MagicSpin model #BDVDRW8D

[AlecWest]

Currently, my MagicSpin DVD+-RW burner is working just fine. But, it was old and had been on the shelf at OfficeMax for a while before I bought it. When I did buy it, there was no driver disk that came along with it. But, in both my Win98 and WinXP partitions, it was automatically recognized as:

GENERIC DVD RW 8Xmax

So, I didn't give it much thought. But recently, I went out looking to see if there was a firmware upgrade. The alpha-numeric number on the "subject" line of this post was the only number on the box the burner came in. I couldn't find anything on the Accesstek site (supposedly, where I was supposed to look any firmware) that reflected the alpha-numeric number. However, searching the web, I found this note in a post:

MagicSpin BDVDRW8D (rebadged BTC DRW 1008IM)

So, I went to the BTC site, downloaded what was supposed to be a firmware upgrade for that model, but it didn't recognize my drive. Then, I noticed that there was a VideoHelp forum topic on "BDVDRW8D" dated in October 2004:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=241179

In that post, the originator claimed that his MagicSpin burner was updated to an IoMagic DDO401-1301. So, I went to IoMagic's page here:

http://www.iomagic.com/Products/driver_results.asp

And found a burner they refer to as IDVDRW8D ... but a note on the page says there are no drivers needed.

Please correct me if I'm wrong ... but, I get the impression I have a DVD burner with firmware that can never be upgraded. True?

[BJ_M]

maybe -- but why do you want to upgrade the firmware anyway ? any reason ?

best to leave alone unless some really importaint reason to

[AlecWest]

maybe -- but why do you want to upgrade the firmware anyway ? any reason ?

Only because most people suggest that keeping firmware up to date is a good idea.

best to leave alone unless some really importaint reason to

I don't seem to have much choice, do I?

[ntngod]

I couldn't find anything on the Accesstek site (supposedly, where I was supposed to look any firmware) that reflected the alpha-numeric number. However, searching the web, I found this note in a post:

MagicSpin BDVDRW8D (rebadged BTC DRW 1008IM)

The BDVDRW8Ds (which I, and probably many others, got on sale at OfficeMax just after Christmas 2003) were usually either an OptoRite DD0401 or a BTC.

Mine was the Optorite, and I had gotten several updated firmwares from Accesstek, with the last coming out July 2004.

If yours is the Optorite, you want the firmware version for OEM customers - the 'I' version, *NOT* the 'E' version.
Here is the direct file link for 160I.

[AlecWest]

The BDVDRW8Ds (which I, and probably many others, got on sale at OfficeMax just after Christmas 2003) were usually either an OptoRite DD0401 or a BTC.

Yup, that's where I got mine ... but just before Christmas.

If yours is the Optorite, you want the firmware version for OEM customers - the 'I' version, *NOT* the 'E' version.

In my System Settings "properties" area, it says firmware version 110E. Guess I'm stuck where I'm at until it comes time to buy a new burner.

[ntngod]

In my System Settings "properties" area, it says firmware version 110E. Guess I'm stuck where I'm at until it comes time to buy a new burner.

No, that's the version it ships with.

(I found old posts from other forums back from the time everybody was buying those - including posts I had made - indicating it came with 110E out of the box. I wouldn't trust my memory now to remember that fact, but I figured I knew what I was talking about back then while it was current )

Using further 'E' format firmwares won't work, however (this was quickly hashed out by everybody after the sales).
You have to use the 'I' format, although updating will lose the 'HD-Burn' feature for CDs (which crams twice as much info onto a CD, although few drives can read the resulting disc). However, you do pick up 8X speed on -R media (-R media writes at 4X out of the box), as well as improved media compatibility, and whatever other fixes they deigned to add along the way...

[AlecWest]

Then the question is "How do I change my E firmware format to an I firmware format?"

[koolaidwa]

mine was a optorite, but that was many years ago when 8x drives just came out

[ntngod]

Then the question is "How do I change my E firmware format to an I firmware format?"

It's just a matter of running the Windows-based firmware update program. You don't have to do anything beyond that.