Added:
Support for newer DVD-R media.
Support for newer DVD-RW media.

Improvements:
Write quality on DVD-R media.
Write quality on DVD+R media.
Write quality on DVD-RW media.

Fixed Bug:
Hangup during the writing of the lead-out area, using DAO on CD media at a low speed.

I have compared the DVD Supported Media Lists for FW1.04 vs FW1.03 and the novel media added is:

DVD+R
Digital Disc Dessau 8x @ 8x

DVD+RW
no new media since FW1.01

DVD-R
AMC 8x @ 8x
INTERMEDIA 8x @ 8x
LEADDATA 8x @ 8x
MAM-E 4x @ 4x
MJC 8x @ 8x
Plasmon Data Systems Ltd. 8x @ 6x
Postech 8x @ 6x

DVD-RW
CMC 4x @ 4x
Prodisc Technology Inc 4x @ 4x

Less new media was added this time compared with FW1.03, but hopefully there have been quite few writing strategies tweaked. Only testing will tell.
I guess this FW came too soon for it to be THE firmware Plextor was talking about (the one fixing the component tolerance bug and adding quality adaptive writing strategies)? Will see ...

(in reply to sly24)

Well, they've done a LOT of tweaking on some firmwares I think.... Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs now ALMOST burn when written at 4x. There is some problems with the lead out, that cause the end of the disc to seem to appear before the beginning of the disc (or something like that....) but otherwise, a transfer rate test shows that even at 12x the disc is quite readable. This is a HUGE improvement over outright failure at 2/3rds complete during the burn!

Also, Optodisc 8x DVD-Rs with Taiyo Yuden code actually burn all the way through now (yes at 8x), and seem to be readable... I have to go back and test this disc more, since I only had a little over 5min to test the disc before needing to leave for work. More tests will be done on the disc when I get home tonight.

The fact that the PX-712a can now burn the Optodisc 8x DVD-R w/TY code, makes me believe that Plextor has incorperated SOME sort of running OPC, since otherwise it would fail quite easily I would think.

(in reply to cvs)

Ok, now I know why Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs continue to fail.... they *STILL* haven't added the code to their firmware!!! They have a code for Optodisc 4x DVD-RWs, but not for 4x DVD-Rs!?!?! Well, at least not that I could find, and it seems to explain a lot.

(in reply to Dolphinius_Rex)

Thanks for the news, i guess we will have to re-test the PX-712A with the new firmware soon...

(in reply to Dolphinius_Rex)

Okay, I've done my best to cut through the seemingly random code in the PX-712a firmware 1.04, and pull out what codes are incorperated in the drive. Now, I don't know anything about HOW they are incorperated, like max burn speed or anything.... but I can tell you that the code IS in the burner, as of 1.04. Keep in mind, I don't know ALL the codes, so some might be a little garbled since I had to guess where the code began and ended if I didn't recognize it. So anyways, here they are:

DVD+Rs:

AML     001 
AML     002 
BEALL P0001 
BeAll000P40 
BeAll000P80   
CMC MAG E01
CMC MAG F01  
CMC MAG R01  
DAXON   AZ0 
DAXON   AZ1 
DAXON   AZ2 
DDDessauV10 
DDDessauV20 
DDDessauV30 
DDT 01  001 
DDT 01  002 
DT-D02  02  001 
DT-D03  004 
EMDP    000  
GSC502  002 
GSC503  H01 
IMC JPN R00 
IMC JPN R01 
INFODISCR10 
INFODISCR20 
INFOME  R20 
LD      001 
LD      A02 
LD      S03 
LONGTEN 002 
MAXELL  001  
MAXELL  002   
MBIPG101R03 
MBIPG101R04 
MCC     001   
MCC     002  
MCC     003 
MEDIA ID001  
MJC     003 
MPOMEDIA001 
MPOMEDIA040 
MPOMEDIA080 
NANYA   DR  
NANYA   RJB 
NANYA  CHX 
NANYA  CLX 
OPTODISCOP1
OPTODISCOR4 
OPTODISCOR8 
Philips 081  
PHILIPS  C08 
Plasmon1C01 
POMSA0010R  
POMSC001002 
POS R01 
PRODISC R01 
PRODISC R02 
PRODISC R03
RICOHJPNR00
RICOHJPNR01 
RICOHJPNR02  
RITEK   M02 
RITEK   R01   
RITEK   R02 
RITEK   R03
SKYMEDIAR03 
SONY    D01  
SONY    D11  
TDK     001 
TDK     002  
VDSPMSAB002   
YUDEN000T01  
YUDEN000T02 

