Help with my SOHW-1653S

TerryHau 2004-12-19 08:01:02 UTC #1

I bought one of these burners along with some Ritek G04 and G05s.
I ran into problems immediately when i tried to burn a dvd image with alcohol.


####################### Dumping/Recording Progress Log #######################
21:02:36 Processor info: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 2500+ (1837MHz)
21:02:36 Memory Available to Windows: 523,760 KB
21:02:36 Memory Buffer size: 128 MB
21:02:36 Image file loading: C:\CD Images\HFH2_1_SCN.mds
21:02:36 DVD Source Info:  Session: 1, Track: 1, Length: 4.33 GB / 504:19:59
21:02:40 (D:) LITE-ON DVDRW SOHW-1633S(1:2): Recording Method/Speed
21:02:40 Recording - DVD DAO - 8.0X (11040 KB/Sec)
21:05:34 (D:) LITE-ON DVDRW SOHW-1633S(1:2) - [Write ERROR] LBA: 16, Length: 16
    S:KEY - 03/0C/00  - "Write Error"
21:05:39 (D:) LITE-ON DVDRW SOHW-1633S(1:2): Recording failed!
21:05:39 Error message:  [03/0C/00] - Write Error
21:05:39 (D:) LITE-ON DVDRW SOHW-1633S(1:2): Recording failed!
21:05:39 Image file loading aborted!
##############################################################################

This happened with both G04 and G05 burning at 4x. It wouldn't even start. It would say Block 16 (32KB) at the top and then get stuck for about 3 minutes before giving the error.
but, about every 10 or so trys though, one would start burning properly.
The the disc scans were pretty good.

I then did 3 custom data discs with G05 at 8x with nero. The burned successfully every time, and the scans were descent. Not that great.

Then i tried to copy some DVD video discs with the G05 at 8x. I got sick of the error in alcohol, so i tried nero. Strange thing was nero worked every time. Except for some reason, the time remaining counter ran down to 0:00:00 even though it had only burnt half the disc. Well i scanned 3 discs copied with nero, and they were terrible. Like half the disc was between 1000 - 1400 PI.

The first 2 disc was done with the stock firmware cs02. I tried using the BS41 firmware, and still get the same problems (alcohol error, wont start burning, and crap nero scans).

Is there something wrong with the drive? Should i get a replacement, or even get a totally different brand or something?

This is driving me crazy. I wasted a whole day on this thing.

code65536 2004-12-19 09:02:36 UTC #2

Does the problem go away with BS0K? There seems to be a strange -R leadin problem with the 53S firmwares (this includes BYX2 and BS41, as they are really 53S firmwares despite their names). For me, this leadin problem only happens if I used DVD Decrypter (not with Nero). The problem does not happen at all if I use BS0K. I'm not sure of any other way to fix the problem except maybe try different software or BS0K.

Or maybe CS07? The problem might be (or might not be) fixed in CS07.

It's a strange problems. Could be a firmware bug. Could be a software bug. Could be a defect in the hardware that is triggering a malfunction with certain firmwares. I dunno.

gdp77 2004-12-19 09:17:57 UTC #3

Why is your drive being recognized as "1633s"?

code65536 2004-12-19 09:19:50 UTC #4

He tried BS41.

gdp77 2004-12-19 09:28:10 UTC #5

I bought yesterday 1653s with the cs02 firmware. I burned DVDs (-r) at 8x speeds, both with nero and alcohol. No problems here... The media was philips -r 8x. Have u tried other media?

TerryHau 2004-12-19 09:54:04 UTC #6

Thanks for the info.
After putting in BS41 and eprom reset, i can burn the G05s at 4x in alcohol without the lead-in problem.

I dont have any other 8x media to try. I might go buy some.

I will try the BS0K, see if i can get them to burn at 8x.

btw. will i lose 4x DL and 16x +-R if i use the BS0K firmware.
(dosn't really matter since i won't be using those features)

TerryHau 2004-12-19 10:07:47 UTC #7

btw
another problem im having

when im dumping dvds to images with alcohol, itll be going fine, and the motors spinning fast. Then all of a sudden at certain points, itll just totally slow down, i can hear the motor slow, and it starts reading slower, then itll go back up again. Is this normal.

TerryHau 2004-12-19 10:11:43 UTC #8

i went to
http://codeguys.rpc1.org/firmwares.html

and BS0K is greyed out in favor of BS0R
Should i try that instead?

please 2004-12-19 10:14:57 UTC #9

@ TerryHau
IMHO that sounds like the drive is having trouble reading the disc(scratchy?) and it is going back over it.

TerryHau 2004-12-19 10:40:49 UTC #10

Well dosn't seem to be too much of a problem.

I tried the BR0R firmware, and its burning G05s perfectly at 8x with alcohol. The scans are pretty good too.

Thanks for the help guys.
I hope they release a 1653 firmware that fixes that leadin problem.
(I tried CS07, it exhibits the same problems)

TerryHau 2004-12-19 10:59:41 UTC #11

Hmm now G05s work at 8x in alcohol,
but one problem
it says block 16 (32KB) at the top, and seems to get stuck for 2minutes 40secs. Then it continues burning normally.
Does that happen to you too?

Can someone help interpret these results.
Whats with the huge spike at the end. Is that dangerous?

TerryHau 2004-12-19 12:06:29 UTC #12

Just did another burn and scan

looks pretty good compared to what i was getting before with nero.

please 2004-12-19 12:35:59 UTC #13

@ TerryHau

I don't use Alcohol, so I can't reply to that question

According to Interpreting PI/PO error scans the first scan with the high/thick PIF 'tower'(as opposed to a single,non-problem 'spike') near the end is way over specs for a good burn and probably freezes at that point. The second scan is much better, with PIF max less than the recommendation of 4 max. The thick PIF spike at end, even tho it is at 2(under the spec of 4), may be cause for some concern...try it and see if your reader/player can read/play thru it. If it were a movie, it may just be a brief moment or a few seconds of pixelation, or it may be fine.