Posted by cc on 11/15/05 11:33

On Thu, 01 Dec 2005 17:31:48 +1300, GraB <grab@whatever.co.nz> wrote:

>>I burn at 16X without any problems using DVD-R 16X speed media on LG
>>4163, Pioneer 108, Pioneer 109 drives and have some other older models
>>along with the LG 4167, Pioneer 110 amd a BenQ 1640A drive.
>>
>>People that choose to use hacked firmware often have to burn at the
>>lower speeds and even then run into troubles.
>>
>>I've never used hacked firmware and warn against it. If a customer
>>wants to buy a new drive and intends to install hacked firmware then I
>>won't sell the drive.
>>
>How do you test your burns that you do at 16X? KProbe2 (for LiteOn
>drives) or Nero CD-DVD Speed Disc Quality Test will show differences.
>With some media (it is quite logical when you think about it) the burn
>quality will improve with a slower burn.
>
>You say "People who choose to use hacked firmware often have to burn
>at the lower speeds and even then run into troubles"?? What rubbish!
>Those who put out hacked firmwares know as much about what they are
>doing as the original manufacturers.

Tell that to the many that have used non authorized firmware which
their drives have failed.

I updated my 107 to hacked firmware which went from a good burner to
many burn failures. Found out why in last months pc user magazine why
there are problems using hacked firmware.

I had to buy another 107 back then and will NEVER use 3rd party
firmware again. I leant the hardway. You are still yet to learn.

The article in the magazine states that hacked firmware can be a real
problem if the hardware has a fault which only authorized firmware
will correct. The problem with hacked firmware is that it forces the
media to do something it was never designed to do on that drive and
the hacked firmware NEVER is made to fix any HARDWARE FAULTS which is
why thre are burn errors.

Go buy the mag or do a google search.

Pioneer own web site has this warning about non authorized firmware.
Important Firmware Information
Pioneer will not support the use of firmware that has not been
obtained from an official Pioneer website such as this one. The use of
any Non-Pioneer firmware will invalidate your warranty. This firmware
has the potential to damage / shorten the life of your writer. Our
warranty terms clearly state that up loading unofficial or modified
firmware to a drive will void the Pioneer Australia warranty.

>
>Off course, your choosing to use the word 'hacked' makes it sound
>'bad'. The proper term is 'patched'. CodeGuys, for instance, use
>original firmware but optimize it for improved burn quality rather
>than speed (you get one or the other, not both, speed comes at a
>price). LiteOn have stopped updating the firmware for my LiteOn 812S
>but by cross-flashing it with 832S (mechanically and electrically
>identical) firmware I have been able to get later firmware updates.
>In fact I just updated it within the last few weeks. And I have no
>trouble at all with it. With the right media I get excellent burns
>that test as good or even better than pressed discs.
>
>I have only ever had one Taiyo Yuden disc (which was burnt with the
>drives original firmware) but the burns I have done with the first
>batch of Emtech 4x DVD+R (DaxonAZ1) - the 2nd batch were not so good,

That is right, blame the media. You have cooked the drive. hahaha.

>Laser 4x & 8x DVD+R (OptodiscOR4/8) discs, mostly on patched 3rd party
>firmware, were every bit as good and the most recent burns on SonyD11
>8x DVD+R close behind.

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