Matsushita SW-9585 Tests/Review

[Wesociety]

Any progress on the new firmware update? I saw NewEgg just drop the price down to 49.99. However, there are two models: SW-9585BDD and SW-9585C. Does there anyone know what is the difference?

Newegg will often make up their own "model numbers" to distinguish between colors / oem / bulk / retail versions of the same drive.
In this case it appears that the "SW-9585BDD" is just the bulk version in black and the "SW-9585C" is the bulk version in beige.

I also noticed something quite humorous on the product specs:

Features: Supported DVD+RAM Recording Function.

DVD+RAM ???? , an obvious typographical error.

[Wesociety]

Anyone out there have this drive that can share some disc quality scans and/or transfer rate tests on produced discs?

[fatfeel]

http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?download_id=2030
this site has formware ver B101 for the SW-9585

[yenchee]

The firmware comes from IO-Data which is an OEM version of SW-9585. However, I heard the update does not work on newegg model at rpc1.org forum. I just ordered one, and I will give it a try when I receive it.

[pipemanid]

Just received the Matshita DVD-RAM SW-9585C from Chief Value and have it installed and tests should be available later this evening. Initial impressions:
Firmware Upgrade B-101 failed with engrish error message of "Download No Successful"
Slow in recognizing discs.
Playback of DVD+RW movie backup " Starship Troopers" looks good.
Format of DVD+RW went OK and file copy worked.
Data transfer rates look good.

I'll do the stupid thing first and then you shy people follow... /.

[pipemanid]

Preliminary Tests:

[pipemanid]

I will have a new firmware for these drives within a week. I expect serious performance improvement on the write speeds.

I've done my part, now where is that firmware update?

You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone. - Al Capone

[AttackMantis]

Can you do a 16x burn / tests ?

[pipemanid]

Can you do a 16x burn / tests ?

How did I know someone was going to ask for that? And the answer is no because I don't have any 16X media.

Your call will be responded to in... 20 minutes... 25 minutes... 23 minutes... 14 minutes... 2 minutes... 40 minutes...

[pipemanid]

Some additional scans:

[pipemanid]

Last Scan:

[happyme]

I want to know if any of you have been able to use DVD+RW 4x with SW-9585???
Also if you have been able to ghost a partition or hard drive using the SW-9585, coze when I ghost my HD on SW-9585 by using software GHOST 2003, it simply doesn't work. But when I ghost on my LG GMA-4020B, it works perfectly. I m still puzzle. Can some one verify it for me, please??? Very much appreciated.

[happyme]

I want to know if any of you have been able to use DVD+/-RW 4x with SW-9585???
Also if you have been able to ghost a partition or hard drive using the SW-9585, coze when I ghost my HD on SW-9585 by using software GHOST 2003, it simply doesn't work. But when I ghost on my LG GMA-4020B, it works perfectly. I m still puzzle. Can some one verify it for me, please??? Very much appreciated.

[happyme]

Opticalbell, have you the new firmware yet???

[pipemanid]

I want to know if any of you have been able to use DVD+/-RW 4x with SW-9585???
Also if you have been able to ghost a partition or hard drive using the SW-9585, coze when I ghost my HD on SW-9585 by using software GHOST 2003, it simply doesn't work. But when I ghost on my LG GMA-4020B, it works perfectly. I m still puzzle. Can some one verify it for me, please??? Very much appreciated.

Works great with DVD+RW 4X. I have booted from the drive with no problems and don't see any reason why Ghost would not recognize it.
The DVD RAM is also a big plus now that I have used it.

There are two secrets to life: 1) Don't tell everything you know... /.

[happyme]

pipemanid,

Do u have to update your firmware before using DVD+RW 4x or not??? Coze when I put my DVD+RW 4X in, my burner SW-9585 said unrecognize format, and whether I try to format, erase or whatsoever, it never works!!!

The ghost 2003 recognize the drive but when it tried to put the image on it, after 1 min, it just asks for a new Blank DVD !!! After 1 min!!! Normally to fill ghost on a DVD it take at least 30 min (4x), so when it takes only 1 min, something is not working!!! So after I put in a new DVD, 1 min later on it asks for a new DVD again!!!! So obvioulsy it's working!!! the reason that I am asking is that I have doubt that my DVD Burner is not working correctly, so I ask to check to see if it's work properly or not.

[Wesociety]

@happyme, it could also be a media specific problem...
What type of DVD+RW are you using? MID ?
Is it a brand new "fresh" DVD+RW? If not, try one that has never been used.
Have you tried another type of DVD+RW?

[Wesociety]

16x burn on MCC03RG20.
Nice speed for Z-CLV !

[lionwes]

I’ve seen this drive at 3btech.net for $36.99 - never owned a -RAM drive before and not sue if Panasonic makes good burners. My favorite are NEC and BenQ, however own two Lite-On as well - for quality scans. Now need one more and for curiosity would like to see if LG or Pana are as good. The quality scans posted here are good (except one) however any of you know of a extensive review site?

[pchilson]

Try here.