The Firmware Page

I need a FIRMWARE UPDATE to change this device as a codefree player.
--see below

Thank you for your help

Before I forgot , this is for a MACBOOKPRO .

Michael


MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857:

Firmware Revision: HAE4
Interconnect: ATAPI
Burn Support: Yes (Apple Shipped/Supported)
Cache: 2048 KB
Reads DVD: Yes
CD-Write: -R, -RW
DVD-Write: -R, -RW, +R, +RW
Burn Underrun Protection CD: Yes
Burn Underrun Protection DVD: Yes
Write Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, DVD-DAO
Media:
Media Type: DVD-ROM
Blank: No
Erasable: No
Overwritable: No
Appendable: No

Please don't double-post, also not in another language than english...
And please post into the correct forum.

The first rule is to use the SEARCH function.

I've moved it here and deleted the inappropriate double-post.

There is no firmware for this drive yet. It is even too new.

And please read this first: http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?t=34750

matsushita remains one of the worst optical drive manufacturers for RPC1 working. unfortunately, slightly every mac is equiped by such drives...

I'm just curious if anyone is actually working on a RPC-1 firmware hack for the drive. Have been considering getting a Macbook pro and the hack would be useful.

quick answer, nope

Long answer, nope.

- Matsushita is notorious for preventing any mode of reading data to trick the RPC system and read a Region 1 disc on a Region 2 set drive. Which makes tools like VLC or MacTheRipper nearly useless.
- Matsushita almost never releases a firmware upgrade and the one concerning UJ-835 is their first for an Apple Computer over two or three years.
- it is suspected that even if UJ-835, UJ-825, UJ-845... share some common code, their region protection mechanism is hosted on another chip, not concerned with the firmware upgrade.
- our best coders for the Mac, xvi and Las Vegas, have either retired or been MIA for more than two months.

So, for the moment, the best you could do is pray...

Long answer, nope.

- Matsushita is notorious for preventing any mode of reading data to trick the RPC system and read a Region 1 disc on a Region 2 set drive. Which makes tools like VLC or MacTheRipper nearly useless.
- Matsushita almost never releases a firmware upgrade and the one concerning UJ-835 is their first for an Apple Computer over two or three years.
- it is suspected that even if UJ-835, UJ-825, UJ-845... share some common code, their region protection mechanism is hosted on another chip, not concerned with the firmware upgrade.
- our best coders for the Mac, xvi and Las Vegas, have either retired or been MIA for more than two months.

So, for the moment, the best you could do is pray...


So, can you buy and install another drive on your MAcbookPro that allows for Region Free? If so, which would you recommend (ie ease of conversion and quality drive)?

Cheers

look into Pioneer drives

There is no matching slim laptop form factor (9.5mm) multiformat DVD burners from Pioneer, AFAIK. The latest I've seen only come in conventional laptop form factor (12.7mm), including DVR-K06. I seriously like to be proven wrong (want to get a Macbook and replace the ODD), so if anyone can refute this, please do.

The drive used in this Lappy is a "Super-Slimline" drive, not a normal slimline type one.

I just noticed the latest firmware updates included:
DVD-RW/+RW :
Matshita UJ-811 (Nec/Pbell OEM) - H103
Matshita UJ-840S (Nec/Pbell OEM) - 1.02
Matshita SW-9586 (Sotec OEM) - B100

Seems the models are getting pretty close to our UJ-857, and they're at least posting Matshita models again. Could we be seeing a firmware soon? Please please please!

You have to ask the OEM!

You mean I should ask Matshita? Don't the RPC1 versions of the firmware come from...er...somewhere else?

ask them for a firmware update,ie RPC2, will never be an RPC1 release

Ah, I see what my confusion was. The firmware images posted on RPC1.org were actually RPC2 firmwares. :S I can't believe there won't ever be a solution for the MacBook, though. This is really terrible.

its not purely a mac problem, but the drives unfortunately, windows also

According to some websites, Hitachi-LG Data Storage has released (or, will release) a new drive GSA-4080M which can fit into the super-slim drive case. Hopefully we can get this soon.

(Remember, there is another drive called GSA-4080"N" which is for the slim drive case. Don't confuse them.)

Source:
Hitachi-LG Data Storage (info about the GSA-4080M was not found)
CDR Inf
DVD Hardware News

reality check

guys why would any drive manufacturer who are in cohoots with the DVD movie makers ever make available a RPC1 firmware. come on, this is how they plan long into the future to rip everyone off indefinitely. and some of the worst companies who contribute to this are Mashita. 90% of all G5's that are sold here in Japan are loaded with these or crappy Sonys. i just came back from looking at every new model in the Apple store in my city in Japan and not 1 had a Pioneer. the lucky ones are in the U.S. where people often can get a Pioneer 111 in the new Mac Desk Pros as a buddy of mine just did. all of you holding your breath for a RPC1 firmware for Mashita should keep your eyes open for another type of drive. they just have to make more that one model sooner or later from other companies. begging here for someone to magically make a flasher is just wishful thinking.

Yes, that is the current reality.

RICTUS. Did you ever get a solution to the DVD Zone problem. I also have a MacBook Pro and have the same problem.

CraigNZ

Please read the whole thread.

No I had no chance at all to remove the Code.
For windump is it not a problem at all, but for MAC MacbookPro.
NOP

But for Powermac G4 last. Yes.

Here works the software fine to remove the Codes.

Why is it not possible to do the same on a MacbookPro



gr
RICTUS

Any thoughts on why the slot-loading MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857 in the MacBook will not read or write to a CD-R or DVD-R 80mm disk using a 120mm adapter? Both Apple and common sense dictates that inserting an 80mm disk in the drive might cause the disc to become lodged or worse 'cause un-warrantied drive damage. However, I used a fairly common plastic adapter to mount the 80mm disc and load into the drive. However, while the drive spins it as smoothly as with any other optical disc, it starts up several times and then is spit out like an unrecognized disc. Is this because the MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857 firmware does not know how to reconize and utilize an 80mm disc? Or, is it Mac OSX that disables reading the 80mm disc. Obviously if it's a firmware problem I'm [*Profanity*] if an OS X issue then I might have a chance. My external burner reads and writes the 80mm discs both with and without the adapter. SO, it implies a firmware problem, but I don't know how OS X interacts with the built-in superdrive. My guess is Apple disabled 80mm disc read/write to prevent someone from trying to insert the 80mm discs by making it worthless to do so and thereby avoiding a lot of unsupported warranty claims.

My macbook pro just downloaded from apple software update an "Superdrive Update 2.1". Its an update for my MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857 to improve compatibility with some 4Xdvd+r medias...

Could this be a light in the dark to get a region free update for macbooks?

When you download the update, it installs itself on applications/utilities... then you need to run it manually.

any hope??

Hradec

(no email addresses)