APRICORN EZ Writer II Dual Layer DVD Burner User Manual

APRICORN EZ Writer II Dual Layer DVD Burner

Product Information

EZ Writer is a portable external CD and DVD drive that can be easily connected to a computer via a USB port. It supports USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 interfaces, allowing for data transfer rates of up to 12MBits/sec or 480Mbits/sec, respectively. The drive is capable of reading various types of CD and DVD media, including CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD disk, DVD-DL, DVD-R/DVD-RW, DVD+R/DVD+RW. Additionally, it can write to CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD recordable media. The drive is bus-powered and does not require an AC power adapter.

Product Usage Instructions

1. Ensure that your computer meets the system requirements:
   • Notebook or desktop computer with a USB 2.0 or USB 1.1 port
   • Operating system: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS 10.x and later
2. Connect EZ Writer to your computer:
   • If your computer has a USB 2.0 port, connect EZ Writer directly using the integrated USB cable.
   • If your computer has a USB 1.1 port or additional power is needed, use the auxiliary USB Y-cable provided.
3. Position the receiving antenna for optimal performance:
   • Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
   • Increase the distance 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.
4. Follow the On-Line Help provided by the software publishers to use the recording and playing software.

FCC STATEMENT

FCC Compliance Statements

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 or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the distance 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.

CAUTION: CHANGE OR MODIFICATIONS NOT EXPRESSLY APPROVED BY PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLIANCE COULD VOID THE USER AUTHORITY TO OPERATE THE EQUIPMENT.

Introduction

EZ Writer has the following features:

• Attaches through the USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface, the specification of the interface must meet:
  • USB 1.1 (Data Transfer Rate = up to 12MBits/sec)
  • USB 2.0 (Data Transfer Rate = up to 480Mbits/sec) standard
• This drive can read all types of CD and DVD media including CD, CD-R, CD-RW and DVD disk, DVD-DL, DVD-R/DVD-RW, DVD+R/DVD+ RW. As well as write to CD-R, CD-RW and DVD recordable media.
• EZ Writer can be easily connected to computer via USB port, and can even be disconnected and reconnected while the computer is running (Plug-n-Play).
• Bus Powered, No AC power adapter required.
  • This user’s manual is intended to describe how to install EZ Writer on the computer. To use the recording & playing software, please refer to the “On-Line Help” provided by the software publishers.

Package Contents

EZ Writer II with integrated USB cable
Auxiliary USB Y-cable (for additional power if needed) Software CD:

• BurnAware CD/DVD Burning Software
• VLC Media Player

System Requirements

• Notebook or desktop computer with USB 2.0 port. ****
• Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7
• **** Mac OS 10.x and later

|

• Notebook or desktop computer with USB 1.1 port. ****
• Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 ****
• Mac OS 10.x and later

NOTE

• Although EZ Writer supports USB 2.0, the actual transfer speed is dependant on the speed of the USB port it is connected to. If the USB port supports USB 2.0, EZ Writer works at USB 2.0 speeds (up to 480Mbits/sec); if the USB port only supports USB 1.1, EZ Writer can only work at USB 1.1 speeds (up to 12Mbits/sec).
• When connecting the external drive to a USB 1.1 port, the Data Transfer Rate is too slow to guarantee smooth playback of the DVD video title. Apricorn only recommends connecting to a USB 2.0 port to ensure smooth playback of DVD video titles.

Connecting

Connecting the EZ Writer II

• With its integrated USB cable, the EZ Writer II simply connects to your computer’s USB port. No AC Adapter is required.

Connecting the EZ Writer II using the Auxiliary USB Y-cable

In the rare case that your EZ Writer requires additional power you will need to use the included Auxiliary USB Y-cable

1. Connect the EZ Writer integrated USB cable to the female end of the USB Y-cable
2. Connect the USB Y-cable to two USB ports on your computer
3. The LED on the top of the EZ Writer should glow green

Parts Names & Functions

Your EZ Writer may differ slightly from the figure shown, however the controls will operate as described below.

Front Panel of the Drive:

1. Disc Ready/Read LED:
   • This LED is used to indicate the disc access status.
2. Eject Button:
   • Press this button to open the disc tray. To close the disc tray, gently push the front of the try.
3. Emergency Eject:
   • In case you cannot supply power to the drive but want to remove a disk from the tray, push a small rod (paperclip) about 5cm long, through the Emergency Eject hole to disengage the gears inside. Then pull the tray out manually. After removing the disk, gently push the tray back to its original position. This procedure is only to be used in the case of an emergency and is not meant for normal operation.

NOTE: The EZ Writer is designed to operate only in the horizontal position. Operating the drive in any abnormal position is not recommended.

Installing the Software CD

EZ Writer II comes with two software downloads:

• BurnAware CD/DVD Burning Software
• VLC Media Player

Please note that the included software is compatible with PC only.

