[G4] Liteon's New Dual Layer 16x DVD +/- R and +/- RW Drive

[Aaron]

I've got a "LITE-ON DVDRW SOHW-1673S" which seems almost identical spec-wise to the "SOHW-1693S-RET-B" that they're selling. It's now in my G4 Dual running 10.3.9 and 9.2.2., along with the Pioneer drive that came with it (probably originally, although I'm the third owner of this computer).

I only have limited experience with the drive in this machine, but i can report the following:

Running X.3.9, when I insert a blank disk in the machine, even if the program in the foreground (e.g., Disk Utility or Toast 5.2.3 Titanium) starts to recognize it, something in the system jumps in with the message, "The disc could not be used because the disc drive is not supported." and proceeds to eject the disk. However, if the disk I insert has a session on it already, the OS doesn't interfere and Toast can write another session! Moreover, OS X apparently has no trouble with the drive as a reader. (I haven't tried booting yet, but that would have nothing to do with the OS that's now on my machine.

When I booted under 9.2.2, it seemed to work fine using Toast as the writer, though I didn't try many combinations of disk type, etc.

I have to run now, so I won't pick my memory for more details or pose any questions, but I wanted to share this info right away.

 - Aaron

>From: Roger Harris <roger at rogerdharris.com>
>Subject: Re: [G4] Liteon's New Dual Layer 16x DVD +/- R and +/- RW Drive
>Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 17:13:15 -0600
>
>At the Lite-On site they say the new drives are not Mac compatible; 
>as they were.
>
>roger
>
>On Nov 15, 2005, at 3:24 PM, B.L. wrote:
>
>> $39.99 plus $1.99 shipping.
>> Liteon's new versatile high-performance dual layer internal drive.
>> Dual Layer 16x DVD +/- R and +/- RW Drive
>> *************************************
>> Hey Harry, do you know whether or not you can boot from this.
>> Curious minds want to know.
>> Thanks in advance
>> Brad