New Optiarc AD-7200S 1.0A Firmware

CD, DVD and (Ultra HD) Blu-ray Writers NEC / Optiarc Writer
#1

As indicated on the following website:

http://www.sony-optiarc.eu/supportservice/downloads/dvddrivesdesktoppcs/ad7200s.html

firmware version 1.0A has been released as of 1-28-09 for the Optiarc AD-7200S drive. I looked through several of the other 72xx series units and this is the only one with firmware newer than 1.09. There are no release notes of any kind for this firmware.

Liggy, if you could find the time to spare, could you do your usual routine with this version (auto-bitsetting, rpc1)? Thanks in advance.

#2

This firmware is already on my harddisc. But it might take a while until I find time for patching again. However I’m not going to add auto-bitsetting - only manual bitsetting :wink:

#3

[quote=Liggy;2213056]This firmware is already on my harddisc.[/quote] I never even suspected you could use Optiarc firmware on a harddrive! :bigsmile:

#4

I didn’t say that I flashed my harddisc with this firmware :stuck_out_tongue:

#5

[QUOTE=Liggy;2213056]This firmware is already on my harddisc. But it might take a while until I find time for patching again. However I’m not going to add auto-bitsetting - only manual bitsetting ;)[/QUOTE]

I can’t help but be curious as to your reasons for this. I’m probably misunderstanding something here, but I don’t see the point of tweaking the fw to allow “manual” bitsetting. How is what you do with the fw to allow manual bitsetting different than what a user can do with any 'ol program that allows changing the bitsetting (i.e CDSpeed)?

#6

Auto bitsetting means that the firmware automatically sets the booktype of a given disc to DVD-ROM and that you cannot change it. That’s what you have on some (patched) Pioneer firmwares.

Manual bitsetting means that you can run programs like CD-Speed to change the booktype setting between DVD-ROM and the real disctype - just the way you want it to be.

#7

[QUOTE=Liggy;2213743]Auto bitsetting means that the firmware automatically sets the booktype of a given disc to DVD-ROM and that you cannot change it. That’s what you have on some (patched) Pioneer firmwares.

Manual bitsetting means that you can run programs like CD-Speed to change the booktype setting between DVD-ROM and the real disctype - just the way you want it to be.[/QUOTE]

So, your Optiarc/NEC modified bt firmwares normally do it the latter way? :confused:

I thought that bt firmwares normally allow us to turn on auto-bitsetting via binflash, so that it doesn’t matter what program you use. This is important, for example, when using non-Windows operating systems like OS X and Linux. I want the firmware to auto-bitset, so that I don’t have to remember to do it each time, and so that it’s irrelevant as to what program I am using to burn.

I think I’m missing something. Maybe the way binflash turns on bitsetting on an NEC drive is a different thing from the way auto-bitsetting works on a Pioneer. One can be turned on and off, and the other can’t. However, that seems like a semantical difference that is not how laypeople understand it. To them, whether it’s a permanent thing that can’t be turned off or a semi-permanent thing that can is wholly irrelevant, since 99% of the time, they never want to turn it off in the first place.

You know, I’m a geek myself, but sometimes, geeks and their anal retentive technical precision gets on my nerves. :bigsmile:

#8

Right. Just flashing the bitsetting firmware does not automatically enable changing the booktype to DVD-ROM. You first need to tell the drive to activate bitsetting. However you can permanently change the setting so you don’t have to remember it and this setting will stay even if you flash with a new firmware that supports bitsetting.

It also should not be important for OS X or Linux because with necflash you can also change the booktype under these operating systems But most people will probably set once and then forget (at least I do). Some people might want different settings for different disctypes (DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD+R-DL). This cannot be achieved with auto-bitsetting firmwares.

Anyway - that’s the way it works on my patches (and even some unmodified OEM firmwares for some drives) and won’t be changed :stuck_out_tongue:

#9

Oh OK Liggy… thanks for the clarification. I see what you’re saying now. I like the way you’ve been creating the bitsetting firmwares. I trust the burn strategies set by Sony/NEC/Optiarc are about as optimized as they can be for the media that I use which is why your bitsetting tweak is all I ever really like to have in addition. Thank you for you continued support on these drives. Your time spent is appreciated by so many of us cdfreaks.

#10

I previously had the 1.06 firmware with bitsetting feature installed. However, I just updated the firmware to the official 1.0A - but it seems that my drive is “still under the influence” of the bitsetting firmware. When checking my current settings, ImgBurn says that both DVD +R and DVD +R DL are set to DVD-ROM. I’m happy, as this is what I want, but I thought that official firmwre didn’t support this. Can somebody set me straight?

#11

As far as I remember the routine for querying the current booktype values supplies the values that you can set with a BT firmware even though this value is not used when burning.

#12

Ah, makes sense, then. Back to newest Liggy-BT firmware :slight_smile: Thanks for answering.

Oh, one more thing. With regards to your answer: Does that also mean that one can’t set the BT before each burn on a 7200S with official firmware and have the drive use it?

#13

No, you cannot set the value with official firmwares plus there’s no code that would check a booktype setting when burning a disc.

#14

Hi Liggy.

Been searching but not found the answer. Is the 7200S same drive as 7203S? Can I flash 7203S firmware on the 7200S? Currently running your 1.09BT_RPC1.

As always, thanks for your effort on this board!

#15

[QUOTE=Oz.;2238430]Hi Liggy.

Been searching but not found the answer. Is the 7200S same drive as 7203S? Can I flash 7203S firmware on the 7200S? Currently running your 1.09BT_RPC1.

As always, thanks for your effort on this board![/QUOTE]

OT!

Read this: http://club.cdfreaks.com/f86/nec-nd-3550-4550-4551-nd-3570-4570-4571-ad-5170-7170-7173-5200-7200-7203-discussion-thread-166962/

#16

Both drives (7200S and 7203S) share the same hardware, but you cannot simply apply the 7203S firmware on a 7200S drive. You would have to change the drive’s bootcode first but this is not supported by us.

#17

Ok, thanks

#18

What happened to the 1.0A patched firmware? Liggy, man, are you still busy? :slight_smile:

#19

[QUOTE=evo69;2241734]Liggy, man, are you still busy? :)[/QUOTE]
I always am :wink:
But I’m sure there will be a patched 1.0A firmware someday

#20

Someday. :stuck_out_tongue: I’ll wait. :slight_smile: