* Introduction

A new firmware that converts NEC 2100A/2500A DVD recorder (and OEM drives) -> NEC 2510A, posted tonight at the rpc1.org website...We decide to test for you this new firmware and here are our test results. Enjoy!

There is a newer firmware for adding to NEC 2500A DL abilities, read more here

* Why?
Whats so special about NEC 2510A? The ability to write DVD+R Double Layer (DL) media of course! Other features (reading/writing speeds) remain the same as the NEC 2500A

* Firmware upgrade process
USE THIS FIRMWARE AT YOUR OWN RISK

We don't know if you can revert back to original firmware (and ID for OEM drives)...Also we don't know if the firmware is suitable for 2100A->2510A, we only tested the 2500A->2510A upgrade.

For more information about the firmware visit rpc1.org website! We don't host any binary file! Only testing the firmware...

USE THIS FIRMWARE AT YOUR OWN RISK

The .zip file contains 3 *.bin files:

* 2510ORIG.BIN, the original binary firmware from 2510A drive
* 2510FAST.BIN (Allows, 2100@2500 and Rip Lock Patches)
* 2510RPC1.BIN (Enables RPC1, Allows 2100@2500 and Rip Lock Patches)

Note:
* 2100@2500 allows the firmware to work on a 2100A drive if you have one
* Rip Lock removes the speed locks on single and dual layer DVD-ROM discs with a VIDEO_TS directory.
* RPC1 removes region state handling commands and checks.

* Our results
To perform the tests, we used the 2510RPC1.bin firmware. The firmware upgrade process worked perfectly!

Let's see the abilities of our "DL" enabled recorder...

* Nero Info Tool information:



* DVDInfoPro Information



Note: There doesn't seem to be a BookType setting for DVD-ROM DL with current firmware revision.

Below we can see information about the MKM DVD+R DL media

* DVDInfoPro Double Layer Media Information



* KProbe Double Layer Media Information

The drive recognized the empty Mitsubishi Chemicals Double Layer media without any problem. We used latest version of CopyToDVD from VSO Software to burn the project. The project was an ISO image (Gladiator Special Edition Disc 1) with burned size of 6.86GB.

CopyToDVD started writing and finished after 37mins.



Below is the log file from the succeful burn:

12/5/2004 12:51:29 πμ info ********** Report session closed ***********
12/5/2004 12:51:29 πμ info Write completed
12/5/2004 12:51:29 πμ info Total burning time 00:37:21.142
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Starting write buffer
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Starting to write...
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Buffer under-run proof not detected
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Optimal L0 boundary set to LBA 1797264 (3,43 Gb.)
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Writing speed selected 2,3x
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Open Image file "C:\GLADIATOR.ISO"
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Available sector size : 4173824
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Media ID: MKM-001-00
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Blank or incomplete DVD
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Detected media $002B: Dual Layer DVD+R
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Using ISO image writing mode.
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Start Browsing file structures
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Supported Media: DVD-R, DVD-RW Seq., DVD-RW RO, DVD+R, DVD+RW, CD-R, CD-RW, DL DVD+R
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Writing device used: 1:0:0 - _NEC DVD+-RW ND-2510A K0P2 [H] (Ide)
12/5/2004 12:14:08 πμ info Using Patin-Couffin driver Version 1.22, Internal revision 22
12/5/2004 12:13:14 πμ warning AUTOUPDATE : The update site is not reachable. (404 - can't resolve hostname to IP address)
12/5/2004 12:13:13 πμ info Using single file/folder write mode.
12/5/2004 12:13:13 πμ info ParamStr 1 = "C:\GLADIATOR.ISO"
12/5/2004 12:13:13 πμ info ParamStr 0 = "C:\PROGRA~1\vso\COPYTO~1\copytocd.exe"
12/5/2004 12:13:13 πμ info User default language : 1032 (0x0408h) - Greek
12/5/2004 12:13:13 πμ info System default language : 1032 (0x0408h) - Greek
12/5/2004 12:13:13 πμ info Version 3.0.10.26
12/5/2004 12:13:13 πμ info Title : CopyToDVD
12/5/2004 12:13:13 πμ info ExeName : "C:\PROGRA~1\vso\COPYTO~1\copytocd.exe"
12/5/2004 12:13:13 πμ info OS : Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 (Build 2600)
12/5/2004 12:13:13 πμ info ******************** Report session started ********************

(in reply to emperor)

b) Testing burning quality

* We used PowerDVD v5.00 to playback the disc. Results: No probelm at the NEC 2510A drive, we didn't tested ,for now, any other drive.

