Hello. I'm quite new, so please don't laugh at me if i'm completely wrong, but i have some strange findings.

EDIT:
And it seems I was kind of wrong. the things below are indeed only cosmetic, and there's no REAL BookType changes. it just seems so. but read on, I'll leave this here for other newbies wondering the same thing.

So, some beforehand info:

I have NEC ND-3500AG, i'm using win32 version of binflash from http://binflash.cdfreaks.com/
and i did reboot computer between every firmware flashes.

now, that what i found out was this: I had the newest 2.18 fw from NEC in the drive, and i used the "reset" function in binflash booktype-section, to reset the booktype counter. The counter reset, and also the settings changed for the booktypes, as showed in dvdinfopro:



then i binflashed to Mad Dog TDB 2.F9, which has all bitsettings supported, and set the bitsettings to DVD-ROM to all the modes (+r, +rw +r DL)... after that i flashed to official 2.18 with binflash, and after reboot dvdinfopro said this for the 2.18:



so, the both images are from firmware 2.18 official, but the second image is after that i "jumped back" to 2.F9 and did the bitseting with binflash and flashed it to 2.18.

So somehow the bitsetting did survive the firmware flash, or is this just cosmetic? any comments?

EDIT:

So I did a full erase for a DVD+RW, and it did not change to DVD-ROM. I also burned some dvd-video, and no change. It's still DVD+RW. I tested the whole BookType scenario with my lite-on 811s, and the booktype changed, so this firmware in NEC (2.18) does not support Bitsetting, as Flash here said. When the sections for +R +RW are greyed out, it means the bitsetting for those medias don't work, whatever it would say. It seems there is somekind of "echo" from the last firmware what you have used.

ps. i don't know why i can't attach images to this post directly? i had to open a account to geocities to hold the images. I did open a angelfire account, but it showed only "hosted by angelfire"-bannerimage, and not the real image.

Never used this before. Why don't you use DVDinfoPro?

(in reply to naidoo33)

quote:

Never used this before. Why don't you use DVDinfoPro?

I don't know if i understand you right, but bitsetting for +R and +RW is not possible in DVDInfoPro with fw 2.18. Actually it's not possible in binflash either, when 2.18 is in the drive. The point was that i was using 2.F9 at the time of bitsetting, and flashed to 2.18 after that, but the bitsetted values remained over the flashing.

(in reply to Iggy)

The image shown is the bitsetting window from DVDInfoPro
Although the bitsetting window showed the book type for DVD+R as DVD-ROM book type it is greyed out and non functional and in fact when you burn a DVD+R disc with this 2.18 firmware you will find it burns as DVD+R book type as I have already found out and posted elsewhere in this forum

(in reply to naidoo33)

If it is with the specific firmware, then no.

As for my posts, nobody's perfect. It is not my fault if the questions are similar.

When you use the clause "Why don't you use..." it is a suggestion, expressing personal opinion. If I would say use DVDinfoPro, for example, its like I think the utility you are using is rubbish, don't you think?

(in reply to Flash)

quote:

If I would say use DVDinfoPro, for example, its like I think the utility you are using is rubbish, don't you think?

Yes of course. And thank you for not bursting to flames from my previous post =) Keep up the good work, I think polite suggestions for good tools are better than some "Universal truths" I have gotten from some people lately.

I myself have much more to learn about polite communication, since I usually say the first thing what comes to my mind. That's why I said that thing about cloned posts, but after browsing a while I see you have really things to contribute to this forum, and I'm sorry about my comment before.

(in reply to Iggy)

No problem.

Anyway even if the counter is "alive", 500 times are many. What about if you flash the drive to a previous firmware and one more time to 2.18? Will be 500 again?

(in reply to naidoo33)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Iggy
Anyway even if the counter is "alive", 500 times are many. What about if you flash the drive to a previous firmware and one more time to 2.18? Will be 500 again?

the counter is 500 because I resetted it with binflash, which is as far as I know, the only program capable doing so. Binflash is really a flasher (also possibility to dump the current firmware from the drive) but it has this bitsetting utility too. I have done almost all my flashings with this tool.



and yes, the counter stays 500 even if i flash the drive. it only changes if i change the booktype setting. But i can always reset to 500 with binflash =)

Somebody mentioned about 255 maximum firmware flashes though... but i haven't seen any counter, or reset for that...

EDIT: Oh yeah, NEVER try to reset the counter with binflash, when you have a disc inside!!! I had, and it gave me the strangest results! in one point dvdinfopro was telling me that my firmware flash circuit is failing... ! Fortunately it all went ok, when i re-flashed to 2.18 with binflash, and resetted the counter with the same program, and this time WITHOUT the disc in the drive =)

(in reply to Iggy)

Since you can reset it to 500 with this tool, this is good.

(in reply to naidoo33)