PBDS DVD±RW DS-8W1P = Possible LiteOn Equivalent

Hi guys. I've been lurking around on this website for about a week now in regards to my Dell Inspiron 1525 Philips/BenQ DS-8W1P internal CD/DVD burner and trying to find a third-party firmware for it.

From the threads I've read I've gathered two things:
1) Any firmware is going to have to come from the manufacturer because #2
2) Philips/BenQ sold to Lite-On and the firmware hasn't been found for the Lite-On model

but I think I might've found the product page for the Lite-On equivalent: the Lite-On DX-8A1P
(Lite-On product search page http://www.liteonit.com/global/index...pper&Itemid=75 )
I came to this conclusion after searching for PLD-DS-8A1 (a tiny print on my drive) and opening up my DVD drive and started comparing serial numbers and microchip IDs with various product pages (all returned by Google searches such as http://www.pda-armor.com/products/pr...DS-DS-8A1P.asp ) for the Lite-On DX-8A1P.

A Google search for the DX-8A1P brought me to this Lite-On Page: http://www.liteonit.com/global/index...=237&Itemid=87 . Comparing feature and specifications from this product to my DS-8W1P are almost identical (and with flashing firmware almost doesn't cut the cheese).

And finally from that page http://www.liteonit.com/global/index...d=31&Itemid=88
I would assume the US version of this internal product but not sure.

After all of that being "said", I hope I haven't re-hashed another's findings on this website and I'm not too far off of the beaten path.

If anybody has any update to the PBDS 8W1P firmware let me know.
Thanks guys,
John
johndball-at-johndball.com

nevermind