Saw a thread in another forum where multiple users had used hacked firmware to "convert" their Sony 500A,500AX,U10A, or U12A to a Lite-On LDW-400D DVDRW, since they are all the same drive mechanically. Their main reason was to improve their burner's compatibility with cheap 4X media,since the Lite-On's firmware was considered significantly better at that task. I have long resented my 500AX's fussiness limiting me to expensive(TDK,Maxell,Taiyo Yuden) media. So I gritted my teeth and did the flash. (I had the reversal hacked firmware to put it back again if I didn't like the results). It seems to have worked. I burned a cheapo 4x disk successfully. Need to do more tests to really tell the tale. For those interested, here are the links(hope I'm not breaking some rule):

Firmware- http://www.sonycrx2xx.org/DRU500a/500aFAQ.htm

Threads- http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=329557d83b468e1f18982fb343b09d5a&threadid=61070

http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?t=17675

I would welcome all comments from those who have also done the "upgrade"...MarsOfOld
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PS: I posted this in the Media forum since the whole purpose of it was to improve the drive's media compatibility. Hope the mods don't move it...