The big external enclosures thread

Hey, We're all learning here.....That's what keeps me interested. Glad I could help shed some light.
I QScan the Sony's that I have left or burn on my Nec. I look forward to you sharing some great scans with us.
With all the tradegy in the world right now, I really don't feel like celebrating this New Year. Yet, I do wish you a good and "Prolific" New Year.
Maybe I should get a marketing job at Dealsonic???

dishinit, remember the error I told you about that occured after flashing to the 47L9 firmware. Well, it looks like you experienced the same thing b/c I believe this is the error I got as well

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showpost.ph...5&postcount=18

Well not quite sure if it was the same. All of my discs that I received that error on played fine, did not lock up my drive, just gave me that error at end of scan.
I reflashed with exe from BenQ global & have never had that error again.
I also set decrypter to eject disc after burn so I reload before scan.

Yeah, but the error usually occurs when flashing with a .cvt file. So you think it has something to do with 'cross-flashing' to an extent?

Well Crea78,
Since I broke my own rule of making just one change at a time (and then testing) when I got this error.....I cannot accurately say.
I suspect it has to do more with a bad flash than with eject disc.
Can I blame cvt file?.........I don't think so, for when I was getting this error, my flash procedures were not particularly careful. I did not disable anti-virus, firewall, or turn off auto-update.
Somewhere in the interim (I would like to credit original poster... but cannot remember----something to do with re-flash to B7L9) I read about flashing in safe mode using exe from BenQ site.
Since then I have applied the safe mode flash procedure as gospel, especially after safe mode flash & eject disc setting combined, cured my error message (just wish I would have done one at a time).
I wish I could recall conditions that I experienced when I burned a few coasters......at least one was definitely bad media, the others....more software conflict...driver conflict oriented. All were eventually solved and not necessarily specific to my BenQ drives.

Alright, I finally got my Plumax case for my BenQ DW1620. I used the ROMWrite 2.0.4 to update the PL3507 chipset to the newest firmware, then verified it with version 2.2.0. After that I went through the cross-flash process to get the drive from G7H9, to B7T9, then to the 47L9(RPC1) firmware. Burst rates went from 19MB/s(USB2) and 20MB/s(1394) to 22 MB/s and 23MB/s. Now to take her for a spin or two.

Thanks everyone for all of the great information!

Just an update,
The Sense Error [0000000] seems more to do with ejecting disk after burn & before testing.
DVD Decrypter does not eject disc by default.
Change by going to Tools/Settings/Device.....check eject tray after "write"

If you are having strange spikes in your scans or strange avalanches at the end of your burns on good media, try re-flashing your drive in XP Safe mode with BenQ exe firmware from BenQ site.

My ND-3500AG (Liggy And Dee's ND-3500 firmwares V2 Beta 3) wont run faster then 7 MB/s in a external enclosure with the Cypress CY7C68300A-56PVC chipset.

The enclosure is connected to an IBM Thinkpad R40 notebook with full USB2.0 support! The USB chipset is a Intel 82801DB ICH4 USB2.0 !

I tried the original Cypress drivers, I tried other USB drivers, but nothing works.

Can everyone help me getting this drive speed up?

Thanks

I have had 1/2 cases that have the USB2 part supported by a Cypress ChipSet and can't get over 7MB/s. Change you case and don't get Cypress.
Nobody has a fix !!!!!

What is the best Chipset you think?

Prolific....I can get 22MB/s on USB2.0

I am assuming this flash to the Prolific firmware will improve everyones performance, regardless of what burner or HD they're using, in theory it should. I see Kockroach has had success with his setup and as I'm reading his procedures, I'm thinking this sounds kind of complicated to a douche like me. Is there any way to put these procedures in one, easy to follow, step by step, moron proof thread. maybe one of the Mods will let you post right up front on page 1. I'd love to merge my prolific enclosure and BenQ drive without a hitch. I know Kockroach's thread is more of an overview of what he did, and that most of the detailed info is sprinkled across the last 4 pages, or so, of posts.
Thanks again gents, for all the info.

I just did what I read from the earlier posts.

Prolific Firmware page:
http://member.newsguy.com/~siccos/PL3507%20Firmware.htm

Unofficial BenQ Firmware page:
http://dvdpro.club.st/firmware/BENQ_FW.htm

1. Use ROMWriter 2.0.4 to update the Prolific chipset to lastest firmware. Make sure you flash using USB. (ROMWriter 2.2.0 won't work on the older firmware)
2. Reboot the drive, then check using ROMWriter 2.2.0 to make sure firmware is correct.
3. Update your BenQ firmware. I had version G7H9. First you need to use WinDWFlash to cross-flash your drive to B7T9 firmware, using the .cvt file. You cannot use the .exe updater from BenQ's website.
4. If you want, you can change the firmware to 47L9, which is the external drive version. This was recommended by dishinit. He said that it would improve the burst rate of the drive, which should allow you to get 16X burns over firewire (23MB/s).