DVD-Rs:

4M SYS 202C1
AN31       
BeAll G00001
BeAll G40001
BeAll G80001
CMC MAG.
CMC MAG. AE1
CMC MAG. AF1
CMC00RG200
DATA TRACK
DAXON004
DAXON008
DAXON008S
DDD DVDR
DDT01
DKM_01
DKMZ01
EDM 01
ENGAG5 01
FORNEX001
FORNEX101
FUJIFILM
FUJIFILM02
FUJIFILM03
GSC001
GSC002      
GSC003
GSC004
IMC JPN R01 
INFODISC-R01
INFODISC-R20
KIC00RG200   
KIC01RG080
KIC01RG20
LD 
Lead Data 
LEADDATA  
LEADDATA S03
LEADDATA01
LEADDATAA01
LGE04
LGE08
LONGTEN 001 
MAM4XG01
MAM4XG02
MBI
MBI 01RG20
MBI 03RG30
MCC 00RG200
MCC 01RG20
MCC 02RG20
MCI4XG01
MCIG01
MEI 00V001
MX X 
MXL RG01
MXL RG02
MXL RG03
NAN YA A01
NANYA P1861
NANYA-JC001
OPTODISCK001
OPTODISCR004
OPTODISCR008
Plasmon1A
POMS3A
POMSI002
POSG04
POSG06
PRINCO
ProdiscF01
PRODISCG02
ProdiscS03
ProdiscS04
PVC001001
PVCR001002
RITEKG01
RITEKG02
RITEKG03
RITEKG04
RITEKG05
RITEKG06
RITEKM02
SKC Co.,Ltd.
SONY
SONY04D1
SONY08D1  
TAIYOYUDEN        
TAROKO-MX4
TAROKO-X2
TDKG02000000
TTG01
TTG02
TTH01
TYG01
TYG02
UME01    
UTJG01001
UTJR001001
VDSPMSAB 01

DVD-RWs:

CMCW02
CMCW03
DAXON_RW2X01
JVC_VictorW7
JVC VictorT7 
JVC VictorD7
MCC 00RW11N9
MCC 01RW11
MCC 01RW4X
OPTODISCK001
OPTODISCK001 
OPTODISCW004
PRINCO
PRINCORW0004
Prodisc DW04
Prodisc DW06
ProdiscDVDRW
PVCW000001Q9
PVCW000002A9
PVCW00D002K9
PVCW00V00245
RITEK000V11A
RITEK004V11
RITEKW01
RITEKW01
RITEKW04
SONY000000U9
TDK501saku
TDK502sakuM3
TDK601saku

DVD+RWs:

PRODISC 
CMC MAG 
CMC MAG W01
CMC MAG W02
DAXON  
DAXON   D42
INFODISC
INFODISCA01
INFODISCA10
MBIPG101 
MBIPG101W03
MBIPG101W04
MCC     
MCC     A01
MKM     
MKM     A02
NANYA   
NANYA   DRW
NANYA SC DRW
NANYASC 
OPTODISC
OPTODISCOP1
OPTODISCOP4
PHILIPS 
PHILIPS 010
PHILIPS 041
PRODISC 
PRODISC W01
PRODISC W02
RICOHJPN
RICOHJPNW01
RICOHJPNW11
RITEK   
RITEK   001
RITEK   004
SENTINEL
SENTINELW01
SENTINELW02
SONY    
SONY    S11
TDKplusW
TDKplusWt12

(in reply to emperor)

[Deleted by Admins]

(in reply to Dolphinius_Rex)

Looks like I was wrong about the Optodisc 4x DVD-Rs not being included in the firmware I didn't see it before I ripped the whole thing apart.

(in reply to Deleted User)

I went one step further and compared FW1.04 with FE1.03:

   Firmware         Firmware
 Version 1.03     Version 1.04

DEFAULT TBL      DEFAULT TBL
RICOHJPNR00      RICOHJPNR00
MCC     001      MCC     001
CMC MAG R01      CMC MAG R01
RITEK   R01      RITEK   R01
PRODISC R01      PRODISC R01
LD      001      LD      001
BEALL P0001      BEALL P0001
DAXON   AZ0      DAXON   AZ0
OPTODISCOP1      OPTODISCOP1
DDDessauV10      DDDessauV10
MPOMEDIA001      MPOMEDIA001
                 
