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Upgrade Your DVD Writer to Double Layer -- Maybe
Autoversicherung writes "Even if NEC tells you its impossible, German netzine Golem is reporting hackers have created an updated, unofficial version of the firmware providing DVD+DL (Double Layer) capabilities. Currently model 2100A and 2500A are patchable, more will hopefully follow soon.
How cool, this enables me to skip an update cycle for burners!!" It's always fun to use the fish, and sometimes to void your warranty.
Now lets get crackin on patches for sony's DRU-series!
From http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pag econtent?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.golem.de%2F0405%2F31 325.html&lp=de_en
Thus nevertheless? Firmware makes NEC DVD burners dual Layer able
Unofficial firmware is to make 2100A and 2500A the 2510A
With a firmware of the not yet available dual Layer DVD burner NEC 2510A emerged in the net now also its are to be able to describe only single Layer able predecessors NEC 2100A and 2500A DVD+R DL media with up to 8,5 GByte data. There it the 2500A-Modelle already for under 100, - euro gives, would be this a very inexpensive, but not revaluation of the DVD burners mentioned which can be enjoyed without caution.
The beta firmware unauthorized of NEC does not only provide for a warranty loss, it required also that that is operated in each case to flashende drive assembly as master. In the forum of RPC1.org, where the first discussion started around the firmware, some daring firmware Flasher reported that the drive assembly LED constantly flashed and the drive assembly drawer came up for the start - in these cases the DVD burners were operated as Slave.
Since DVD+R DL media with 8,5 GByte are at least available storage location at present not yet in the trade and will be more expensive at the beginning of also clearly than the conventional single Layer media (4.3 GByte), trying of the modified firmware out is meaningful at this time for the few users. Besides it is not clear whether each drive assembly brings the necessary laser quality for successful DVD+R DL recording procedures with itself, because the requirements for the optics are somewhat higher.
On CDRInfo.com already a first DL function test was published - the DL medium was described and the used software stopped with 99 per cent write progress - which medium has nevertheless functioned. First signal quality tests would have resulted in partly good, partly strange values, so that one may be strained whether 2100A and 2500A in each case will work as duly functioning DL DVD burners - and the described DVD+R DL media to DVD Playern are as compatible. Conventional DVD media were correctly described with the 2510A-Firmware, how is to be reread in the rpc1.org-Forum.
That, which it itches now in the fingers to try the DL firmware out it should realize itself the risks, which read guidance of the respective offziellen or unofficial firmware designs exactly and which to flashende drive assembly as alone as possible (e.g. with taken off Slave) as masters operate. There - as already written - so far no DVD+R DL media to buy are, should daring ones perhaps better after others, every now and then not less interesting changed firmware designs on rpc1.org or herrie.org umschauen itself. Otherwise the DL firmware changed by the "The Dangerous Brothers" is to the Download on rpc1.org. (ck)
After the Sony units are looked at, how about the Plextors?
Just think about all, the extra drives sold, when all the Uber Mensch, fry thier drives, writing the firmware to crap.
My cat's picked up a Hammer. HEY! Put down that Hammer. Put Down that Hamm...THUNK!
Not that anyone would bother to RTA :) but
here it is in English
NEC 8x DVD Burner $81 - Free Double Layer Conversion 12-May-04
newegg has the NEC 8X Beige DVD+RW/-RW Drive, Model ND-2500A, OEM Bulk packed for $81.50 free shipping. No rebates. Click Thru to see new price.
Hack it into a NEC 2510A DVD+R Double Layer burner! (Thanks Ken) Save $120 over a new Double layer burner!
Here's a link to the article linked by techbargains.
And here's a link to a page with the firmware (scroll down to NEC 2500).
- JoeShmoe
.
-- I wonder which will go down in history as the bigger failure: the War on Drugs or the War on Filesharing
Using the firmware of the soon-to-be-released Dual Layer NEC 2510A DVD burner, it is possible to reprogram the single-layer NEC 2100A and 2500A DVD burners in order to record up to 8.5GB of data. The 2500A sells for under 100 euro, which makes this a very inexensive solution, but this is not without risk.
/not karma whoring
The beta firmware is not authorized by NEC, and will void your warranty. Further, it requires that the drive be operated as "master" with no "slave" present. On the RPC1.org forums, users have reported that the LEDs constantly flashed and the DVD drawer would keep opening up--but in these cases, the drive was set as "slave."
