DVD RECORDABLE DISCS WANTED FOR SONY RDR-GX210

Irishgoatman

I hope someone can help me as I've lost count of the number of firms I've contacted on line or by 'phone.

I'm after discs for a Sony RDR-GX210 recorder. No-one seems to stock them any more.
I've listed the type exactly as shown in the manual so if anyone out there can help?.

Thanks.

Usable disc versions.
4x-speed or slower DVD+RW's
4x-speed or slower DVD-RW's (Ver.1.1,Ver.1.2 with CPRM)
8x-speed or slower DVD+R's
8x-speed or slower DVD-R's (Ver.2.0)

Discs that cannot be recorded on.
DVD-RW's (Ver.1.0)
DVD+RW's that are not 2.4x-speed compatible
Double layer discs
8 cm discs

ZENER

Aren't they just normal DVD-R discs ? Any DVD Recorder I've come across uses off the shelf discs. It's always a good idea to buy branded discs rather than cheap ones though.

What discs have you tried ?

According to here that unit uses "DVD+RW , DVD-RWVR, DVD+R , DVD-R , DVD -RW" discs. DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD-RW and DVD-R are standard discs available in PCWorld/Currys, Harvey Normans and Peats.

Ken

Irishgoatman

ZENER wrote: »

Aren't they just normal DVD-R discs ? Any DVD Recorder I've come across uses off the shelf discs. It's always a good idea to buy branded discs rather than cheap ones though.

What discs have you tried ?

According to here that unit uses "DVD+RW , DVD-RWVR, DVD+R , DVD-R , DVD -RW" discs. DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD-RW and DVD-R are standard discs available in PCWorld/Currys, Harvey Normans and Peats.

Ken

Naturally I tried all normal discs before I started ringing round.
They don't work which is why I have copied all the revelant info. from the manual.
Yes this machine uses +/- RW & +/- R discs but only the speeds and versions that I listed.

Most, if not all, of the suppliers I contacted believed, like you, that any disc would work.
If that were the case I would have no probs as I have 2 other machines and so have all the ordinary types.

I'm not after cheap discs just ones that will work.

If you read near the bottom of the Sony link you gave, you will see that this model is no longer available. Perhaps this is why I can't get the discs.
I'm hoping that a trader will read this and realise that he/she can get rid of some old stock!.

ZENER

Have a look at this review of your machine http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/sonyrdrgx210.html

The author used standard Philips DVDRW discs with success.
If you're having problems with discs I'd be inclined to suspect the laser is failing.

Have you tried a cleaning disc ?

Ken

Irishgoatman

ZENER wrote: »

Have a look at this review of your machine http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/sonyrdrgx210.html

The author used standard Philips DVDRW discs with success.
If you're having problems with discs I'd be inclined to suspect the laser is failing.

Have you tried a cleaning disc ?

Ken

I did read that review from your first posting.
Down at the very bottom it refers to 16 x speed, which is more or less standard now, but this goes against the manual for this machine so I'm not sure how the author got them to work!.
As I said, I have tried all standard, off the shelf, discs and I have made notes on each type. Some were straight "Cannot play", some appeared to format but then "Cannot play", some could be reformatted afterwards on another machine, some had to be thrown away.
A pre-recorded disc, commercial or from another machine and finalised, plays O.K. so I can't see that the lazer is at fault.

Before I write the machine off, or keep as a player, I need to get hold of the type of discs that the manual refers to. I firmly believe that if the manual says this type is needed, and as I've tried all others, then the manual must be right. The only way to prove otherwise is by trying their instructions.
I did ring Sony customer services but got nowhere at all. I might as well have been speaking another language.

Irishgoatman

Ive added the name of the recorder that I need discs for into the heading, in the hope that someone with the same model will take pity on me, and arrange to send me a working discs in order for me to discover whether my machine works or not.

A RW disc would make me so happy!:D

ZENER

Discs that are rated 4X or 8X etc. will burn at speeds UP TO the rated speed. Most burning software will allow you to manually select the burn speed. Personally I never burn at the max speed the discs are capable of preferring instead to step back one click.

If you were to insert a disc that was only capable of 2X burning into an 8X max drive the drive will auto-detect and burn at the disc's max speed capability. For this reason I still suspect your laser to be at fault.

The burning laser is not the same as the read laser, so just because your drive plays back without problems does not mean the write laser is good.

Ken

Irishgoatman

ZENER wrote: »

Discs that are rated 4X or 8X etc. will burn at speeds UP TO the rated speed. Most burning software will allow you to manually select the burn speed. Personally I never burn at the max speed the discs are capable of preferring instead to step back one click.

If you were to insert a disc that was only capable of 2X burning into an 8X max drive the drive will auto-detect and burn at the disc's max speed capability. For this reason I still suspect your laser to be at fault.

The burning laser is not the same as the read laser, so just because your drive plays back without problems does not mean the write laser is good.

Ken

O.K. Ken I see what you are saying, but I don't see anywhere in the set-up of this machine, although I've only had a quick look and will have a more detailed look later, where I can alter the burn speed.

Without a disc that has been proven to work on this model how do I check the laser?. I have contacted 2 shops, neither are interested in checking this machine out for me!. We live in a throw-away society which really pis..s me off!!.

mike65

I have a pack of Maxell DVD + RW 4x which I think I bought in Lidl. Might be worth checking in there.

