The Firmware Page

Sometimes, from reading other posts, I think I search without skill. But still, DVR-118, Pioneer 118, DVR118, &c., &c., here or via google got me nowhere.

My 2 year old Mac Pro had an optical drive die, and the best PATA I could find is noted above. ("Get Pioneer," I said to myself. Always someone at or known to rpc1.org has slapped it into shape).

Alas, I can find no rpc1 patched firmare.

If this firmware exists, please do not just give me the link, but teach me how to search. I'm a couple of hours into this, and I wanted not to ask for help.

Thanks in advance.

No.

Read the MCSE thread. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=41228

Furthermore you have to apply to our request rules, then this is a request. viewtopic.php?f=12&t=38756

But, Chef,

What am I doing wrong? I had already looked in every link you listed in your reply above.

MCSE, unless I misunderstand, is a Windows tool. I run Mac OS X, and that's why I did not put this in the forum called

"Request firmware
Here you can request new/old firmware for PC Optical Drive"

The Mac Pro is not a "PC," unless it has had another operating system installed on it.

Puma's post here http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=42500 mentions Pioneer DVR-118CHV - 1.02 --- is a Pioneer DVR-118L the same thing, and are you suggesting I should have known that?

I would like to apply for a break. I am trying to follow the forum rules.

I say your Mac is a "PC", even its not a "Personal Computer" introduced by IBM...
Even more its a "PC" per se because it has x86 technology in it and can run windooze and DOS.

We need some info about all drives the users request info, patches etc. for. Thats the reason why the request rules exist.

Check this: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=27787

OK, I'll start a new thread.

BTW I read viewtopic.php?f=30&t=27787 , noting that 17 of 18 posts were from 2004/2005, but I could not determine why you wanted me to read it. I found the link to Burnerz. Burnerz I did _not_ know about, but I have and use all the other Mac OS X apps mentioned in that thread. Burnerz does not appear to tell rpc status, but does provide really a lot of useful information.

I am trying to understand what you want me to do, so I can do it. I'll start a new thread, and if nudged I'll start shoving disks into the Pioneer DVR-118L and posting the Burnerz output into the thread. Yes?

You are requesting firmware for the 118L, so you need to post the details. Also as far as i know, a mac is a pc. Your drive was purchased as an oem anyway. What if chef had just pointed you to a mac pioneer firmware, and you bricked your drive?. The Firmware available for the 118/218 series, is listed in our database. And as mentioned MCSE is used to patch it.

So 218 firmware will work for the DVR-118L?

The DVR-118L has the firmware it came with, 1.02. Since I haven't unlocked, it must be rpc2, but DVD Info X 1.02 gives the MacPro a kernel panic, so I can't use it to assess rpc state before / after flashing.

The DVR-118L is in an Oxford 911 bridged external enclosure. It can be connected to the Mac Pro by USB or as it is now by 1394a/FW400. It would be troublesome but not impossible to make it be one or one and only internal drive on the PATA optical drive bus of this MacPro 3,1 from mid-2008, with 2.8 GHz dual quad Xeons.

What other information would be useful if that is not enough? I apologize for misunderstanding "PC" as it is used in these forums in the titles of threads (and probably other contexts as well).

that is not what i said, ah dear. To offer advice, we need the info from your drive, this stops mistakes, and people flashing the wrong firmware. From what you say, this is a oem bought with 1.02, well i guessed that.

MCSE needs a windows environment, and flashing does also, so that is your first issue.

second, is to id the correct firmware, from what i gathered, this one should be your's

http://files.rpc1.org/index.php?act=view&id=5701

I see now I think. You request me to call it by what the manufacturer put on the sticker on the top of the drive itself. The Mac OS calls it DVR-118L, but the sticker calls it DVRA18MBK.

I looked in the directory that is parent to the link you sent me, but I do not see DVRA18MBK.

Is DVRA18MBK rpc1 firmware what I should be seeking if my goal is to make the drive rpc1?

It has a manufacture date of November 2009.

So, there is a double naming system.

DVR-A18LBK_FW102_090831.zip

unzips to reveal

DVR-118CHV 1.02.EXE

I think I remember taking the .exe file to a friend's Windows machine and using WinRAR to unpack it so I could find the two files that DVR-FLASH wants.

If that is a sound approach, then my guess is I need to find the right rpc1 firmware.

Is DVR-118CHV 1.02 firmware what I need for this DVR-A18MBK (DVR-118L) with firmware 1.02?

I think you could also use 7zip or mcstuffit to unpack the flasher package.

DVR-118M Never heard of that so far.
BK stands for black, BTW.

What really would be a good idea is to use DVRFlash with option -v on your drive and post the output here, that would help us the most I believe.

Firmwares available for the 118/218 drives can be made RPC1 by using MCSE.

Maybe ala42 has some info about this (special) drive version.

DVRFlash doesn't support the 118 series of drives



never heard of that one, like chef. There are not two files anymore for these firmwares.

Hehe, forgot about DVRFlash not supporting it...

Dang, probably ala42 knows more about them. I just read some inside drive tests in the german mag c't and only the Plextor and its clone Liteon (or the way around, to be precise) had some good points.