CDRLabs.com

Does Version S1e7 support DVD-R,DVD+R Reading etc ?
Nero info tool or other DVD info program , didn't report these...

Also have problem accessing Data CDRs ( look as very high seek time) . Sometimes CDRs is "almost impossible" .(Flashing to new ver. firms like 2xx drive stack ,so i must flash it back to S1e7 )

BTW DVD-Rom perfomance is excellent even in scratch disc ,and also very fast data copying when CD reading is possible !

Any opinion ?

Thanks in advance

I also read review of BTC 316B (OEM of Sony's drive) :

http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Article ... undup+Vol2

mentioned "High CD access time" etc so i decided to flash it in original
BTC drive using BTC's 1p00OEM firmware .
Now my drives name is "DVD-16X OEM316B reading in 48X ! but the same "High CD access time" and still no info about the reading other DVD formats .Also in DVD-ROM play, drives light doesn't work ! .
So i will flash it back to Sony's firmware.....

Any other experience or opinion for this drive or for better CDR reading ? -DVD's perfomance still excellent and noiseless !!

........

You cannot expect to have much lower seek times with a new Firmware .
If Seek time is high , it will remain high .

But difficulties in recognising cd ( cd not recognised at all ) are not normal . I had same problem after corrupting my system aspi layer ( though system aspi layer is not necessary for reading cd/dvd ) . With Nero Info Tool check if your system aspi layer is not corrupted ( if it is not installed or if it is installed and working properly it's good ) .

Some recording software need the system aspi layer to be installed ( www.adaptec.com ) . Some users don't love much adaptec and his aspi layer .

I guess noone has replied to you because there is no way to improve CD-R seek times performance . Perhaps you should use your old CD-ROM drive if you have room for him ( no matter it is only a 24X or higher if it has low seek times ) . I know high CD-R seek times are a pain especially when you want to transfer few megas files or play a VCD or audio cd .
Fortunately it's not my problem ( though i experience some problems ) .

Nero Info Tool has some bugs ( so try a newer or an older version ) . With the latest my drive can read all while with an older it could not read some formats .
You should trust cdrinfo test for dvd formats supported or/and specifications on BTC website . In my mind cdrinfo tests are accurate and honest so i trust them ( though noone/nothing is perfect , i know he has not tested DVD+R format , ) .

Nero Info Tool is not the only DVD info software to be bugged .

Bye .

I turn off DMA for DVD drive (in use with win98SE in this computer) and
CDR reading become better .No loses in DVD play ,also same fastest DVD ripping . DVD-R also plays very well .

Also firmware usual correct hardware faults ,but the 2-3 recent years Sony's drives (and generally computer products), doesnt support after sale ... and that it's a big mistake for the reputation of Sony corp. !!!

Hum ! This drive is in fact a BTC drive ( Sony is only involved as Firmware maker and reseller ) . Firmware has never improved weak Hardware , Firmware improvements are always based on Hardware abilities .
Plus i know some people have drives in PIO mode 4 . Believe me or not it was my case during one year with my 50X Max Actima CD-ROM drive .
Indeed it was working fine most of time but tests results were unstable and i could not copy any protected cd .

In all cases you can do as you want . For most users DMA mode 2 is preferable .

"Firmware has never improved weak Hardware , Firmware improvements are always based on Hardware abilities ."

I desagree .For Eg. CDRW drives !
Changing firmware we can improve writing quality or add new features like Mount Rainier...

improving writing quality: that's not a hardware improvement. it's just a better software optimization.

Mt. Rainier: if this capability is not built into the hardware, the drive will not support it and no firmware update can overcome this.

"Dodecahedron" wrote :

"Mt. Rainier: if this capability is not built into the hardware, the drive will not support it and no firmware update can overcome this."

If you have right ,why CDRW makers didn't offered Mt Rainier at first when drive come available....

sorry, i don't understand your question.

the whole point of Mt. Rainier is to have it supported directly within the OS. since right now no OS supports it, you have to have a third party utility (such as InCD, DirectCD etc.) to use it. so it's no all that different from regular packet writing.

so some manufacturers do not put this feature into the drive (hardware level) and so the drive will never have this capability. others do, but don't enable it in the firmware, so the drive's hardware does have the capability but it cannot be employed. when the manufacturer will release a firmware that enables the Mt. Rainier capability, the drive will have it.

and some manufacturers already put and enable the Mt. Rainier capability into drives right now.

. In our world , when you are a manufacturer , you have to produce and sell quickly your products . Upgradable Firmware allow you to do this even if at that time you have only elaborated imperfect Firmware , knowing you'll make later a Firmware with all functionalities and more stable of course . Making a good Firmware with all improved functionalities and stable is not as easy and fast as you seem to think .