Section 7. Frequently Asked Questions
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PX-740A Installation and Users Manual
Q: What is “recommended media”?
A: Recommended media are recordable or rewritable CD and DVD media
that have been tested by Plextor and found to operate well consistently, from
one manufacturing lot to another. For each drive, Plextor engineers test
media from many different manufacturers and manufacturing facilities,
creating a recommended media list and determining the optimum write
strategy for that particular media type. The results are listed as
“recommended media,” and are also assembled into a media catalog and
stored in firmware in Plextor drives. (See page 51 for a list of recommended
media for the PX-740A at the time this manual was printed, and see the
Plextor web site at www.plextor.com for an updated list.)
From time to time, the media catalog is updated with new manufacturers and
part numbers as Plextor tests additional media. When this happens, Plextor
makes new drive firmware available. You can download this new firmware
and update your drive.
Q: In the list of Recommended Media, what’s the difference between
“rated,” “compatible,” and “recommended” speeds?
A: “Rated” is the manufacturer’s rated write speed for the media; it’s what
you see on the box. “Compatible” is a looser term that indicates the
maximum safe writing speed according to the manufacturer.
“Recommended” is the Plextor-recommended speed for ensuring top-quality
writing using this media. Plextor tests media and enters the “compatible” and
“recommended” speeds into the drive’s media catalog.
For example, 8X-rated media listed as “12X writing recommended” and
“16X compatible” indicates the manufacturer believes this 8X-rated media
can be written at 16X. Plextor factory testing has determined you will
achieve the highest quality write at 12X. Plextor’s testing also indicates you
can write this media at 16X and still achieve good quality, although perhaps
not as high as at the recommended speed.
Just because the vendor rates a disc for a certain speed doesn't mean that the
disc will give you a high-quality write at that speed. However, the PoweRec
technology in your Plextor drive ensures you will write at the highest
possible speed that still achieves high quality.