DVD player issues (failed to generate power needed)

[lovehaight]

My mac pro is unable to burn dvds (it sometimes burns cds). here are the specs...solutions? and thanks! using SL
OPTIARC DVD RW AD-7170A:

Firmware Revision: 1.N7
Interconnect: ATAPI
Burn Support: Yes (Apple Shipping Drive)
Cache: 0 KB
Reads DVD: Yes
CD-Write: -R, -RW
DVD-Write: -R, -RAM, -RW
Write Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, CD-Raw, DVD-DAO
Media: To show the available burn speeds, insert a disc and choose View > Refresh

 

[Kevriano]

First thing to do is clean the burner laser with a good lens cleaner and then try again.
CD's often burn when DVD won't because of the difference in "grooves", the dots and dash data being burned basically.
Next, run disk utility and check all permissions, just in case, though this is unlikely to be the issue.
After that, try different media, just to be sure, but if you still have the issue I would suggest it may well be the burner dying.

 

[lovehaight]

when i go into utilities for dvd writer, in first aid everything is grayed out-repair and verify...could it be the problem? also do you recommend an ordinary lens cleaner from a shop, or a specialized one?

 

[Kevriano]

Did you run utilities from your install disc? If not you need to, rather than from the utilities folder, because there are tasks it can't do "on the fly".

Re the cleaner. Yes, any good lens cleaning disc is fine, I use an Allsop, many use Memorex, but PC World or similar will sell them.

 

[lovehaight]

ok will pick one up and post later thanks edit:tried another type-this time it 'failed due to medium write error'

 

[hughvane]

Medium write error is often related to the type and quality of the disks.

As Kevriano suggests, it my be the dying process of the burner itself, so consider replacing the unit. Many recommend Pioneer as working well with Macs, and they're not expensive.

 

[lovehaight]

well i cleaned it and tried another brand of cd..worked fine..i forgot to pick up some dvds, so will try that a.m...is it true that blu ray is not able to be used on macs? i'm quite excited about my machine, just picked up a couple serious HDs, and will soon have 12gram...

 

[Kevriano]

If you get an external Blue Ray burner you can if you have Toast as a burning program it supports Blue Ray burning.
I'm not sure if there are many around yet, but I'm pretty sure there are. Not cheap though, and neither are discs.
Glad cleaning seems to have sorted out the trouble, so many people don't do it often enough, especially if they do a lot of burning.

 

[lovehaight]

i cant put a blu-ray inside my mac pro to watch movies?

 

[hughvane]

I understand you'll need OS 10.5.6 for blu-ray to work natively, it's not been supported by Apple previous to that. See:
Blu-ray Support in Mac OS X 10.5.6? - Mac Forums
iTunes 9 and OS X Snow Leopard to support Blu-ray? - Software - Crave - CNET Asia

 

[Kevriano]

Well as far as I know, the Macbook doesn't yet come with a blue ray drive.

 

[lovehaight]

well I run 10.6.2 so it will be supported? just a litle confused..