Sony SPRESSA Professional CD-ReWritable User manual

SPRESSA™ Professional CD-ReWritable
Sony CRX160E Maximum Performance
CD-ReWritable Recorder
User’s Guide
Technical Support can be reached from 8am to 8pm, Central Time,
Monday through Saturday. Please have your model number, serial
number, date of purchase and receipt handy before calling Technical
Support.
Phone [phone]
Sony Web Site http://www.sony.com/storagesupport
Printed USA 06/00
CRX160E-UM/0600
Technical Support

CRX160E User’s Guide ii
FCC Compliance
PRODUCT NAME: INTERNAL CD REWRITABLE
DRIVE
MODEL NUMBER: CRX160E
FCC RULES: TESTED TO COMPLY WITH
PART 15 CLASS B
OPERATING ENVIRONMENT: FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to
radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning
the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct
the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient / Relocate the receiving antenna.
•Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
•Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from
that to which the receiver is connected.
•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
iCRX160E User’s Guide
Copyright © 2000 Sony Electronics Inc.
All rights reserved. This manual or the software described herein, in
whole or in part, may not be reproduced, translated or reduced to
any machine readable form without prior written approval from
Sony Electronics Inc.
IN NO EVENT SHALL SONY ELECTRONICS
INCORPORATED, NOR ANYONE INVOLVED IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OR CREATION OF THIS MANUAL BE LIABLE
FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR SPECIAL
DAMAGES, WHETHER BASED ON TORT, CONTRACT, OR
OTHERWISE, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH
THIS MANUAL, OR OTHER INFORMATION CONTAINED
HEREIN OR THE USE THEREOF.
Sony, Spressa, the Sony logo and the Spressa logo are trademarks of
Sony.
Windows and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation. Pentium is a trademark of Intel Corporation.
Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
LIMITED WARRANTY
A separate warranty card is enclosed with the documentation.
WARNING
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to moisture.
To avoid electrical shock, do not open the unit. Refer servicing to
qualified personnel only.
CAUTION
The laser beam used in this CD-Recorder drive unit is harmful to
the eyes. Do not attempt to disassemble the cabinet.

CRX160E User’s Guide iv
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
CD-R and CD-RW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
How CD-R and CD-RW Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Buffer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
CD Formats Supported . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Recording Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Applications, Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Media Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Reliability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Chapter 2 Controls & Indicators 7
Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Busy Indicator LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Eject Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Emergency Eject Hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Headphone Jack/Volume Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
EIDE Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Drive Configuration Jumper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Audio Out Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
DC Power Inlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
General Use Suggestions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Inserting a CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Chapter 3 Installing Your CRX160E 13
Chapter 4 Troubleshooting 23
A few words about CD ROMs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Troubleshooting Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Appendix A Contacting Technical Support 27
Specifications 29
Glossary 31
Index 37
Table of Contents
iii CRX160E User’s Guide
CAUTION: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by
the manufacturer responsible for compliance could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment.
THE PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCT COMPLIANCE:
Sony Electronics Inc.
Value Added Products Division
3300 Zanker Road
San Jose, CA 95134 USA
[phone]
Please Record Responsibly. Before copying anything onto a CD-RW
or CD-R disc, please be sure you are not violating Copyright laws. Most
software companies allow you to make a back-up or archive copy of
software. Check your software’s license agreement for specific details.

