Lite on LH-20A4H Freaking Problem

CD, DVD and (Ultra HD) Blu-ray Writers LiteOn / PLDS / Sony Writer
#1

hi, got this writer from a friend… actually i bought it coz he say that the writer has a defect after a cd shatters inside while reading… he opened the unit and try to clean it… so far… he remove most hard parts of the cd… altho he actually void the units warranty… so he try read test and went ok… but he do its first write test after 3 months and after the cd shatters.

the first problem encounter after a burn test is the power calibration error, now that i got the writer, i do a couple of test, like read test, dvd compatibility test, burned read test (dvd that have been burned with my other drives) now i do some simulation test and some actual test… the test went great with good burning sim… CAV and P-CAV, but after the burning… it cant read that it writes, even the when i try to read it from my other drives. i do 4X burn, to 8X then 16X… @ 16X i got a CAV on sim… now i DL a patch firmwire to see if it can fix some problems… but so far… it didnt… and i open the unit again and check for some cd particles lying arround inside, i also do a compress air clean on the case and on the spindle, even on the underneath of the burn heads… but still no luck…

what do you think is the drives problem?? particles slip through iside the lens assembly? bad firmware? or bad Unit? is this repairable by an ave joe?

#2

Once I had a CD shatter in a CD burner, and I just junked it. You can get some very good drives for less than $30 which makes it not worth spending much time on a problem drive.

#3

Could it possibly be that it is damaged beyond repair from the shattered CD?

#4

hi, got some updates… i have reinstall my OS coz i though that it might fix some problems… and i use this writer read my unnattended disc… so far… it reads it like a pro… but i havent tried to burn dvds on this unit… i think it needs to read some disc in order to learn from it… dunno if thats true…

#5

hi again… i just got bump on the other thread that has similar problems…

http://club.cdfreaks.com/f44/yet-another-knackered-drive-246353/

#6

You took the chance of actually buying a known defective drive from friend in the hopes of getting it to work, and you’re asking why there are problems? Come on, be realistic, if you actually have a potential problem with a new drive, then it would be easier to diagnose. The defective drive has had a shattered CD in there, who knows what else could be damaged? If you are persistent in trying to fix it, good luck because the parts will cost more than an actual new drive.

#7

i bought it coz i want tto play with it… and hoping that i can fix it… aniwies… i also experience a shattered cd in my drive… and still can read/write w/o any problems after removing the shattered pieces off… same goes to my friend’s LG drive…

now the main issue on my problem is… why is it that when it burns, it cant read what it burns… but it can read what other drives burns… so this means that the drive itself is not affected on the shattered disc.

What would you do if your bought a brand new Writer and after a few days of usage suddenly an unfortunate disc shatters inside… now, your writer still under warranty so you hurriedly go to the shop to replace the drive… but endup the unit cannot cover the warranty coz it is you who void the warranty by placing a damage disc on the drive… what will you do to your old drive? save it or throw it… money does not come cheap…

#8

If it was a new drive, I’d RMA it. It is possible that one of the pieces of the CD damaged the Laser Diode.

#9

Really? Money doesn’t come cheap? Wow, that’s a new idea. You want to save it? Let’s say the laser pickup is bad and needs to be replaced. Go look up how much it costs and let me know if it’s worth getting it fixed. :rolleyes:

As pfloyd1 said, I’d RMA the drive as long as it’s under the warranty period. If your supplier won’t give you the warranty, go to the manufacturer and explain the situation.

As much as I would love to fix a defective unit, the time and cost just doesn’t add up. The laser pickup unit from my Denon mini-system stopped working long time ago, and it would cost $250 to get the part only! Why would I spend that much when I can use it towards a new system with a warranty…?

#10

[QUOTE=pfloyd1;2073637]If it was a new drive, I’d RMA it. It is possible that one of the pieces of the CD damaged the Laser Diode.[/QUOTE]

yeah i know… i also want to return this unit… but my friend opened it… so warranty is voided…

about the LD, i really dont think that it would get damage by a shattered CD, coz i have another drive here that i salvage and pry off its LD, its really hard to take off the on the lens assembly, and there is no way that the particles slip tru the lens cavity coz the only hole you can see is on the lower part w/c has a zigzag cavity going to the mirrors inside. aniweiss… tnx for the advise.

oohhkk… ill gana look for other ways to fix this drive… btw, i also planning to buy a new drive… altho my 3 year old Lite-on SOHW-1653S tweaked drive still has the juice to continue on…

i don’t want to argue with you… nor anybody else in this forum, im just looking for persons who has the same experience that got through from this freaking accident and still enjoying his drive to the fullest…

Really? Money doesn’t come cheap? Wow, that’s a new idea

yeah… money doesnt come cheap…

#11

Well, it’s like buying a car from a friend with a thrown rod and trying to fix it for little or no money.

#12

if i got this thing running again… ill let you know… for now, ill ganna toy with it… :slight_smile:

next week… a new Writer~ and lots’a DVD’s~

#13

Would make a nice door stop.

#14

The Lite-On 20A4P is only $23.99 w/free shipping at NewEgg. Unless you need Lightscribe, just get that. Trying to fix a drive that has been messed with the way that one has is a complete waste of time. This is not a rare BenQ or Plextor you’re trying to revive, so let it go.

#15

[QUOTE=negritude;2074994]The Lite-On 20A4P is only $23.99 w/free shipping at NewEgg. Unless you need Lightscribe, just get that. Trying to fix a drive that has been messed with the way that one has is a complete waste of time. This is not a rare BenQ or Plextor you’re trying to revive, so let it go.[/QUOTE]Not totally sure OP has access to NewEgg. :bigsmile:

#16

[QUOTE=negritude;2074994]The Lite-On 20A4P is only $23.99 w/free shipping at NewEgg. Unless you need Lightscribe, just get that. Trying to fix a drive that has been messed with the way that one has is a complete waste of time. This is not a rare BenQ or Plextor you’re trying to revive, so let it go.[/QUOTE]

I agree with this message.

#17

hahahahah i also want to buy a new one… but the problem is… i dont live in the US, so if i convert it… it cost 30$ w/o shipping~ if only there’s someone who will sponsor it for me… heheheh

aniweis… i search for a review for the best writer out in the market… and i found that the DH-20A4H is on the top 17… so it means that this drive sucks? and plextor rules the no.1 category…

also… pfloyd1, can you send me a copy of your 20A4H firmware… if you have a stock one? tnx… i got that drive to burn successfully… but its not a neat burn… but still it can be read by my other drive, now if all else fails… by this weakend… ill gana buy a new one… a really new one~

#18

Why not simply download latest firmware from LiteOn web site?

#19

hhmmm they havent release any new firmware for this type of drive… only 20A4P… i use the QP57 Patched… but there’s a QP59 stock…

#20

Does the drive make any noise when trying to read back discs it wrote?

Maybe try to clean off the lens with a Qtip [cotton swab] and some rubbing alcohol? Might not help, but can’t hurt.

Also, you can download the DX-20A4H firmware from this post: http://club.cdfreaks.com/2075179-post227.html [the DH-20A4H link points to a firmware that LiteOn mis-packaged with a different drive’s firmware, and the DX-20A4H is just the external version of the DH-20A4H]. Might not help, but shouldn’t hurt.