DEFAULT TBL      DEFAULT TBL
YUDEN000T01      YUDEN000T01
YUDEN000T01      YUDEN000T01
RICOHJPNR00      RICOHJPNR00
RICOHJPNR01      RICOHJPNR01
MCC     002      MCC     002
MAXELL  001      MAXELL  001
TDK     001      TDK     001
SONY    D01      SONY    D01
CMC MAG F01      CMC MAG F01
RITEK   R02      RITEK   R02
PRODISC R02      PRODISC R02
LD      A02      LD      A02
INFODISCR10      INFODISCR10
BeAll000P40      BeAll000P40
DAXON   AZ1      DAXON   AZ1
OPTODISCOR4      OPTODISCOR4
NANYA   RJB      NANYA   RJB
GSC502  002      GSC502  002
MBIPG101R03      MBIPG101R03
IMC JPN R00      IMC JPN R00
DDDessauV20      DDDessauV20
MPOMEDIA040      MPOMEDIA040
POMSA0010R       POMSA0010R
DT-D02  02       DT-D02  02
        001              001
MEDIA ID001      MEDIA ID001
POMSC001002      POMSC001002
AML     001      AML     001
RITEK   M02      RITEK   M02
NANYA   DR       NANYA   DR
LONGTEN 002      LONGTEN 002
DDT 01  001      DDT 01  001
                 
DEFAULT TBL      DEFAULT TBL
YUDEN000T02      YUDEN000T02
RICOHJPNR02      RICOHJPNR02
MCC     003      MCC     003
MAXELL  002      MAXELL  002
TDK     002      TDK     002
SONY    D11      SONY    D11
EMDP    000      EMDP    000
Philips 081      Philips 081
CMC MAG E01      CMC MAG E01
RITEK   R03      RITEK   R03
PRODISC R03      PRODISC R03
BeAll000P80      BeAll000P80
NANYA   CHX      NANYA   CHX
DAXON   AZ2      DAXON   AZ2
OPTODISCOR8      OPTODISCOR8
IMC JPN R01      IMC JPN R01
PHILIPS C08      PHILIPS C08
MPOMEDIA080      MPOMEDIA080
MBIPG101R04      MBIPG101R04
INFODISCR20      INFODISCR20
INFOME  R20      INFOME  R20
MCC     003      MCC     003
LD      S03      LD      S03
DT-D03  004      DT-D03  004
SKYMEDIAR03      SKYMEDIAR03
MJC     003      MJC     003
GSC503  H01      GSC503  H01
LONGTEN 002      LONGTEN 002
NANYA   CLX      NANYA   CLX
AML     002      AML     002
Plasmon1C01      Plasmon1C01
VDSPMSAB002      VDSPMSAB002
DDT 01  002      DDT 01  002
POS     R01      POS     R01
DDDessauV30      DDDessauV30
RITEK   R03      RITEK   R03
                 
                 
                 
