[Conkers]

I have an NEC DVD-RW NG-3500AG DVD Re-Writer using Firmware 2.1B. I am using Roxio 7.5 .
The problem I have I can't seem to find a solution for despite searching the forums.
I have tried a couple of solutions in other threads but to no avail

I am using Tevion DVD+R 4.7 Gb 16x discs which allow me to burn and archive my photographs without problems.
I also have some EMTEC CD-R 700Mb 52x CDRs which are forever giving me error messages "Power Calibration Area Error"
The problem is that I can burn the DVD+R discs without any hassle whatsoever, yet I cannot write to the CDRs. I gave my son some Maxell CDRs a few months ago because they were being difficult and I couldn't burn any photos to them.
I am tempted to try some Tevion CDRs but I don't want to buy a spindle of 50 and then find I can't burn photos to them.
Any ideas as to why this is happening?

[james_hardin]

Verbatim is one brand we never hear a complaint about… However it really seems that your CD burning laser is on its' way out.

Burners use 2 lasers to meet the different requirements of CD and DVD burning.

[Conkers]

Many thanks to the prompt reply.
I feared that the DVD RW may be on it's way out, but I didn't know they had two lasers, which probably accounts for the fact that the CDs were a little hit and miss in being read.
Oh well, that's tomorrow afternoon sorted then

[cdanteek]

I would try the different media James suggested. Borrow a different brand from a friend to try, before throwing the drive in the junk.
I have never seen or heard of EMTEC CD-R 700Mb 52x CDRs media, but I live in the US.

cd

[ml]

Try going to the NEC website.

Under Support and Drivers, they have a list of recommended media for their CD/DVD writers.

They also have 'firmware' updates for their burners and that might allow the DVD writer to recognize more types of media (DVDs)

[Conkers]

Thanks for all your help.
I did try a different brand of CDR which my son had, which was also suffering the same fate as all the others, so I rang NEC who confirmed what James said. The firmware I was using was the latest, and they said that it should read any brand of media (I suppose that's the sales pitch though).
I now have a new DVD RW - the Sony AWG170A 18x Dual Layer/DVDRW/RAM which is writing to the EMTEC CDR without a hitch.
(EMTEC are the new name for BASF )
Thanks for all the help offered it was most appreciated.

Ian

[ml]

There are two different write heads in a CD/DVD RW drive.

Usually it's the DVD write head that goes first, but apparently not in your case.

Glad you're up and running again.