Optorite DVD+-RW DD0203 Firmware 2.16?

[fairplay]

I just installed my new Optorite DD0203 and flashed from 2.09 firmware to 2.16 using the windows installer (i have win xp home) the end of installations it said failed firmware update. But upon rebooting windows did recognize the drive and Nero Info tool it says version 2.16. I did burn a DVD+R and CD-R using Nero without any problem and also watched a dvd without problem. Do I have to worry about anything? How do I know that everything is OK and it did indeed update the firmware?
Thanks

[MOVIEGEEK]

My upgrade did the same thing using the Windows updater.If it burns a disk properly don't worry about,I don't.

I have a question for anyone:did your Optorite DD0203 come with an installed firmware newer than 2.09?My drive and many other peoples drives seem to be shipped with 2.09

[fairplay]

MOVIEGEEK Thanks for your reply. i was woundering if you have used TDK dvd+R with this drive? Costco has it for $29 for pack of 15.
Thanks again

[MOVIEGEEK]

MOVIEGEEK Thanks for your reply. i was woundering if you have used TDK dvd+R with this drive? Costco has it for $29 for pack of 15.
Thanks again

Yes I have with mixed results.I picked up a 10 pack for $15 at Staples and they are made by Mitsubishi,I could only get 4.1GB on a disk anything more and my standalones wouldn't recognize:"Disk Error".Memorex 4x DVD+R work great all the way to 4.38GB,they're made by Ricoh.

[jolo]

I do know that new firmware will be out shortly which will expand things quite a bit. For example Beall -R can then run at 4X instead of 2X, etc.

From Optorite's point of view, they seem to feel the Taiyo Yuden is the best way to go.

You're thoughts ?

Jon

[fairplay]

Where can you buy Taiyo Yuden DVD+R Media? I cannot find it anywhere except in Japan. Also, what media you guys use successfully with this drive? The Taiyo Yuden DVD+R that came with it was very good and played in all of my stand alone DVD players (3) without problem.
Also, is it possible to update the firmware using the DOS one in widows xp? I tried a floopy but it said invalid non system disc.

[indolikaa]

Taiyo Yuden is my number one choice. Too bad they don't make discs in all the recordable flavors! I would even venture to say they are better than Princo...

TY or Ricoh. Nothing else matters.

[jolo]

Actually,

You can find TY CDs right off the shelf in the U.S.

They are the Fujifilm CDs in the deep blue packaging.

K-Mart every so often has a sale on them and I get a 50 pack at 11.99 when they do. But they are at all "superstores".

These just never fail and the are perfect for use with Optorite's HD_BURN feature which I love and use to backup since CDs are so inexpensive.

The following is a hyperlink to Compusa just to show you what the Fujifilm(Taiyo Yuden) CDs look like in a 50 pack. Like I said, great for HD_BURN (any everything else).

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=303732&pfp=SEARCH

There are some crappy ones that are newly marketed and I hope go away which are in light blue packaging. DON'T GET THEM.

[Roderz]

Taiyo Yuden dvd+r got some from ebay £32 for 25, excelent disc's
also using bulkpaq orange (wp.princo) dvd-r no probs.

Shipped with 2.09 firmware now using 2.18 Beata firmware.

[jolo]

Oh yes, on the DVD front. I am going to give you a link to a place that sells Taito Yuden DVD -R 4X, which I believe are non-branded.

http://www.blank-cd-cdr.com/tayudvdme.html?gtse=goog&gtkw=taiyo%20yuden%20dvd

Also, I believe that the Fujifilm DVD media is made by Ricoh. I have to check.
There is software that you can use that will tell you the manufactorer of the CD or DVD media you are using.

One more thing, personally I would not use Memorex. They are not going to work with HD-BURN on the CD side and on the DVD side they are hit and miss.
The reason they are so hit and miss is that t hey are made by different manufactorers, probably they go with the cheapest of the month. I have some Memorex CDRs that are made by CMC, and while the Optorite will do normal CD burning ot them, they will not work for HD-BURN. If I am not mistaken, CMC has a bad reputation.

