got myself a LITEON 16x dvdrom 166s and it reads all the DVD-rs created by optorite previously not readable in my LG 8161B and Pioneer 106S slot-in dvdroms.i heard 165H also works fine. 163 or 163D DON'T WORK.
so if you want to get optorite maybe u also get Liteon dvdroms.
whether 2.09 f/w is better, indeed i have relevant experience. my media is Princo 2x. Firmware 2.09 rendered readable DVD-Rs in my Pioneer 106S but not 2.16.
ps.i use Pioneer 106S dvdrom for testing out those DVD-Rs because i think it is most reperesentative.