My Pioneer DVR-106D died? It reads CD but not DVDs!???

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Level 1

135 points

My Pioneer DVR-106D died? It reads CD but not DVDs!???

Hi

I need a little help here, I have a Dual 1.8 first edition G5, I have a Superdrive in it and it simply stopped playing DVDs of ANY KIND!!!

Yes, that is right, it plays CDs and it even BURNs them. But DVDs, it stopped all of the sudden. I burned a back up of my images, then wanted to burn the second one, and during burn, it simply gave an error in the Titanium and I thought it was just a disc error. Since it SAID it was... Ok, so I try to do another one and it simply doesn't do anything.

It closes the door, then tries to spin the disc and it just stops and tries and tries again and again... Till it just ejects it... (Like it does with discs it cannot read).

Here is what I have done. I have zapped the PRAM, repaired permissions, reset all in open firmware. Did a cocktail clean up. And even unplugged the mac. Nothing. I tried to run my computer off of a back up system I have on a separate HD. Still the same problems.

THEN! I even tried to upload a new firmware onto my Pioneer 106D and it went like it should, no problems there. The correct firmware came up and it still played Cds... Just not DVDs...

So here is what I wish to know... Can I save it? Or is it dead?

Does the Pioneer 106D have dual Lasers? One of CDs and One for DVDs?

Could one of these burn out? And render the burner to only play CDs?

I just ordered a Pioneer 110D dual layered burner for about $45 brand new. So I hope this will be a success, but I need to know what went wrong and if I can do something with it or is it just dead...

Thanks...

Hope to hear from you...

PS. My main problem is now that I cannot use the Tiger DVD I have or the Main back up DVDs I got when I got this Mac...

Posted on Nov 3, 2005 1:23 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 4, 2005 9:35 AM in response to Lyra

In fact there are two different optical sub-systems: one for CDs + one for DVDs.
So it relly may be possible that one system dies while the other is still working fine.
Replacing an 106D with an 110D should be hassle free - don't forget to remove the bezel of the tray like it has been done with your 106D.

btw. before replacing your old drive with the new one, check the firmware revision of your 110D (should be printed somewhere of the drive).
If it's 1.08 you should upgrade it to the current revision - this must be done - afaik - at this moment using a PC. Burning will beome much more reliable.

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Answer 2

Lyra Author

Level 1

135 points

Nov 4, 2005 10:48 AM in response to Kay Marczoch

Hi

Thank you for your post...

I had a good idea, that my Drive died that way. I just never imagined it would fail one part of the drive and not the other. But I knew this would happen on DVD players from Pioneer and Panasonic, but in computers I had no idea.

So you say, the 110D is a good burner? But can be better with an update of its firmware?

I have no idea how to do one... I mean I only have a mac, no PCs to use to update the firmware. Can you show me where to get the firmware? And if I can, can it make it region free? I live in a country where we have both R1, R2, R3 and R4 films available via the net, and I have a collection of all regions. Some are better than others.

Is it fast? I mean I have a 4x speed burner, and it takes me about 20min to burn a 4.3Gb disc, how fast is it on a 16x burner and is it hassle free with the dual layered discs?

Thanks a lot for the info, I look forward to telling you how it all went...

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Answer 3

Nov 5, 2005 7:03 AM in response to Lyra

Lyra,

AFAIK there is no working firmware updater for the 110D at the moment, but I suppose it will be available soon: Regularely check the apple section of www.rpc1.org - I suppose there is a region-free firmware available ... but without a working Mac-flasher, you just have to wait a little bit.
The only workaround for flashing would be puting the drive into an USB-case and using VirtualPC/Windows based flasher for updating.
Using myself an older 108D region-free I cann tell that Pioneer drives are of a good quality and rather hassle-free. But mostly their 1st firmware revision often is a little bit weak.

Hope that helps a little bit
alway feel free to mail me in case of emergency.

-kay

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Answer 4

Lyra Author

Level 1

135 points

Nov 5, 2005 8:15 AM in response to Kay Marczoch

I just want you to know I greatly appreciate your help and I will let you know when I get it, how it all works out...

When I see, there are firmwares for the 110D, and it is meant for PCs, does it mean, it in its self cannot be used if one uses a flasher ported for a mac?

Cause I found this on their support page, from those I bought it from :

http://www.svp.co.uk/helpdesk/?_a=downloads&PHPSESSID=5b5ea4203d168641bd9c9e06a8 81af4f

There you can see they have a Pioneer 110D Firmware v1.22 (1,240.48KB, 911 downloads) Firmware v1.22 Update for Pioneer 110D

I have found some who have a TON of firmwares, for all Pioneers, I even found a native MacOS X application that flashes the pioneer drive with one click only. And it worked! Only I couldn't test it since my DVD drive was dead. But it came up with a new firmware and it worked as before, only it didn't correct the Damaged Laser pickup on the DVD front. So that is where I gathered it must be a hardware error and not software.

Take care and have a fun and easy weekend!

-Steve

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Answer 5

Nov 5, 2005 9:43 AM in response to Lyra

A rpc-1 firmware for the 110D you can find at http://gradius.rpc1.org/
There is also DVR-Flash as application available - but as I said - I'm not sure if the new 110D is supported yet. Just browse http://forum.rpc1.org/viewforum.php?f=30

edit:
You will need DVRFlash 2.2 for your 110D - should be available within a week 🙂

To answer your question regarding the firmware flashers for PCs: Those applications contain universal firmware files: They can be extracted and flashed using an OS X flasher (if there is one to support your drive)

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Answer 6

Nov 5, 2005 12:57 PM in response to Lyra

Mine was working great until recently, (perhaps since the last security update?).. anyway, about 2 weeks ago, it stopped reading DVD's that I burned.. It can burn cd's/dvd's, (that work n other computers) read cd's, professional movie dvd's but not dvd's that I burn, either from toast or directly from finder...