* We used Nero CD-DVD Speed, to check if the reading curve was perfect or not:



The drive started reading at 1.91X, however dropped its reading speed at the first few MB, this was the only negative we saw. Otherwise, transfer graph was simply perfect.

* We used DVDInfoPro, again to check the reading curve: No problems also here



* We used DVDInfoPro build-in read error test, again no problems



* Lasty, we used LiteOn SOHW-812S to get the transfer rate graph, again no problems

(in reply to emperor)

b) continues...

* Error Rate Level (Nero CD-DVD Speed v2.94b4/LiteOn SOHW-812s)



At 99% the drive stuck and didn't finished the scan, however after pressing "Stop", we could eject the disc, maybe the problem here is at the CD-DVD Speed beta version, KProbe scan to follow...

Update: The KProbe 812S scan is really "ugly", with high spikes of PI/PO error, we don't feel would be useful to be posted here.

* The BenQ DW830A (official DL recorder) also reads the media without any problem.

(in reply to emperor)

Any chance that you could scan the disc on a 832S/700A? As I understand it, scans of DL media from a SL drive (like the 812S) do not provide valid results...

(in reply to emperor)

code65536, we don't have a 832S/700A drive yet, the 812S really seems to produce rather strange scans, might want to check our "writing quality" section for an interesting topic

(in reply to code65536)

quote:

Note: There doesn't seem to be a BookType setting for DVD-ROM DL with current firmware revision.

I wonder if Nero gives the option to bitset?

(in reply to emperor)

@emperor

I was under impression that you had a 700A for review? Nevermind then.

@tompika

No bitsetting for this 2510 firmware.

(in reply to tompika)

Emperor, did you try to play this DVD+R9 in a standalone DVD player?

(in reply to code65536)

quote:

ORIGINAL: code65536
Any chance that you could scan the disc on a 832S/700A? As I understand it, scans of DL media from a SL drive (like the 812S) do not provide valid results...
I was under impression that you had a 700A for review? Nevermind then.

No, other sites (USA based) got DRU-700A samples, we only got BenQ 830A, LiteOn 832S came today, i guess soon we will present scan of the BenQ/NEC and LiteOn DL burned media

(in reply to code65536)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bubba_
Emperor, did you try to play this DVD+R9 in a standalone DVD player?

The burned disc from the NEC drive not yet, the burned disc from BenQ yes, we had partial sucess at PS2 and other DVD Players, however at some players we got some skipping or pauses...The compatibility supposed to be higher with the BookType DVD-ROM DL setting, probably for those Players who doesn't playback DVD+R normal media after all.

(in reply to Bubba_)

[Deleted by Admins]

(in reply to emperor)

Emperor have you been able to play back the movie that you copied in the firmware upgraded NEC 2500A or the BenQ 830A?
If the disc can't be played back all you have is a drive that makes expensive coasters.


Here's a quote from Philips.
Quote: According to Philips it will not be possible to upgrade existing 8x DVD recorders to DL layer recorders, contrary to what some rumours are saying. In theory the laser power of an 8x drive is strong enough to handle DL but the problem is, is that the OPU (Optical Pickup Unit) of the drive is often not good enough. This will lead to quality problems. However, some drives with good OPUs could, in theory, be upgraded although they’d have to be handpicked.

(in reply to Deleted User)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Hotdealer
Emperor have you been able to play back the movie that you copied in the firmware upgraded NEC 2500A or the BenQ 830A?
If the disc can't be played back all you have is a drive that makes expensive coasters.

The burned disc with BenQ 830A has been tested with DVD-ROMs and DVD Players. The compatibility was good mainly with newest DVD-ROMs, in terms that the disc was recognized and didn't showed any playback problems.

We haven't tested the NEC 2510 burned disc with DVD players yet, but the compatibility with DVD-ROMs was more or less the same as with BenQ...

Philips quote has a strong point. The main goal of our tests, was to see if the conversion 2500A->2510A can be done and what results you could expect. Of course testing is still going on...we will see

(in reply to Hotdealer)

I agree, research is the best way to grade this firmware upgrade.

I am testing a 812-832 conversion of the LiteOn Drive.. when I have some definitive conclusive results, I will post them... so far everything is okay.. I am particularly wondering about the longtime life of the laser after this firmware upgrade. The DL media is EXTREMELY hard to come by right now, and I almost had to donate a kidney to get it...

(in reply to emperor)

I noticed something on the nero infotool screenshot. There are some extra writing features: RAW DAO 16, RAW SAO 16 when compared to the normal 2500a. Does it mean that with the DL firmware you can also use these new strategies? I must admit that I have no idea whether this is technically possible. My version of nero infotool is 2.07.

(in reply to emperor)