Since 8.5GB dual layer DVD+R media is not readily available, and when it becomes more widely available will be far more expensive than 4.3GB single-layer media, this modified firmware is of interest only to a few users. It is also not clear whether the laser assembly has the necessary laser quality for successful DVD+R dual-layer recording, because the optics requirements are more strict.
CDRInfo.com has published a first test, finding that the software stopped recording a dual layer disc after 99%, but the disc nonetheless functioned. Initial tests of the signal quality were mixed, which makes it difficult to say whether or not the 2100A and 2500A can work as true dual layer DVD burners, or whether the media used was simply incompatible. Convenitional single-layer DVD media worked fine with the 2510A firmware.
Those who are antsy to try the new dual layer firmware should be aware of the risk, and understand that with the unofficial firmware their drive will only operate as a "master" (without a "slave" present). And, as already mentioned, there is DVD+R dual-layer media is difficult to buy. But, for the daring, you can keep apprised of new firmware on rcp1.org and herrie.org. The modified firmware, created by "The Dangerous Brothers," is available for download on rpc1.org.
between the babelfish translation of the article, and a few people's posts, that this is a case of "you get what you pay for." If NEC says you can't do it, maybe it's because you can't do it reliably; that seems to be the case here. I would question the feasibility of taking hardware designed for single-layer disks and using it for dual-layer burns, and indeed the article points out (in broken, babelfished English, but as best I can tell) that the resulting drives are flaky at best. My advice, though I support the development of open/third-party firmware in general, would be to skip this upgrade and go buy the real thing.
www.cdrinfo.com
:)
The firmware page
Two forum threads about upgrading your NEC-drive
How about someone hax0r the lite-on dvd rw drives? Being as they are so cheap these days, it would make for an even better deal.
You're nothing; like me.
Dual layer is when your dvd player has a slight pause where the screen freezes. That is when it is changing layers.
Now that this news is now on /. (and due to the basic economics principle of supply and demand), this new burner's price is going to skyrocket, or NEC is going to go to a measure that's sure to *cough*happen*cough* piss people off, discontinuation.
-Xeon
Real programmers can write assembly code in any language. -- Larry Wall
So if I have this strait this is a unsupported beta firmware hack to make a dvd drive write with unknown success to a dual layer media which isn't even available yet, will void your warrenty anyway and may kill your drive?
Cool! Sorry I'm a sucker for punkrock sollutions.
Don't mess with the bunny, outsideworld.org
Yes, that's great advice. To summarize: Everyone: Keep using floppy discs, cassette tapes, and videocassettes. Now is NOT the time to switch to CDs and MP3s and DVDs. Because, after all, "Knight Rider" and "Diff'rent Strokes" are only available on VHS anyways!
You got a point there. Writable discs have not always worked with all readers. Though they have been getting better about that. I think dual layer writable discs might have some problems.
In America we are imprisoned by our fear of them.
In a store next to you, the new and amazing DVD Perforator.
This amazing new product allows you to punch a hole through the DVD, allowing you to use BOTH sides of the media. Use your Single-Side as Double-Side disks without paying extra.
Available in 5"1/4 and 3"1/2 versions.
-
Roses are #FF0000, Violets are #0000FF, find / -name '*base*' |xargs chown -R us && mv zig greatjustice
You have a cheap DVD-player with a tiny buffer apparently.
Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
Ok, I'll bite...
Ummm... regarding your non purchase of a portable MP3 player or car stereo, why don't you go to a place where they sell these products and take a few mp3s with you and try them out? Seems like an obvious solution to me...
Score: -1, Paranoid Troll
If I point out that you are incorrect, making me a foe does not make you any more correct.
A report that people who use hacks to upgrade their burners produce DVD's that don't last 100 years and are full of errors.
:-)
And people will be *suprised* to read this. Gasp, hacked dual layer DVD's don't last forever!
And Slashdot will report on this. Once a month. For a year.
This just sounds like trouble.
[This is layer 2]
The 1300 & 2500 are virtually identical, except that the latter is twice as fast as the former; and according to the forums on 2510, it is no different in design than the 2500. Although NEC would probably never release any firmware that would allow 1300 users to upgrade to 2500/2510, its simply a matter of time before someone back-ports the latest drivers to the 1300.
Just an uninformed opinion from someone too lazy to RTFA, but I wonder if this is anything like Intel underclocking chips to keep the supply of fast chips low. You know, NEC maybe ships a bunch of dual layer capible drives as single layer drivers to keep the market price up? I plan on getting either a Pioneer or Sony branded drive anyways (yeah, I know they all come from more or less the same few shops, but I've just had less trouble with either of those two brands in the past). Still, if this is what's going on, I like to see companies get bit in the rear for this sort of thing.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
Wrong double layer firmware for NEC burner
Basically NEC insists that the laser needs calibration for such kind of update.
