Is there an idiot's guide to firmware flashing? (OEM Pioneer DVR-111D)

[JPowers]

Ok, I finally decided to remove my Sony DRU-510a and install the OEM Pioneer DVR-111D I bought from Newegg months ago. The firmware is 1.02. Flashing this drive to enable Labelflash really intrigues me, but I don't care if it's region free or not right now. Since I bought 200 8x DVD-R Taiyo Yuden and 60 8x Verbatim DVD+R DL around the same time, it will be a while before I buy Labelflash discs. With this in mind, if I upgrade to Pioneer's latest firmware, will it be possible to switch to The Dangerous Brothers later on?

Should I download from Pioneer's Japanese website? (http://wwwbsc.pioneer.co.jp/product-e/ibs/device_e/dev00001r_e.html)

I ASSume this is the firmware I should use: DVR111D_FW123EU.EXE

If so, wouldn't the "EU" stand for Europe? If not, I'd appreciate it if someone could provide a link to the American version, if there is such a thing. Thank you!

[falberni]

This is the precedure that I used. Some people say that step 1 is not neccessary and you can start from step No. 2.

1. Flash with 111 fw 1.06. (Not to be confused with 111D fw 1.06) get it from here:

http://tdb.rpc1.org/#DVR111

2. Flash with 111L fw 8.19 Internal or External. Get it from here:

http://tdb.rpc1.org/#DVR111L


3. Flash with 111L fw 8.26 Internal or External. Get it from the same place as No. 2 above.

[bendixG15]

for falberni......
Very interesting to me as I have that burner.

But pray tell.....What does all that firmware updating give you ??

[aedipuss]

region free drive, bitsetting of dvd+r and the ability to burn labelflash discs. (like lightscribe but not as easy to find)

[budz]

Just flash it with tdb 111L firmware 8.26. There is no need to flash with tdb 111 1.06. tdb took the 111 1.06 firmware down from their website the last time I looked. Your 111D will now become a 111L with bitsetting of dvd+r media and labelflash as well as be able to read dvdram.

[JPowers]

Thanks so much for the responses. What confuses me is this:

"PIONEER DVR-111
Currently RPC1 firmwares based on 1.06 *, 1.19, and 1.23.
* TDB Flasher w/Kernel"

As you can see, 1.06 is still there.

"PIONEER DVR-111L
Currently RPC1 firmwares based on 8.19 INT *, 8.19 EXT *, 8.26 INT, and 8.26 EXT.
* TDB Flasher w/Kernel"

Why are there 8.19 versions with "TDB Flasher w/Kernel"? Everyone seems to have a different opinion, and I can't seem to find a FAQ anywhere. So, do I do the 3 step process, or just the DVR-111L 8.26 INT?

Also, why would anyone bother with these if they don't include the Labelflash:

"PIONEER DVR-111D
Currently RPC1 firmwares based on 1.06 *, 1.19, 8.19 INT *, 8.19 EXT *, 1.23, 8.25 INT, and 8.25 EXT.
* TDB Flasher w/Kernel"

I'm grateful to TDB for doing all this, but there's no explanation or guide.

[aedipuss]

the problem is that some of the tdb firmware uses a locked flashing utility that will only flash a drive of the same model. so if you have a 111d it won't flash it to 111L. you have to use a crossflash to L first then upgrade to tdb 8.26 if it's locked. won't hurt your drive to try 8.26, it will just not flash it at all.

[JPowers]

Thanks guys! I did 8.19 then 8.26 and it worked flawlessly:

[JPowers]

Weird...I just noticed that it changed the drive letter and is listed as "DVD-RAM" drive. I knew this capability would be enabled, but I didn't expect it to change the name of the type of drive. Also, I know this is region free firmware, but my count is now down to 2. After I flashed 8.19, it changed the way I got into safe mode! Before, I would just hit F8 and select safe mode (already highlighted) from a list. Now, it only lists Windows XP, but at the bottom of the screen tells you to hit F8 for more options. After this, I select safe mode, and it goes back to an almost identical screen telling me to hit F8 for more options, but "safe mode" is written in blue at the bottom, then you hit enter and it goes into safe mode. Anyone else have this change?

Would someone mind telling me what other steps are involved to make everything region free? I read a warning on TDB's website stating that the operating system and other software need additional changes, but I just wanted to know the "best" way.

[JPowers]

I just installed DVD Region Killer 2.7.0.2. It removed the region tab from device manager. Is this all I need?

[budz]

I just installed DVD Region Killer 2.7.0.2. It removed the region tab from device manager. Is this all I need?

yup!

[steptoe]

I also have the Pioneer 111-D

So reading this you're telling me just by flashing the firmware (I flashed it to the latest official firmware before I even used it as I checked and found there was an upgrade) I can get the labelflash/DVD-RAM options ??


The DVD-RAM bit I'm very interested in, can somebody confirm by flashing to the 111L firmware on my 111-D drive will give me the added DVD-RAM abilities

I'm asking as I nearly bought the Pioneer drive that had that option, but decided I wouldn't use it enough to justify that extra cash, but if I can enable it just by reflashing my drive then I get a DVD-RAM capable for free ????