The included software is not necessary with Mac systems. The EZ Writer hardware is compatible with all Mac DVD/CD authoring software and media- playing software

1. To install these programs, place the included software CD into your EZ Writer.
2. A software launch window will popup. From here you can click on either the BurnAware or VLC options to download the programs to your computer and also download the latest product manual.
3. Follow the installation prompts on each of the programs to install on your computer

Device Drivers and Drive Letters for Windows

1. Boot up your computer into Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7.
2. Connect the EZ Writer integrated cable as described on the previous page
3. Windows will automatically install its resident device driver (USB Mass Storage Device). After the installation, EZ Writer will appear under a new drive letter in ‘My Computer’ (2000/XP) or ‘Computer’ (Vista/7).
4. If EZ Writer does not appear in ‘My Computer’ or does not work properly, right click on ‘My Computer’ and click on ‘Manage’ then under ‘System Tools’ you will click on ‘Device Manager’ and check whether the devices are installed as indicated below.
   Installed Device Drivers| Location
   ---|---
   USB Mass Storage Device| Installed under ’Universal Serial Bus Controllers’.
   Slimtype DVDRW| Installed under ’DVD/CD-ROM drives’ (the drive listed in the figure may differ from your EZ Writer drive).

5. If the ‘Device Manager’ entries are correct and EZ Writer still does not appear in ‘My Computer’, you may need to reassign the Drive Letter. This is typically because you have mapped network drives and the EZ Writer has assigned the same ‘Drive Letter’ as one of the mapped drives.
6. To reassign the drive letter right click on ‘My Computer’ and click on ‘Manage’ then under ‘Storage’ you will click on ‘Disk Management.
7. On the lower half of the window scroll down to see the CD-ROM Drives listed in numerical order. You are looking for a CD-ROM with DVD and a duplicate drive letter or no drive letter at all.
8. Right click and open ‘Change Drive Letters and Paths’ dialog box.
9. Now click the down arrow next to the ‘Drive Letter’ to open the drop down menu and choose a new ‘Drive Letter’. Make sure to choose a ‘Drive Letter’ that does not conflict with any of the mapped network drives. Click on the OK button to assign the new ‘Drive Letter’ and close all the windows.
10. Go to ‘My Computer’ to verify that EZ Writer appears.
11. You are now ready to start copying files and folders to the EZ Writer DVD.

General Instructions

Copy files and folders to a CD (Windows)

Note: If your are copying files to a DVD using the Windows 2000 or XP Operating System, you must use DVD buring software (such as the one provided).

1. Insert a blank, writable CD into the CD recorder.
2. Open My Computer.
3. Click the files or folders you want to copy to the CD. To select more than one file, hold down the CTRL key while you click the files you want. Then, under File and Folder Tasks, click Copy this file, Copy this folder, or Copy the selected items. If the files are located in My Pictures, under Picture Tasks, click Copy to CD or Copy all items to CD, and then skip to step 5.
4. In the Copy Items dialog box, click the CD recording drive, and then click Copy.
5. In My Computer, double-click the CD recording drive. Windows displays a temporary area where the files are held before they are copied to the CD. Verify that the files and folders that you intend to copy to the CD appear under Files Ready to be Written to the CD.
6. Under CD Writing Tasks, click Write these files to CD. Windows displays the CD Writing Wizard. Follow the instructions in the wizard.

Specific Instructions according to your Windows OS

There are many ways to burn CDs and DVDs. Most new operating systems have these features built into them. We also have included the BurnAware (Windows) utility in case your operating system does not have the ability to burn a DVD (such as with XP). Your computer may already have burning software installed that will work well with this drive. If this is the case, no additional software is needed to burn CDs or DVDs. If you would like more detailed instructions on burning a disc with your specific operating system, please refer to the links below.

• Windows 7
  • http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/videos/burn-a-cd
• Windows Vista/XP
  • http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Burn-a-CD-or-DVD
  • http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Burn-a-CD-or-DVD-in-Windows-Media-Center
• Mac OS X
  • http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1328

“Drive Not ACCESSiBLE” error

Firstly, check to make sure that your CD is in the right tray. If you receive a “Drive Not Accessible” error when you try to access the EZ Writer in ‘My Computer’ or after trying to drag and drop files to you EZ Writer drive, you may need to enable CD Recording on this drive.

1. Go to Start, My Computer and right click on the appropriate CD drive. (Both DVD’s and CD’s may show up as a CD drive in Windows)
2. Scroll down and click on Properties to open the CD properties dialog box.
3. Click on the Recording tab and check the enable recording on this drive check box.
4. Click apply and OK to close the dialog box.

Now you should be able to drag and drop files to this drive.

Disconnecting

Windows 2000, XP, Vista and 7

1. Locate the system tray on your Windows Desktop (the system tray is the part of the taskbar that displays the date and time).
2. Click on the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon in the system tray. A dialog box will appear.
   • Please note that in Windows Vista and 7 the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon is different.
3. Click ‘Safely Remove Mass Storage Device – Drive (D:) in the dialog box. (Your drive letter may differ).
4. Wait for few seconds until the system prompts ‘The hard disk storage device can now be safely removed from the system.” Click OK, and then unplug the EZ Writer.

