The Firmware Page

Since this question seems to be popping up very often I'll make a sticky about which drives can and cannot be upgraded to write to double layer discs. Some drives may need upgrades to be able to read double layer discs, but that's not what we're talking about here. If a drive is not listed, then you can assume that it is not upgradable.

BENQ DW800A
Conversion to DW822A seems to be working so far, so an upgrade to double layer might work as well.

BENQ DW822A
An Official firmware upgrade will be released Sept. 30, 2004 according to this.

NEC ND-2x00A
Possible to use ND-2510A firmware. Will never be official. nec 2510a firmware for nec 2500a \ NEC warns against Double-layer updates

Liteon LDW-451S and LDW-851S
Can be upgraded using specially modified SOHW-832S firmware. http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?t=27584


Liteon SOHW-812S
Can be upgraded using modified SOHW-832S firmware. http://codeguys.rpc1.org/

Pioneer DVR-106D
Many of you may have read an article about how Pioneer demonstrated double layer burning on a firmware modified DVR-106D. Do not get your hopes up! dual layer pioneer a06 firmware?

Pioneer DVR-107D
Probably never, seeing as Pioneer has no history of upgradability between models.

If you have more information about the upgradability of these, or other models, then feel free to post it below. There is no point in asking about unlisted models because we would've posted about the drive if we knew anything.

May I just ask how you arrived at the ~70% success rate on the NEC 2510a conversion?

From friends who have far better connections than I.

Thanks, what are the symptoms that the drive hasnt liked the flash?

Do you mean that after the flash the drive has been rendered inoperable, or that 30% had tray/led issues etc?

Im trying to find out if any drives had burned DL media successfully and had tray/led issues, or whether this is indepedent of success rate.

I don't know for sure how to define it. I assume that LED/tray issues would be considered a failure, but more importantly, failed burns would be counted too.

These LED/tray issues, seem to be solved with the HP 520 firmware

Hi,
in your opinion, is it better to buy a LiteOn 812 patching with Sony DRU-700A/Liteon SOHW-832S firmware or to buy a Nec 2500 and patch it with Nec 2510 ? I would like to buy a dvd recorder with no problem even with cheap media and possibly DVD+R dual layer support. Thanks

Buy a real dual layer burner, don't upgrade one!

you are right but at the moment i don't see any DL unit on the market... anyway, i would like at least one with a good compatibility with cheap media and if it's not DL, peace....

I guess it depends on where you are. Last weekend at Fry's (Sunnyvale, CA and San Jose, CA), there were a couple of Sony DRU700A drives, with a price tag of $199 on the shelves. I had it in my hands, when I decided that I didn't want to pay that much for a dual-layer drive, with no media in sight for a bit (and no need for dual-layer +R, I'd prefer dual-layer -R, and faster than 2.4x).

I instead settled on a Lite-On SOHW-812s that I got for $89.99 on sale at another local store (again, last weekend). If it turns out that there's hacked firmware that will do dual-layer on that drive, then great, if it seems successful to others, I'll probably try it. Then again, I bought it to replace a two-year old Pioneer DVR-A04, mainly I just wanted something that was faster and compatible with more media. Dual-layer, if it happens, is a bonus.

If you want a dual-layer drive, buy a dual-layer drive. Some of the current generations of drives might have a mechanism that is good enough for dual-layer, but with many of them, you're taking a chance. If the mechanism is marginal, then your burns will be marginal, and 8.5GB is quite a lot of data to lose.

As for media compatibility, well, I haven't had enough of a chance to play around with the Lite-On yet. Thus far, it seems to burn the Optodisc 4x and GQ 4x discs that I have (at 4x), but I'm really waiting for the 8x media to hit the shelves here in town, so I can do some experiments. I'll probably buy some of the recommended media in the manual for the drive if I have trouble with what I have on hand.

-- Joe

According to this: http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.html?i=2045&p=9

They sucessfully upgraded the Lite-On 812S to Dual Layer Capable.

I emaild the writer and he replied that Lite-On aske him not to disclose the firmware used.

Maybe I missed where it says that the 812s was successfully updated to a dual-layer drive in that article, but I've read on CDFreaks (dhc014's original post in this thread has the link), where somebody claimed to have taken the DRU700A firmware, and flashed a 812s with it (with an EEPROM hack).

The drive was able to burn regular media, but due to the lack of dual-layer media on the market, it's difficult to test (at this time), how well the hacked drive will do with dual-layer media.

Like I said (and as the Anandtech article states), it all depends on the machanism in the drive. The chipset might support the firmware, but if the laser can't do the burning, then you won't get dual-layer.

That said, and the stories floating around about the NEC2500, I would say that there's a good chance (like dhc014 says) that the hardware of some of the current generation drives is actually good enough to function as a dual-layer drive, with the right firmware. The point that I was trying to make to AcidStorm was that if he/she wanted a dual-layer drive, the best way is to buy a drive expressly marked as dual-layer. That's the only way you're going to get reliable burns on dual-layer media. These hacks may, or may not, work, and they might work only on certain hardware revisions..

Edit: I missed the part where it is mentioned that the Gigabyte burner used is a re-badged LiteOn.

-- Joe

The test firmware used in the various reviews is identical to the VY02 firmware here, just with a different name. So yes, it has been confirmed to work by one tester.

Vulturej,

both drives are manufactured by LiteOn.

Hi guys!

I have a problem with my NEC _ND2500A!

I've patched this drive with NEC _ND2510A firmware but I see that tray open when I turn on my PC. I've tryed to burn a DL media and it do with no problem.

Your drive is jumpered as slave. Jumper it as master and the problem is gone.

It is a fault with the old firmware, the new HP based one works perfect.

Thanks for the reply!
Okey, i will wait for a DL drive...

Hi,

is there firmware update for LG GSA-4082B to Burn DVD9 in the Future?

Sorry for my english.

The Pioneer DVR-A07XLB is listed on newegg.com to support "DVD Video (Single & Dual Layer)" -Does this mean It supports Dual Layer out of the box? I am currently looking for an upgrade from my 104. Id like to buy a burner that I know will do Dual Layer either now or in the future.

It supports READING dual-layer. As said many times before, it does NOT (and most likely NEVER will) support writing DL.

So there are currently NO Dual Layer DVD Writers on the market today except for the Sony +R burner, correct?

And the LiteOn 832S. Both the LiteOn and Sony have been purchased by consumers already. (and maybe the HP 520 on the market?... I haven't been following the NEC threads that closely, so I'm not sure about the HP)

Yes, one user of this forum acquired an HP 520n directly from the factory. I doubt you can get it in any store yet though.

And we would all like to thank him for dumping his firmware