Matshita CW-8122 Combo Drive

Question

Craigwd_2000 Author

Level 4

1,315 points

Matshita CW-8122 Combo Drive

I was wondering if it might be possible to use a Matshita CW-8122 slot loading Combo Drive in a G3 CRT iMac. I realize that none of the G3 CRT iMacs shipped with slot loading Combo Drives. I want to be able to watch DVDs from any region in the world & be able to burn CDs with optical drive.

The Matshita CW-8122 Combo Drive meets all those requirements. It's listed on www.thefirmwarepage.com as being flashable to RPC1. I'm guessing nobody has ever tried this before. Is there any reason why one of these optical drives wouldn't work in a slot loading G3 CRT iMac?

Does the Matshita CW-8122 receive its power through a IDE cable when installed in a Aluminum PowerBook G4? I ask because I own a Indigo iMac DV Special Edition 400 MHz that currently has a slot loading CD burner installed. If it's impossible to use the Matshita CW-8122 slot loading Combo Drive in a slot loading G3 CRT iMac I will just install a Matshita SR-8184 slot loading DVD-ROM drive instead.

I can burn CDs using the Neto Dragon software OWC sells. Otherwise it's impossible to burn CDs on a slot loading G3 CRT iMac. Roxio Toast for instance requires a G4 or G5 or Intel processor.

Refurbished iMac G5 "17 1.8 GHz and PowerBook G4 "12 1.5 GHz, Mac OS X (10.4.11), 2 and 1.25 GBs of RAM

Posted on Nov 30, 2007 6:27 PM

Reply

Answer 1

spudnuty

Level 5

7,128 points

Dec 1, 2007 7:30 AM in response to Craigwd_2000

Hi,
Go here:
http://forums.xlr8yourmac.com/drivedb/search.drivedb.lasso

Select DVD CDR, Matshita and CW-8122 and hit search. You'll get 3 returns and the iMac is the second one.

I own a Indigo iMac DV Special Edition 400 MHz

That poster explains the cabling problems.
BTW I have used an Apple branded SR8583-B DVD-ROM to play DVDs in a 400 iMac. I salvaged that drive from an old B&W G3 tower.

Roxio Toast for instance requires a G4 or G5 or Intel processor.

Hmm I used to burn CDs in my Beige G3 using Roxio toast 3 and 4 via SCSI.
I have a La Cie CD burner that's firewire I'll try it and post back.

Richard

Message was edited by: spudnuty

Reply

Answer 2

Craigwd_2000 Author

Level 4

1,315 points

Dec 2, 2007 10:32 AM in response to spudnuty

He said he had to buy a adapter for the Matshita CW-8122 Combo Drive to work. The audio signals also don't reach the logic board properly due to the signals not matching up exactly. It would be nice if someone could make a adapter that actually works correctly.

Reply

Answer 3

spudnuty

Level 5

7,128 points

Dec 2, 2007 7:38 PM in response to Craigwd_2000

He said he had to buy a adapter for the Matshita CW-8122 Combo Drive to work. >The audio signals also don't reach the logic board properly due to the signals not matching up exactly. >It would be nice if someone could make a adapter that actually works correctly.

Well probably because it's not a high demand item.

Quoting myself:

I have used an Apple branded SR8583-B DVD-ROM to play DVDs in a 400 iMac

It was placed in a La Cie external firewire enclosure and works fine.

Richard

Reply

Answer 4

Craigwd_2000 Author

Level 4

1,315 points

Dec 3, 2007 6:12 AM in response to spudnuty

I must admit I've been very lucky to get replies from such a knowledgable person to this thread so far. I would really like to find out if anyone makes such a adapter that transmits the audio signal properly. If anyone out there knows of such a adapter please reply.

Reply

Answer 5

spudnuty

Level 5

7,128 points

Dec 3, 2007 4:01 PM in response to Craigwd_2000

Well if you read that post on xlr8urmac he made up his own. He gives pretty complete instructions on how to do it.
Richard

Reply

Answer 6

Craigwd_2000 Author

Level 4

1,315 points

Dec 3, 2007 6:13 PM in response to spudnuty

No. That's not the real issue. What worries me the most is that he said the audio doesn't transmit to the logic board correctly in his footnotes. I think I'll have to get my dad to take a look at that xlr8yourmac site. He's much better with soldering than I am. I still have dead components lying around too. Just waiting to be resusitated. The most common issue is with old components is bulging capacitors. I have one motherboard for instance that could be revived by a complete recapping. My first PC died due to two exploding defective power supplies. I've still got the two defective power supplies to prove it too: a 200 Watt & a 300 Watt. They just don't make reliable AT switching power supplies like they used to.

Reply

Answer 7

spudnuty

Level 5

7,128 points

Dec 3, 2007 8:34 PM in response to Craigwd_2000

Well there are no references in his post to pinouts on the connectors. Looks like a lot of work. I've tried to makeup IDE cables by modding SCSI cables. It's not easy.

They just don't make reliable AT switching power supplies like they used to.

Well if they ever did. Electolytic caps are and have always been a problem in electronic circuits. Ever hear an old tube radio? That buzzing you hear is because the electrolytic filter caps have gone bad/dry. It's the first thing that gets replaced.
So with switchmode supplies no gigantic heavy/expensive transformers but exploding caps. OK.

Richard

Message was edited by: spudnuty

Message was edited by: spudnuty

Reply

Answer 8

Craigwd_2000 Author

Level 4

1,315 points

Dec 4, 2007 8:40 AM in response to spudnuty

Just one last follow up to all of this. I read the instructions on the xlr8urmac site. It looks very interesting to say the least. I think I'll have my dad base his design on the existing one but have him modify it so the audio signals transmit correctly. That was the only reported defect I could find in the current adapter design.

Reply