Thanks for the tip on the Princo.

I also did not know that there is a beta version of 2.18 available.

I am thinking of starting a forum somewhere for Optorite users where we can share experiences of what works and what doesn't with media and software.
Would any of you be interested ?

Jon

[fairplay]

YES!

[jolo]

If you are interested fairplay, get my e-mail from my profile and keep it and send me a message so I can get your e-mail and I will let you know about the forum.

Let's help each other out.

Jon

[jacksona]

My firmware upgrade to 2.16 from 2.09 also appeared to fail using the Windows flash utility provided by Optorite. It just hung up the PC when the final OK button came up.

However, upon rebooting the firmware version is reported as 2.16 and the drive is working....... Well, working as well as it ever did!

I'm using Bigpockets 4x DVD-R (apparently Datasafe manufacture), and am burning disks with no problems.

My problem is, that although my PS2 will play everything I've burnt, my LG 8161b DVD ROM on the PC won't recognise them.

I've since found that the DD0203 is notorious for this, and that DVD-R's burnt on it will not play in most DVD ROM drives

[jolo]

First thing is that what Optorite does not tell you is that when installing the firmware, there is a "warning" or "error" message that you need to click through and continue processing.

It is awful when you don't expect. I wonder if the firmware install was completed.

Also. I found that there has not been an isue with the Optorite burning DVDs, CDs that are not readible, but it had to do with software settings on the burning software which seem to differ for so many stand alone units. My experience is that the problem usually lies there. There are all so picky. Does the copy play on the PC.

Jon

[fairplay]

Looks like Optorite has problem with DVD-R media. As it will not read on older DVD-ROM drives unless is burned in MUTLTISESSION mode (Nero), which will play on all DVD-ROMs, however will not play on standalone DVD-Players if burned this way. Hopefully they can fix this with a new firmware?

[jolo]

The firmware will not effect that issue. That is a DVD player/software issue and not related to the hardware.
What the new firmware WILL do will expand blank media the Optorite will except.

I know what you are referring to. I have a Mintek 1600 and DVD-R won't work except if it is done in Nero, or some other software where you can blank out about every parameter that gives newer software settings. That amazing 39.99 unit that I got about 1.5 years ago plays EVERYTHING but struggles with blank DVDs. Even plays MPG files. Unfortunately it is the atitude of the Mintek people NOT to upgrade their firmware for some reason. Yuch.

Someone from another forum posted a cool batch file which opens Nero with these settings just for the Mintek 1600 and probably some other units that are two years old or so.

The some problem exists for +R for some older units.

Drives me nuts, you have to worry about the media, then the software, then the standalone unit that you have.

You know what t he best is, if you can make a PC the center of your multimedia system and have the PC output to receivers, speakers, TV sets, then you don't have to worry about any of this.

You can just rip, then burn in any way you want and play it on the ;atest version of your latest PC player and make sure that you have all the codecs necessary to play any darn thing.

I just purchashed a Lite-on 2001, which plays anything plus Divx !!
I will burn in Nero, B's Gold 5, anthing really and do a data copy (backup) of the Divx files to a DVD, + - RW, whatever. Then I take it ot my Lite-on stand-alone p[put it in and it brings up all of the files I have, which is usually four or five backups of full length movies, I click on the one I want and it plays.
I can combine media on that DVD .jpgs, audio, MP3, Divx, DVD movies, VCD, SVCD, etc and the Lite-on will seperate it out and you click on what you want and youo will either see still pictures, movies, videos, or hear music.
Having a newer stand alone DVD player sure gets rid of a lot of what seems to be hardware problems. They are matching older and newer technology problems and really what is needed is firmware on the standalone DVD players to get them up ot date, not the problem of Optorite.

Once I learned this, I started to really enjoy my Optorite and realized that most of my "Optorite" problems were really software issues with my burning software or old firmware problems with my standalone DVD player.

I probably will be replacing another DVD player I have with a 40-50 one shortly so that it will play anything and I won't have to deal with some of the issues you are talking about.