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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)
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
All DVD readers can focus the laser onto two layers anyway. It should be a matter of firmware only to allow this for burning as well as reading. (Though it's possible that second layer burning is slower because of power limitations.)
Escher was the first MC and Giger invented the HR department.
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
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.