Another point is that the media can identify itself as "DVD ROM" or "DVD+R DL". The newer "DVD+R DL" seems to cause trouble with DVD Video Players.
This was a brilliant troll. I take my hat off to you. You even managed to get modded up for it.
LK
"Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
US$13 for 8.5Gig. CD-r discs are around US$0.50 each depending on quantity. Given that my Plexwriter Premium can almost fit 1Gig on a CD-r, DVD-DLs are roughly 3x the price per MB. Much as I enjoy being an early adopter (*cough*), I think I'll wait until the price per MB comes down to around US$1.
Yes. And aside from the pure technical issues, Hollywood simply does not want us to have a compatible double-layer video medium for obvious reasons... I'll believe it when I see it!
How shocking. Im surprised you have a p.c. at all. This is the most incredibly paranoid post I've ever seen, even by slashdot standards. Why wouldnt you be able to play your mp3s on a car mps player ? You can have complete control over them, and the player is designed to play mp3s.
The ipod works fine with 2000, thats what i'm doing, although I am running it on a machine that was designed this side of the cold war. For your flash mp3 keychain, just buy a conpactflash card, and one of the mp3 players that take them. Whatever you do, dont buy secure digital, you'll be looking over your shoulder for the RIAA the whole time.
As for DVD Ram, you unfortunately have no idea what you are talking about. It is no more random access that any of the other formats. Its loing the race because the discs it burns are expensive to manufacture, and incompatible with many readers. Educate yourself before depriving yourself of a DVD burner.
As for the cost of CDRs, educate yourself again. In the UK I pay about 25p / GB for CDR or DVD-R. For backup purposes I now hae to burn 1/5 the number of discs. 9 DVDs each month rather than 45 CDs. An as for holding of buying a DVD burner for a few months until they are a larger, you are mad.
Do you really think there will ever a an affordable backup solution that will put all your data on a single throwaway disc ? Your data, and that created by m$ grows at the same rate as backup storage.
No I agree that DRM is evil, but you really should lighten up a little. Sony are not going to turn the DRM on in their burners at a later date. How the hell could they. Will they bang my door down and hijack my pc ? Does my burner have a secret net connection ? Its just a dumb drive using a standard windows 2000 driver.
Wake up, youll enjoy life a lot more.
Watch out for the black helicopters though !
I've been waiting for DVD-Ram, [...] and it turns out that DVD-Ram is losing the market share race.
Makes you wonder how that happened.
It can't have escaped your notice that digital cameras and MP3 players have been moving away from Smartmedia and the older flash memory formats onto xD, SD and Memory Stick. Hmm, a new format that includes encryption and DRM. Why would I want my holiday snapshots encrypted and protected by DRM? I don't take those kind of holidays...
Now, where's my tinfoil...
no text is good text.
Actually I have an expensive dvd player that I got back when nobody had one. It even has component out and a built in 5.1 decoder. No progressive scan though, it wasn't around yet.
I'd just like to clear up a small misconception.
Many drives do indeed run more slowly when they detect a video dvd (though such detection is a pain - all you can really trigger off of is CSS protection, and you get non-css video discs too)
The reason for this, however is nothing sinister. It's just that they know that the host application probably wants the data at 1x and so they favour low heat, low noise and more reliable reading over high data rates.
Soemthing similar is done when playing audio CDs.
Of course, more intelligent firmware simply acts on the rate at which the host requests data. This does rely on the host application being intelligent and not trying to buffer an entire 4gig dvd, though.
I'm afraid I don't quite follow. DVD burners that are currently available have absolutely no copy restriction capabilities on media they write.
The only possible restriction is region-coding when reading commercial DVDs, and for most people that isn't much of an issue anyway (they're easily patch-able, or they just watch stuff from their own region anyway).
DVD-R drives are DIRT cheap. There's no reason to buy a CD burner these days instead of a DVD-R IMHO.
N.
"Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence." - Charles de Gaulle
NEC may have told you its impossible, but Roxio are now saying that if you have a Mac, it's easy with a free download in June.
