How to determine mechanism *before* purchase?

[aostler]

I've decided to stop waiting for Restrospect to support my (Formac) drive, sell it & buy something that will work.

 

I've looked at the list of qualified drives, and it looks like the EZQuest Boa 16x10x40 or QPS Que! 16x10x40 might suit my needs. Out of interest I also looked up these drives for iTunes compatibility (http://www.apple.com/itunes/notes.html) and found to my surprise that Apple list support for more variants of these drives than Dantz.

 

So this begs the question - if these drives are available with the same name but with mechanisms that won't work with Restrospect, how on earth are we supposed to know whether it will work before we buy? No online retailer I've looked at lists this much detail, and indeed it seems likely that they could be selling any variant of the drive at any time. It all seems a bit of a lottery!

 

 

[jregs]

Aostler,

 

 

 

I can't speak to the EZQuest drives, but there is a way to tell who makes the mechanism for QPS Que FIRE! drives (at least, sort of).

 

 

 

For QPS drives, look at the serial number (it's right on the outside of the box). If the first character of the serial number is 'W' followed by four numbers that match the write and re-write speed rating of the drive, then the mechanism is made by Plextor (Plextor drives have a *great* reputation). For example, you mentioned the QPS Que 16x10x40 drive. If it has a Plextor mechanism, the serial number will begin: W1610....

 

 

 

If the serial number starts with something other than 'W', (e.g., a number or '*') then the mechanism is made by someone else. For the QPS Que Fire! 16x10x40 drives that DON'T have a Plextor mech., I think QPS used TEAC mechs. (which I think had some problems using Retrospect) and possibly Sanyo (though I'm not sure about Sanyo). I believe that the QPS Que Fire! 16x10x40 drives with Plextor mechs. ARE qualified for use with Dantz Retrospect (but, please double-check this).

 

 

 

(Note: the QPS Que Fire! 24x10x40 CD-RW drives with Plextor mechs. are NOT yet qualified, much to my chagrin, but I sure hope they are soon.)

 

 

 

I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

 

 

Take care,

 

Jay

 

 

 

P.S. I just checked Dantz's Hardware Compatibility List and the QPS Que Fire! 16x10x40 drives (with Plextor mechs.) ARE INDEED qualified for both Mac and Windows. In the compatibility list, the QPS Que Fire! 16x10x40 drives with Plextor mechs. are listed QPS Que FIRE! 16x10x40 (PX-W1610A Version).

[aostler]

Thanks for the info, but it doesn't really help me if I want to buy on-line.

 

 

 

Also, I was trying to make the more general point that Dantz aren't making life easy for us by only offering partial support for named drives. I think generally they need to address the often substantial delay between drives coming to market and their support for them. Obviously testing needs to be done, but does this really need to take 6 months?