Plextor PlexWriter PX-230A Installation And User Manual
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Plextor PlexWriter PX-230A Installation And User Manual

Atapi cd-r/rw drive
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Model PX-230A
ATAPI CD-R/RW DRIVE
INSTALLATION AND USERS MANUAL
JULY 2005

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Summary of Contents for Plextor PlexWriter PX-230A

  • Page 1 Model PX-230A ATAPI CD-R/RW DRIVE INSTALLATION AND USERS MANUAL JULY 2005...

  • Page 2: Record Your Serial Number

    Plextor’s prior permission. Manual copyright ©2005 Plextor Corp. Plextor and the Plextor logo are registered trademarks of Plextor Corp; and PlexWriter is a trademark of Plextor Corp. All other licenses and trademarks are property of their respective owners. Record Your Serial Number For future reference, record the serial number and the TLA code (found on your drive’s label) in the space provided below.
  • Page 3 The laser beam emitted from the optical pickup is visible and invisible. Accordingly: • Do not open the optical pickup housing. • Obtain service only from Plextor-authorized personnel. CAUTION: To disconnect the internal CD drive from an electrical current, pull out the computer’s power plug. PX-230A Installation and Users Manual...
  • Page 4 Top View of Internal Drive, Showing Caution Label Location Detail of PX-230A Laser Caution Labels PX-230A Installation and Users Manual...

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    Do You Have Cable Select? ...15 Do You Need a Power Cable?...16 Set the Drive’s Mode Jumper ...16 Changing the Mode Jumper on Your PX-230A Drive ...17 Select an IDE Configuration ...19 About Cable Select...24 Mount the PX-230A Drive ...25 Record the Serial Number ...25...
  • Page 6 Table of Contents 3. Using Your PX-230A ... 33 What Media to Use ... 33 Tray Loading and Operation ... 34 Handling Blank CD Media ... 35 Cleaning Discs ... 35 Mounting Position... 36 Writing to CD-R and CD-RW Media ... 36 Using the Disc/Busy Indicator ...

  • Page 7: Getting Started

    Please read this manual carefully and keep it handy for easy reference. Use the manual for installation, operation and troubleshooting. If your drive needs service, see your dealer or call Plextor’s Technical Support Department. In this manual you should find all the information you need to successfully install, operate and troubleshoot your drive.

  • Page 8: Features Of The Px-230A

    Section 1. Getting Started Features of the PX-230A • ATAPI interface: The PX-230A easily installs in virtually any PC with an E-IDE ATAPI interface. • High speed transfers: Supports Ultra DMA Mode 2, Multiword DMA Mode 2, and PIO Mode 4. (DMA mode switching is handled by the operating system software.)

  • Page 9: Minimum Configuration To Use The Px-230A

    PX-230A without its bezel is just 6.8 inches (172.5 millimeters). Minimum Configuration to Use the PX-230A Here’s what you’ll need in order to install and use the PX-230A drive. • Computer: Pentium III, 500-MHz or faster CPU. • Minimum RAM: 128 MB.

  • Page 10: About Software

    A list of various software that you can use with your Plextor drive can be found in the Support/Compatibility section of www.plextor.com.

  • Page 11: Where To Go From Here

    • Do not attempt to clean your drive using a CD cleaning disc. These discs can damage your drive permanently. Where to Go From Here • See Chapter 2, beginning on page 7, to learn how to install your drive. Section 1. Getting Started PX-230A Installation and Users Manual...
  • Page 12 Section 1. Getting Started This page intentionally left blank. PX-230A Installation and Users Manual...

  • Page 13: Installing The Px-230A Internal Atapi Drive

    ATAPI drive in your computer. PX-230A Drive Features and Controls Before proceeding, become familiar with the controls and features of your Plextor drive. Match the parts of your drive to the illustrations below. Front Panel—PX-230A Internal Drive Figure 1: Front panel of the PX-230A internal ATAPI drive •...