A call to applecare says that it might be a hardware problem, (um gentlemen... it 'works, I can burn dvd's that work on my friends PC and cd's that work well too) AND cost me $50.00 with no guarantee of a fix...

I have trashed some of my .plist files and no good, no fix..

any suggestions? Reading about flashing my firmware scares me... it says I can permanently damage my drive?

this seems to be a problem more people have been having, and recently too.

any ideas?

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Answer 7

Lyra Author

Level 1

135 points

Nov 5, 2005 4:04 PM in response to Zenchristen

hmm, sounds like a different problem than mine...

But a problem never the less.

I feel sorry for all G5 users who have serious and odd problems. Since I bought my Dual 1.8Ghz G5, I have had nothing but problems. I started off by a single processor 1.8Ghz G5. That machine by birth was defective, I battled with Apple for over 2 months. Finally, they began to see a string a of G5s, which were suffering the same errors as mine. So they were nice enough to send me a dual G5 1.8Ghz, simply because by that time they had released a new revision. It took them that long to realize my computer was really messed up.

So, since I got the new G5, here are the problems I have had and still have.

- Airport
(Range problems, speed problems, connection in general, where I have found out that the airport card in the delivered G5, was defective. I still suffer from this.)

-A fairly new G5, and a dead DVD Laser pickup.
(Current, posts regard this issue)

-Overall System errors, where my G5, locks up, freezes, hangs and here comes the worst part : My friend has an old 450mhz G4, it runs 10.4.3 and it is very reliable. It does, jobs like transcoding and ripping "own" DVDs, in ALMOST the same time!!!

-My G5 has had some serious issues, so much so, that I am selling it and CANNOT WAIT, till Apple would come out of the bushes and announce the official Mac Mini 1.5Ghz specs, which they send out to some "Lucky" buyers.

See, I am hoping that with all the trouble I have had, a Mac Mini will be more stable and in the end, somehow, till I get my new Powerbook, make me happy.

What makes me angry though is Apples, lack of realizing their mistake in not officially announcing the new version of the Mac Mini's. I mean who wouldn't rather have, a Mac Mini with Dual Layered DVD burner, new version of Bluetooth, Faster HD, faster Processor, better Video Graphics card and a few other small changes. I mean if I pay top dollars for the Mini, should I not be offered the same Mac Mini as those who get the new and upgraded version?

I mean this is the kind of lottery I don't like...

Sorry for trailing off the track here.

Your problem, have you tried to zap the P RAM? Have you tried to reset all in open firmware? Have you tried to install a new OSX on an external HD?

I hope you can fix your problem. I have had too many to say, my experience with the G5 was a good one...

Looking forward to the intel based ones, which I hope will be more stable. (I cannot believe I said that, but it is true)

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Answer 8

Nov 5, 2005 4:33 PM in response to Lyra

my g5 has been running so smoothly for nearly 2+ years now.. I did have to reinstall the os a year ago, but not a biggie..

this is new.. the problem and before I head for a new drive or new install, (which is truly a major pain in the butt), I am taking stock of what is happening out there..

At least I can still burn, and they (the dvd's) work on other machines.

Other than this, my G5 has been a dream..

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Answer 9

Lyra Author

Level 1

135 points

Nov 5, 2005 4:59 PM in response to Zenchristen

I really envy you...

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Answer 10

Nov 5, 2005 6:26 PM in response to Lyra

Just a general grumbling second "aye".
Everything from iDisk to Safari, .Mac web page crashes to Airport performance, Java updates to spinning beach balls, the most expensive Mac I ever bought (by some 400%) has turned into the most aggravating. I spent months waffling on the exact configuration, waited for the newer models and plunked down "used car money" for a sweet new G5. Ever since, I find myself reminising about my now defunct 5 year old CRT iMac that ran 10.2 for months on end without so much as a hiccup. My latest problems with the optical drive failing have only added to my frustrations. In addition to basic web browsing and content playback issues that arose after nearly every tiger "update", now the pillar of my mac experience, music content managment has been brought to a halt by a non responsive optical drive.
beats a dell but darn,
Jesse

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Answer 11

Lyra Author

Level 1

135 points

Nov 5, 2005 7:39 PM in response to Jesse Wysong

I feel your pain brother... I feel it...

I have to say, that the G5 will be a short lived machine, it was a waste of money for me and I am very sad to have invested in it in the first place...

It could have been great, but for me it is a real pain in the neck...

Hoping the Mac Mini will be a little more problem free...

Sad isn't it, that I am downgrading to a Mac Mini from a Dual G5... That goes to show how much trouble I have had with this Mac.

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Answer 12

Nov 7, 2005 7:42 AM in response to Lyra

Hi Lyra, I have the same problem which only appeared after I updated to 10.4.3. The thing is I burnt a DVD just before updating. I have'nt tried the firmware update but I have tried a drive rebuild with drive genius software and still have the same problem. My Discdrive is the original one that came with my Mac DP G5 2.5Ghz. PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-117D:

Firmware Revision: B705
Interconnect: ATAPI
Burn Support: Yes (Apple Shipped/Supported)
Cache: 2000 KB
Reads DVD: Yes
CD-Write: -R, -RW
DVD-Write: -R, -RW, +R, +RW
Burn Underrun Protection CD: Yes
Burn Underrun Protection DVD: Yes
Write Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, CD-Raw, DVD-DAO
Media: No. Are you using any software like toast/jam/popcorn/Mac the ripper? I'm sorry there is no real help here but it's better sharing annoying problems.

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