TAIYOYUDEN       TAIYOYUDEN
MXL RG01         MXL RG01
TDKG02000000     TDKG02000000
MCC 00RG200      MCC 00RG200
FUJIFILM         FUJIFILM
SONY             
PVC001001        PVC001001
MCIG01           MCIG01
MEI0V001         MEI 00V001
PRINCO           PRINCO
PRINCO           PRINCO
RITEKG01         RITEKG01
RITEKG02         RITEKG02
RITEKG03         RITEKG03
CMC00RG200       CMC00RG200
CMC MAG.         CMC MAG.
LD               LD
Lead Data        Lead Data
LEADDATA         LEADDATA
OPTODISCK001     OPTODISCK001
NANYA P1861      NANYA P1861
MBI              MBI
UTJG01001        UTJG01001
BeAll G00001     BeAll G00001
TAROKO-X2        TAROKO-X2
FORNEX001        FORNEX001
GSC001           GSC001
GSC001           GSC001
PRODISCG02       PRODISCG02
KIC 00RG200      KIC 00RG200
DDD DVDR         DDD DVDR
4M SYS 202C1     SYS 202C1
TYG01            TYG01
MXL RG02         MXL RG02
TTG01            TTG01
MCC 01RG20       MCC 01RG20
FUJIFILM02       FUJIFILM02
SONY04D1         SONY04D1
PVCR001002       PVCR001002
MCI4XG01         MCI4XG01
RITEKG04         RITEKG04
RITEKM02         RITEKM02
PRINCO           PRINCO
GSC001           GSC001
GSC001           GSC001
GSC002           GSC002
BeAll G40001     BeAll G40001
CMC MAG. AF1     CMC MAG. AF1
SKC Co.,Ltd.     SKC Co.,Ltd.
LEADDATA01       LEADDATA01
LEADDATAA01      LEADDATAA01
NANYA-JC001      NANYA-JC001
TAROKO-MX4       TAROKO-MX4
OPTODISCK001     OPTODISCK001
OPTODISCR004     OPTODISCR004
DAXON004         DAXON004
KIC01RG20        KIC01RG20
LONGTEN 001      LONGTEN 001
FORNEX101        FORNEX101
MAM4XG01         MAM4XG01
POSG04           POSG04
ProdiscS03       ProdiscS03
LGE04            LGE04
Dvsn             Dvsn
MBI 01RG20       MBI 01RG20
ME 153           ME 153
INFODISC-R01     INFODISC-R01
UTJR001001       UTJR001001
DATA TRACK       DATA TRACK
DKM_01           DKM_01
VDSPMSAB 01      VDSPMSAB 01
AN31             AN31
Plasmon1A        Plasmon1A
4M SYS 202C1     4M SYS 202C1
EDM 01           EDM 01
DDT01            DDT01
                 MAM4XG02
TYG02            TYG02
MXL RG03         MXL RG03
TTG02            TTG02
MCC 02RG20       MCC 02RG20
FUJIFILM03       FUJIFILM03
SONY08D1         SONY08D1
RITEKG05         RITEKG05
CMC MAG. AE1     CMC MAG. AE1
ProdiscS04       ProdiscS04
NAN YA A01       NAN YA A01
BeAll G80001     BeAll G80001
LGE08            LGE08
TTH01            TTH01
OPTODISCR008     OPTODISCR008
                 Dvsn-80
INFODISC-R20     INFODISC-R20
DKMZ01           DKMZ01
RITEKG06         RITEKG06
GSC003           GSC003
MBI 03RG30       MBI 03RG30
ProdiscF01       ProdiscF01
UME01            UME01
DAXON008         DAXON008
ENGAG5 01        ENGAG5 01
POMS3A           POMS3A
GSC004           GSC004
KIC01RG080       KIC01RG080
DAXON008S        DAXON008S
                 POMSI002
                 LEADDATA S03
                 IMC JPN R01
                 POSG06
                 MJC ME
                 
                 
                 
MCC 00RW11N9     MCC 00RW11N9
PVCW000002A9     PVCW000002A9
TDK501saku]3     TDK501saku]3
JVC/VictorT7     JVC/VictorT7
SONY000000U9     SONY000000U9
RITEK000V11A     RITEK000V11A
OPTODISCK001     OPTODISCK001
PRINCO           PRINCO
ProdiscDVDRW     ProdiscDVDRW
PVCW000001Q9     PVCW000001Q9
RITEK004V11      RITEK004V11
MCC 01RW11n9     MCC 01RW11n9
PVCW00D002K9     PVCW00D002K9
TDK502sakuM3     TDK502sakuM3
JVC_VictorW7     JVC_VictorW7
RITEKW01         RITEKW01
PRINCO           PRINCO
OPTODISCK001     OPTODISCK001
TDK502sakuM3     TDK502sakuM3
JVC_VictorW7     JVC_VictorW7
CMCW02           CMCW02
                 Prodisc DW04
PVCW00V00245     PVCW00V00245
DAXON_RW2X01     DAXON_RW2X01
RITEKW01         RITEKW01
MCC 01RW4X       MCC 01RW4X
TDK601saku       TDK601saku
JVC0VictorD7     JVC0VictorD7
RITEKW04         RITEKW04
SONY000000U9     CMCW03    --> different
OPTODISCW004     OPTODISCW004
PRINCORW0004     PRINCORW0004
                 Prodisc DW06
                 
                 
                 
MCC     A01      MCC     A01
RICOHJPNW01      RICOHJPNW01
PRODISC W01      PRODISC W01
RITEK   001      RITEK   001
CMC MAG W01      CMC MAG W01
INFODISCA01      INFODISCA01
OPTODISCOP1      OPTODISCOP1
SENTINELW01      SENTINELW01
NANYASC DRW      NANYASC DRW
PHILIPS 010      PHILIPS 010
MBIPG101W03      MBIPG101W03
MKM     A02      MKM     A02
RICOHJPNW11      RICOHJPNW11
SONY    S11      SONY    S11
CMC MAG W02      CMC MAG W02
RITEK   004      RITEK   004
INFODISCA10      INFODISCA10
PHILIPS 041      PHILIPS 041
DAXON   D42      DAXON   D42
PRODISC W02      PRODISC W02
TDKplusWt12      TDKplusWt12
NANYA   DRW      NANYA   DRW
OPTODISCOP4      OPTODISCOP4
SENTINELW02      SENTINELW02
MBIPG101W04      MBIPG101W04
                 
