I have been using Verbatim 4X -RW for over a year, without any coasters.

I have just purchased 5 Verbatim 6X -RW discs to try, and they will not complete the initialisation. It runs through the process, and when it says 0 mins left, it hangs for about 1 min, then exits, stating initialisation failed.

Does anyone know if this the Pio 720 will take these discs, or if I need to try a different method ?

High speed discs ,especially rewritables usually specify on their labelling that they should only be used with the correct equipment.
6x -RW can only be used on a PC rewriter currently.
I know of no set top boxes that cater for more than 8x -R,which would mean 4x -RW

This is the SVP site info in these disks. Does it mean I need a firmware update ?

Suggested for use on the following hardware: Pioneer 107/A07, Pioneer 108/A08, Pioneer 109/A09, Panasonic E20, E30, E50, E100, HS2, Sony DVD+/-R drives,Plextor DVD+/-R drives, NEC ND-1300/2500/2510/3500, Liteon DVD+/-R drives, LG DVD+/-R drives and most other DVD-R writers, using the latest firmware and modern DVD players.

Hi


This isn't quite correct as the latest Pioneer models (433/530/630) work absolutely fine with 6 speed DVD-RW and burn at 6 speed (when high-speed dubbing) with DVD-R burning upto 12 or 16 speed depending on the media type. This is because internally those models include an A09 burner

The 720 includes an older burner (A07) that is able to burn to DVD-RW at a maximum of 4 speed, and should be doing this fine with 6 speed Verbatim DVD-RWs of course only burning at 4 speed, but.... The burner in the 720 is quite likely using the original firmware and so doesn't really know how best to burn this media type correctly, you may be able to flash upgrade the firmware but possibly will lose multi-region options with newer firmware.

I will see if it could be possible to get hold of this firmware for you.

Regards

Phil

I was not aware that the new Pioneer's had increased to 6x/12x.
However,AFAIK there is no way,even with a firmware upgrade to enable the higher speed discs to work on an older model

Hi


The higher speed discs should work but of course at 4 speed. A firmware upgrade to the burner may provide a better burning strategy for the writer on newer types of media. PC writers get several new firmware versions with improvements to writing, the A07 list of updates as used inside the 720 is at http://wwwbsc.pioneer.co.jp/product-....html#f_a07xla

Verbatim 6x DVD-RW state on the packet they are for 4 speed or 6 speed writers.

If the original poster is still checking this thread it would be helpful if they can tell us what firmware version is in the drive, this is very easy to do:

Via the remote, from the Home Menu, go to Initial Setup, then select Audio Out, select Digital Out, highlight the "On" setting (i.e. don't click enter just make sure it is highlighted), then press the Angle button, the firmware versions are now shown and post them here.

Regards

Phil

The version is 2.64 (BTW the digital out is set to off, is this correct?)

Is there a risk in changing the firmware, and is it easy to do ?

Many thanks for yuor help Phil.

Hi

There should be other firmware versions on that page, should be labelled "drive" from memory, that is one that would be handy to know.

Digital In/Out is when you have a connected amplifier taking a digital signal, if the setting was wrong you wouldn't have any sound, so leave it as it is, it is okay off.

Regards

Phil

Ver 2.64
release 123
TUFLCON 2.25M
Drive 1.13W

Hi

You do have an early version of the drive firmware as the firmware is now at 1.19 for PC Drives. I will see if the firmware update is available, it may not be, and you will need to be able to burn it to a CD using Nero on a computer.

Regards

Phil

Thanks again Phil.

The instructions all appear to be for PC's - are there any loading instructions for DVDR's ? or do oyu just load the disc ?
(Does it have to be Nero, or just burnt onto a CD ?)

Hi


You can't use that firmware for the DVD Recorder, it is only for PC writers. The DVD Recorder firmware contains a lot of other stuff as well as the writer updates and isn't available for downloading officially from Pioneer.

I will see if it is available from somebody I know, they will then get hold of it and let you download it, you then burn it to a disc to use it and it will cost you a few euro's in a donation to contribute to their website hosting costs.

It may not be possible to get it.

Regards

Phil

I can't remember where I saw it,but I did see a report saying that high speed -RW discs won't work on a burner even at lower speed,although this would work fine with -R.
This is also borne out by the OP and I have some 4x -RW discs that work fine on my Pioneer 420 and 630,although one of my laptop burners which is 2x only won't even register the 4x disc is in the drive,even though it happily writes to 8x -R (at 2x).
The 4x discs work fine on my newest laptop

Hi


This is correct. There are two types of DVD-RW, normal and high-speed. Normal speed is x1 or x1-x2 speed and works on all drives and is version 1.1. High-speed media is x2-x4 or x2-x6 typically and is version 1.2. Version 1.2 media only works on drives that support Version 1.2 and that includes the A07 inside the Pioneer 720 recorder, the list of drives supporting high-speed DVD-RW is here: http://wwwbsc.pioneer.co.jp/product-..._e.html#rw01_6 and with the A07 being a 4 speed DVD-RW writer should write to 6x DVD-RW at x4 speed with no problems. I've been using Verbatim 6x DVD-RW in a Pioneer 220 (same A07 writer internally with no problems).

I know, it's all a bit confusing.

Regards

Phil

Phil, seems clear to me.

If its not a daft question, what's the benefit of using 6X discs, over 2X discs, if they write at the same speed ? surely lower speed discs are cheaper ?

Hi


The only benefit is that 6 speed discs are backwards compatible for recording, all be it at the slower speed of that drive. If 2 speed discs are cheaper and you have no need to use them in the future on something that could burn them faster, they will of course do exactly the same job.

Having said that, if you have hardware that can write to High-speed version 1.2 media, then it almost certainly supports 4 speed DVD-RW writing, so you would be writing at 4 speed and not 2 speed. As far as I know if your hardware only supports a maximum of 2 speed writing on DVD-RW then it will not work with the High Speed version 1.2 discs anyway.

Regards

Phil

sorry, I think I misled you there. My 720 does indeed support 1.2 media, and I can write with 8X -R and 4X -RW with no trouble.

Hi

I know, your problem is you can't write to DVD-RW 6 speed discs, when that should be possible at 4 speed?

Regards

Phil

correct, and I just purchased 50 No. 16X -R discs, and 6 6X -RW which are currently coasters, or bookends, depending upon your versatility. Why do Pio not allow the firmware upgrade to be distributed and can it not be upgraded/downloaded via the TV signal, like an EPG ?

Just picked up a couple of -RWs from the local cheapy shop (£1 each). Didn't say a speed on them so expected the worst. Just did a test high speed copy and it took 30+ minutes so they are going to the back of the draw. At 18p for a x16 -R why bother.. how much is a x6 Verbatim btw?

20p for 16X -R
76p for 6X -RW

Oop, was thinking of a dual layer Hang on.. 76p for a x6 -RW! I was robbed