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Pioneer DVR-104 - dust problem?
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metwo
Junior Member
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1. June 2003 @ 23:43 |
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Why they put a fan on the back of my DVD Writer, I will never know. Anyway, I was starting to have some write problems with DVD-R (not DVD-RW, curiously enough those work fine)...
I now see what looks like dust shadows on the recorded media and once even a fingerprint, so I dissassembled the case and blew it out with a can of air spray, and even opened the drive and did the same.
I still get these shadow areas that are clearly caused by the occasional dust particle, and these darker areas cause skips during playback. I'm pretty sure the cause is dust, but there isn't much left inside. Is the laser not recording strongly enough? Should I try one of those CD-R cleaners with the fuzzy disc?
Is this just another Pioneer problem? I can't even mess with the drivers because this is a Sony VAIO box and the Pioneer flashes won't take.
I forgot to mention - Of all the DVD-R's I've tried since that worked successfully, only Maxell DVD-R still read back properly, even though I occasionally see the spots on them.
Thanks!
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 1. June 2003 @ 23:46
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Discmania
Senior Member
2 product reviews
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4. June 2003 @ 16:43 |
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It sounds as though it is not dust but the discs you are using. Dust will not cause dark patches but a problem with the disc in this way will render it near useless. The dye on the recording surface of most discs is a solid purple so if this is not the case and you see patches or a blemish then the discs are faulty. Don't forget that once you have burned a disc the dye that has been burnt turns a lighter shade than the surrounding edges but this should still be a smoothe circle and not tarnished in any way. Hope that helps.
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metwo
Junior Member
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8. June 2003 @ 03:44 |
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Thanks for your suggestion - I am still perplexed about this problem. I bought a new Pioneer DVR-105 and still have somewhat similar issues.
I believe the dark areas, which appear as streaks, blobs or similar really are the shadows of dust. I have seen the occasional fiber and when I wipe it away, there is a similar shaped dark area beneath it.
Even opening a new DVD in the sealed container if you turn it over and look, there will frequently be dust particles attached to the surface of the disk adhered by static. I've tried blowing off the tray and the disc with compressed air and so forth, but I can't get reliable writing. I've tried various media, brand name (Memorex, TDK, Sony) or cheap (Optimum, KHypermedia, CompUSA specials). The Maxell DVD-R seems to work pretty well, problem is, I can't find them anywhere locally. DVD-RW seems to work OK.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 8. June 2003 @ 03:44
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AfterDawn Addict
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8. June 2003 @ 17:44 |
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Be careful using any sort of cleaning products on the laser lense itself. Apart from scratching the glass, you could actually put the lense out of focus. However, you compressed air method is relatively safe compared to alcohol and spinning brush methods used by cleaning disks.
Dust doesnt tend to be too much of a problem with DVD Writers. The cleaner the better obviously, but only within reason. Try using Ritek G04. Your problem does sound to be more like disk problems. Say you have bought Princo. Look for the batch code. If its H01..., H02..., H03... or H05... It may be a bad batch. If you buy Princo, try and stick with the H04... or even better the H06... batch media. H06... is made in a factory purposely built for DVD R media. The others are converted CD-R factories.
Princo have become quite a big player in the market through sheer number of discs available. While there were delivery problems with Ritek because of slower production, Princo kind of threw everything to the wind and mass produced discs without doing as much product verification and validation. Thus, some poorer batches where produced.
Just always be aware...they are watching us....
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Tosca
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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9. June 2003 @ 13:24 |
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Doubtful this is a dust problem but rather it is a problem of cheap media. What are you using?
I've never had a problem burning using quality media.
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metwo
Junior Member
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9. June 2003 @ 20:44 |
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Hi Tosca, Thanks for your interest. I had posted this above, but concerning the media types:
I've tried various media, brand name
Memorex DVD-RW (100% ok on DVDR-104 & 105)
Maxell DVD-R (OK but hard to find. I can sometimes see spots on these after writing but they don't glitch or stutter)
TDK DVD-R (Mixed results)
Sony DVD-R (1 for 1 ok with the DVR-105. Need more testing)
I also tried some DVD-R cheapies (Optimum, KHypermedia, CompUSA specials). These initially worked well on the 104, but now I see problems writing after a few months use. The Optimum give occasional problems on the new 105
This PC runs 24 hours (also as a home theater PC) about 12" off the floor.
I am thinking about returning the Pioneer 105 and getting a Cendyne multiformat. It would be $299 brick & mortar retail, but maybe it doesn't have a fan?
Thanks!
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 9. June 2003 @ 20:45
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metwo
Junior Member
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14. June 2003 @ 15:37 |
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Everything I have found is pointing towards a dust problem. After a recent burn in the new DVR-105 drive, I found a speck of dust on the disk, and when I brushed it away, a dark shadow beneath in the same shape.
I have tried blowing out the computer outdoors, blowing out the drive, blowing off the disks before they are used, but there is always some amount of dust present. When I take a disk out of its sealed cellophane and inspect it carefully, I can see a speck or two of dust on it.
I am thinking I may have to get an external DVD drive and keep it in a plastic bag. It's the only way I can think to avoid this dust problem!
Pioneer's practice of putting a fan on the back of these drives is exacerbating things. It pulls airflow through the box into the drive and deposits it all over everything.
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AfterDawn Addict
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14. June 2003 @ 17:10 |
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You could have dust underneath the actual lense itself when it was being fitted to the laser. Thats quite a big problem and usually involves the laser being replaced. However, it is quite rare for it to happen
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