CRX160E User’s Guide 1
The Sony CRX160E is an ultra high performance internal
CD-RW Recorder/Player for PC users. The CRX160E is
capable of recording and playing rewritable CD-RW and
write once CD-R media as well as being able to read mass
produced stamped CDs.
CD-R and CD-RW
CD-R is the term used to denote CD-Recordable media.
CD-R discs are recorded permanently. Once information is
written, it cannot be erased. Data can be added until the
disc is full. CD-R is good for creating archived information
that need not be changed, or for distribution, since the price
of CD-R media has dropped rapidly in the last few years.
CD-RW is the term used to denote CD-ReWritable media.
CD-RW discs can be written to many times. CD-RW media
is rated for one thousand different writes to the media.
CD-RW is perfect for personal file storage or for creating
reliable backups that can be added to as necessary, and
even rewritten as your backup scheme requires.
While CD-RW media is more expensive than CD-R media,
it has a lower cost per megabyte than other competing
technologies, such as Magneto–Optical or even magnetic
removable media drives.
CD-RW drives are very versatile for transporting
information to both older and newer CD-ROM and
DVD-ROM drives. CD-RW media can be read by newer
CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives. These newer drives are
known as Multi-Read (MR) drives. And even though
CD-RW media cannot be read by older CD-ROM drives, the
Sony CRX160E can write to CD-R media which can be read
by standard CD-ROM drives and Audio CD Players.
Introduction Chapter 1
vCRX160E User’s Guide

CRX160E User’s Guide 3
The speed at which a CD-ROM is written does not affect
the speed at which that CD-ROM can be read. For example,
a CD-ROM which was written at 2X can be read at 2X, 4X,
8X, 12X, 24X, 32X, and so on.
Buffer
The Spressa CRX160E recorder has a four megabyte data
buffer, which reduces buffer underruns when writing to
CD-RW and CD-R media with some software. Buffer
underrun is a condition where the drive’s buffer runs out of
data while the CD-R or CD-RW media is still being written.
The recording of a CD is a system intensive process with
some software, and the recorder needs a constant stream of
data. A buffer underrun occurs when the data stream to the
recorder is not fast enough to keep the recorder’s buffer
full, causing the recording to abort.
CD Formats Supported
The CRX160E records these popular CD formats:
•CD-Digital Audio; the format used for audio CDs,
playable on audio CD players.
•CD Extra;Audio and data in multi-session format.
•CD TEXT; Audio CD with album name; song titles
encoded. CD TEXT information is displayed on CD
TEXT Compatible CD Players and CD-ROM drives.
•CD-ROM (Mode 1); the format used for most CD-ROM
applications.
•CD-ROM XA (Mode 2 Form 1 and Mode 2 Form 2);
CD-ROM Extended Architecture. This standard was
created for smoother playback of multimedia content.
•CD-I* (Mode 2 Form 1 and Mode 2 Form 2), CD-I Ready;
CD-Interactive is used for home entertainment systems.
•†CD-Bridge; a format for a mixture of Kodak Photo
CDs and Video CDs, playable on TV set top players
and personal computers.
2CRX160E User’s Guide
How CD-R and CD-RW work
CD-ROM drives (CD-R and CD-RW drives as well) read the
one and zero bits by difference in reflectivity. Mass
produced Compact Discs are created by stamping “pits” in
the CD. These “pits” reflect differently than the “land”
which is the area between “pits.”
CD-R drives work by using a laser beam to heat the
recording layer, causing a chemical reaction in that spot so
CD-ROM players will see this as a “pit” and the unburnt
area as “land.”
CD-RW uses what is known as a “Phase Change”
technology. In the CD-RW media is a substance which can
be changed from an amorphous “mark,” that very closely
resembles the pits of a stamped CD, to a crystalline state
which resembles “land.” The laser beam of the Sony
CRX160E changes the crystalline state to the amorphous
state by use of a laser to quickly heat the spot on the disc,
forming a mark. To change the amorphous state back to the
crystalline state, the laser beam uses a lower power setting
to transition the mark back to the crystalline “land.”
Performance
The CRX160E is capable of writing CD-R discs at 12X speed
and CD-RW discs at 8X speed. 12X means that the CRX160E
can write (also called record or burn) a CD-RW disc at 1,800
kilobytes per second. This rate allows the CRX160E to record
a full 650 megabyte CD-RW disc in about 5 minutes.
The CRX160E can also record CD-R and CD-RW discs at 8X,
4X, and 2X.
The CRX160E is a multi-function device. Since the drive is
also capable of reading at up to 32X maximum (4,800
kilobytes per second) it is a good general use CD-ROM
drive as well as recorder.

