Request advice on Pioneer 107

[mbaker_jr]

I just purchased a Pioneer DVR-A07/107 online (my trusty Sony DRU-500AX is crapping out) and I would like some advice from those of you who use this particular drive.

I currently use Ritek G04 4x DVD-R media (purchased from supermediastore.com). From what I understand, by using hacked firmware it is possible to write to this media at 8x speed.

I would like to know if there are any risks associated with using the hacked firmware. Can it physically damage the drive? Does writing to 4x media at 8x significantly increase the probability of producing a coaster or having write errors? Any advice from you 107 owners (whether you use hacked firmware or not) would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[garryheather]

The general rule of thumb is that if you burn faster than the rated speed of the media, then you do (sometimes dramatically) increase the chances of a bad burn.

Any time you save in the burn is then wasted if you have to do it again at a slower speed, of course.

Some hacked firwares bugger up the write strategy in addition to the speed cap of the media, and that can make for unreliable burns too - especially with new media where the drive looks to the ADIP for information on how to write to it. This is of course not a good thing.

Saying that, some media can be written at a higher speed, but for whatever reason the brander / manufacturer saw fit not to rate it at that - it could be one disc in 500,000 failed once, so they're playing it safe.

Personally I don't advocate hacked firmware in recorders, since it can throw too many variables into the mix if you have problems and need a certain level of traceability for your work (some places for example will insist on official firmware for critical projects). However if you're of the "hobby-est" type of user and use half decent media, you shouldn't have too many problems providing you don't mind wasting the odd disc now and again if you change suppliers (or the manufacturer changes their dye types !).

Hacked firmware will also invalidate your warranty, by the way...

[JohnnyCNote]

I tried hacked firmware on my 107D and finally switched back to the official version, for many of the above reasons. The last straw was when I lost several disks. Once I switched to the official version, all have burned properly.

I also found the time savings not to be great enough to make it worth the other risks. Even if it takes 20 - 30 minutes to burn a disk instead of 15-20, it's not really that much longer to wait. I'd rather take longer and get a more reliable result.

However, always bear in mind Johnny C-Note's Number One caveat:

Individual results may vary!

[chas0039]

I concur and would add that there are DVD+R discs that are rated at 8X for around $.85 so if you really need the speed you can avoid the problems with a hack. Be aware that the 107D is reported to not work at 8X with the official firmware and Ritek R03 DVD+R 8X. This from the guy who wrote the hacked firmware for this drive.

[umps]

I tried hacked firmware on my 107D and finally switched back to the official version, for many of the above reasons. The last straw was when I lost several disks. Once I switched to the official version, all have burned properly.

I also found the time savings not to be great enough to make it worth the other risks. Even if it takes 20 - 30 minutes to burn a disk instead of 15-20, it's not really that much longer to wait. I'd rather take longer and get a more reliable result.

However, always bear in mind Johnny C-Note's Number One caveat:

Individual results may vary!

i understand what the write speed means for burning, eg. 1x-8x. what i want to know is if that write speed has any effect while recording.

could you also tell me if they make double-sided DVD+RWs?

thanks

[umps]

i would also like to know if anyone knows if the Optodisc brand DVD+RW is any good.

the above quote about write speed and double-sided discs is my question. i just put it in the wrong place.

thanks

[ClayBuster]

Be aware that the 107D is reported to not work at 8X with the official firmware and Ritek R03 DVD+R 8X. This from the guy who wrote the hacked firmware for this drive.

They did work for me using the official 1.13 FW @8x

[code65536]

Using the hacked firmware will NOT damage your drive.

And if you have your burning software burn things at the original slow speeds, using the hacked firmware will have no effect.

The only effect that you will ever see will be if you burn at the faster-than-rated speed.

It will, of course, void your warranty.

I suggest that you look at the rpc1.org forum's Firmware Releases section for more details.

[chas0039]

Be aware that the 107D is reported to not work at 8X with the official firmware and Ritek R03 DVD+R 8X. This from the guy who wrote the hacked firmware for this drive.

They did work for me using the official 1.13 FW @8x

I am not disputing you but how do you know you were at 8X. The only way I was able to tell it was slower was by burning an identical burn to both an 8X Ritek and then an 8X Prodisc. I found a huge difference in speed between the two.

[ClayBuster]

I have no way to prove it isn't the hacked FW but here are the pics.

[chas0039]

I don't for a minute doubt you and you certainly don't have to prove anything. I thought I was getting 8X and I wasn't and I would tend to believe statements from people who write hacked firmware when it comes to what burns at what speed. It did seem strange; thanks for sharing your sucess.