Thanks

[budz]

I also have the Pioneer 111-D

So reading this you're telling me just by flashing the firmware (I flashed it to the latest official firmware before I even used it as I checked and found there was an upgrade) I can get the labelflash/DVD-RAM options ??


The DVD-RAM bit I'm very interested in, can somebody confirm by flashing to the 111L firmware on my 111-D drive will give me the added DVD-RAM abilities

I'm asking as I nearly bought the Pioneer drive that had that option, but decided I wouldn't use it enough to justify that extra cash, but if I can enable it just by reflashing my drive then I get a DVD-RAM capable for free ????


Thanks

Yes, you'll have dvd-ram capabilities & bitsetting to dvd-rom for dvd+r media if you crossflash your 111D to the tdb 111L 8.26 firmware.

[steptoe]

Many thanks,

Seems a bit of a con by Pioneer though if the 111-D and 111-L are exactly the same drive internally but the only difference is the firmware and a sticker on the outside, so by changing the firmware it adds extra capabilities to the drive and they can charge more money for the same product internally but just upgrading the internal software

Am I right in thinking this ?


I'm just double-double checking, as I've flashed hardware and BIOS firmware before with no problems but always official firmware, never flashed a DVD burner to give it functions that it was not shipped with or not designed for (EG removing region coding, adding bitsetting, faster ripping, faster burn speeds, etc,etc)

Just want to make sure it won't kill my drive in a couple of month, and have to go buy another one thats all

DVD-RAM will be useful so I can back-up and clear some files off my system, but with the option of being able to update them in time, yes I know I could use DVD-RW but would prefer everything on 1 disk instead of 2 and having to wipe between updates is annoying

[steptoe]

Tried just flashing straight to DVD-111L 8.26, but wouldn't accept it caughing up device error, so had to flash to 111 first, then upgrade to 8.19, then finally to the 111-L 8.26 as shown at the top of this post

According to Windoze I now have a DVD-RAM drive, before it wasn't !!


I had no problems in flashing any of the three different firmwares and cross-flashing adding stuff that appear to be internally the same as the 111-D, shutting down my system in-between each flash upgrade just to make sure

I had a weird problem the first time I reset as my system then decided to tell me that I insert a bootable media !!!!!!

After frightning myself into thinking I had killed my DVD-Burner and somehow trashed the HD connected to the same cable (which I didn't think was possible), after 10 minutes of fiddling with cables and checking the BIOS as the HD vanished and the mysteriously appeared again, it finally turned out that somehow my boot-up drive list had changed and my main HD boot had decided to remove itself from the boot-up list

Hence no media to boot from .....


Isn't modern technology wonderful


But I now have a DVD-RAM drive, simply by upgrading the firmware and convincing the drive that its really something the sticker on the outside now says it isn't
[/i]

[JPowers]

yup!

[MR BURNS VOICE]Excellent![/MR BURNS VOICE]

Seems a bit of a con by Pioneer though if the 111-D and 111-L are exactly the same drive internally but the only difference is the firmware and a sticker on the outside, so by changing the firmware it adds extra capabilities to the drive and they can charge more money for the same product internally but just upgrading the internal software

Everything is a con! I don't know if it's true anymore, but Celeron and Pentium processors used to be the same with the exception of a bottleneck "installed" on the Celeron to slow it down.

So, is everything ok with your hard drives now? The firmware did some unexpected things for me, but nothing so drastic.

[budz]

steptoe wrote:

After frightning myself into thinking I had killed my DVD-Burner and somehow trashed the HD connected to the same cable (which I didn't think was possible), after 10 minutes of fiddling with cables and checking the BIOS as the HD vanished and the mysteriously appeared again, it finally turned out that somehow my boot-up drive list had changed and my main HD boot had decided to remove itself from the boot-up list

Which is why I only flash my dvd burners in safe mode.

[Phantom Of The Opera]

I bought a Pioneer DVR-111D last week, and it has firmware 1.23 (that's what it came with, right out of the box). Now I'm wondering, if I follow falberni's steps, I would have to downgrade to 1.06 as the first step. I understand, of course, that we're talking about 111 1.06 (not, 111D 1.06), but it still seems like a backward step. I'll do it if you guys recommend it, but is it likely to be harmful?

What do you think? Should I jump straight to 111 8.19 or go through the first step first?

Thanks.

[budz]

I bought a Pioneer DVR-111D last week, and it has firmware 1.23 (that's what it came with, right out of the box). Now I'm wondering, if I follow falberni's steps, I would have to downgrade to 1.06 as the first step. I understand, of course, that we're talking about 111 1.06 (not, 111D 1.06), but it still seems like a backward step. I'll do it if you guys recommend it, but is it likely to be harmful?

What do you think? Should I jump straight to 111 8.19 or go through the first step first?

Thanks.

To crossflash your 111D drive to the 111L you need to only flash with TDB 111L 8.19 INT* firmware. Then reboot your pc then flash with TDB 111L 8.29. There's no need to downgrade to 111L 1.06. It's best to flash your drive in safemode.

[Phantom Of The Opera]

Thanks budz. I'll give it a shot.

[budz]

your welx!

[Phantom Of The Opera]

Okay, got it done, no problems.

Thanks again.

[kschang]

Interesting. I'll have to keep that in mind, as I got my other drive back from AOpen... In case I **** up the cross-flashing... I'll still have SOMETHING.