2.0g firmware for Sony DRU-500AX

[wicked1]

I found this today while getting new firmware for my Samsung.

http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/Pe ... 00a20g.exe

I havent seen any posts here regarding this firmware. I just tried flashing my DRU-500 to a LiteOn 400 and it blew the first disc I burned.

[HardwareHarry]

I see just an "a" (no "X")

how can you do just a firmware update not for your type writer?

I have an A type, I have downloaded it, but wait a while until it's more globally present on Sony's International support sites........... ':o'

[wicked1]

the 500a and the 500ax are the same drive and use the same firmware (I have the 500ax and used this already) The liteon 400 is an OEM version of the Sony 500a. LiteOn supposedly did a better job on the firmware than sony did. I tested it earlier today and it wasnt any better than Sonys so I went back then ran across this version I just flashed it and havent had time to test it out yet.

[HardwareHarry]

I did take a good look again, the file from japanese download has another
format where the western upgrades always are zipped, and this is an .exe
file with 1,045,660

while the zip files unzipped are always:

sendcom.dll 49,152
500A_20f.exe 1,077,594
SENDCOM.VXD 9,753

[wicked1]

I just finished a dvd+r at 2.4x without any problems. I need to reinstall my Liteon 166 to scan it but it appears to be ok.

[HardwareHarry]

http://www.hardwarexpo.net/graphics/sony500a_20g.jpg

Oh, I see that you have resolved the problem, I misunderstood..... I read that you did the upgrade on the Lite-On 400 (You indeed did, now I see, I didn't know that it was an OEM Sony)

but I have done the test also out of curiuosity, and on my 3GHz machine it went so quick that I couldn't follow what happened, but after search, I noticed that this was a DOS unpacker, and I did find the complete files as above in the capture, only the

500A320g.exe is 2 bytes larger than the average upgrade .exe file, (and why the "3" now appears after the "A" is no logic to me but again this was intended for the Japanese market) but I tested a CD Burn and it sounds high-speeding while burning, and good stability....

But take care, because its flashing works different then the earlier versions!

So THANKS to Wicked1 for the message, IT WORKS VERY GOOD !!!!

[fng]

Is there a list of improvements for this version? Wonder if it's worth upgrading. Thanks

[Dartman]

I did the upgrade and haven't really done any extensive quality testing but so far my speeds are unchanged and everything works the same as before. It will reboot your machine once and then let you upgrade, when it's finished you need to reboot again to get the drive properly recognized and set back to DMA mode.

[HardwareHarry]

Again, I don't have stocks in Sony...

But I found that the drive, as mentioned earlier, startup quicker and with BURNING a smoother sound and more stability in the machine.

So I am very positive about the release, no co-incedent after the "d" release for the 510 series!

(In the beginning the story of Wickled1 was for me some confused, because he wrote about the LiteOn 400, while at the bottom where all his writers are, a Lite-On 166 was mentioned, but excuses I was at late night
a little too enthousiast, but now everything is clear)

FNG, there is sure some info at the japanese site, but I stiil have problems
with my dialect in Japanese reading...........
But nowadays (soon) I expect an official release worlwide, but at those events there is also not always a list with changelog!

I have published it already on my three sites, but let them know that it is a Japanese-Sony release, flashing as always on your own risk, but it worked with me......... so readers of this material can do it!

[jtan]

did your drive become 4x? base on an article what i read it should... but base on nero, it said that my drive is only up to 2x...

[Dartman]

The drive reports the same speeds it did before in Nero so far. It SAYS 4x with the 2 differnt spindles of 4x minus media but when it actually burns it almost immediately drops back to 2x.
I was just playing with the simulation mode after I went back to the g firmware and it now claims succesfull burns at 4x twice and a failer once so I'll pick something I like and see if it has been relearning the minus media it didn't like before.
Well no dice, it started at 4x then the minute the recorder buffer filled up it went right to 2x and is staying there so far Guess I'll buyt smaller quantities and check the recomended media agian to see if any does work faster in the minus stuff.

[wicked1]

I have now burnt about 10 BeAll dvd-r's 4x at 4X no problem. I am not sure whether it was the firmware or the disks as I upgraded earlier in the day before the disks arrived.This is the first time however that the Sony has actually burnt 4X dvd-'s at 4X.I know HQ disks from meritline only burn at 2X still though.