Power Calibration Error Using iDVD (0x73,0x03.)

[SwampWitch]

I'm trying to burn a DVD on my husband's (3.5 yr. old) PowerBook G4 for the first time using iDVD v5.0.1, and getting the above error. I was trying to burn a Sony brand DVD-R, which the specs on Hardware Overview on System Profile suggest I should be able to do. He is running Tiger (v10.4.8).

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Cheers, from
SwampWitch

 

[searay345]

Hello SwampWitch!

Hmm....it could be one of the following things:

First, your disks may be bad. Try using a different brand if you have any floating around. Sometimes these drives can be picky. I know newer drives are not so picky. Does the Mac "recognize" the CD?

Second, your laser may be dirty. Does your husband use his optical drive a lot? With a drive that old with heavy use, it could get dirty fast. BE CAREFUL if you try to clean it. Honestly, I wouldn't know where to begin for cleaning procedures.

Third, and the worst case scenario....the optical drive is failing.

Hopefully someone else has some tips on cleaning the drive and can give you some better help. Again, this is what I think is happening. Hopefully this helps you for now.

Cheers
Searay

 

[SwampWitch]

First, your disks may be bad. Try using a different brand if you have any floating around. Sometimes these drives can be picky. I know newer drives are not so picky. Does the Mac "recognize" the CD?

Second, your laser may be dirty. Does your husband use his optical drive a lot? With a drive that old with heavy use, it could get dirty fast.

Third, and the worst case scenario....the optical drive is failing.

Thanks, Searay.
The Mac does recognize CDs and DVDs, and burns CDs fine. We've never tried to burn a DVD on it before.

He's played probably 20-30 DVDs on it, and has uploaded about 150 CDs on it. Is that heavy usage? Is the laser the same for both CDs and DVDs?

Thanks!

Cheers, from
SwampWitch

 

[searay345]

Hello SwampWitch!

I will be honest with you, I have never looked inside the guts of a SuperDrive before. But I believe it is just one laser. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Again, sorry I cannot be more help. As far as usage goes....I don't think that is too heavy for the drive.

Cheers
Searay

 

[Daydreamer]

You could try to clean it with one of the many CD/DVD-player cleaner discs that many electronics (and a few other) stores sell quite cheaply (it's a CD with a small brush on it that brushes off the laser lens as it passes over it), though honestly I don't think it'll do much good.

 

[SwampWitch]

Thanks for the help; looks like it's going to the shop for repair.

Cheers, from
SwampWitch