4CRX160E User’s Guide
•†Photo CD (single and multisession); Kodak Photo CD.
•†Video CD; playable on TV set -top video CD Players
and most DVD systems.
*The CRX160E does not have the necessary audio
circuitry and decoding functions for CD-I playback, but
can read and record.
†With additional software.
Recording Methods
The CRX160E has the capability to use several different
recording methods. The descriptions of these methods in
this manual are overviews of the subject. The methods are
covered in greater detail in the software documentation.
•Disc at Once; this is a recording method in which the
entire disc is written in a single pass. Data cannot be
added at a later time.
•Session at Once; a complete session is written in a
single pass (one at a time). Multiple sessions are
typically recorded in Track at Once mode, where the
track is written first, then the session information.
•Track at Once; a track can be copied to the disc
incrementally (one at a time).
•Multi–session; several sessions can be written to a disc.
Each session has at least one track.
•Variable and fixed packet recording; typically used by
back-up software and Drive Letter Access software to
add files and folders at a time, instead of
tracks/sessions at a time.
CRX160E User’s Guide 5
Applications
CD-R and CD-RW discs are each ideal for slightly different
applications. Both can be recorded with the Spressa
CD-ReWritable recorder. CD-R discs can’t be erased, but are
compatible with standard CD-ROM drives and CD players.
CD-RW discs can be erased and re-written, but have some
inter-change limitations. Here are some typical applications
for both discs:
Data CD Personal
Distribution Back-up Archiving Prototyping File Storage
CD-R • • •
CD-RW • • •
Media Compatibility
Due to the different makeup of CD-R and CD-RW discs,
these discs have different reflective qualities, and can be
used with the following units.
CD-R All CD-ROM drives and CD players
CD-RW Multi-Read and CD-RW compatible
CD-ROM drives and DVD-ROM drives
Most newer drives are Multi-Read drives which have the
capability to read stamped CD, CD-R and CD-RW discs.
Recommended Media
CD-R: Sony 74 min. CD-Recordable disc.
CD-RW: Sony 74 min. CD-ReWritable disc.
To achieve trouble free 12X recording speeds, be sure the
CD-R media is certified for 12X or faster recording.
To achieve trouble free 8X CD-RW recordings, be sure the
CD-RW media is certified for high speed (8X compatible)
recording.

CRX160E User’s Guide 7
This chapter shows the connectors, controls, and indicator
lights of the CRX160E. For instructions on connecting and
installing the drive to the computer, please consult
“Chapter 3, Installing Your CRX160E” located on page 13.
Front Panel
Busy Indicator LED
The Busy Indicator LED shows the condition of the
CRX160E.
•When the Busy Indicator light is on full amber, it means
the drive is seeking, playing audio, or reading.
•When the Busy Indicator light is flashing amber, it
means the drive is recording a disc, or erasing a
CD-RW disc.
CD Tray
Headphone Jack Insert/Eject Button
Busy Indicator
Volume Control
Emergency Eject Hole
Controls and Indicators Chapter 2
6CRX160E User’s Guide
Reliability
The CRX160E has a mean time between failure (MTBF)
rating of 100,000 power on hours (POH) at 25% duty. 25%
duty means the CRX160E is in actual use a quarter of the
time the unit is turned on. MTBF is an average failure rate
based on the total power on hours divided by the number
of drive failures. A failure is any malfunction of the drive
that prevents you from using it. This includes failure to
power up, load or unload a CD, and read or write data.
Faults are not considered failures when they relate to
incompatible software or discs, or from mishandling
and/or abuse.
Reliability ratings are derived from a large statistical
sample, and are not indicative of the performance of a
single unit.

