Plextor PX-760 Installation And User Manual page 81

Section 6. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: In the list of Recommended Media, what's the difference
between "rated," "compatible," and "recommended" speeds?
A: "Rated" is the manufacturer's rated write speed for the media; it's
what you see on the box. "Compatible" is a looser term that indicates the
maximum safe writing speed according to the manufacturer.
"Recommended" is the Plextor-recommended speed for ensuring top-
quality writing using this media. Plextor tests media and enters the
"compatible" and "recommended" speeds into the drive's media catalog.
For example, 8X-rated media listed as "12X writing recommended" and
"16X compatible" indicates the manufacturer believes this 8X-rated
media can be written at 16X. Plextor factory testing has determined you
will achieve the highest quality write at 12X. Plextor's testing also
indicates you can write this media at 16X and still achieve good quality,
although perhaps not as high as at the recommended speed.
Just because the vendor rates a disc for a certain speed doesn't mean that
the disc will give you a high-quality write at that speed. However, the
PoweRec technology in your Plextor drive ensures you will write at the
highest possible speed that still achieves high quality.
Q: Why do I need an 80-conductor IDE cable for the PX-760A?
Your PX-760A will operate with either the older 40-conductor cable or
the newer 80-conductor IDE/ATA cable. However, the 80-conductor
cable improves performance, and the PX-760A may not be able to write
at maximum speed (18X) without it. Although the new cable has 80
conductors (wires), it still has only 40 connector pins, so it's compatible
with the connector on your PX-760A. (The extra wires are present to
reduce interference that would slow high-speed transfers.)
Q: Where can I find out more information about the PX-760SA's
Serial ATA interface?
A: Go to www.sata-io.org.
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PX-760 Installation and Users Manual