Can Philips DVD8601 write DVD+R media?

CD, DVD and (Ultra HD) Blu-ray Writers BenQ / Philips Writer
#1

Hey all,
I bought the Dell Dimension 4600 with the Philips DVD8601 burner.
It did burn successfully DVD+RW media.
A few days ago I tried to burn DVD+R media with no luck. So I got here and I read that I can crossflash it to the Benq DVD DW1620, and so I did (thanks guys, that was cool). Now that I have the benq firmware (B7K9, but I tried others too) I can’t burn or read any DVD, not even the DVD+RW that I could read/write with the philips firmware. So, thinking I had a hardware problem, I wrote to Dell and here is what I got:

[Dell]
I understand that you are experiencing issues with dvdrw drive.

Mr. * I wish to explain that the dvdrw drive shipped along with
your system is not capable of reading and writing DVD+R media.

Refer to the link:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/storage/1J322/en/specs.htm

The above link refers to “Specifications: Philips DVD+RW User’s Manual”

Therefore you cannot write a DVD+R media.
[/Dell]

So, the question is, am I missing something? Can I write DVD+R media? (if anyone from Dell reads it, sorry for not trusting you guys…)
And if I can’t, how can I go back to the Philips 8601 firmware?

Again, thanks,

LC
#2

Welcome :wink:

This sounds kind’a strange. You say you have a Philips DVD8601 which is indeed a OEM BenQ DW16xx drive.
Then, Dell support is refering to the three years old DVD+RW-DO1 drive… :confused:

First, make sure you really have a Philips DVD8601 drive by reading the label on drive.
Second, read the upgrade/ crossflash posts again. Maybe you should first upgrade to BenQ DW1600 and check all functions before converting to DW1620…

:slight_smile:

#3

Hi.

I recently got a DELL, a 4700, and it has a Philips 8631…which I easily flashed 2 BenQ1620. The faceplate on my drive is just like an OEM BenQ (which I also have): no logo on the left side.

  • MJ
#4

Hi guys, thanks for the welcome :slight_smile:

I’m not sure which DVD I have. I just checked everywhere and I can’t see any logo or something that remineds Phlips or Benq. When I got it from Dell WinXP said it’s Philips 8601, so after reading here a bit I just assumed I have the Benq.

On the front at the left side it says just “compact disc, ultra speed, ReWritable” and on the right “RW DVD+R DL”, and nothing special on the back of it.
How can I know for sure the type of my DVD?

pinto2, I did upgrade first to the 1600 and then to the 1620. Actually I upgraded first to the generic type (ATAPI something), and then to those two.
BTW, what do you mean by “read the upgrade/ crossflash posts”?

Thanks guys,

LC

#5

Crossflashing refers to turning your Philips into a BenQ and/or an OEM BenQ into a retail Pro one.

  • MJ
#6

Oh, and what pinto prolly means is remove ure drive from the case and see what the label on the top of the drive says…it’ll say Philips or something or maybe DW1600, and manufacture date, location, etc.

  • MJ
#7

OK MJ, now I really feel like an amateur, I tried to get the drive out of the case, but I couldn’t :frowning:
8 years ago they made those things easier.
How do I get rid of the front plastic thing? is there another way to know the type of my drive?

#8

On my case, there are CLIPS after you take off the side panel.

Depress them, and it’ll come right off.

Sorry I don’t have a digicam or I could show you exactly. I’m not a huge Dell fan, but it’s super easy to take off the case, much easier than my old case.

  • MJ
#9

Refer to the user guide, page 76. The whole front panel of the case will need to be remove first. Then just pull the drive out. There are two screws which are really only “alignment screws” so you don’t need to unscrew it first.

#10

This is from p. 69 of my User Guide…

Cheers,

Jie


#11

Nice Ma Jie, you got a 4700 with free LCD I supposed… :smiley:

#12

Something like that…I got a really, really good deal on it. :wink:

Cheers,

MJ

#13

Thanks!
OK, so it is much easier :o (that’s suppose to be embarrassment)
I got the Philips, it says:
PHILIPS DVD+R/+RW DVD8601
Also, the fine prints says “BENQ Corporation”.
So, I guess I need to go back to my original firmware? :frowning: if I do, how can I do that? cause I already looked for the original firmware and got nothing.
Is it true what the Dell guy said, that I can’t read and write DVD+R media? after all, it says on the drive DVD+R…

BTW zevia, thanks for the “alignment screws” tip, but somehow I got it off the first time I opened it, not sure how, don’t ask :slight_smile:

And again, thank you all!

LC

#14

Okay.

Have you tried burning a disc with the BenQ firmware? (I recommend B7P9 or B7T9). If it works fine and everything, I don’t see a need to go to back to the original FW.

  • MJ
#15

I tried, and now I switched to the B7P9 firmware and tried again. I can’t read or write +R or +RW. Before, with the Philips firmware I was able to read and write +RW only. It doesn’t make much sense to me… :confused:
The light on the drive turns off after the DVD is inside, like there’s nothing there, I reamember reading that with the Benq firmware it should stay on as long as a valid media is in.
Can it be a hardware problem?

LC

#16

It might be defective…you should check w/ Dell and see what they say. But if it’s a BenQ, the light should be on.

And if Dell won’t do anything, have the Dell PC receipt and spec sheet and contact BenQ directly. I never had a problem dealing with them when my 1st BenQ malfunctioned.

Cheers,

  • MJ
#17

Dell said:
[Dell]
Mr. * I wish to explain that the dvdrw drive shipped along with
your system is not capable of reading and writing DVD+R media.

Refer to the link:

http://support.dell.com/support/edo...22/en/specs.htm

The above link refers to “Specifications: Philips DVD+RW User’s Manual”

Therefore you cannot write a DVD+R media.
[/Dell]

I thought that all DVD+RW burners are also DVD+R burners.
Can I go to Benq? won’t they send me to Philips?

Thanks for the tips.

LC

#18

Well, early on, they weren’t; but nowdays, they should support everything.

Have you tried burning a -R disc with them?

If you can’t burn anything at all, keep bugging Dell. Make them do something, or try contacting BenQ. Even if they re-direct you to Philips, a toll-free call doesn’t cost you anything to find out. Explain that the LED is out, that you can’t read/write discs – that’s what I did w/ my OEM BenQ – and within 3-4 minutes, the guy on the phone gave me an RMA# and case # and even emailed it to me so I wouldn’t forget.

Cheers,

MJ

#19

Thanks MJ,

Starting bugging Dell & Benq & Philips. BTW, do you know if I can go back to the Philips 8601 firmware? so at least I will be able to read/write my DVD+RW untill I’ll get something from them?

Thanks,
LC

#20

Try down-flashing; see what happens.

At this point, it can’t possibly make your drive any worse.

  • JIE