Anyway for the DVR-520H to allow the DVD reader to play DVD+R/DL discs?

[cocopugg]

Hello everyone. I was wondering if there is a firmware upgrade available for the Pioneer DVR-520H that would allow the DVD reader to play DVD+R/DL discs? I can understand the writer only being able to write to DVD-R discs, but why can't the reader read any DVD+R discs? Is a firmware upgrade available that would correct this issue? Thank you.

[Frobozz]

My DVR-510H can play Verbatim DVD+R DL discs. Maybe you need to try that brand.

[gjb]

if your using imgburn or decrypter and have the burner as listed just change the booktype to dvd-rom

click tools-drive-change booktype

[cocopugg]

That solves the problem on future burned discs, but I have so many already burned as DVD+R/DL that it would benefit me more to simply look for a firmware upgrade that would allow the DVR-520H to be able to read DVD+R/DL discs. I wonder if there isn't any firmware upgrade to allow the current drive to read DVD+R/DL discs, if perhaps there's a way to simply install a DVD-/+R writer into the DVR-520H. I've read that it can't be done, but others have written that they have done it, so I don't know.

[Seeker47]

That solves the problem on future burned discs, but I have so many already burned as DVD+R/DL that it would benefit me more to simply look for a firmware upgrade that would allow the DVR-520H to be able to read DVD+R/DL discs. I wonder if there isn't any firmware upgrade to allow the current drive to read DVD+R/DL discs, if perhaps there's a way to simply install a DVD-/+R writer into the DVR-520H. I've read that it can't be done, but others have written that they have done it, so I don't know.

I think you'd still need a firmware change to make that work, and Pioneer does not seem to have released any fw updates for their DVDR models. There may be some Euro-model firmware available for the equivalent models sold in those markets, but I think it will be for PAL systems. I don't know how it might otherwise differ from our models, but it would likely be quite risky to swap that fw onto them. In any case, you are better off limiting the disc playing usage of the DVDR, to maximize the life of the burner. The best bet is to have a separate player that meets your feature and playback quality requirements, including being able to play any format you are likely to run into. Such players can be pretty inexpensive these days.

[cocopugg]

That solves the problem on future burned discs, but I have so many already burned as DVD+R/DL that it would benefit me more to simply look for a firmware upgrade that would allow the DVR-520H to be able to read DVD+R/DL discs. I wonder if there isn't any firmware upgrade to allow the current drive to read DVD+R/DL discs, if perhaps there's a way to simply install a DVD-/+R writer into the DVR-520H. I've read that it can't be done, but others have written that they have done it, so I don't know.

I think you'd still need a firmware change to make that work, and Pioneer does not seem to have released any fw updates for their DVDR models. There may be some Euro-model firmware available for the equivalent models sold in those markets, but I think it will be for PAL systems. I don't know how it might otherwise differ from our models, but it would likely be quite risky to swap that fw onto them. In any case, you are better off limiting the disc playing usage of the DVDR, to maximize the life of the burner. The best bet is to have a separate player that meets your feature and playback quality requirements, including being able to play any format you are likely to run into. Such players can be pretty inexpensive these days.

Seeker, I agree with you, for playing DVD+R discs, I use a separate player. However, my intentions were not to use the DVR-520H to play DVD+R discs, but rather to copy them onto the hard drive. The DVD writer, however, cannot even confirm that any disc is in the drive whenever I put a burned DVD+R/DL in the tray. I'd like to know exactly what kind of a disc is the DVR-520H looking for in order to copy to the HD, because whenever I pop in a regular authored DVD (with all copy protection removed) it won't allow me to copy it to the HD. So what kind of a DVD IS allowed to be copied to the HD from the DVR-520H's DVD writer?

[Frobozz]

When you say copy to the hard drive are you referring to the disc back-up feature or are you referring to a one-touch real-time copy to the hard drive. I'm certain there is no dual-layer support for the disc backup feature. In fact, I don't think it is possible with the Pioneer 640 either. I've never tried doing a one-touch copy from a DL disc to the hard drive. Now you've given me something new to try,

[cocopugg]

When you say copy to the hard drive are you referring to the disc back-up feature or are you referring to a one-touch real-time copy to the hard drive. I'm certain there is no dual-layer support for the disc backup feature. In fact, I don't think it is possible with the Pioneer 640 either. I've never tried doing a one-touch copy from a DL disc to the hard drive. Now you've given me something new to try,

Actually, I mean either method...Let's forget about dual layer for now (even though I really believe there should be a firmware available for supporting DL). If I had a regular DVD-R (single layer) that I have backed up one of my purchased movies, and I want to back up that DVD-R onto my DVR-520H's hard drive, can I do it? If not, what kind of a DVD-R recording CAN be backed up to the hard drive? Thanks for your help!