NOTE: To protect against unexpected data loss, Windows checks that all files on the drive are closed before allowing the USB device to be removed. If you receive an error message that says “The device cannot be stopped right now. Try stopping the device again later.” Close all Windows and Programs that are using files from the drive, then repeat the procedure.

Contacting Technical Support

Apricorn provides the following helpful resources for you:

1. Hardware Installation Section of the User’s Guide.
2. Apricorn’s Website (http://www.apricorn.com)
   • This gives you the ability to check for up-to-date information.
3. E-mail us at support@apricorn.com.
4. Or call the Technical Support Department at 1-800-458-5448.

Apricorn’s Technical Support Specialists are available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific Standard Time from Monday through Friday.

RMA Policy

An RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) tracking number must be issued by Apricorn. If you need to return or replace your EZ Writer, Apricorn requires that you perform the following steps:

1. Find your original receipt.
2. Simply call Apricorn’s technical support department with your EZ Writer part number and a description of the problem(s) you are experiencing.
3. If the Apricorn representative finds cause for a return, they will issue an RMA number. Please write this number down.
4. Fill out an RMA authorization form with your package. The RMA form is available online at http://www.apricorn.com/support/rma.php.
5. Please send the prepaid package including RMA form and receipt to the following address, make sure the RMA# is written on the exterior of the package:
   • Apricorn RMA#: __
   • 12191 Kirkham Road Poway, CA 92064

The purchaser shall be responsible for any loss or damage to the returned product until it is received by Apricorn. Purchasers should consider obtaining insurance with respect to shipping the product.

Warranty Conditions

One-Year Warranty

Apricorn offers a 1-year warranty on EZ Writer products against defects in materials and workmanship under normal use. The warranty period is effective from the date of purchase (validated by your original receipt) either directly from Apricorn or an authorized reseller.

Disclaimer and terms of the warranties

THE WARRANTY BECOMES EFFECTIVE ON THE DATE OF PURCHASE AND MUST BE VERIFIED WITH YOUR SALES RECEIPT OR INVOICE DISPLAYING THE DATE OF PRODUCT PURCHASE. APRICORN WILL, AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE, REPAIR OR REPLACE DEFECTIVE PARTS WITH NEW PARTS OR SERVICEABLE USED PARTS THAT ARE EQUIVALENT TO NEW IN PERFORMANCE. ALL EXCHANGED PARTS AND PRODUCTS REPLACED UNDER THIS WARRANTY WILL BECOME THE PROPERTY OF APRICORN.

THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT EXTEND TO ANY PRODUCT NOT PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM APRICORN OR AN AUTHORIZE RESELLER OR TO ANY PRODUCT THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED OR RENDERED DEFECTIVE: 1. AS A RESULT OF ACCIDENT, MISUSE, NEGLECT, ABUSE OR FAILURE AND/OR INABILITY TO FOLLOW THE WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THIS INSTRUCTION GUIDE: 2. BY THE USE OF PARTS NOT MANUFACTURED OR SOLD BY APRICORN; 3. BY MODIFICATION OF THE PRODUCT; OR 4. AS A RESULT OF SERVICE, ALTERNATION OR REPAIR BY ANYONE OTHER THAN APRICORN, AND SHALL BE VOID. THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.

NO OTHER WARRANTY, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OR MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PUR- POSE, HAS BEEN OR WILL BE MADE BY OR ON BEHALF OF APRICORN OR BY OPERATION OF LAW WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT OR ITS INSTALLATION, USE, OPERATION, REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR.

APRICORN SHALL NOT BE LIABLE BY VIRTUE OF THIS WARRANTY, OR OTHERWISE, FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE INCLUDING ANY LOSS OF DATA RESULTING FROM THE USE OR OPERATION OF THE PRODUCT, WHETHER OR NOT APRICORN WAS APPRISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Copyright © Apricorn, Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

All other trademarks and copyrights referred to are the property of their respective owners. Distribution of substantively modified versions of this document is prohibited without the explicit permission of the copyright holder. Distribution of the work or derivative work in any standard (paper) book form for commercial purposes is prohibited unless prior permission is obtained from the copyright holder.

DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED AS IS AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED CONDITIONS, REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT, ARE DISCLAIMED, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH DISCLAIMERS ARE HELD TO BE LEGALLY INVALID.

Contact

• 12191 Kirkham Road Poway, CA, U.S.A. 92064
• 1-858-513-2000
• www.apricorn.com

References

• Make DVDs on Windows 10 - Microsoft Support
• Make DVDs on Windows 10 - Microsoft Support
• Windows help & learning
• Apricorn | Home
• Manual-Hub.com – Free PDF manuals!

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