CRX160E User’s Guide 9
Headphone Jack/Volume Control
To listen to an audio CD from the CD-ROM unit you may
insert a standard headphone cable into the headphone jack.
If there is a audio CD player utility installed on your PC,
you can listen to audio CDs directly from the CRX160E. The
software functions like a typical CD player, letting you
choose tracks to play, etc. The audio can be heard through
your PC’s speakers if you connect the audio out connector
of the CRX160E drive to the CD input of your sound card.
The volume control on the front panel controls headphone
volume only.
Rear Panel
EIDE Connector
The CRX160E uses a standard 40-pin IDE connector to be
attached to an Enhanced IDE/ATAPI port on the
motherboard. See Chapter 3 which describes how to
connect your CRX160E to your PC.
Audio Out Connector
Frame Ground
Right Signal Ground Left Signal Pin 1
Drive Configuration Jumpers
EIDE Connector
DC Power Connector
8CRX160E User’s Guide
Insert/Eject Button
Pressing on the eject button when the power is on will eject
the CD. Depending on the Software being used with the
CRX160E, this button may not appear operational. Some of
the software provided with the CRX160E will lock the tray
in so that the eject button will not eject the tray, for
example, during a write operation.
Emergency Eject Hole
In the event that a CD cannot be ejected with the Eject
Button and no software is controlling the drive, an
emergency eject operation will eject the CD tray. Insert a
small metal poker, such as an unbent paperclip into the
opening, until it presses against the manual eject
mechanism. You will feel the mechanism eject the CD tray.
Use this method only when the other method of ejecting a
CD, the Eject Button, is not working.

CRX160E User’s Guide 11
General Use Suggestions
The CRX160E is intended for installation in a PC and
should be used in an environment suitable for computer
equipment. Dust, moisture and lack of adequate ventilation
are common causes of device failure. You should install
your CRX160E in a location which is:
•Clean •Dry •Well Ventilated
•Dust Free •Out of Direct sunlight
Inserting CD Discs
Put the writable/readable side of the CD media facing
down in the tray, the label side up.
Press the Insert/Eject button to retract the tray.
CAUTION: Insert only CD discs, CD-R or CD-RW media
into the CRX160E CD tray to avoid damaging the unit and
voiding the warranty.
10 CRX160E User’s Guide
Drive Configuration Jumper
The drive configuration jumpers set your drive to be a
master or slave drive on the EIDE port. The default position
is with the jumper in the Master position. To set the
CRX160E as a slave drive, place the jumper on the Slave
position. The third jumper is for Cable Select.
Audio Out Connector
This connector provides two channel, analog line level
audio output which may be connected to a sound card.
DC Power Inlet
The CRX160E attaches to your PC’s standard power cable.

CRX160E User’s Guide 13
This chapter describes the installation procedures for
installing the CRX160E in a PC.
Requirements
•Pentium®II/400Mhz or faster PC Computer.
•At least 32 MB RAM.
•Windows®95, Windows 98, Windows 2000, or Windows
NT®4.0, service pack 4 or later.
•Bus mastering EIDE connection.
•Hard disk drive with less than 12ms access time and
sustained throughput greater than 2 MB per second.
•Latest bus mastering drivers for your IDE hard
drive/CD-ROM source drives.
Installation Instructions
1. Unpack all essential materials and verify that all items
are present. A list of items is in the Quick Start guide.
2. Save your work, and shut down your PC.
3. Remove any accessories and cables, including the
power cable.
InstallingYour CRX160E Chapter 3
12 CRX160E User’s Guide

CRX160E User’s Guide 15
Follow Electrostatic Discharge procedures any time you
open the computer. These procedures include:
❏Make sure the computer is OFF when performing any
removal or installation.
❏Remove the power cord.
❏Wait ten minutes before any removal or installation if
the computer has recently been powered on.
❏For best protection use a grounding strap when
performing the installation.
5. Locate the EIDE Connector on your computer
motherboard.
PC motherboards have two EIDE connectors. If you are
unsure whether your computer supports Enhanced
IDE, please consult your computer’s documentation or
the computer’s manufacturer. Different computer
Electrostatic Discharge Precautions
14 CRX160E User’s Guide
4. Remove the cover of the computer
There are precautions you should be aware of any time
you are opening the computer:
•Some manufacturers may void your warranty for the
computer.
•As with any time you make significant changes to your
system, please be sure your data is backed up.
•Shut down and turn off the computer.
•Disconnect all accessory cables, including the power cable.
Precautions Before Opening the Computer
There are a variety of
different designs for the
cover of today’s
computers. If you have
questions about how to
remove the cover from
your computer, consult
the documentation that
came with your computer
or the manufacturer of
the computer.