  • Page 14: Rear Panel-Px-230A Internal Drive

    Turn OFF power before using this feature. • Eject button: Push once to eject tray. Push again to insert the tray back into the PX-230A. To prevent wear on the drive, always use the eject button to insert the tray.

  • Page 15: What Else Is In The Px-230A Box

    If you have to ship your drive back to Plextor, you’ll want to send it in the original box. (For more details about returning your drive to Plextor, see page 57.)

  • Page 16: Mount The Px-230A Drive

    If something is missing, contact the party from whom you purchased the box for an explanation. NOTE: This applies to the Plextor retail box. Your drive may have been shipped in a different box with other contents, depending on whom you purchased the drive from and what they included inside the box.

  • Page 17: Px-230A Quickstart Installation

    Windows 98, 98SE, Me, 2000, or XP, and you have nothing installed on the secondary IDE port. What to do: Leave the PX-230A’s jumper set to Master, attach it to the secondary IDE port, and go. Windows will recognize the drive automatically.

  • Page 18: Open The Computer And Prepare For Installation

    Section 2. Installing the PX-230A Internal ATAPI Drive Open the Computer and Prepare for Installation To determine whether your PX-230A will be a Master or a Slave, open your computer and examine the IDE connections to the motherboard. To open the computer: 1.

  • Page 19: Determine Your Existing Ide Configuration

    DVD or CD-ROM drive, or your PX-230A drive. If there are two devices, one is configured as Master and the other the Slave, as indicated by the position of jumpers on the back of the drive.

  • Page 20: Inspect Your Computer's Cables

    IDE/ATA cable. NOTE: The PX-230A retail package does not contain an IDE ribbon cable. You can connect your Plextor drive to the free connector on any existing 40-pin or 80-pin ribbon cable in your computer. If your computer’s ribbon cables don’t have a free connector, you will have to purchase another ribbon cable.

  • Page 21: Do You Have Cable Select

    • The black connector is at the opposite end from the host connector and goes to the master drive (device 0), or to a single drive if only one is used. Section 2. Installing the PX-230A Internal ATAPI Drive PX-230A Installation and Users Manual...

  • Page 22: Do You Need A Power Cable

    Your drive ships from our factory with its mode jumper set to operate the PX-230A as a Master. This will work in most custom system configurations. If your computer is from a large OEM system...

  • Page 23: Changing The Mode Jumper On Your Px-230A Drive

    Section 2. Installing the PX-230A Internal ATAPI Drive Changing the Mode Jumper on Your PX-230A Drive The drive arrives from the factory with its mode jumper set to Master. (A function is ON if the jumper is installed and OFF if the jumper is removed.)
  • Page 24 Section 2. Installing the PX-230A Internal ATAPI Drive For example, to change the drive to be a Slave, move the jumper to the middle set of mode pins, leaving the other pins uncovered. To change the drive for Cable Select, move the jumper to the left set of mode pins.

  • Page 25: Select An Ide Configuration

    CD-ROM drive. In most cases, this will be the secondary IDE port. • For best results, set the PX-230A to be the Master, if possible. • If you have only one device on a cable, always set its jumper as the Master, never as the Slave.
  • Page 26 Depending on how fast the DVD or CD-ROM drive can stream data to the PX-230A, it may not be fast enough to keep the buffer full. In this case, the buffer may become empty and a buffer underrun error may occur.
  • Page 27 IDE port; nothing connected to secondary IDE port. Figure 9. How to install the PX-230A if your computer is originally Section 2. Installing the PX-230A Internal ATAPI Drive Set the mode jumper to Master, and connect the PX-230A as Master to secondary IDE port.
  • Page 28 Hard disk connected as Master device on primary IDE port; nothing connected to secondary IDE port. Figure 10. How to install the PX-230A if your computer is originally PX-230A Installation and Users Manual Set the mode jumper to Master, and connect the PX-230A as Master to secondary IDE port.
  • Page 29 System uses special Cable Select cables; all devices are jumpered for Cable Select. Figure 11: How to install the PX-230A if your computer is originally Section 2. Installing the PX-230A Internal ATAPI Drive Set the PX-230A’s mode jumper to CSEL, and connect the drive to the end of the cable from the computer’s IDE...