Do you or your partner snore? - Visit www.snoring.com.au
While i love rpc1.org (been using their custom firmware for my nec-1300A with good results), this sounds more like a mostly untested, evil kludge of a hack. They _might_ be able to stabilize it, but i for one don't welcome our new faster-dvd burning overlords. The last thing you want is a fast deteriorating 2nd layer that dvd players will choke on, and data will become corrupt faster than you can say "Wow, these blanks were expensive". And all for what, the convenience of not having to swap out your pirated copy of lotr halfway through the big smoochy scene between aragorn & that elf chick. I'll keep using my old, boring as fuck single layer burner for now.
Will wank off Linus Torvalds for fame.
Even with a decent-sized buffer (by consumer player standards), the DVD itself has to be mastered in such a way as to facilitate a quick layer change. For example, using opposite-track rather than parallel-track encoding, and switching to a lower bit rate just before the layer change so the read-ahead buffer can have a chance to be filled with more post-layer change frames.
On PC DVD players, this is less of an issue because the drives are fast enough (and RAM plentiful enough) that you can afford to read far enough ahead that you eliminate any chance of layer change glitch, but there are few consumer players with drive speed and buffers that rival what even a low-end PC can accomplish.
There are no karma whores, only moderation johns
This was a brilliant troll. I take my hat off to you.
I hope its made of tinfoil
Regarding the ghetto boxes, due to drm and the threat of lawsuits, they don't exist unless you buy a really high end box maybe. All the mid range and lower range boxes (under $300-$400) don't play mp3s, they just play the original format from the cds.
Which portable (personal) mp3 players can you play non-drm'd music on?
Rio was sued, and then threatened to extinction through lawsuits and they capitulated. So were others, from everything that's been stated by the hardware manufacturers. They themselves are stating this, both in Congressional hearings, and in interviews with tech news reporters.
Yeah, the mp3 car stereos can now be checked by taking a few mp3 cds with you and playing them, but that rules out pricewatch/ shopperwhatever/ mailorder unless you are willing to roll the dice, or spend weeks to months googling message boards.
And why has it taken so long for mp3 car stereos to come out? If they all were able to play mp3s as easily as you suggest, every single car deck would have the ability to play mp3s already. drm has held them back, is holding them back, and will hold them back. Those that implement drm will have no problem coming out, because they don't have to worry about legal issues. Those that don't implement drm can wait for panasonic's parent company or one of the other 800 lb gorillas to take the first step, and risk getting stepped on by the 900 lb gorillas, or they can try stepping out on their own.
Right now, you want mp3 in a car stereo, you have to pay a couple hundred more than baseline for the functionality, so that the manufacturers can bank the money for future harassment lawsuit protection.
Piss $500 away for a mp3/cd deck when DVD-audio is just around the corner?
tempting tempting...
I have a NEC2500 sitting under my desk right now, configured as 'master'.
Think I'm going to wait until the hardware sites have tested this, and more reliable accounts are available.
Also, the dual-layer media are as pricey as they'll ever get. They'll most probably follow the price curve of other recording media.
Now is the winter of our disco tent
You're mad. I drew the line when they introduced DRM onto C64 cassette tapes. I'll stick with my trusty Texas Instruments pocket calculator, thank you very much.
The hardware manufacturers have trained you well.
I own an NEC1300A 4xDVD +/- rewriter. The 1300A is *very* sensitive about which media you use. I bought some name brand DVD-R's from PCWorld when I first bought the drive a year ago and they wouldn't work. I then bought 25 cheap blank disks and they didn't work either. I thought the drive was faulty, until I bought the Ritek G04 dye (purple) disks. They work like a charm and I've had no problems since.
Do these same problems exist on the 2500? (I assume yes, since they are supposed to be the same drive, except the 2500 is faster). If so, I imagine it's going to be a PITA to get this drive burning reliably with hacked firmware and potentially incompatile disks.
$200 vs. $25, $3-5 vs $0.15 on RW media, $1 vs. less than $0.10 on write once media.
CD burners in a couple of boxes, instead of one at the price differences above.
No reason whatsoever. Especially since that $200 DVD-R is going to be obsolete in the next couple of months.
Besides the hacked Herrie version, NEC released an official new 1300A firmware that fixes most of the -R compatibility problems. I haven't had problems writing to any + or -R disc, and I buy the absolute cheapest possible.
Jack Valentified
I think Jack's retired, actually.
The DVDs don't have drm in them? Wait till Microsoft releases their next service pack, and their next operating systems. While the operating system is a long way off, the next service pack is coming soon. And in between, you are still using Microsoft's update site for security patches, right? Or wait till you try using the drive by plugging it in through a conversion box into your tivo or cable box firewire/usb port. Or through your next television equipped with the card that eliminates the set top boxes, so you can play back your self-burned dvds either directly through the tv, or over the network.
