Does anyone know if the Yamaha CRW-F1 internal IDE is still available anywhere in the UK? Thanx!

I got one last week from Pcworld, they had none on the web site or by phone but did have some in the shop for £80

Thanks! I will try my local branch! What do you think of the drive?

I wouldn't advise you to buy it as its being discontinued and there are better drives with a lower price. Buy the Lite-On 52x or Asus 52x (Asus is a little faster when burning).

I don't have the first complaint about my F1!
It's burned everything I have asked of it.
It's read every CD I've put in it so far.
I even burned a protected copy of a copy of a copy with it.
Almost completely silent except when spinning up.
No vibration.
From other owner's, they stated time and again how durable these Yamaha burners are, and I see nothing to disprove this.
Yamaha reps has personally been in forums promising full support for the F1 for at least the next 2 years.(Don't know if they've been here yet though.)
Only claim people has made against it is that it isn't 100% emf compatible, but I understand CloneCD can take care of that.
I compared several burners before I choose the F1 and I personally thought it was a much better thought out and more dependable burner than the LiteOns or anything else. But I am sure everyone looks for different things in what they choose. One thing I can say from reading the forums about them is, I've seen less complaints and less people asking for help that owns Yamahas than anything else.

Personally concerning price, I believe one gets what they pay for, for the most part.

Cheers,
Mike

Thanks Mike360000! Finaly found one last night! Its only replacing my 24x Yamaha anyway. Anyone know why its not 100% EMF compatable?

Hi,
I wished I knew why it wasn't 100% emf compatible.
I never have read exactly why. Nor do I know if this can be changed with firmware updates. But I do know that Yamaha has made several noticeable changes with their firmware updates. Go here http://www.yamaha-service.de/index.php?lang=e and DL the latest firmware upgrade for your F1. Latest is now revision F. It also adds extra burning speed setting past 24X. As for the DiskT@2, while still a novelty, you may want a manual that tells you how to actually use it. Go here http://www.yamaha.ca/computer/cp_faq_1.asp#disc for that.

If I had known you was really intending on picking one up quickly I would have suggested that you look at Best Buy, if you were in the US. Thay had a $20.00 rebate on them.

I guess you really liked your previous Yamaha burner also? No problems or complaints from owning it, as I stated in my last post?

Cheers,
Mike

Yeak, loved my old Yamaha - just wanted to update it quickly while I still could! My old one had some stick, but was still going strong!

rendez2k: The Yamaha CRW-F1 its a 50% burner, which means it can encode almost correctly EFM errors. To backup SafeDisc 2 protected titles you must enable the AWS in CloneCD and Bypass EFM Errors in Alcohol.

OK Thanks again.
But I don't understand something.
First I tell everybody that I backed up NASCAR 2003, which uses SecuROM 4.84 with CloneCD and with default settings. Everyone said it was a fluke. OK I can buy that.

Next I tell everyone I backed up UT2003, which also uses SecuROM 4.84, the exact same way as for NASCAR 2003. And everyone tells me it's still a fluke! OK maybe so, cuz I don't know anything about burning CDs to begin with.

Now I'm saying I've burned MicroSoft Combat Sim 3, which uses Safedisk 2.7. With CCD, and default settings. So did I get lucky again?

Cheers,
Mike

You could have done a backup using the CloneCD's AWS (Amplify Weak Sectors).

I love my yamaha's!
i have my 4x4x16 Still working and have it on my Shit PC.

my 16x10x40 still working and is retired because i have no need for it

my 24x10x40 i am still using it for CD-RW or as a reader for games i choose to back up

and my F1 which i bought when it first came out for anything else.

note that i was able to make perfect back ups with all my burners except 4x4x16 of warcraft 3 no issues using AWS.

good or not good the fact is that yamaha drives aren't produced anymore, and the support stops when the last drive's that leaved the factory warranty expires.
so i dont think that you want to buy a drive when there is no support or an option for a replacement in case that something is wrong with your own drive.
and Asus is better and cost less

Yamaha are supporting the drive for 2 more years, and to honest, if it breaks after that I'll get the new latest drive at the time for the price they cost! Our Yamaha is years old at work (4x!) and is still going strong

I'm a newbie here so pls forgive me for asking what might seem like an obvious question...

I like Yamaha CD-RW drives - always been reliable for me. Have they really stopped producing them and why? I was considering buying an F1 drive with a scsi converter (I prefer the scsi interface).

Yes twpd, Yamaha are no longer producing cdr drives! The SCSI drives still seem to be available though but be quick!

Bugger! Thanks for the reply...looks like the Visa card is due for a bashing then.