CRX160E User’s Guide 17
6. Set the CRX160E drive configuration jumpers.
Each IDE port can support two devices. The position of the
devices does not determine whether the device is Master or
Slave. Master/Slave is determined by the configuration
jumpers on IDE drives. Please check the Master/Slave jumper
position of each device and consult the manufacturer’s user’s
guide to avoid conflicts.
You may have other devices attached to your Primary and
Secondary IDE ports such as a hard disk, DVD-ROM or both.
Typically there is writing on the logic board for “Pri” and
“Sec” or “1” and “2.” Should you have trouble determining
which IDE port is Primary and which is Secondary, refer to
your computer user’s guide.
Primary
Master
Primary
Slave
EIDE Ports
CPU
Motherboard
40-pin EIDE Cable
40-pin EIDE Cable
Secondary
Master
Secondary
Slave
16 CRX160E User’s Guide
manufacturers have the EIDE connectors in different
locations. The configurations inside the machine are
usually clearly marked. However, the easiest way to
locate the EIDE connector is to follow the cable as it is
connected to existing CD drive or hard drive.
How to recognize EIDE cables.
There are generally two types of data cables used
internally in PCs. These data cables are Floppy Drive
cables which have 34 pins and IDE cables which have
40 pins. EIDE and IDE cables are the same. EIDE is a
standard which has an enhanced command set which
contains commands for use with newer drives.
Floppy Drive Cable
IDE Cable

CRX160E User’s Guide 19
7. Install the CRX160E drive.
To install the CRX160E drive, position the drive in the
drive bay so that the screw holes of the drive are
aligned with the screw holes in the drive bay. Then
tighten the screws until they are firm. Do not over
tighten the screws.
18 CRX160E User’s Guide
The CRX160E comes pre-configured as an IDE Master device
as shown below with the Master pin jumpered.
If the CRX160E is the only drive on the EIDE port then the
CRX160E should be the master drive. To make the CRX160E
the master drive you put the jumper block on the Master pin
position.
If the CRX160E will be using the same port with a hard drive,
then the hard drive should be set as the master and the
CRX160E as the slave drive. To make the CRX160E the slave
drive you put the jumper block on the Slave pin position.
Audio
Output
Master Pin
Jumpered
Slave pin (open) Pin 1
DC Power
Connector
IDE ATAPI
40-pin Connector
Cable Select
Slave Master
Cable Select
Slave
Master

10. Connect the audio cable.
If you have a sound card, you can attach the audio
cable to the audio out connectors.
11. Power up the system and install the CD-recording
software that came with your drive.
12. Restart the system.
If there are any difficulties in completing the operations
outlined in this manual, please see the troubleshooting
guide in Chapter 5. You may also contact Technical Support.
CRX160E User’s Guide 2120 CRX160E User’s Guide
8. Attach the IDE cable.
Attach the EIDE cable so that the red line that signifies
Pin 1 of the cable is aligned with Pin 1 on the CRX160E.
Although the cables that Sony includes with the unit
are keyed so that they may only be installed properly,
other cables may not be keyed the same. If you use
your existing cable, please be sure to align it properly.
The red line side of the cable goes to the set of pins
closest to the power connector on the CRX160E.
9. Attach the DC power cable.
Plug your standard power connection to the CRX160E.