That is what I did. I hope it helps out.

Again....thanks to dishinit, beach-hobo, and everyone else for providing their input!

OK here you go.......Why to upgrade the case firmware????
Win XP has drive recognition problems with the earlier PL-3507 firmware, especially if you have SP 2 installed. All of a sudden when you power drive up, it is not seen.....

So, For those of you who have just purchaesd a PL-3507 combo USB2/1394 External Case & wish to upgrade the firmware:

You will need the ROM UpDaters 2.04, 2.14 & 2.20 & the "d0907" as well as the "d110904" firmware
Go here to download & unzip the files you need to a PL-3507 directory:
http://member.newsguy.com/~siccos/PL3507%20Firmware.htm

Install a DVD witer or Hard disk (jumpered to Master) into the case,
Connect the case to to host computer via USB 2 & power up case
If DVD writer, check the drive to ensure no media.

Then, using ROM UpDater 2.14, do a ROM Read:

Should be something like this
ROM size: 32(KB)
FW ver.2004.02.12.062
Vendor:0X7F
Chip ID: 0X6F

Save the output file, just in case......

Then, using ROM UpDater 2.04, flash the case with the hex file of 09-07-2004 (d0907) & reboot the case.

Using ROM UpDater 2.14, read the ROM to show a successful update to 09-07-2004, That gets you to Sept 7, 2004, which works great for DVD writers to achieve 16X over Firewire.

The only problem with this Sept update is if you ever want to put a hard disk in your case, it will suffer corrupted files and "delayed write" errors. Otherwise, if you just use it with DVD writer, you are good to go.

If you want the flexibility of installing a Hard Drive now, or at a later date, then you need to upgrade one more time.

Using the ""2.20" Rom Updater and connected by USB-no media in drive, read your rom to ensure you have proper case communication.
Cancel out saving rom read (you already have this firmware)
Load the d110904 Nov firmware hex file.
Flash your case, reboot case do a 2.20 Rom read to verify v185 is installed & you have hard drive compatible firmware.

No "delayed write" errors, no corrupted files, no crashed drives.......at least not from the firmware. Rock solid over USB too.

For a list of upgradable Pl-3507 flash chips see post 115, page 5 of this thread.

To achieve 16X burns with your BenQ, you need to cross flash to BenQ 47L9 firmware. Do a search in the forum for explanation on how to do this.

If you are having trouble with your external BenQ see this post (#73) as a check sheet to start trouble shooting:

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread....974#post801974

Hope this helps

I like your version.....less Blah, blah, blah.....
Thanks for the post!

Thanks fellas
Hopefully this enclosure will arrive Thursday, I'll post up with success or failure .

No problemo.

I tried to find the whole day a dealer in Germany which is selling Prolific PL-3507 based 5,25" enclosures.
Also witk Google and other machines I did not find someone.

Would it be possible to you, to tell me which international manufactor is placing Prolific-3507 chipsets into drives?

Thanks a lot

junkfood - Hi - type into Google: firewire +gehäuse +prolific

- came up with 464 hits for me - several on the first page seemed relevant . . .

Thanx dishinit

Tried this already, nothing really interesting...

dishint, You probably remember... I have an EON (EN29LV512) flash chip in my PL-3507. Therefore I needed to use the 2.04 ROMWriter to get to the 09/07 firmware level. Once I was at the 09/07 level, I was then able to use the 2.2 ROMWriter to flash to the 11/09 firmware.
wolffman

Sorry, it is a bit off topic!

Could someone tell me what do I use to obtain the transfer speed of ext. enclosure with a Harddisk instead of a dvdwriter in it.

Use SysSoft Sandra/File System Benchmark:
http://www.syssoftware.net

Follow the links to Free Lite version

Wolfman,
Good point. The use of 2.04 Rom UpDater is really specific to the Eon chip.
One cases had the ATMEL chip in which I was able to use 2.14 Rom Updater to go to 09/07/04.

Perhaps it would be good to put a list together as to which Rom Updater works with which flash chips to go to 09/07/04, ie:

ATMEL: use 2.14 Rom Updater
Eon : use 2.04 Rom Updater

The only problem is, on a couple of my cases, my flash chip did not identify itself in original Rom read (see my post) with earlier firmware?
Only after I flashed up, did it identify itself.

As my cases are already flashed up, it would be good if those who are in the process of updating their firmware would post a screen shot/text of their org rom read coupled with chip ID after flash. (refer to a list of upgradable Pl-3507 flash chips see post 115, page 5 of this thread)
Is that confusing? or is there another way make this clearer.