pioneer 104 f/w

[tktom64]

I upgraded from v.120 v.141 firmware, now my dvd rw-dvr 104 will not read dvd movie or burn any dvd-r media, but only read cd or data disc. any way I can fix it to burn dvd-r.
Thanks Tom

[alexnoe]

Did you do anything bad before? Especially, did you try to record a 4x dvd-r disc with firmware 1.20?

[tktom64]

Yes, I try the media 1-4x, then try other 1x media but then it dead since. Any help to bring it back to life??
Thanks

[alexnoe]

If you tried 1x-4x media with firmware 1.20, then you have fried your laser.

[tktom64]

Alexnoe, If the laser is fried how can it still read CD-Data disc, just will not read the dvd or dvd-r.

[alexnoe]

I don't know, maybe it has 2 different lasers. One for CD, one for DVD. Or maybe it is not damaged enough to affect reading of CDs.

But it is a know bug of the old firmwares of the DVR-A03/A04 models that trying to record 4x dvd-r media can damage the laser. Pioneer has released firmware updates to fix that about 18 months ago. People who killed their drives within a certain time after the fixes were released got the drive replace (whether or not there was warranty left didn't matter)

[[NEX]]

dont now if other drives but the pioneer DVD A04 does have two lassers one for CD burning and reading and another one for DVD writting/reading.