Irishgoatman

mike65 wrote: »

I have a pack of Maxell DVD + RW 4x which I think I bought in Lidl. Might be worth checking in there.

Many thanks mike65, but I have tried the standard discs that Aldi, Tesco and the like sell but without any luck.

Thanks for the thought.

Irishgoatman

ZENER wrote: »

The burning laser is not the same as the read laser, so just because your drive plays back without problems does not mean the write laser is good.

Ken

Hi Ken,

I've just had an email from my Brother in U.K. (he's an electronics/computer engineer and has his own repair business) and he has told me that there is only one laser that both reads and writes, which is what I thought.
He's been away but is now going to look into my prob but he's never come accross a prob like this.

The only help he could really give me was "bring it over and I'll have a look at it" !!!!!:D Go over to the U.K. ? no chance,

ZENER

It's one laser but the power is increased up to 200+mW when it's required to burn. A much lower power (< 10mW ) is used to read a disc than to burn it. If it weren't this way then the burned data would be destroyed by simply reading it !!

Focusing of the laser on the disc is also critical, the slightest fraction off would make the burned spots are too big and spreading across into the next track. Dust on the laser could cause this poor focus, if it's thick enough, which is why I suggested simply cleaning the laser either with a cleaning disc or by dismantling the drive and cleaning it with a dry cotton bud. You could try the steps here but leave out the alcohol as I've known it to damage certain lasers where the lens is made of plastic instead of glass.

Be very careful here though !! The laser could seriously damage your retina if you look into it so unplug it before you start !!

Ken

Irishgoatman

Thanks Ken,

I read your earlier post as saying there are 2 lasers which is why I only asked my Brother a yes or no question.

I have had it apart and cleaned the laser with a cotton bud, I do this with my other recorders from time to time. Made no difference.

As no one else appears to have one of these machines it sort of tells me something!!!.

I've now given my Brother all the details and we'll see what he comes up with.

Thanks,

Dave

cnocbui

ZENER wrote: »

It's one laser but the power is increased up to 200+mW when it's required to burn. A much lower power (< 10mW ) is used to read a disc than to burn it. If it weren't this way then the burned data would be destroyed by simply reading it !!

Focusing of the laser on the disc is also critical, the slightest fraction off would make the burned spots are too big and spreading across into the next track. Dust on the laser could cause this poor focus, if it's thick enough, which is why I suggested simply cleaning the laser either with a cleaning disc or by dismantling the drive and cleaning it with a dry cotton bud. You could try the steps here but leave out the alcohol as I've known it to damage certain lasers where the lens is made of plastic instead of glass.

Be very careful here though !! The laser could seriously damage your retina if you look into it so unplug it before you start !!

Ken

In using laser/disc products for some 24 or so years, I have never fixed a problem by cleaning the lens of the laser, or that other much touted and favoured option, replacing the laser assembly. :rolleyes:

Dust there is very unlikely to have an optically significant impact, being so far from the plane of focus, just as moderate levels of dust on the surface of a camera lens doesn't affect image quality.

I have, however, succeeded in solving every single instance of laser/disc misbehaviour I have encountered, by removing all the lubricant from the components responsible for positioning the laser in the plane parallel to the disc surface. My theory is that dust accumulates in the lubricant and causes tracking errors, which you correctly point out, has to be extremely precise. When I lived in Australia. My two CD players needed re-lubing almost every year or so and the accumulation of dust in their interiors was significant. The same machines when used in Ireland. Have needed re-lubing only once in a decade.

Never use cotton to clean a lens or anything else inside a laser mechanism - IMO.

ZENER

cnocbui wrote: »

In using laser/disc products for some 24 or so years,

Dust there is very unlikely to have an optically significant impact, being so far from the plane of focus, just as moderate levels of dust on the surface of a camera lens doesn't affect image quality.

I've been servicing and repairing many types of electronic equipment for over 30 years - including DVD/CD players. In every case where playback is intermittent the first action is to clean the laser which in 7/10 cases solves the problems. On occasion adjusting the laser power is required and sometimes successful though I would rather replace the optics than do this depending on the value of the unit.

To say dust has no effect on the lasers ability to perform is uninformed. Dust scatters the beam causing focus errors and, if thick enough, attenuates the amount of light hitting the disc surface. Also the light reflecting from the disc is further attenuated by the dust as it reenters the optics to the pickup.

Just to add, in a household where there are smokers the lens can get coated with tar in much the same way the glass in the windows would.

Ken

cnocbui

So we have both been successful by cleaning different components.

With all due respect, I am not uninformed about the ability of dust to scatter light. I have just not encountered enough of it on a laser module lens to do so to any significant degree, even when I lived in Australia where dust is more prevalent.

I have seen your posts before and respect your replies, opinions and technical knowledge and was not being critical or looking for an argument. Everything I stated in my previous post is true. I have had a 100% success rate with the approach I have outlined and will stand by my opinions and statements

Irishgoatman

TIME GENTLEMEN PLEASE.

Thanks, but don't let's fall out.!!!

I will report back when my brother ( who has been in the business for a long time but with a break for working on computers) has any ideas.

Just keep smiling:D.

But thank you for the interest.

Dave