Is asking about hacking a DVD-R drive against the rules?

[Wetling]

I just bought a Pioneer A04 and I heard it was possible to make it burn faster. Is that true?

Where can I find more info on how to do this? A quick search of Google didn't turn up anything useful.

Thanks.

[Thorn]

I belive the confusion is related to a firmware released for the a04 allowing it to use 4x media without burning up. This doesn't let it burn at 4x, it just prevents the drive from melting. Pioneer will be releasing the a05 which uses the 4x media and burns at 4x.

[Wetling]

Shucks, I already have the firmware, I was hoping to get free speed

Thanks.

[kitty]

Hacking DVD players should be fine as there is a hacks section. It does not violate copyright per se like warez does.

[P@iNKilleR]

the only problem with hacking the drive is the warranty!!! so yeas if my pioneer was out of warranty I would have done it but considering its still new I think I'd pass. The price of a drive outways the benefits of 2 speed 4 now.

Kev!

[BJ_M]

the upgrade really is a problem if you ever tried to use 4x media ..

pioneer does suggest the upgrade i believe .. other than than on firmware upgrades i say if its ain't broke ...

[Thorn]

I haven't seen a hack that actually allows you to burn at 4x with the a04, so unless there has been a new development, the only hacks I've seen for it are for region-free (RPC-free).

I did once have a ricoh that with the firmware for the newer model burned at 6x rather than 4x, but that was because the newer model had exactly the same hardware. I would think that we'd have seen them marketing 4x sooner if the current DVD-R hardware could handle it, so I doubt you'll see a firmware hack that will (safely) let you burn at 4x.

[BJ_M]

the upgrade does not allow you to burn at 4x speed .. but it does allow its use at 2x with 4x media -- and without killing the unit -- which is what it seems to do .. who really knows because no one has 4x media yet ..

[snowmoon]

There is also a firmware called 2x4all that unlocks 2x writing on all media. I believe it's also RPC-1.


Hacking your own hardware is fine as long as you are not in the realm of hacking to get illegal or illicit benifit ( hacking cable boxes to get free channels or other service ). I believe all the moderators would support first sale rights.