I’ll be receiving a new Sony DRU-810a on Monday, and I’m going to be cross-flashing the firmware to make it equivalent to a BenQ DW-1640. I’ve downloaded BQFlasher.exe and WNASPI32.dll in preparation, but my question is: which firmware version should I use?
Most of the CDFreaks who use the DW-1640 as their scanning drive seem to have the BSLB firmware installed, whereas the latest firmware on the RPC1 site is BSRB. So, which of these (or any others) should I use?
Thanks!
Hi 
The most popular f/w is BSLB.
The latest BSRB.
I preferred BSRB myself.
(No longer use the 1640)
But am in the minority here.
Certainly little difference between the two.
BSRB was perhaps almost an afterthought.
BSLB won’t disappoint either.
So either way, maybe toss a coin. 
[QUOTE=shira9;2303337]I’ll be receiving a new Sony DRU-810a on Monday, and I’m going to be cross-flashing the firmware to make it equivalent to a BenQ DW-1640. I’ve downloaded BQFlasher.exe and WNASPI32.dll in preparation, but my question is: which firmware version should I use?
Most of the CDFreaks who use the DW-1640 as their scanning drive seem to have the BSLB firmware installed, whereas the latest firmware on the RPC1 site is BSRB. So, which of these (or any others) should I use?[/QUOTE]
If you plan to use the drive for quality scanning and burning mostly DVD+R media, use BSLB.
If you plan to burn a lot of dual layer and/or DVD-R media, use BSRB.
[QUOTE=negritude;2303498]If you plan to use the drive for quality scanning and burning mostly DVD+R media, use BSLB.
If you plan to burn a lot of dual layer and/or DVD-R media, use BSRB.[/QUOTE]
Excellent. Thank you. I’ll be using it for quality scanning, so BSLB it is.
While we’re on the topic, I’ve been using BSLB for quite some time and it works great for scanning. However, all my other burners operate in UDMA Mode 4 whereas the DW1640 operates in UDMA Mode 2. Are there any advantages/disadvantages going with EW164B firmware? I read somewhere one of those enables UDMA Mode 4.
TP, use BSLB/BSRB firmware as recommended above. 
BTW, UDMA4 transfer speed exists only in a few of our members dreams, while no USB bus ever been able to pass anything above 25MB/s to EW164B.
UDMA2 mode has been sufficient on all my BenQ (Nexperia) burners to burn at 16x. 
Example.
[QUOTE=pinto2;2304471]no USB bus ever been able to pass anything above 25MB/s to EW164B.[/QUOTE]
Is it possible to use EW164B firmware on an internal drive? 
[QUOTE=Saucerful;2304494]Is it possible to use EW164B firmware on an internal drive? [/QUOTE]Sure. But that’s almost a 4 years history for me… 
BTW, after all my best bet yet for a Sony 810 drive is firmware from the DRU-810UL /T series. Both newer and faster then the 164B firmwares, heh. 
No quality scanning ability though.
my BenQ 1640 is a crossflashed Plextor 740A. my preference is of the BEFB firmware over the BLSB firmware. i use my drive for ripping and some scanning, no burning.
the BEFB firmware does rip faster for me. i use dvdfab and the rip will reach 17 MB/s.
the BSLB firmware will reach 15 MB/s. not much of a difference but noticeable over many rips.
when doing quality scans the two firmwares are close enough for me to say its just a variance in performing multiple scans, not a difference in firmware.
here is one example of the same disc [taken from a cd sleeve which has also been through my dvd player] using two firmwares.
This is very useful information!
I think I shall give BEFB a try. Before I do, is it possible to flash back to BSLB and vice-versa should I change my mind later?
There is no problem flashing back and vice-versa.
no problem just use BQFlasher
http://club.cdfreaks.com/f92/bqflasher-149980/
wnaspi32 in the same folder
firmware from the dangerous brothers
http://tdb.rpc1.org/
i know you said you already had the stuff but this is where i get mine.
In what way does this show that BSLB is worse? It has lower jitter and the scan picked up more errors… Just because it shows less, doesn’t mean it’s better…
[QUOTE=troy512;2304626]my BenQ 1640 is a crossflashed Plextor 740A. my preference is of the BEFB firmware over the BLSB firmware. i use my drive for ripping and some scanning, no burning.
the BEFB firmware does rip faster for me. i use dvdfab and the rip will reach 17 MB/s.
the BSLB firmware will reach 15 MB/s. not much of a difference but noticeable over many rips.
when doing quality scans the two firmwares are close enough for me to say its just a variance in performing multiple scans, not a difference in firmware.
here is one example of the same disc [taken from a cd sleeve which has also been through my dvd player] using two firmwares.[/QUOTE]
In what way does this show that BSLB is worse? It has lower jitter and the scan picked up more errors… Just because it shows less, doesn’t mean it’s better…
in what way does my post indicate i think one scan is worse?
when doing quality scans the two firmwares are close enough for me to say its just a [B]variance in performing multiple scans, not a difference in firmware[/B].
my conclusion is BEFB and BSLB scan [B]the same[/B] however on my system i get slightly faster rips with BEFB. and i do alot of ripping, so this slight speed increase helps.
i have other drive which are capable of ripping just as fast, however i only have two slots for internal PATA drives, BenQ for ripping/scanning and Optiarc for burning.
Thanks Troy. I successfully flashed to BEFB. DVD ripping seems to now top out around 19 MB/s with BEFB as opposed to around 15 MB/s with BSLB. I’ll second your claim, there’s no noticeable difference in quality scanning, so I think this one’s a keeper!
