Probs with my Phillips CDD3610

[Omniscient]

Everytime I try to brun to a new CD-RW or a CD-R that uses some kind of special protection scheme (special layers, or such things), I get a power calibration error.
It's really getting on my nerves, cause I can use some cd-rs, and can't use some others... (I can use Maxell ones, but not TDK 80 mins)
Any help? Repair? Firmware? Anything?

THANKS!

CigarBubba

[Wayniac]

I have recently got rid of one of these Philips drives.

There is a common problem with them: the grease inside dries up, even more so when using 80min cd's - which wern't around when the writer was manufactured, hence the extra 6mins of an 80min disc causes even more grease to dry up.

Have you tried MEMOREX 12x 80MIN? Or what about discs made by HICO? You can get these from the Staples store here in the UK.

Of course you can try and re-grease the drive, but I had no success with this at all; the parts are very delicate and don't go back together very easily once you put them back in the metal chassis.

If you can use certain brands and not others, and you used to be able to back certain titles up but not now, them I am 99% sure you've got the grease problem.

If I were you I'd cut my losses - get a faster drive and repair this 2x writer as a side-line (there's an unsubstantiated rumour that burning at 2x causes more damage than at 4,8x etc etc). Also, who's to say the same problem won't happen again?

Shame this drive had to have such a flaw - I never had any trouble backing stuff up as the 3610 can do a full RAW read/write - unlike my new Traxdata model!

Hope this helps ya out in some small way. If you intend to fix the drive with silicon-based grease, please feel free to email me and I'll post the pages I saved when I had the same problems.

All the best.

~~Wayniac~~

[Omniscient]

thanks, but i #####ed the grease...
i opened the writer, cleaned the lense, removed some dust particles, and tried again.
and guess, what? it worked.
i never used to be able to write these cds (not even when the drive was new, when i bought it), but i can now.
AND it the tray operates without making a sound... :)

i think i'm gonna grease it some other day (don't have any grease here)
taking apart and reassambling wasn't very hard. it kind of self-explanatory. just need the right screwdriver (which i don't have).