Failing to detect C2 pointers

[RadicalDad]

I have a new CD drive (Asus DRW-24B1ST j) in an external USB enclosure (Vantec NexStar DX NST-530S3-BK). This drive is supposed to have C2 pointers, but dBpoweramp is not detecting them with a CD that is purposely defective (using the magic marker technique described in the setup guide). I have successfully used this disc to detect C2 pointers in the past, so the disc isn't the problem. Do I have to do something special to make the C2 pointers work from an external drive enclosure?

I initially installed this drive in an aging desktop machine (replacing the CD drive that had died), but the C2 pointers weren't detected there either. That computer seemed to have problems accessing the new drive, and some other problems as well, so I decided to junk the old machine (wasn't using it for anything but ripping any longer) and buy the external drive enclosure to use with my current laptop.

With two failures to detect C2 pointers on two machines, with two different versions of dBpoweramp (R14 on the aging desktop, purchased the upgrade to R15 for my new laptop), I'm wondering if I just have a defective drive and need to exchange it on Amazon for one that works. I've looked for drivers and there don't seem to be any. Drive firmware is up to date. Or is there something I'm missing here?

Thanks for any help.

[garym]

Re: Failing to detect C2 pointers

I have several drives that are reported as supporting C2 but don't with dbpa. Dbpa is picker about proper c2 error handling. Just because a drive us supposed to support, doesn't mean that it actually does (or does correctly).

[RadicalDad]

Re: Failing to detect C2 pointers

Thanks garym.

How important are C2 pointers? I tend to rip a fair percentage of discs that aren't in AccurateRip. Should I be looking around for a drive that works correctly with dBpoweramp? How would I know? (This one was highly rated.)

I see that some people are crossflashing this drive, making it into an iHAS -124. Is that worth my time and trouble?

[garym]

Re: Failing to detect C2 pointers

Thanks garym.

How important are C2 pointers? I tend to rip a fair percentage of discs that aren't in AccurateRip. Should I be looking around for a drive that works correctly with dBpoweramp? How would I know? (This one was highly rated.)

I see that some people are crossflashing this drive, making it into an iHAS -124. Is that worth my time and trouble?

I don't have a good answer. Maybe someone that does can chime in.

[Spoon]

Re: Failing to detect C2 pointers

C2 helps as it is an extra layer, if many of your discs are not in accuraterip then I would go for a drive which supports c2.

[Russellc]

Re: Failing to detect C2 pointers

Is there a list somewhere of ones that are supported?

Thanks,

Russellc

[RadicalDad]

Re: Failing to detect C2 pointers

+1 to that. I thought I was buying a drive that was supported, and was so pleased to find I could actually buy a drive that was well regarded on the latest drive accuracy list. (So often you can't find those drives to purchase as they are discontinued by the time they get enough results to be on the list.) How would we know if the drive has C2 pointers that dbpoweramp can utilize? (Heck, how would we know if the drive has C2 pointers at all? The only way I know that this drive had C2 pointers is that it was mentioned in several reviews, but notably it wasn't anywhere in the specs. (Oddly, the Amazon review for this drive mentions that the reviewer uses dbpoweramp, so I am doubly confused as to why mine won't work.)

[Spoon]

Re: Failing to detect C2 pointers

To test a drive for c2 you cannot use usb enclosures as often c2 does not work with such.