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My PX-708A doesn't read some of my old CDs. Why?

PostPosted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:56 am
by dima_plus
Hello!
The problem is in subject. The history is: I had an ordinal CD-ROM from Mitsumi, then I upgraded to DVD-ROM (NEC 5800C), until it gave up (stopped to read DVDs, and soon CDs also). So I had to buy some new device for reading and maybe for writing DVDs because prices for DVD writers are now much more close to readers then it was some two-three years ago. So I decided to buy something not too fast but very reliable and with good writing quality. Was I wrong or not but I decided to take Plextor PX-708A thou it's not too new model, but enough stable and not very expensive. In most cases I'm happy with it but time to time I encounter some problems that make me guessing, what is the source of them - my PX-708A or my disks. Namely it doesn't want to read two of my old CDs. On one of them not all files seen, the second is not recognized at all. These CDs could be read fine on my work ASUS CD-ROM. These disks have unknown origin, I mean I do not know whether they are pressed or burned with something like Nero (I suspect they are burned). If they are burned than with big probability on some cheap media.
Anybody encountered similar problems on their Plextors? Somebody could give me a hint, why Plextor does not read them correctly but other CD-ROMs could? Which additional checks Plextor does to make sure disk is Ok while recognizing it? Maybe a reason is in these disks not following some standards which is not too important for other CD/DVD readers but matters for Plextor? Can anybody give me links to some technical information on this? I asked this question to Plextor and they gave me very short reply: "Laser strength or burn characteristics on the media". This answer is as good as short but doesn't clarify the main question I'd like to get the answer to: are my problems due to fastidiousness of my Plextor to cheap disks or this is a real problem of my particular drive?
Please share you opinions.
Thanks!

PostPosted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:09 pm
by dodecahedron
do you still have your Asus CD-ROM?
if so, what does Nero InfoTool (download from http://www.cdspeed2000.com) say about these CDs when you put them in the Asus drive? (Disc tab).
if these are low-quality CDRs burned long ago (disc might be scratched etc) then readablity is problematic, and it varies from drive to drive. could be that your Plextor isn't too good at reading badly-burned/scratched CDs.
as far as i know Asus CD-ROMs are pretty good drives.