Here's a further elaboration on my point, although he got the terms mixed up ($1 per GB, not $1 per MB)
Why people should hold off on buying DVD burners. You get burnt if you buy early.
Not till the Congress guy from Lousiana actually quits/retires, and after he "quits/retires", then decides to work for the cartel. Because if he were to be hired by the cartel prior to him leaving public office, it would be illegal.
And the cartel doesn't do anything illegal, right?
No, you missed the point... It has _NO_ drm in it at all
The _ONLY_ reason that it cannot play copy protected CD's is that it detects that the first track is ISO Data and starts looking down the directory structure for *.mp3 files, which are, in most cases, not there (some music CD's have low quality mp3 versions of the music there)
Copying the data and re-burning it to a non copy protected source couldn't really be described as a hack, it's just a change of media to a format which won't confuse the player
As for knowing how to copy CD's and even convert them into mp3 format, I think your estimation of 95% of the population is a bit high... I suspect it to be more like 50% (taking into account those that don't even own a computer) and on /. maybe 1
I've never shoed a horse, but I once told a donkey to piss off!
You are making his argument for him.
Knight rider and different strokes are on cable now. But you won't be able to record them to your drm'd dvd burners because of the broadcast flag, because of the drm'd firewire/usb ports on tivos and cable boxes, and because of the drm in Microsoft's media center pcs will all turn off the ability to record in your DVD recorder.
iirc, the capabilities of the media center pc os are being built into all of Microsoft OSs, part of Microsoft's grab at the media space, and their plans to capture not just the media market, but to also be in the lead in case the computer does actually turn into a media device instead of a computer.
btw, nice to twist the top post for your troll post. The CD writers are a good thing TM according to the top post, and part of the cost savings, as other posts have already confirmed.
It's the DVD burners that are monumental waste of money right now, and whose price will probably drop like rocks in the next couple of months. The Blu-ray and other format are already out in Japan, and are in the pipeline for the US. It's not vaporware anymore. The last time I saw priced dropping the way they are on DVDs was when hard drive prices (IDE) were dropping $1 per day for weeks in the 120 GB size, and then a large number of motherboards with S-ATA all came out at the same time.
I got leet watercooling in my dvd burner.. and you know i rule yer all for that fact...
95% isn't high. Industry surveys show that the number of people who buy computers AND NEVER ALTER THEM, including installing a CD burner, or any other hardware, including more memory, is in the low 90% range. The hardware "aftermarket" is much smaller than the high performance hardware market would have you believe.
As for whether your deck has drm or not in it, you don't know that yet. And if it can't play copy protected cds, its pretty much useless to the vast majority of mp3 users, if my statistics are right.
And most of the early mp3 players suffer from similar problems as yours. There can only be one directory, the mp3s can only be ripped at a 128k bitrate, etc., etc., etc.
The point is still valid. The manufacturers have either been bloodied by lawsuits, or threatened by them. So the rollout of mp3 capable decks has been very slow. Starting in the higher end only. $300 is not a cheap deck when decks are available for under $100 that are still digital tuners with amps built in. They aren't high end, but the vast majority of the volume is on the low end. And there are decks with drm in them. While its possible to burn the cds and take them shopping, you can't do this mail order anymore, and you never know when you'll have to upgrade the firmware, either wirelessly, through a usb key chain, through an ethernet port, or whatever else. And if you think some of the manufacturers don't put in firmware that dies after a certain period, you know nothing about manufacturing. I know a certain Canadian telecom company that did this with mercury switches in a lot of their business telecom switching equipment. That's how they made it through their lean years in the beginning. Hardware that went bad just outside the warranty periods, and required chargeable service calls to fix. Don't think this can happen with the RIAA/MPAA? Then you are really naive. There's other articles that have been written about this, you just have to figure out the keywords to google with.
Babelfish translates: There it the 2500A-Modelle already for under 100, - euro gives, would be this a very inexpensive, but not revaluation of the DVD burners mentioned which can be enjoyed without caution., which for one, is extremely hilarious and secondly conveys the exact opposite of what the German author wanted to say. The correct translation of the last half-sentence "which can be enjoyed without caution" would be "which should not be enjoyed without caution", to keep in fish style. No idea where the fish lost the extra negation.
