Sony DRU500A firmware 2.0g

[Feoke]

Sony published it's Sony DRU500A firmware 2.0g (http://sony.storagesupport.com/dvdrw/dru500adwn.htm).

The advantages are described as follows:
- allows to record at 4x on 4x compatible DVD-/+R media.
- improves reading and writing performance and reliability.
- reduces vibration noise for discs with unbalance or eccentricity.
- improves audio playback on written discs with stand alone systems.
- improves reading and writing performance with 8cm DVD-R/RW.

I'm planning on checking it out this weekend; the 4x recording on DVD-/+R seems to be the most interesting to me!
Has any-one tried out firmware 2.0g yet?

[DMagic1]

Thanks for the info. I am also interested in that. I will be trying it in a couple of minutes.

[Toona]

gonna try it out now see what happens tomorrow

[DMagic1]

It seems to install much like the Lite-On firmware. I wouldn't be suprized if they were the same.

[Toona]

well I updated to 2.0g and put in one of those Matrix 4X media to try out. My sony hated them before and wouldn't even finish a burn much less burn it at 4X BUT it does now got a 4X burn and completed succesfully !! kind of cool to burn in 15 minutes. I need to do a error test on the disk though and see how good the burn actually was but it's at least a starting point

[bibbo]

I hope it fixes my pioneer dvd-rw problem ...

[AudioVideoMaster]

I can't seem to get the 2.0g update to work. The program is still reporting version 2.0c, even after a restart of the computer.

I've got the Sony DRU500AX drive model. Running windows XP. Anyone else run into this problem?

[markrb]

Make sure the drive is in PIO mode and not DMA mode when you update it.

Mark

[DMagic1]

I got this and all other firmware, new 133 cables and still can't get these Optodisk silver to burn 4x completely. They start at 4x but drop to 2x after about 10-15% of the burn. They are suppose to work fine with the Sony. Anyone had any experience with these disk?

[Feoke]

I flashed my Sony DRU500A with firmware 2.0g, coming from firmware 2.0f.
Everything keeps working fine, that's positive to begin with!


It was wishfull thinking of me, when I thought to have read the speed was brought up to 4x for DVD+/-RW. (Thanks Doom9 for shaking me awake!)
So, the changelog says 4x for DVD+/-R discs. Well, it already did that with the previous version 2.0f.


What I can confirm is that the writing performance and reliability indeed seems to have been improved: the writer starts the burning process smoother than it sometimes did before.

[markrb]

What some fail to understand is that encoded in the firmaware is a list of approved 4X discs. If the header does not have a match it will default to the slower speed.

Unless you hack the firmware (and there is none to my knowledge) no 2.4x disc will burn at 4x even if it is on Sony's approved list. Also many 4X discs are not on the approved list either. See Sony's website for the official list of approved 4X discs. Now all of those should burn at 4X no problem, but also many others will as well since most discs are rebagged anyway.

In my own experience I have had no luck with -R discs and 4X with any version of Nero. I only use RecordNow Max 4.5 and all of the Ritek -R 4X's I have tried have, in fact, burned at 4X. I bought a 25 pack to test and then a 100 pack and both work without issue. Although others seems to have the occasional issue with these.

Mark

[Doom9]

ahem.. some people seem to misread the changelog. It states Allows your Dual RW drive to record at 4X on 4X compatible DVD-/+R media.
. That's DVD±R media, not DVD±RW media! This firmware does not allow 4x recording on any type of RW disc. But since the DRU500a initially shipped as 2.4x DVD+R drive, they advertise the 4x DVD+R writing as a new feature.. I think it has been in the changelog since the first firmware that allowed 4x writing on DVD+R discs.

I only know of one type of 4x DVD+RW media, manufactured by TDK. Manufacturers write the max burning speed on the package if the disc can be burned faster than the default (which is 2.4x for DVD+ media). In absence of such marking, assume the minimal supported writing speed (1x for DVD-R/W media, 2.4x for DVD+R/W media).

[AudioVideoMaster]

Originally posted by markrb
Make sure the drive is in PIO mode and not DMA mode when you update it.

Mark

I tried what you suggested, but the program is still reporting the firmware as 2.0c. I changed to the PIO mode, restarted the computer, then when I got back up and running I run the 2.0g firmware update software from Sony, restarted, but still no luck. I tried this 3 times. I'm logging in as the administrator in XP to make sure I have the right permissions as well, BTW.

Any other thoughts anyone?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

When I did mine, the first time you run it, it obviously makes some change to your machine, that is why you have to reboot. After that reboot, the program loads up by itself and prompts you once again that it will reboot when the flashing has finished. Click ok and off you go!

Why dont you try and flash to 2.0d, e or f first.

[AudioVideoMaster]

Originally posted by LIGHTNING UK!
Why dont you try and flash to 2.0d, e or f first.

Well I had tried to in the past but it never worked. So this time I posted here to find out what is really going on as to why none of the updates were working.

I will try the second reboot thing you suggested.

[AudioVideoMaster]

Thanks LIGHTNING UK! !

The update worked this time! :D

When the computer would restart back the first time I thought the computer was hanging up on me because nothing else loaded on the Desktop except for the firmware program. It never occured to me to click the "start update" button again! :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[DMagic1]

Yes that hang is normal. I first saw it in the LiteOn firmware. Its the same way for the Sony now.