CRX160E User’s Guide 23
This chapter discusses the basics of troubleshooting the
CRX160E.
A few words about CD-ROMs
The laser in a CD reads the difference in reflectivity from
one spot to the next. This difference in reflectivity is simply
created from a difference in the depth of pits either burned
or stamped into the CD-ROM Media.
Large production runs of CDs are stamped to create the
pits. The Sony CRX160E burns recordable CD media, or
alters the state of the substance within CD-RW media to
change its reflectivity by means of a finely controlled laser
beam
The pits that the laser of the CD reader senses are either the
one or the zero bits that are interpreted as data, music, or
photographs depending on the format with which the disc
is recorded. The CD is covered in a transparent shield that
the laser can read through or burn through. Scratches,
smudges, or particles on the bottom read/write surface can
impede the functioning of your CD-RW, CD-R or CD-ROM
device.
Troubleshooting Chapter 4
22 CRX160E User’s Guide

CRX160E User’s Guide 25
•Buffer Underrun
(Something has
interrupted the
stream of data to
the recorder)
Following is a
partial list of
possible causes:
•Software related
interruption. Is a
screen saver, your
internet or email
program or other
software
application
interrupting the
write process?
•Hard drive too
slow?
•Fragmented hard
drive?
•Is it an older drive
conducting a
thermal
recalibration in the
middle of the
write?
•Bad or scratched
media?
•Make sure you
have the latest bus
mastering IDE
drivers and latest
BIOS for your
system.
•Disable functions
that will interrupt
the write
operation.
•Make sure the hard
drive is fast
enough.
•Defragment hard
drive
•Consult with
manufacturer or
vendor.
•Replace media.
Symptom Good Questions Actions
Failed writing a CD
using CD-R or
CD-RW media
24 CRX160E User’s Guide
•Are cables seated
properly?
•Use the Device
Manager in the
Windows Control
Panel to verify the
drive is “seen” by
the system.
•Always verify that
cable connections
are seated properly
by taking the
connector off and
reseating. Improper
connections are the
greatest point of
failure with
peripheral devices.
•Make sure you
have the latest bus
mastering IDE
drivers and latest
BIOS for your
system.
Symptom Good Questions Actions
You cannot access the
device through
software
•Is there enough
space left on the
media for another
session?
•Writing a session
requires lead in
and lead out
overhead (about 15
megabytes per
session) in addition
to the data that is
recorded.
Unable to Create
Multisession disc

CRX160E User’s Guide 27
Contacting Technical Support Appendix A
Whenever you have any difficulty with your CRX160E,
please follow the troubleshooting suggestions in this
manual and in the software manuals. Please keep track of
the steps you have taken with as much information about
your computer system as you can. If you have any trouble
resolving the problem, please call the Sony Technical
Support Center and convey your troubleshooting steps.
Please have your model number, serial number, date of
purchase and sales receipt available when you call
Technical Support the first time.
Technical Support can be reached from 8 am to 8 pm,
Central Time, Monday through Saturday
Sony Computer Peripherals Technical Support Phone
[phone]
Sony Computer Peripherals Technical Support Web Site
http://www.sony.com/storagesupport
26 CRX160E User’s Guide
•Is software locking
the Tray?
•Unmount or eject
through software
first.
•Use eject button
•Shutdown
computer and
power off device.
Wait 45 seconds;
power on device
only and attempt
to use eject button
again.
•Use emergency
eject hole if other
methods fail.
Symptom Good Questions Actions
Unable to eject CD
•Can you read the
CD in another CD
Player?
•Can you “see”
previous sessions?
•Bad CD-R or
CD-RW disc?
•It is possible that
directory
information is
corrupt on the
volume making it
unreadable.
•Check software
documentation for
troubleshooting
suggestions.
•Use Sony
Recommended
Media.
CD-R: 74 min Sony
CD-Recordable discs
CD-RW: 74 min
Sony CD-ReWritable
discs
Unable to Read
Session after
completing a
successful write