[Seeker47]

When you say copy to the hard drive are you referring to the disc back-up feature or are you referring to a one-touch real-time copy to the hard drive. I'm certain there is no dual-layer support for the disc backup feature. In fact, I don't think it is possible with the Pioneer 640 either. I've never tried doing a one-touch copy from a DL disc to the hard drive. Now you've given me something new to try,

Actually, I mean either method...Let's forget about dual layer for now (even though I really believe there should be a firmware available for supporting DL). If I had a regular DVD-R (single layer) that I have backed up one of my purchased movies, and I want to back up that DVD-R onto my DVR-520H's hard drive, can I do it? If not, what kind of a DVD-R recording CAN be backed up to the hard drive? Thanks for your help!

Leaving aside the DL matter for now, and maybe also the +R (because the 520 only supprts playing SL +R, and even then probably only certain brands), your last example sounds like something I've been wanting to do. Why ? In order to do certain kinds of editing on the Pioneer itself, as an alternative to doing it with various software on the computer. I had a hard time explaining that to some members here, but it does seem like a more accessible method to me -- at least some of the time. But it would have to be a High Speed bit-copy, both for practicality sake, and to avoid re-encoding with its loss of picture quality, which is what would happen in a real time copy.

It occurred to me that the only way to do that might be from a VR format -RW disc. (And in that case, you'd be limited to the max. 4X speed of -RW discs, though there would still be no re-encode.) The problem then becomes, 'How do you burn your movie directly from the computer to a VR formatted -RW blank ?' It was suggested to me that CyberLink Power Producer might support this, so I bought the program, even though it was not well reviewed here on VH. The docs for CPP refer to an "Editable DVD Mode" -- that seems to be what they call it. However, I have not had time to install or test the program yet, to find out if this works. Soon, I hope.

With the 640 model, there may be another method available. It reads DVD-Ram discs, I'm told, and I think they are inherently VR mode, so if you can get your content onto one of those in the computer . . . . Pioneer burners for the computer, such as the widely used 111D, should be flashable to unlock the DVD-RAM burning feature. That firmware, at least, definitely exists.

The disc backup feature Frobozz mentioned won't really help you. You can (usually) get around the "protected content" prohibition with a rip that removes the copyguard stuff, and FixVTS to correct deliberately introduced errors, but you're still out of luck, because that feature goes to a special area of the HDD that is not user-accessible for changes or editing purposes. It is only a straight-in, straight-out backup.

[obsidianelephant]

If a firmware update does come out for the DVR-520H that allows DVD+R DL discs to be played I'd really like to know. I burned a DVD+R DL and set the booktype to DVD-ROM, but it still wouldn't work in my DVR-520H.

Is there a way to upgrade the hard drive?

[wenyijen]

I have a Pioneer DVR-520H, does anyone know how make it to region free? besides, the function of auto chapter deosn't work, that's why everytime after I burned a DVD from the HD, it didn't show any auto chapter in 10 min, or 15 min. can anyone help me?

[Seeker47]

IIs there a way to upgrade the hard drive?

There is at least one lengthy thread here on the subject:

https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=253998&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

And you will also want to check out Hkan's website, which is referenced in the thread.

[Seeker47]

I have a Pioneer DVR-520H, does anyone know how make it to region free? besides, the function of auto chapter deosn't work, that's why everytime after I burned a DVD from the HD, it didn't show any auto chapter in 10 min, or 15 min. can anyone help me?

I seldom use my 520 as a player -- I have a separate region free player for that, which is recommended anyway to maximize the life of the 520's burner -- and whatever does go in there to be played is not commercial or other region discs. So I don't know the answer. But it's probably the same situation as regards DL burning -- not gonna be possible without replacement firmware, which has not been released and very likely never will. The current model 640 burns DL media, and is the only Pioneer model that has had revised firmware released. (That was to correct a bug in the Timer Recording feature.)

I'm working on memory here, 'cause I'm too lazy to go dig out the manual (which you can download in PDF form, btw), but I think the auto-chaptering is only available for real-time recordings made directly to DVD.