UPDATED WITH BLACK FACE PLATE AND LOWER PRICE HOT!!!Optorite0203 Dual DVD+/- drive

[wpenhall]

Originally posted by: GetInMyFatBelly
Region code problem means there is no region code 1 firmware available. This means you can only play DVD's from your region. Only allows for 5 changes to other regions before it locks permanently.

Just so I'm clear: is it correct that if I update the firmware to 2.09 or 2.11, the drive is put in region 2 for DVD reading? I am in region 1, so I would then have to reset the player back to R1 which eats up two of the five changes? Assuming no one creates an RPC 1 firmware hack, am I going to need something like DVD-Region Free in order to watch my R1 DVDs after a couple R2 firmware updates?

I am assuming the drive ships with R1 firmware installed. If so, is it necessary to update the firmware? I know you need to do it to get Nero to see the 8 mb buffer but other than that, what benefit does it provide?

If my above suppositions are correct, this doesn't really seem like a non-issue to me. It's not a dealbreaker, but it's good to know.

My drive arrives today from Newegg, but I may RMA it depending on what's going on with this region 2 thing.

 

[MrNutz]

QUESTION: Does anyone know if I can set the Booktype for this drive to DVD-ROM when I burn DVD+R s?

 

[DanT]

RPC1 and RPC2 are not the same as Region1 and Region2. RPC is the specification for how the Region settings (Region 1, 2, etc.) are controlled. The older RPC1 is very easy to work around, so you can switch your drive between regions whenever you want. The newer RPC2 is the one that all DVD drives now use (unless they're hacked) and is why you see the "only 5 region changes allowed" talk.

So some people are complaining that there's no RPC1 hack for this drive yet. That's completely different than the reported Region2 problem, which is not really a problem at all (as I attempted to explain in my previous post.)


And MrNutz - It's my understanding that the booktype CANNOT be set on this drive. At least not with the 2.09 or earlier firmware. I haven't heard about 2.11 yet. But I also don't own this drive, so I can't say with 100% certainty.

 

[Ginta]

DanT, many thanks for clearing up the RPC1/RPC2 - Region1/Region2 confusion.

 

[Ziptar]

CDR Info review say it doesn't support Mount Rainier (drag and drop file copying) any try that?? kind of sucks...

 

[Ginta]

Originally posted by: Ziptar
CDR Info review say it doesn't support Mount Rainier (drag and drop file copying) any try that?? kind of sucks...

Mount Rainier support is only used on the less popular RW type media. Drag and drop file copying more less has to do with the software you use for burning (packet writing software such as DirectCD and InCD). Here's a FAQ. The standard appears to be written to so cdrw/dvdrw can replace the floppy, but with USB thumb drive out, I figure by the time everyone needs Mount Rainier this drive will be obsolete anyway.

Oh and the price is down to $154.50 shipped from PCSupplySource via a Pricewatch code (search for dd0203).

 

[MrNutz]

Thanx for the reply DanT....I did some of my own research and it looks like even the new v2.11 firmware doesn't support changing the booktype. But I did find a neat little app that will permanently set your PCs booktype settings for DVD+R media burning. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have support for the Optorite....hopefully some of the ATers here could persuade him into doing some research into our drive to see if he could support it as well....

BSD Support
DVD+RW Info
General Info

 

[stockjock]

I still can't figure for the life of me why it cost an extra $5-$10 usually for a black face plated models on these kind of things. Does black dye used in the plastic casting process cost that much more!!! Just a rant and a rage here!:disgust:

 

[Jadow]

i'd imagine the black models being more expensive is a combo of two things, first off, they probably make less of the black faceplates, thus economies of scale aren't as good, and production costs are a tad higher, but more importantly, THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE EXTRA $$

 

[Goosemaster]

So what should I buy the LiteOn DVD-ReWritable Drive, the old 105 pioneer or the optorite?!?!?

 

[Chunkee]

i am going with the NEC also...from the forums on clubcdfreaks and what i have read, the NEC is a pretty good deal with the new firmware

very nice

JC

 

[Ziptar]

I think i am going to bite on the Optorite. one question about the black ones for anyone that has ordered one.. Is the tray also black?? or is it beige...

Thanks

 

[MrNutz]

Originally posted by: Ziptar
I think i am going to bite on the Optorite. one question about the black ones for anyone that has ordered one.. Is the tray also black?? or is it beige...

Thanks

I read on NewEgg's reviews/complaints that the actual tray part was beige.....BUT on the one I just bought from Livewarehouse, the tray is BLACK

 

[MrNutz]

I was just reading the Optorite thread on the forums at firmware-flash.com...........

.........nm

 

[ragazzo]

What does this mean? 4x DVD +/- R writing; 2.4x DVD+R, 2x DVD-RW writing

DVD+R & DVD-RW writing are easy enough to understand, but what about DVD+/-R?

 

[conehead433]

"I was just reading the Optorite thread on the forums at firmware-flash.com that the I/O Magic dual format DVD writer IDVDRW4D is also an Accestek/Optorite DD0203 and it has a new firmware upgrade.....v2.15"

The I/O Magic drive does not have HD BURN, so it can not be the same drive. Do not flash your drive with this firmware.

 

[mngisdood]

Originally posted by: ragazzo
What does this mean? 4x DVD +/- R writing; 2.4x DVD+R, 2x DVD-RW writing

DVD+R & DVD-RW writing are easy enough to understand, but what about DVD+/-R?

I think that it's just implying that it writes both +/- formats.

 

[MrNutz]

The I/O Magic drive does not have HD BURN, so it can not be the same drive. Do not flash your drive with this firmware.

hmm.....

 

[natgas]

Just received mine today from NE; unfortunately, I ordered the black and they shipped the white one; now I'm trying to get that corrected! ne1 else receive the wrong color?

 

[wpenhall]

Just got mine from NewEgg. The did send me the black faceplate as I'd ordered, but I haven't hooked it up yet to see what the tray color is.

 

[Goosemaster]

just ordered one too...:wine:

 

[MrNutz]

New Firmware Ver. 2.15

Ok now a post ReEdit.... I just checked over at Firmware-Flash.com again and someone says that they have tried and can verify that the new I/O Magic Firmware works on his OPTORITE DD0203.

So does this mean that there is a new ver. 2.15 firmware that Optorite hasn't released or is this release for the I/O Magic the same as the 2.11 that Optorite has up?.....

 

[conehead433]

"So does this mean that there is a new ver. 2.15 firmware that Optorite hasn't released or is this release for the I/O Magic the same as the 2.11 that Optorite has up?..... "

This has absolutely nothing to do with the Optorite drive. These are not the same drives. The fact that this firmware worked on the Optorite is probably purely coincidental in that they may use the same Bios chips. It's great that some discs will now burn at 4X or whatever for the person that flashed his drive with this firmware, but before you go around recommending flashing your drive with this firmware, maybe you should flash your own and find out if HD BURN still works, and everything else still works as it's supposed to.
If flashing your drive with anything other than the manufacturer's approved firmware upgrades renders your drive useless or damages your Bios chip, then what will you do. You try to get it replaced under warranty as a defective unit and send it in, and get back a message that you caused the damage by using firmware unauthorized for use in this drive. If you get this Bios to work, good for you, but don't suggest to others to do the same.

 

[Lager]

DAMN!!! Why does Imation DVD+R suck so much?!

What is the best DVD-R/RW or DVD+R/RW media brand? Please give me some recommendations. Thanks.

 

[robisc]

This drive seems to have some better features than my Sony.

Also I am going to build a Powermac G4 running OSX and wonder if this drive will be compatible, anyone know?