This reminds me of a past discussion on /. where the data transfer rate for a 747 full of DVDs was calculated to be around 540.5 GB/s. Now you can double the throughput. (http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=104971&cid=89 36861)
Getting into an argument with an AC who is obviously deliberately taking you up wrong can be counterproductive ;-)
I DO KNOW
I KNEW BEFORE I BOUGHT IT
No DRM
Trust me
Has a problem with reading copy protected media, due to the reasons I gave in the last few posts, but HAS NO DRM!
The Player (and _ALL_ other's I've seen in operation) WILL play ANY mp3 file in ANY bitrate (96, 128, 160, 196, even variable) from ANY directory structure on ANY CD media
Get it yet? NO copy protection of ANY kind on the PLAYER!
ONLY has a problem with copy protected MEDIA
Think about it, for a second, why would they try to stop you from playing a legally bought music CD? If it DID have drm (which it doesn't) surely the reverse would be true...?
Check them out at car audio direct's website.
I've never shoed a horse, but I once told a donkey to piss off!
High Tech DVD Perforator, now in candy apple red for the office space fans out there!
is possibly the worst piece of hardware I've ever bought. I returned the fourth one and was arguing with the retailer over whether it was indeed faulty, or whether a 1300 functioning correctly did indeed reject 90% of DVD-Rs and randomly trash the 10% it recognised. Currently they've got the drive, I refuse to accept it back and I bought myself a Plextor last month. I think the moral of the story is that you get what you pay for and realise what your time is actually worth.
...you're also looking at discs that simply aren't around in even small quantities yet. I heard they expected there to be a ~50$ premium on the latest ATI cards above the suggested retail price the first couple weeks. Supply and demand, baby.
Personally, I burn single-layer DVDs. Cost/MB is about the same as CDs, but I get a fraction of the disks to burn, label and keep track of. That's worth it to me. Personally, I wish removable SATA disks (like a huge floppy) would take off...
Kjella
Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
I can download an official dual layer firmware update for my DVD burner from the manufacturer.
This is not the first firmware update for my now 4 months old burner they release, I previously added DVD-R capability that way.
Now that's good service.
"Oh, a lesson in not changing history from Mr I'm-my-own-Grandpa." - Dr Hubert Farnsworth
No need to, just use the others firmware. :)
The Liteon 812S and the 832S are almost the same drive - one burns dual layer and the other does not but the one that can't can be flashed up.
This is a little old. IIRC, Pioneer displayed the same technology with an updated firmware and really didn't have to change the hardware, either. One notice can be found here.
That would be schweet!
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, it doesn't go away." - Philip K. Dick
Normal Memory Sticks don't have protection, it's Magic Gate MS's that do.
Let's not start splitting the word and make it confusing to public.
DL - Dual Layer
It's like saying Digital Video Disc.
Also, what is update cycle of burners? It only makes sense to you or people with lots of disposal money.
Make the sentence that works on most people.
If you haven't wasted your money on a DVD burner yet, hold off. Because it will be obsolete in just a couple of months with the newer, larger capacity units coming out. What good is it to buy a burner now where you will still have to use multiple disks for a single backup?
amazingly stupid are you?
I am on my second DVD burner, and they will NOT become obsolete in the next 5 years buddy. Hell CDR is horibly OLD tech and will be around for at LEASt another 5.. as long as people have DVD players my DVD burner is completely useable until I wear it out like the last one.
only fools wait for the next thing... because the next thing is always just around the corner...
and you sir are quite a fool.
German magazine c't wrote yesterday:
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/47428
"Laut NEC funktioniert die Firnware hingegen nicht mit dem ND-2500A, da für das Bespielen einer DVD+R DL die Laseroptik genau justiert werden muss. Diese Justage müsse bei der Herstellung erfolgen und könne nachträglich nicht durchgeführt werden. Daher sei es nicht möglich, dem ND-2500A das Beschreiben einer DVD+R DL nachträglich per Firmware-Update beizubringen. Selbst wenn es vereinzelt klappen sollte, sei die Gefahr eines Fehlbrandes sehr hoch und die DL-Rohlinge würden sehr hohe Fehlerraten jenseits der Spezifikationen zeigen."
Rough translation:
According to NEC, the firmware does not work with the ND-2500A, since the laser optics have to be calibrated correctly in order to burn a DVD+R DL. This has to be done by the manufacturer, when the unit is built, and cannot be done later on. Due to this, it is not possible to enable the ND-2500A to burn a DVD+R DL via a firmware update. Even if it should work in some cases, the danger of burning a coaster would be very high and the burnt DL DVDs would show high error rates far beyond the specifications.