CRX160E User’s Guide 29
Specifications
HOST INTERFACE
Enhanced IDE/ATAPI
READ FUNCTION, Acceptable Discs
CD-ROM mode-1 data discs, CD-ROM XA discs,
CD Audio discs, Mixed Mode, CD Extra, CD Text,
CD-I discs, CD-I Ready Discs,
Photo CD (Single and Multisession), Video CD,
CD-R and CD-RW discs
WRITE FUNCTION, Applicable Formats
CD-ROM (Mode 1), CD-ROM XA, CD-Audio, Audio-combined
CD-ROM - Mixed Mode, CD-I, †Video CD, CD Text, CD Extra
WRITING METHOD
Disc at Once
Session at Once
Track at Once
Multi-session
Fixed and Variable Packet Writing
WRITE/READ SPEED
Read (CD-ROM/CD-R): 4X, 8X, 13˜32X (CAV)
Read (CD-RW): 2X, 4X, 8X, 8˜20X (CAV)
Read (unfinalized
CD-R/CD-RW): 2X, 4X, 8X, 12X, 8˜20X (CAV)
Write (CD-R): 2X, 4X, 8X, 12X speed
Write (CD-RW): 2X, 4X, 8X speed
SUSTAINED DATA TRANSFER RATE
150 Kbytes/sec. Mode 1 (1X, read/write)
300 Kbytes/sec. Mode 1 (2X, read/write)
600 Kbytes/sec. Mode 1 (4X read/write)
1,200 Kbytes/sec. Mode 1 (8X read/write)
1,800 Kbytes/sec. Mode 1 (12X read/write)
2,000˜4,800 Kbytes/sec. Mode 1 (13˜32X, CAV)
BURST DATA TRANSFER RATE
16.7 Megabytes per second (ATA PIO Mode 4)
16.7 Megabytes per second (ATA Multi Word DMA Mode 2)
AVERAGE ACCESS TIME (including Latency)
150 ms [13˜32X, CAV]
†Video CD requires additional software.
28 CRX160E User’s Guide

Glossary
CRX160E User’s Guide 31
Access times. The average
amount of time to access an
item of data.
Amorphous. Lacking shape, or
in mineral terms, not
crystalline. Amorphous could
be taken to mean a liquid or
gel like state. In terms of CD-
RW the important aspect is
that the material will remain
stable in this state (not change
out of this state unless acted
upon by an outside force of
great heat) AND that the
amorphous state has a
different reflective quality than
in a crystalline state.
Analog. (as opposed to digital)
where digital is defined
discrete items which can be
reduced to zero and one bits.
Analog is continuous, so on
any graphic representation of
analog data there are an
infinite number of points
between any two points.
Digital approximates analog
by adding data points.
Archive. To save files or
records, usually in a safe place,
for later retrieval.
ATAPI. AT Compatible
Attachment Packet Interface.
An enhancement to EIDE
which allows CD-ROM type
devices use the EIDE interface.
Buffer. RAM Cache that is
faster than the data is being
delivered. Buffers are used so
data may be stored and
delivered to the receiving item
as it is needed.
Buffer Underrun. When a
function (such as writing to
CD-R media requires a
constant stream of data),
attempts to pull data faster
from the buffer than data can
be input from a source drive,
and the data buffer becomes
empty.
Burn a CD. Recording a CD-R.
Because a laser is used to write
a CD it is also known as
burning a CD.
Burst transfer. The fastest a
device can transfer, usually
from its buffer.
CAV. Constant Angular
Velocity. Constant Angular
Velocity means the drive or
media spins at a constant rate,
rather than spinning faster or
slower as was common with
older CD-ROM devices which
used CLV (Constant Linear
Velocity). CLV drives cause
performance degradation at
higher speed because there is a
lag time, or latency period,
before the drive reaches a
standard readable speed for
each track. See CLV.
CD-R drive. A drive that can
30 CRX160E User’s Guide
BUFFER MEMORY (Read/Write)
4 Megabytes
DISC DIAMETER
12 cm (8 cm Read Only)
ROTATIONAL SPEED INNERMOST TRACK:
600 rpm (1X)
1200 rpm (2X)
2400 rpm (4X)
4800 rpm (8X)
7200 rpm (12X)
7000 rpm (13˜32X, CAV)
ROTATIONAL SPEED OUTERMOST TRACK:
230 rpm (1X)
460 rpm (2X)
920 rpm (4X)
1840 rpm (8X)
2760 rpm (12X)
7000 rpm (13˜32X, CAV)
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
Temperature and humidity
Operating: 5°C to 45°C Maximum (41°F to 104°F)
no condensation
Transportation: -40°C to 60°C (-40°F to 140°F
10% to 90% relative humidity
( no condensation within 72 hours.)
Temperature and humidity gradients: 10 C/hour, 10%/hour
MTBF
100,000 POH (duty 25%)
MOUNTING
Horizontal or vertical
POWER REQUIREMENTS
+5V DC (1.0A), +12V DC (1.2A)
DRIVE DIMENSIONS
146mm W x 203mmD x 41.4mm H
DRIVE WEIGHT
920 g.

