Anyone using TDK VeloCD 12/10/32??

[Razorbacks]

Noticed that this drive will read the subchannel data, which the new Plex will not. Anyone had experience with this drive?
Should I worry about reading subchannel? I need to use CloneCD or another CD duplication software to make backups of my cd's...esp games and children's software.
Is there another CD duplication software out there?

 

[LarryJoe]

I just ordered this today over the Plextor. I'll let you know how it performs when it arrives.

 

[Insane3D]

I also just ordered one...I will let you know as well..

 

[LarryJoe]

What I don't understand here is that many people say the TDK is made buy Plextor and just repackaged, just a different faceplate, which is fine by me. However, the TDK has a 4MB buffer and the Plextor only 2MB. Not sure about the subchannel differences too.

Another note on differences - EZCD 4.0 supports the Plextor with a patch to version "d" and the TDK needs version "e". Both patches have been pulled from Adaptecs Web site.

LJ

 

[LarryJoe]

Check that. After further review of the TDK site, the drive does in fact have only a 2MB buffer, so since they are the same drive, I cancelled my TDK order with buy.com and ordered the Plextor.

LJ

 

[Insane3D]

Larry Joe...why the cancel on the TDK if it is the Plextor anyway? The TDK canread sub-channel data too and I thought the TDK had a more attractive software package. Also, if you check out it's review on CDRinfo.com, it actually improves on the Plextor is some areas. This is supossedly due to the TDK using a newer internal mechanism. Plus you can't beat 50 free TDK CDR's included as well...I only use TDK Certified Plus anyway...just my opinion..

TDK Review

BTW-I think it is sold as the "Cyclone" in Europe....

 

[LarryJoe]

I just figured I would go with the company that has been proven in the CDR industry. I am not putting down TDK, but I figure firmware revisions would post sooner at Plextor than TDK. As far as the deal:

I ordered the Plextor from Amazon. First order ever with them. They have
free shipping, no sales tax and I had a $15 coupon. Total = $225. The TDK
from buy.com came to a total of $243 with the 50 spindle. I would rather
stay with the Plextor name. Quality 50 spindles can be had for $20.

Since buy.com will probably ship it anyway even though I cancelled, I will have both and who knows, if I find something that tells me to keep the TDK, I have that luxury.

LJ


EDIT - Just got the flyers, going to BestBuy to get the TDK! Nothing like having it now!

 

[LarryJoe]

Update - got the TDK and it rocks so far. Full cd's in about 5 minutes. No coasters yet. Nice packaging and documentation for newbies (including a video). I'm happy.

LJ

 

[frustrated2]

I have the former rebadge imation/plextor and I flashed it to a plextor so I could use their updates and it works great. You probably could flash the TDK to a plextor as well and use their updates. This might save you some money

 

[LarryJoe]

Interesting, I think I will wait for someone else to flash their TDK with Plextor firmware How do you figure doing this may save me money?

LJ

 

[Insane3D]

Just got my TDK and it flies like Larry Joe says. Plus with Nero 5 and 50 free CDR's...can't lose. =)

 

[frustrated2]

Well you didn't have to pay for the plextor they usually cost a bit more than others. When I flashed my imation the newer firmware seemed to help it read more quickly and they claim that it helped it to burn better but it worked flawlessly before hand so I didn't notice any difference

 

[JaiKnight]

Does the TDK really read SubChannel? This review says it doesn't http://www.cdrinfo.com/hardware/tdkcyclone/page7.shtml
That's the end of the review of course, you can go through the rest of it. Also it says the Plextor revision TLA#202 (newer) doesn't support SubChannel either but the TLA#000 does...

 

[LarryJoe]

From what I have read, it does support this. The Cyclone is the Europe version, maybe they disabled it.

LJ

 

[Macro2]

Is the Cyclone the SCSI version?

 

[dcdomain]

Cyclone is the European name. No SCSI version so far. I heard Sanyo just released a 16x burner... so Plextor and TDK should be releasing a 16x version soon. Probably the reason for the $50 rebate.

 

[LarryJoe]

I have had this drive for a week now and the funny thing is that it is so damn fast, I barely get a chance to fire up other programs to see how solid this burnproof is.

LJ

 

[Ronstang]

Date Posted: Nov/18/2000 12:46 AM

I have noticed a lot of confusing specs floating around lately about the PX-W1210A. Some are saying that the newer ones do not support the reading of sub-channel data tracks. On CloneCD's webpage it even states that some do not.

The new review of the TDK 12/10/32 VeloCD (a rebadged Plextor) at CDRinfo even states that the new ones DO NOT support the reading of sub-channel data tracks. They say that the TDK doesn't because the new Plextor's don't.

In some threads people are saying to get the TDK because it does read sub-channel data and that it is a Plextor.

WHO'S RIGHT!!!!

I want one of these drives so I decided to try and find out the truth. I sat on hold for two hours waiting to talk to Plextor technical support yesterday evening. The tech was very friendly and told me that there has been no change in the hardware of the PX-W1210A and that it still reads sub-channel data. He also confirmed that Plextor makes all the TDK VeloCDs, and that they are identical to the Plextors, except for the tray and the faceplate.

I hope this info helps anyone who was wondering the same things I was. I would still like to know why the people at CDRinfo are saying things contrary to Plextor.

 

[LarryJoe]

If you look at he TDK abilities here, you will see that there is a "yes" under subchannel abilities. You will also notice that the Plextor has an asterick next to the "yes" noting an exception between different versions of the Plextor 12/10/32 drive. I have the TDK and can't confirm as I have not tried to burn anything yet that needs this ability.

I don't know how accurate this is, but it is possible that all TDK's are based on the Plextor that does do it and therefore no exception needs to be noted. Hope this helps and yes, my research before purchase was a bit confusng. I even saw one site that claimed the TDK had a 4MB buffer which led me to question whether it was a Plextor (2MB). Also noteworthy, the review that I sas that said the TDK did not support subchannel was for the European version of the TDK called the Cyclone. Maybe this is based on the Plextor that doesn't do the dance?

LJ

 

[sdwilly]

LarryJoe,

Where's that Patch e for the Adaptec software?
I can't get the InCd software to format properly. (Anyone help)
I just downloaded Easy CD Creator 4.02, do I still need patch?

 

[LarryJoe]

Here at the bottom