Don't buy a DVD burner now. Wait. Or you'll be kicking yourself.
Bought myself an 8x DVD burner about 6 months ago. Have had no problems copying DVD movies or data. I shall not kick myself.
One of the older PC brnads that's no longer around (I think it was Tandy) sold a series of computers with 256k or 512k of memory. The 256k machiens actually had 512k, but a lead or jumper on the board had been cut to make only half available. By opening the case and remaking the connection, you'd void your warranty but save several hundred dollars.
It's been rumored that currently all Asus-built ATI 9800 cards use the 9800XT chip and memory capable of supporting it. The rumor says it's just a firmware flash for any of these cards to be an XT. I'm not sure of this rumor, but it seems plausible.
Shock horror: Everything is more expensive when it first comes out. The fact is, single layer DVD+-Rs are already cheaper than CDs on a per gb basis. DL will also come down in price, and means for less disc swapping during backups.
Here in Europe, I can get DVD-Rs (4.7gb) for €0.50 and CD-Rs (.7gb) for €0.25. This works out at 11c/gb for DVD, 36c/gb for CD. Making DVDs over 3 times cheaper per gb. This is with cheapo DVDs and cheapo CDs, but quality DVDs would still match the cheapo CD per gb price at €1.70 and I can get very good DVD-Rs cheaper than that (e.g. Verbatim for €1 - 1.40, possibly less).
So while waiting for DL makes perfect sense, avoiding SL DVDs makes no sense whatsoever.
Ignignoc: Mooninites unite!
Err: Lock in!
Ignignoc: No one can defeat the quad-laser!
Err: It is over now!
Ignignoc: The bullet is enormous, there is no escaping!
Err: Jumping...is useless!
Isn't this just wishful thinking, since there are no dual-layer DVDs out yet on which to test such hacks?
Xesdeeni
And what kind of pull does hollywood have? Do you have proof, or conspiracy theories? I'm sure the RIAA hates CD-Copying software and burners. And, since an audio CD costs about as much as a DVD with audio AND video on it, the RIAA is making more than the MPAA, so the RIAA would be more likely to have the cash to act on its unhappiness.
Welcome to capitalism. The burners will come because there is a demand. There isn't enough lobby power to stop something that's completely legal.
Right, because Sony, Pioneer, these kind of companies have no connection to DVD Video publishing, huh? And if they don't make the devices, capitalism dictates that someone else will step in and do as good a job, right? (No offense, but you're American, right?) Take a similar existing example: there's a huge demand for standalone video players with alterative codecs (DivX, XviD, Vorbis etc.) and packages (OGG, MKV). What's the capitalist response? The big players are not interested and the demand is (not) met by the Umax/Yamada player (and not a lot else), which sucks! It's not about 'them and us', not even about 'them, us and a third party' (RIAA), it's just about 'them' and their many and intertwined commercial interests...
I have a dual-layer burner and have been unable to find any DVD+R DL media. Kinda moots the whole point of the drive...
Anyone have a link to dual-layer blank DVD media?
I have a "Zero Policy" tolerance.
*/
Right now, we're in a window of transition towards finding a dominant medium for backing up computer hard disks. Most likely, the winner will fairly soon be: not DVD, not tape, but simply other hard disks. Right now, the minimum "nice" size for a backup device is 40GB, and by the time a recordable dye-based disc can reach that, the bar will have been raised to 80GB.
Cost is getting close to being eliminated as a factor in using hard disk as a backup media. The remaining hurdle is really a generic protective package (e.g., a little shock protection and don't expose any electronics) and the ability to walk up and plug it into any PC.
IoMega has issued their hard-disk backup medium solution, but it's slightly pricey, and strongly proprietary. Perhaps someone will start wrapping small form-factor disks in plastic with a connector that can plug into (and be powered by) either USB 2.0 or FireWire.
Within a few years, only the most low-end and casual forms of computer backup will be on DVD instead of hard disk.
I remember when I saw a similar article a few years ago, and people were pointing to a site where to upgrade my MP7040 to 7060 (4x to 6x). The flashing worked, the firmware and everything was recognized perfectly, wrote one cd, then after that nothing worked correctly, in the end, I was left with a cheezy CDROM instead of CD-RW.
Of course, maybe the drive was already on the edge of giving up and I just gave it the tap it needed to pass out, but then again, I am not going to blame anyone but myself for doing this because I knew what I was getting into.