  • Page 30: About Cable Select

    Section 2. Installing the PX-230A Internal ATAPI Drive About Cable Select The Cable Select jumper position sets the PX-230A drive to use the CSEL signal from the IDE interface for configuration purposes. This signal automatically selects the correct Master/Slave setting for the drive.

  • Page 31: Mount The Px-230A Drive

    If you don’t have an empty bay, remove the existing IDE DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive and install the PX-230A. You must make a minimum of two cable connections to your PX-230A. The two cable connections that you must make are: •...
  • Page 32 Section 2. Installing the PX-230A Internal ATAPI Drive To mount the PX-230A drive: 1. Make sure the power to your computer and any external peripherals is turned OFF and your computer is UNPLUGGED from its power source. 2. If you haven't already removed the cover from your computer, remove it now, following the directions provided by your computer’s...
  • Page 33 The drive can be mounted directly into your computer. Go to step 6. NOTE: Plextor does not provide rails. If you need rails, you can obtain them from the computer manufacturer or from a computer supply retail or mail-order store.
  • Page 34 Figure 15: Connect one end of the IDE cable to the motherboard and the other end to the drive. If your Plextor drive is the only device on the cable, attach it at the end of the cable, leaving the...
  • Page 35 Section 2. Installing the PX-230A Internal ATAPI Drive CAUTION: In the case of only one IDE device, you must make certain that one end of the cable is always connected to the IDE connector on the motherboard. The other end of the connector must be connected to a device.

  • Page 36: Using Sound Boards And Audio Cables

    (This cable is not supplied by Plextor.) 12. Mount the PX-230A drive in the computer using the four screws that were supplied with your drive. Use only these screws. CAUTION: Do not mount your drive in your computer using screws other than those supplied by Plextor.
  • Page 37 Audio Connection MPC audio source Sound Blaster or compatible sound board Digital audio output Section 2. Installing the PX-230A Internal ATAPI Drive Cable Required MPC- Connect to MPC audio compliant source, and to analog audio audio cable output connector at the rear of the Plextor drive.
  • Page 38 Section 2. Installing the PX-230A Internal ATAPI Drive This page intentionally left blank. PX-230A Installation and Users Manual...

  • Page 39: Using Your Px-230A

    3. Using Your PX-230A This chapter explains how to use your PX-230A drive and how to load, handle and care for your CDs. What Media to Use Use the right media! Your PX-230A drive's capabilities change depending on which type of compact disc you use.

  • Page 40: Tray Loading And Operation

    Section 3. Using Your PX-230A See “Recommended Media” on page 46 for a list of Plextor-approved media at the time this manual was printed, and see the Plextor web site at www.plextor.com for an updated list. You can write to Ultra Speed CD-RW discs only on drives that support this media.

  • Page 41: Handling Blank Cd Media

    Section 3. Using Your PX-230A Handling Blank CD Media Take care when handling blank CD media. Dust, scratches, and fingerprints on either side of the disc can cause write errors during recording. When picking up or holding blank media you can either place your fingers along the outer edge of the disc, or place one finger through the center hole and one finger on the outer edge.

  • Page 42: Mounting Position

    HINT: Keep your frequently used discs in jewel cases at all times to prevent them from becoming dirty or damaged. Mounting Position You can operate your PX-230A drive in either a horizontal or a vertical position. Writing to CD-R and CD-RW Media...

  • Page 43: Maintenance And Troubleshooting

    Plextor representative. Cleaning the PX-230A Drive Plextor drives are sealed against external contamination, so in a normal computer environment and with normal use, your drive should not require internal cleaning. However, if your drive has been in use for some time and has just recently started to exhibit read/write problems, it is possible that dust has accumulated on the laser lens.

