Internal Optical for DVD-RAM read/write

My old Type 1 disks are double-sided and I also want to use Type 2 and 4 double-sided cartridges if I buy a DVD-RAM drive. I like having archival data on disks inside the cartridges. These are like glorified ZIP disks. For my intended use, I think they're much superior to a non-cartridge disk.

I found some Panasonic drives that are billed as capable of playing cartridge disks, the one directly below even specifying Type 1.

http://www.usb-ware.com/panasonic-lf-m821-oem.htm
http://www.cwol.com/dvd-burners/panasonic-lf-m821-oem.htm

The above sites feature almost identical product pages, along with a few other sites I landed on. That fact made me a little wary, since I don't understand the reason to have multiple sites with the same pages but a different name in the site header. I also don't find this drive on any sites other than these with the identical product pages. I wondered if it is a non-U.S. market drive. When I wrote the company they responded affirmatively about the drive working on my Mac and playing the Type 1 disks, but they didn't respond to an inquiry about it being a U.S. vs. non-U.S. drive and whether that mattered for my hardware. The Panasonic USA web site also didn't feature this drive, so that concerned me.

The Panasonic drives below show cartridge capability but don't specifically say that they're Type 1-compatible:
http://logicalplus.stores.yahoo.net/padvddlsumud1.html
http://logicalplus.stores.yahoo.net/answ5xdvdram.html
http://logicalplus.stores.yahoo.net/pasw8xdufodv.html

It seems that Panasonic is the company making drives that may be suitable for my particular needs. I'm just a little wary and am hoping someone else has had some experience with these drives on G4s/G5s and/or Intel MacPro computer.

I've done some more Internet searching about DVD-RAM technology and drives. Found an interesting software product by Software Architects called DVD-RAM TuneUp:
http://www.digital-photography.org/DVD-RAMProDirect_CD-R_burners/Software_ArchitectsDVDRAM.html

I'm not sure how current this page is, since it speaks of 5.2 GB disks being "now available," but the site has a 2006 copyright date, so I assume it is a generally up-to-date and functioning site. The credit line says the site is part of the "FLAARnetwork." The promotional copy says "You can now easily run a DVD-RAM drive on your PC." Apparently this product provides drivers and accompanying technology to support DVD-RAM read/write capability.

BINGO! This might be helpful to aid compatibility with DVD drives and disks. Following links I found these pages:

1) ReadDVD! software (Mac format)
http://shop.digitalriver.com/dr/v2/ecMain.Entry17C?SID=138&SP=10023&CID=0&PID=666748&PN=1&V1=666748&CUR=840&DSP=&PGRP =0&ABCODE=&CACHEID=0

2) WriteUDF! (Mac format)
http://shop.digitalriver.com/dr/v2/ecMAIN.Entry17c?SID=138&SP=10007&CID=0&PID=833586&PN=5&CUR=840&DSP=&PGRP=0&ABCODE= &CACHEID=0
It appears that Software Architects

I've written to Software Architects explaining my needs and asking for recommendations they may have for hardware and software to enable DVD-RAM on my MacPro.

I will report what I learn.

Yes, you're right about third party drivers and software. I ran into a similar loss of usability with an HP1220 "postscript" printer that lost its PS capability because Adobe didn't upgrade their PressReady software for the OS X platform.

I am only have the MacPro, along with my old G4 with the Type 1-compatible DVD-RAM drive. I also recentlly purchased Toast 7. I do plan to format in HFS+.

So, in your own opinion, does the Panasonic LF-M821 from these related Web companies seem like a go? I can't find anything that looks more promising. And the price isn't too bad. My sense is that other manufacturers aren't investing in these DVD-RAM features for their drives and that everyone is gearing up for Blu-ray technology, which looks great but is too high-priced for me to justify.

Thank you for the time you've taken to assist me and discuss this topic. I think I will "take the plunge" and buy the Panasonic drive.

The knowledge base, tutorials and forums community on the Apple site are consistently helpful tools that make owning a Mac a pleasure.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=638337&tstart=0

In the above thread for a topic I posted some time back someone responded that the bezel may have to be removed from the front of a Panasonic internal drive to install it in the MacPro. From other reading I've done it seems removing the bezel does solve the space problem.

Did you find removing the bezel was necessary when you installed your own Panasonic DVD-RAM drive?

I started this forum in Nov. 2006 and now am posting an update and a follow up question.

I did purchase the Panasonic LF-M821 (shows up in Disk Utility as Matshita SW 9574S) and after having to purchase ribbon extension cables to connect it AND be able to reinstall the internal drive cage was able to hook it up.

I purchased this drive because the seller's site indicated it would read and write to DVD-RAM cartridge disks of Type 1 or other variety. I wrote them and they also reported it would work on the MacPro.

Unfortunately I've experienced some problems and I'm stumped on how to fix them. First, what's right:
1) after removing the bezel drive door the drive opens/closes fine with Option+Eject
2) Tiger shows previously written Type 1 DVD-RAM cartidge disks on the desktop and in a Finder window when they are inserted in the second drive
2) I can read previously written Type 1 DVD-RAM cartridge disks

The many problems:
1) The cartridge disks barely fit into the drive tray, having to be forced before they finally drop in
2) drive tray mechanism is a bit clunky and loud when tray opens and closes
3) I cannot write or otherwise alter any of the data on the previously written DVD-RAM disks
4) Disk Utility sees both the unformatted DVD-RAM Type 1 double-sided cartridge disks (5.2GB and 9.4GB), BUT neither can be formatted.
5) Neither Tiger nor Toast Titanium 7.1.2 seem to be able to see or show regular DVD or CD disks inserted in the drive.

One poster in a forum topic in Apple Discussions suggested that Type 4 disks would work on the drive and I should move my data to new disks. I have a good bit of money invested in these Type 1 disks and the idea of having to replace all of them is unnerving. What's the use in utilizing a data storage technology that guarantees long-term storage if within 5 years the disks are considered "old" and unsupported?

I've contacted the seller of the drive and they weren't much help. I'm interested in ideas anyone might have about how to overcome the hurdles I've confronted.

How do I get Tiger to see a disk in the second drive? What about Toast? I'm sure I'm doing something wrong. Just don't have a clue what it is.