that after copying 4 cds it can get pretty hot (remember that copying required a dmg to be created first). Also is it just me or does the casing vibrate when playing music volume=max?

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