UDMA Mode 4 for BenQ DW1655?

[Damon_Line]

[qanda]This thread is about the BenQ DW1655. Click here to see full specs[/qanda]I broached this subject about a year ago, but I just wanted to follow up to see if there have been any new developments:

Is there any way to get a BenQ DW1655 internal burner to run at UDMA Mode 4 rather than UDMA Mode 2, such as a firmware upgrade or some other firmware I can use to cross-flash it? BenQ's product guide (ftp://12.145.38.159/dvd-rw%2fdatasheets%2fprg_storage_200512.pdf) indicates that the DW1655 can operate at both Ultra DMA 66 and 100, but my drive came with firmware version BCGB, which I believe limits it to the slower speed. I seem to recall reading something about cross-flashing a DW1655 internal burner with the firmware for a DW1655 external burner to achieve UDMA Mode 4, but I may have just been dreaming...

Thanks.

Damon

[alan1476]

[quote=Damon Line;2123848][qanda]This thread is about the BenQ DW1655. Click here to see full specs[/qanda]I broached this subject about a year ago, but I just wanted to follow up to see if there have been any new developments:

Is there any way to get a BenQ DW1655 internal burner to run at UDMA Mode 4 rather than UDMA Mode 2, such as a firmware upgrade or some other firmware I can use to cross-flash it? BenQ’s product guide (ftp://12.145.38.159/dvd-rw%2Fdatasheets%2Fprg_storage_200512.pdf) indicates that the DW1655 can operate at both Ultra DMA 66 and 100, but my drive came with firmware version BCGB, which I believe limits it to the slower speed. I seem to recall reading something about cross-flashing a DW1655 internal burner with the firmware for a DW1655 external burner to achieve UDMA Mode 4, but[B] I may have just been dreaming[/B]…

Thanks.

Damon[/quote]
You were dreaming, the BenQDW1655 will not run at UDMA 4 with any firmware. The BenQDW1640 will but not the DW1655. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

[Damon_Line]

[QUOTE=alan1476;2123857]You were dreaming, the BenQDW1655 will not run at UDMA 4 with any firmware. The BenQDW1640 will but not the DW1655. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.;)[/QUOTE]

Thanks, alan1476. I promise not to shoot the messenger, but the person who wrote the BenQ product sheet better not cross my path;). Seriously, though, I’m having a hard time reconciling the product sheet, which says that the BenQ DW1655 can operate at Ultra DMA 66/100, with your response and everything everything else I have read today that the DW1655 cannot exceed UDMA Mode 2. Is the product sheet just wrong, or is there something (besides flashing the firmware) that can be done to boost the speed to UDMA Mode 4?

Damon

[Albert]

It’s all in the firmware, and BenQ set the firmware to operate no faster than UDMA mode 2…no faster is needed.

[Damon_Line]

[QUOTE=Albert;2123886]It’s all in the firmware, and BenQ set the firmware to operate no faster than UDMA mode 2…no faster is needed. :)[/QUOTE]

Thanks, Albert. I know I shouldn’t ask this question as it will reveal the depth and breadth of my ignorance, but:

Isn’t UDMA Mode 4 faster than UDMA Mode 2, and isn’t faster better?

Just point me to the right Web page and I’ll put my tail between my legs and go away…

Damon

[alan1476]

In the case of the DW1655 a burst rate of 24mbs is all you will get. Thats all you need. Faster is not better.

[Albert]

To add to that: UDMA mode 4 will not allow you to read or write any faster. The only thing it could improve upon is the burst rate [see Alan’s reply above].

The drive reaches its full potential at UDMA mode 2, unless there are problems with your system or the drive is dying. Since most of the reading and writing would be sequential, and the drive only has a 2 MB buffer, having a greater burst rate wouldn’t help much. The drive doesn’t need instantaneous bursts of data as much as it needs a smooth, constant I/O interface.

UDMA mode 4 capability only proves fruitful in external enclosures using inefficient bridge chips.

[Damon_Line]

Thanks for your patience and clear explanations, guys:). I now understand why faster isn’t necessarily better and that UDMA Mode 2 is perfectly fine for my drive. Also thanks to you, there will be no more UDMA Mode 4 dreams for me. I finally can put this issue to bed–which is where I’m heading, too. Good night.

Damon

[negritude]

…I’m having a hard time reconciling the product sheet, which says that the BenQ DW1655 can operate at Ultra DMA 66/100, with your response and everything everything else I have read today that the DW1655 cannot exceed UDMA Mode 2…

The BenQ DW1650 and DW1655 could run in UDMA4 mode, but no firmware was ever developed by BenQ to allow that. The BenQ company as we knew it ceased to exist before the DW165x drives could fully mature. Consequently, some features were never added, and some bugs were never fixed. This is why many people consider the DW1640 to be the better drive, because it was around longer, and had fewer bugs and more firmware options.

[negritude]

[QUOTE=Albert;2123907]UDMA mode 4 capability only proves fruitful in external enclosures using inefficient bridge chips.[/QUOTE]

And there are a lot of those…