  • Page 44: Upgrading Firmware

    Before troubleshooting a possible problem with your PX-230A drive please visit our web site at www.plextor.com to check if you have the latest firmware. To obtain new firmware for your drive: 1.

  • Page 45: Emergency Eject

    4. Carefully continue to slide the disc tray open. 5. If a CD is present, remove the CD from the disc tray. 6. Carefully push the disc tray shut. Section 4. Maintenance and Troubleshooting Figure 20: Emergency eject PX-230A Installation and Users Manual...

  • Page 46: Troubleshooting

    2. Open Windows Explorer or My Computer and ensure there is an icon for the Plextor drive, the hard disk, and another DVD or CD- ROM drive, if present. The Plextor icon may be D: or E: or another designator.

  • Page 47: Further Troubleshooting

    Support. (See “Appendix B: Technical Support” for the different ways you can contact us.) If you discover a problem with the PX-230A drive, do not attempt to service the drive yourself. Contact us to get an RMA number and take steps to return the drive to Plextor.
  • Page 48 Section 4. Maintenance and Troubleshooting This page intentionally left blank. PX-230A Installation and Users Manual...

  • Page 49: Frequently Asked Questions

    Plextor drives. (See page 46 for a list of recommended media for the PX-230A at the time this manual was printed, and see the Plextor web site at www.plextor.com for an updated list.)
  • Page 50 Section 6. Frequently Asked Questions This page intentionally left blank. PX-230A Installation and Users Manual...

  • Page 51: Appendix A: Px-230A Specifications

    Appendix A: PX-230A Specifications Minimum System Requirements—PX-230A Internal ATAPI Drive Computer Pentium III, 500-MHz or equivalent Minimum RAM 128 MB Hard Disk Size 1 GB of free space to write to a CD in image mode. (For more accurate guidelines, see the help files or documentation for the recording software you’re...
  • Page 52 Recommended Media Recommended media are recordable or rewritable CD media that have been tested by Plextor. For the latest updated list of recommended media for the PX-230A, see the Plextor web site at www.plextor.com. CD-R: 4X-52X Maxell, TDK, Fujifilm media...
  • Page 53 Appendix A: PX-230A Specifications Mode-1 Mode-2 Discs Discs Stamp,R Stamp, R Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, PX-230A Installation and Users Manual CD-DA Discs Stamp,R Stamp,R Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R, Stamp,R,...
  • Page 54 Performance Specifications (continued) Write Speed, Speed CD-R/RW 22-52X 20-48X 17-40X 20-32X PCAV ZCLV 20-24X PCAV ZCLV 8X CLV 4X CLV PX-230A Installation and Users Manual CD-R Ultra Speed CD-RW Media – – – – – – – – – –...
  • Page 55 3000-7200 3000-7200 (CAV) (PCAV) 2550-6000 2550-6000 (CAV) (PCAV) 3000-4800 – (PCAV) – 2100-4800 (CAV) 3000-3600 – (PCLV) – 1500-3600 (CAV) 2400 (CLV) 2400 (CLV) 1800 (CLV) 1800 (CLV) 1200 (CLV) 1200 (CLV) 600 (CLV) – PX-230A Installation and Users Manual...
  • Page 56 Consumption IDE Interface IDE bus, 40-pin flat ribbon type. Interface complies Connector with ATA/ATAPI. Maximum total cable length cannot exceed 18 in (45.7 cm). PX-230A Installation and Users Manual DC +12V, DC +5V, ±10% ±5% 20 mA 250 mA 800 mA...
  • Page 57 Output: TTL level, 3.3V Digital audio line output: 2 pins, non-isolated Mode Jumper Master (default), slave, cable select (CSEL) Dimensions and Weight, PX-230A Internal ATAPI Drive Dimensions 5.75" x 1.63" x 6.8" (W/H/D) 146 mm x 41.2 mm x 172.5 mm...
  • Page 58 (DMA changes controlled by operating system and device manager) ATAPI Refer to the Plextor ATAPI command manual. Command Set Inquiry string PLEXTOR sp CD-R sp sp sp PX-230A sp sp (where “sp” is one space) Environmental Conditions Mounting Horizontal or vertical orientation: Position Horizontal: ±10 degrees...
  • Page 59 Safety Europe Safety Laser Appendix A: PX-230A Specifications (5-300Hz) 0-Pk 0-Pk 0-Pk Agency UL (C-UL) PX-230A Installation and Users Manual bits bits Standard UL 1950 21 CFR Subchapter J Part15 Subpart B Class B CSA 22.2 No. 950-M89 EN60950 EN60825-1...
  • Page 60 Appendix A: PX-230A Specifications This page intentionally left blank. PX-230A Installation and Users Manual...

