Zenith (LG) XBR413 Firmware Update?

[shatner]

Hi,

Does anyone happen to have access to the Zenith XBR413 Firmware Update? Apparently one was released but it is very difficult to get ahold of firmware from Zenith (LG). My unit was having the "Disc Full" error so I updated it to the firmware from the Sanyo DRW-1000 (same model).

Unfortunately, in doing so the background image now says "Sanyo" instead of "Zenith." I want to return this unit but would feel better having the correct background image.

I have already looked into simply changing the background image in the Sanyo firmware and then reflash it, but I can't find a program that will find the image file in it. I also know zilch about "Hex" programming.

Even if I could get an LG Firmware for a similar model, I'd be happy. I just don't want it to say "Sanyo."

Any advice would be appreciated. I've spent hours searching the LG and Zenith support sites (even for the various countries) and there's no firmware to be found for DVD Recorders.

Thanks!

[Eyedoctor2]

I don't know if the following would be of any help to you:

From: https://www.videohelp.com/dvdrecorders.php?DVDname=XBR413&Submit=Search&hdsize=Any&orde...&Search=Search

"Works very well. Tried recording DVD from DV using DVD-R and tried the VHS recording. So far so good. Tried to play all kinds of media, but this would not play VCD/SVCD. But there is a fix for it though. This is identical to Go Video VR4940, so download the software upgrade from Go Video's web site and upgrade as suggested on Go Video's site. After the upgrade all features of VR4940 would work on your Zenith XBR413 and you will find that what you have is now a Go Video VR4940 inside a Zenith XBR413 box."

Download Go Video software here:

http://www.govideo.com/Index.asp?GV=VR4940UP

[shatner]

Thanks for the tip, but I actually tried the GoVideo Firmware before I used the Sanyo. I ended up with a GoVideo background instead of Zenith. I went with Sanyo's Firmware because it has a newer date on it.

It's amazing to me that LG built this player, but they don't have the confidence in a consumer to update the player on their own, while GoVideo and Sanyo do and have the firmware updates readily available on their site.

The only way LG will allow the firmware update is if I send the recorder in to them. Of course this would result in a shipping charge for me, and a shipping charge for them to ship it back to me. It would seem a LOT cheaper for them to just email me the dang update file.

Of course at this point that is not an option for me either because when they turn it on they would also see the Sanyo background. Doh!

[carnivore99]

Shatner, did you ever get the file for this? Just curious, besides the logo change, did the firmware upgrades make any improvements? Better picture quality, improved VHS performance, anything like that? And did you notice any difference between the GoVideo and Sanyo versions?

I have the GoVideo VR3930. Seems like nearly the exact same machine as the 4940 except it doesn't support VCDs, which is probably just a function of the drive or the firmware. I haven't tampered with the firmware at all though, since unlike many other people I've had no problems with my machine.

[shatner]

I've tried the 4940 Firmware and indeed it did enable VCD support. But going by the dates, I'd say that the Sanyo one has been the best (simply because it seems to be a "newer" version of the Firmware).

I honestly didn't notice any improvement in picture quality or any other changes. The updates are supposed to fix a "Disc Full" error that I never got in the first place.

I don't know if these firmwares will work on the VR3930 though? It seems like a newer machine than the others, so possibly a different chipset is inside. I base that solely on the fact that it supports WMA, which none of these machines do.

What I also find interesting is that the VR3930 shares the same update as the VR5940. That machine supports DVD-R/W and DVD+R/W. So I wonder how the firmware knows not to include that added ability on the DVD-R/W VR3930?

From what I've found, the drive inside the Sanyo, Zenith, and Go Video VR4940 is a Dual Format drive. So obviously the software prevents it from burning both. But it'd be nice to get a firmware for my Zenith to enable Dual Format burning and WMA.

I'd say just try the VR4940 firmware. You will get a screen that says "press Rec 3 times" to get to the status screen. You can think look at the version numbers and see if it looks like the number is "higher" (which is how I determined the newer version as well). If it's not going to work, it will say "wrong version" and eject the disc. I've also been able to freely flash between the GoVideo and Sanyo Firmwares on my Zenith, so it didn't scare me into not trying.

I'm kind of curious to try the VR3940 on my Zenith actually. I think I will later this week.

Let me know if you get brave and try it on yours. At the very least, I would run the update for your particular recorder. I've always believed that newer Firmwares are best to have. But of course, I enjoy Firmware Flashing.

[carnivore99]

I'm probably not going to flash mine for now unless a disk full error pops up, which hasn't happened so far. Normally I'm the first in line to upgrade firmware on all my devices, but I've read about so many people having trouble with these GoVideo machines that I feel lucky to have one that seems to be working as it should.

My main beef has been the quality of the VHS picture, which is so soft that I've ended up using a separate VCR to dub tapes to DVD instead of the one built into the machine. But I don't think firmware will solve the VHS playback quality so I'm going to play it safe and leave the firmware as-is for now. Please let us know how the 3930 version works for you if you decide to try it though. I have long suspected that the 3930 and 4940 are the same machine with possibly a different drive. Interesting to hear that the 5940 shares the same software with the 3930 though, as I believe those two machines were produced a year or two apart.

[mjohnsonvideo]

Does anyone have firmware for the Zenith xbr413 that can be emailed to me?

Thanks