Bitsetting DVD+R on Pioneer 111D or 111?

[Richard_G]

I'm about to put together another computer and am intending putting my current Pioneer 109 in the new one. This leaves me with a choice of what to put in. I had bad experience with poor qualiy burns with an NEC drive and have never had anything but good results from Pioneers. So my choice is down to either a 111D or a 111. One thing that I do want to be able to do is bitset DVD+R to DVD-ROM.

There is a very slight difference in price and the 111 will write DVD-RAM, something I doubt I will ever need but it is always there as an option. I know the 111D can be flashed to a 111L which will allow me to bitset DVD+R to DVD-ROM. The test on the 111 on cdfreaks states that the 111 automatically bitsets to DVD-ROM if using DL media, but what about single layer? Is it capable of doing it as standard or will it still need flashing to 111L? In this case I may as well save a couple of pounds and buy the 111D and simply flash that. Or is there another reason why the 111 would be the better of the two?

[bevills1]

Cross flash to 111L is needed to bitset +R single layer to DVD-ROM booktype, and I know of no reason the 111 would be better.

[blinky88]

If you can flash a 111D to bitset DVD+ to DVD ROM, I would suggest that is the way to go. Since we are on the subject, can you please post a link to the site where you intend to download that Firmware for the 111D.

[Coopervid]

You can get the cheapest which is 111D and crossflash it to Buffalo firmware which has the DVD-ROM booktype always set for DVD +R.

Read through this thread at rpc1.org:

http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?t=37557&start=200&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

Vid

[budz]

download the dangerous brothers firmware 111L 8.19* internal and 111L 8.26 internal firmwares. first you flash the drive with the 111L 8.19* internal firmware then reboot pc. then flash with 111L 8.26 internal firmware and reboot pc. there now your drive has bitsetting to dvd-rom for dvd+r media, dvd-ram capability & labelflash (lightscribe tech).

here's the download link for the dangerous brothers firmwares:
http://tdb.rpc1.org/#DVR111L

note: make sure you download the 111L 8.19 INT * & 111L 8.26 INT firmwares.

[blinky88]

Hi Budz,

Do you know why it is necessary to flash with 2 firmwares to complete the task, all other firmwares I have used the upgrade was achieved by flashing the drive once. I also recall reading in another post that you always flash your drives in safe mode which is something I have never done, why flash in safe mode ???

Thanks for the link, appreciated.

[budz]

The Dangerous Brother's 111L 8.19* has the kernel in the flasher and the 111L 8.26 doesn't. Therefore if you tried to flash the 111D drive with TDB firmware 111L 8.26 you'll get a error msg. But if you already have flashed the drive w/ TDB firmware 111L internal 8.19* then you'll be able to just flash to the TDB 111L internal 8.26 firmware with no problems.

I've always flashed my drives in safemode because I'm too lazy to disable everything that's running in the background such as antivirus programs etc.
I've flashed all my dvd burners in safemode with no problems and haven't had one failed flash yet.

[Seeker47]

download the dangerous brothers firmware 111L 8.19* internal and 111L 8.26 internal firmwares. first you flash the drive with the 111L 8.19* internal firmware then reboot pc. then flash with 111L 8.26 internal firmware and reboot pc. there now your drive has bitsetting to dvd-rom for dvd+r media, dvd-ram capability & labelflash (lightscribe tech).

here's the download link for the dangerous brothers firmwares:
http://tdb.rpc1.org/#DVR111L

note: make sure you download the 111L 8.19 INT * & 111L 8.26 INT firmwares.

I still have an unused 110D as a spare, but just bought a 111D, since these OEM drives are so cheap now. What is the significance of the INT vs. EXT firmwares, beyond the obvious ? I ask because many of the burners I've had wind up in portable drive shells. Can't recall if that's where I've flashed them, but I know I did a couple of them that way. (They may or may not have been Pioneers. Lite-Ons are the other brand I have used, except for one Plextor.)

I don't think I bothered with Safe Mode for the flashing.

[budz]

If you're going to end up using a external enclosure w/ the PIONEER 111D then go ahead and flash with the external firmware.

Although I have a BENQ 1640 that I flashed with BENQ's external firmware. I just did it last week so I haven't been able to see if there is any difference.

[KTH]

Also before flashing your new drive with modified firmware if possible I would run the drive for a week or two with unmodified Pioneer firmware to make sure that the drive is working OK. Because once you flash it with the modified firmware the warranty is Void, but if you need to burn Bitset +R media right away then I guess you have no choice. The good thing is that DVD burners are cheap these days so if it dies quickly it's not too big a loss.

[blinky88]

Budz,

Your comments make sense, if I do get the 111D I will flash it as suggested, thank you. I think KTH has also raised a point that should be taken seriously, my thanks to KTH