                 
MCC              MCC
RICOHJPN         RICOHJPN
PRODISC          PRODISC
RITEK            RITEK
CMC MAG          CMC MAG
INFODISC         INFODISC
OPTODISC         OPTODISC
SENTINEL         SENTINEL
NANYASC          NANYASC
PHILIPS          PHILIPS
MBIPG101         MBIPG101
MKM              MKM
RICOHJPN         RICOHJPN
SONY             SONY
CMC MAG          CMC MAG
RITEK            RITEK
INFODISC         INFODISC
PHILIPS          PHILIPS
DAXON            DAXON
PRODISC          PRODISC
TDKplus          TDKplus
WNANYA           WNANYA
OPTODISC         OPTODISC
SENTINEL         SENTINEL
MBIPG101         MBIPG101

I've kept the same order as they appear in the FW, just in case this might be telling us something.
There appear to be 3 entities called DEFAULT TBL (look up tables ???), and they are identical for both FW.

Question1: What are they, and why are they identical for both FWs?

After that, there is the main section which has few differences which should be easily visible. I guess this section is where the writing strategies are defined???

Now I have a problem. I've tried to write three TRAXDATA 8x DVD-R discs (RITEKG05) on my Plextor 712A and all ended up in coasters with NERO giving an error message just after finishing the lead in. I've asked Plextor if there's something wrong with my media, and they said that this happens because FW1.03 does not include a writing strategy for RITEKG05 - this will be fixed in the next FW they said! Now looking at the mid section it seems that RITEKG05 is there in both FWs.

Question2: Could it be that the presence of a code in this mid section does not mean that the writing strategy for that disc is actually included in the FW??? Plextor's answer would lead to this conclusion. Or maybe some of the media codes which are not yet supported by a certain FW, have default, generic strategies which are not yet optimised?

I haven't tried yet to write a Traxdata disc with FW1.04.

Question3: Did any of you had similar experiences with Traxdata media or other RITEKG05 discs?

The last section of the FW, contains some manufacturer's names and is also identical for both FWs.

Question4: Any idea what this section might be for?

I would very much appreciate if some of you who have experience in CD/DVD FWs can shed some light on these issues ...

PS. I've posted this yesterday and after few hours my post dissapeared???

(in reply to Dolphinius_Rex)

re: Questions#1:
I don't know, but perhaps they are the default strategys used in the case of no available write strategy being found?

re: Question#2:
It's possible that just because the name is in the firmware, that the whole strategy isn't yet available.... my guess would be it isn't "officially" supported, which means that perhaps the strategy wasn't finished by the time the firmware was released. Also possible is that the Plextor support personal just don't know all the details.

re: Question#3:
I will post some scans below

re: Question#4:
I believe those are all write strategies for those specific manufacturers, for situations where that pre-fix is used, but the following parts of the code are unrecognized. But this is just a guess. It could also be a list of people who have paid advertising $$$ to be listed in the Plextor firmware


Here are some scans from my own experiences with Ritek G05 media, on the Plextor PX-712a running firmware 1.03:

This disc was burned at 8x, and tested using the Sum8 method on Q-Check


This is the same disc, but tested using the Sum1 method on Q-Check


Again the same disc, this time a transfer rate test done within Plextools, run at 12x. Those 4 little dips appear on every transfer rate test I've run with the PX-712a in Plextools.


Not what I would call a good burn, but it's not a coaster.

(in reply to cvs)

Interesting findings, btw how you extract media codes from the Plextor firmware?

(in reply to Dolphinius_Rex)

quote:

ORIGINAL: emperor

Interesting findings, btw how you extract media codes from the Plextor firmware?

In my case I've downloaded the zip version of their firmware and opened the bin file with UltraEdit... any other similar program will do I guess. I've just visually browsed all the file and did a copy/paste of the regions of interest into a new file. All these media codes are located in the last 1/3 of the file. Then I've cleaned the garbage and formated the list properly.

(in reply to emperor)

Aha, i thought someone would have released a automated utility by now

(in reply to cvs)

quote:

ORIGINAL: emperor

Aha, i thought someone would have released a automated utility by now

Sadly we are not so lucky!

(in reply to emperor)

where are the codeguys to make a utility or someone with some basic programming skills!?

(in reply to Dolphinius_Rex)