  • Page 61: Appendix B: Technical Support

    If you have not been successful in your quest, our Technical Support Department will help you solve problems that relate specifically to your PX-230A drive. In many cases, a problem that appears to be caused by your Plextor drive actually originates in another part of your computer.

  • Page 62: How To Contact Plextor Technical Support

    Appendix B: Technical Support How to Contact Plextor Technical Support There are several ways for you to contact Plextor’s Technical Support Department: • Visit our web site (www.plextor.com) for answers to Frequently Asked Questions. • Send us e-mail at techsupport@plextor.com. Include your telephone number and the hours during which you can be reached.

  • Page 63: Returns

    Returns In the unlikely event that you need to return a drive to Plextor, you need an RMA (Returned Materials Authorization) number. You will need this number before any Plextor drive can be returned for replacement. Here’s how you get an RMA number and return your drive: 1.

  • Page 64: Shipping Your Drive To Plextor

    Be sure to write the RMA number on the outside of the shipping box. Any drive sent to Plextor without an RMA number will not be accepted. NOTE: The RMA number must be clearly visible on the outside of the shipping box.

  • Page 65: Appendix C: Warranty

    In the event this product is found to be defective within the warranty period, PLEXTOR will, at its option, repair or replace the defective unit.

  • Page 66: If You're Outside The U.s. Or Canada

    All drives returned to PLEXTOR must be securely packaged and shipped postage prepaid. The drive will be returned to the customer at Plextor’s expense when originating within the United States. For a drive originating outside of the United States, the customer is responsible for shipping costs in both directions.

  • Page 67: Index

    · 33, 46 normal speed · 48 reading speed · 1 ultra speed · 48 writing · 36 writing speed · 48 CD-TEXT · 3 cleaning disc · 35 cleaning your drive · 37 PX-230A Installation and Users Manual...
  • Page 68 Index precautions · 5, 37 closing tray · 34 compatibility CD-R · 2 CD-RW · 2 computer, minimum, PX-230A · 3, configuration cable select · 24 PX-230A minimum · 3, 45 types of IDE · 13 connection sound board and · 30 connector analog audio output ·...
  • Page 69 IDE cable, 40-conductor · 14 IDE cable, connecting · 28 IDE configuration determining for PX-230A · 13 examples · 19 selecting · 19 types of · 13 IDE interface connector · 9, 28, 50 IDE ports · 13 IDE/ATA cable, 80-conductor · 14 initialization time ·...
  • Page 70 RAM, minimum · 3, 45 read specification, CD · 47 reading speed CD-R · 1 CD-RW · 1 rear-panel connectors, PX-230A · 8 PX-230A Installation and Users Manual recognizing drive in Windows · 40 recommended media · 46 definition · 43 recording modes, CD ·...
  • Page 71 CD-RW · 33 monitoring · 36 normal speed CD-RW · 33 ultra speed CD-RW · 33 ultra speed plus CD-RW · 33 writing to CD-R · 36 writing to CD-RW · 36 yellow book · 46 PX-230A Installation and Users Manual Index...
  • Page 72 PLEXTOR CORP. 48383 Fremont Blvd. Suite 120 Fremont CA 94538-6509 www.plextor.com Phone: 510-440-2000 Fax: 510-651-9755 E-mail: info@plextor.com...

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