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"Hacked" PowerBook SuperDrive firmware
updated 08:10 pm EDT, Tue August 12, 2003
MacNN reader Alex Koralewski notes that he (and several other readers) have successfully upgraded their PowerBook SuperDrives--using a Windows version of the OEM firmware--to support 16x CD-R write speeds (versus the 8x currently supported), 2x DVD-R write speeds (versus 1x), DVD-RWs, and also DVD-RAM disks, although he warns that there are obvious risks involved with the "hacked update" that he provides via a simple package installer.
"I recently was playing around with a firmware flasher written for a PC
to be used on the UJ-815-B, the 2nd revision of the superdrive that
came with my Powerbook. I spliced it into an existing OS X UJ-815
firmware patcher using a hex editor and flashed my firmware for my
SuperDrive. The results are that it upgraded the drive to OEM capabilities []. I've been testing it over the last week and a few days ago released to
a small group of people for testing. Here are some results.
"I thought maybe your readers would find this interesting, but I
understand if you feel this isn't newsworthy information as it has
risks involved. Or maybe you may want to wait a few days and watch the above thread for any horror stories. In any event, if you decide to post this on your site, please include a disclaimer (there's one on my page, the first link)."
Voiding my warranty
08/12, 10:14pm reply
Never felt better! Burning faster and happy about it.
15" GHz TiBook
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ironic
08/12, 11:21pm reply
Isn't it ironic how you need the windows version to use the new capabilities? Probably because apple doesn't want to see you get a better updated player/recorder without having to pay apple more $$$.
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oooo!!!
08/12, 11:59pm reply
that's not very nice...
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hmmm
08/13, 12:37am reply
Was anyone successful with DVD-RW?
I wonder much time it usually take to burn the full DVD? As funny as it seems I have the DVD burner but I haven't yet had a chance to test it.
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1x DVD burning
08/13, 01:15am reply
A full 4.37GB DVD will take 1 hour to burn at 1x. 30 minutes at 2x and so on and so forth.
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DVD-RW is still only 1x
08/13, 01:29am reply
sorry guys, the drive doesn't want to do DVD-RW at any faster than 1X. I believe it's similar to how a CD-R burns at 8x, well now 16x :) and a CD-RW burns only at 4x. DVD-RW technology is based on CD-RW technology.
-cynikal
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oh and..
08/13, 01:30am reply
oh and it's less than an hour, a full 4.37 gb disk is really about 54 minutes at 1x, (about 27 minutes at 2x).. i'm just proud i can burn a whole CD now in only 4 minutes, but CD-RW is still a slow 4x :-
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DVD-RAM?
08/13, 01:59am reply
Toast now calls the drive "DVD-RAM/CD-RW" and when I insert a DVD-RW the computer displays it as a DVD-RAM icon. Will this work with DVD-RAM discs as well?
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Why didn't DVD-RAM...
08/13, 06:04am reply
...catch on?
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Sweetness!
08/13, 09:25am reply
I ran the updater (while biting my nails) but it works!
I can now burn away at 16x!
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