Yes some drives have "features cutted back" but remember also that sometimes (might be or not be applicable in this case) if they are selling a drive as a "4x" and it's the same layout as an "8x", maybe there's not only capitalism in the equation, remember intel with their processor validation, etc.. it's not because we've got our 300A celeron to 450 and our dual 366MHZ BP6 motherboard to dual 550 Celerons that we'll always be that lucky.
So if anyone out there has doubts, I'd seriously suggest against going for it until you see sufficient number of people reporting that it works, because if you were doing this to prevent an upgrade cycle, you might actually force yourself into being an early adopter and that is a double loss.
Just my 0.02$
--- Metamoderating abusive downgraders since my 300th post.
One thing left out of the announcement, and the posts in cdrinfo, is whether or not one can back up the DVD and play the backup on a typical DVD player.
This amazing new product allows you to punch a hole through the DVD, allowing you to use BOTH sides of the media. Use your Single-Side as Double-Side disks without paying extra.
Why would I buy that? Most DVDs that I get already have a hole in them...
I hereby place the above post in the public domain.
riddle me this batman, if I wait a few months are you saying I can backup my 100 gigs of porn on a single disk? i think not.
is simple: 'heise' is part of the corporate world; they get in legal trouble for giving advice about circumventing region-encoding (that's seems the interesting part of the linked site) and NEC certainly doesn't want them to credit/publish the modified firmware either.
Who cares if it voids the warranty? It's not irreversible is it? Is this some sort of write-twice firmware? If it doesn't work, revert. But since I only paid $81 bucks for this thing, I'm willing to take the risk regardless. I plan on trying it just as soon as I find some DL media. Worst case scenario is likely to be that I won't be able to burn DL media successfully. So? I already can't do that.
And you place it over such letters as a or even u.
Also, German doesn't have the same deficiency as the English language does, and there is no problem splicing words.
Combine these facts into an old world:
Übermensch.
[/rant]
(Guess who starts every monday fucking morning with three advanced German lessons)
Anyway, backing up before flashing would require active thought by the end-user.
Then again, this is geek-country.
Ahead has made a program called Nero Drivespeed. I think it's on their website, but I'm too lazy to check for you ;)
It can only do whole numbers, though, no fractions.
And the cartel doesn't do anything illegal, right?
Well, if it does, it quickly has a few backdated laws passed to remove the anomaly.
Now, we all know that there were MP3 players before iPod. And most of us know that Apple doesn't really have a connection to the RIAA save the contracts to sell iTunes music. So, if there is this HUGE pent up demand for some radical DIVX player, why isn't Apple making one? What about Creative, Dell, or Samsung ? Just because Sony has a ton of really cool (and over-expensive) stuff, it doesn't mean that they or anybody else has control over the entire consumer electronics market.
Now, for that personal "you must be American" comment - you must be uneducated right?
Last time I was in Fry's, I saw USB key drives with MP3 players built-in in blister-pack. Cant' get much more mainstream than that.
Granted, they were $100 for only 128 MB versus the gigs you'll find in hard drive based players. That's to be expected though, because you're not going to find flash memory coming down in price until the digicam market is filled out with 8-10 Megapixel snapshots selling for consumer prices. Or Microdrives get cheaper and less power-hungry.
The Umax/Yamada player did not die, this is precisely my point! After the 6100, which I bought, a 6600 with further capabilities has been released. Both are actively supported with firmware upgrades and there's a large community of users, represented for instance at my-yamada. It just doesn't have the build-quality of big name, large development budget, hardware.
Don't even talk to me about MP3 players - Apple made the iPod so they could sell music, not because of the hardware demand! In fact the major players stayed away from MP3 players, to start with, and all we got was garbage... except for Creative - for once (tell me if I'm wrong) here was someone who did have lots of manufacturing capability, but didn't have a commercial interest in keeping the status quo (again, correct me if I'm wrong), and furthermore did have an interest in developing digital music. Again, it's about the bigger picture, not about the isolated, blinkered application of the dogma that capitalism is a positive and unstoppable force.
Again, we agree about something - there is no covert conspiracy (that's what I was saying, you're the only one trying to put those words in my mouth). All I'm saying is that capitalism does not apply only in little vacuums is not a positive force for the individual. Some of the only people who believe otherwise are those that identify too much with their country: "what's good for America is good for me!" (I'm sorry if this offends you, or if I'm wrong about you, but as far as my education, I have a flawless academic record at an English public school, a first class honours degree, followed by three research contracts and one teaching contract at a good university where I'm working on my PhD thesis... let's not take the shit-flinging any further!)
Looks like i'm just cursed.