CRX605E User’s Guide 33
omponent that drives devices
or components, such as drives,
or EIDE or SCSI buses.
DVD (DVD-ROM). Digital
Versatile Disk, an enhancement
of CD-ROM technology with
greater capacity. DVD media
have a minimum capacity of
4.7 GB and a maximum
capacity of 17GB while CD-
ROM, CD-R and CD-RW
media have a maximum
capacity of 650 MB (roughly
two thirds of a single MB).
EIDE. Enhanced IDE supports
two IDE ports unlike IDE’s
single port. Commonly
referred to as IDE.
Fragmented Hard Drive. Files
are not always stored on a
hard drive in contiguous
locations on the drive, but
where there is space available.
Parts of a large file may be
stored in several actual
physical locations.
Fragmentation occurs when
files are erased and then new
files are written. Erasing files
can leave open locations
between existing files. As these
open locations are used they
cause the files to be
fragmented. Reading from
fragmented files is slower than
reading from contiguous
locations on the disk because
the read head will have to
move to the proper track, like
moving to the proper track on
record, then wait for the
proper place on that track to
rotate under the read head.
The more a drive is used, the
more fragmented it will
become.
Host. A device on the SCSI bus
is either a host or target. The
host is also known as the
initiator.
Jumper (Configuration
Jumper). A metal bridge
encased in plastic that when
placed across jumper
configuration pins will
complete an electric circuit. In
this way, this configuration is
chosen. Jumpers are used
instead of more costly and less
reliable means of changing
configurations, such as
switches.
kb. kilobyte. Basically this
means 1000 bytes, but is
actually 1024 bytes.
kb/s. kilobytes per second.
Means of measuring
throughput.
Kilobyte. See kb
32 CRX160E User’s Guide
write to recordable CD-R
media.
CD-RW drive. A drive that can
write to recordable CD-R and
Rewritable CD-RW media.
CD-ROM drive. A drive that
can read from CD media.
CLV. Constant Linear Velocity.
Rotating a disc at such a rate to
keep the length of track read at
a constant speed. Since a track
at the outside of a circle is
much longer than tracks near
the center, the outside track
will be moving faster than
interior tracks for each
revolution. To keep the length
of track read at the same
speed, CLV drives speed up
when reading tracks near the
center and slow down when
reading tracks near the
outside. Older CD-ROM
devices use CLV.
Crystalline. The recording
material can be made to
stabilize in a crystalline state
with greater reflective qualities
than the amorphous state. See
Amorphous.
Data stream. The flow of data
that accomplishes a task,
usually related to moving data
from storage to computer
RAM or between storage
devices.
DC Power (Direct Current)
Power. Electronic components
require direct current which is
a current maintained at a
constant level, not alternating
in a sine wave like alternating
current. Because of this
property direct current can be
used by the computer, not just
to power components, but at
different voltage levels to send
electrical signals by means of
pulses. Alternating Current has
the ability to send electricity
over long distances.
Alternating Current provides
power to, and throughout your
house. Electronic devices like
your computer have a power
supply which takes alternating
current and changes it into the
Direct Current needed by your
computer.
Defragment. There are
defragmentation utilities
which put all files into
contiguous locations on a hard
drive. Another way to
defragment is to copy files to a
newly reformatted hard drive
since files will be written
contiguously until there are
open locations between files
caused by erasing. See
Fragmented Hard Drive.
Digital. Discrete information
that can be broken down to
one or zero bits.
Driver(s). A software