New Firmware (1.08) For Plextor W1210A CDRW

[extro]

It's not posted on the North American site, but the European site has a new firmware revision: 1.08.

Firmware Page


Description:

PX - W1210TA V1.08

Added:
Playing of audiocd is done through buffering
(This will improve the playback of scratched discs)

Fixed Bugs:
CD-Extra (8cm) was recognised as audio cd

Improvements:
Write performance for various discs, types and speeds
Reading of UPS/ISRC information is done at higher speed
General read performance


I haven't tried it yet. I'll let some of you be the guinea pigs.

 

[BubbleHead]

So far so good...

 

[Ronstang]

If anyone tries this new firmware make sure that it does not deactivate any features like the reading of sub-channel data. There have been rumors that Plextor is caving in to the software companies and possibly crippling their drives to prevent illegal copying. Like I said it's a rumor and I don't have any sources but it is worth checking out.

 

[bacillus]

thanks for the info!

 

[AndyHui]

Oh good. I hope I can write to 8cm CDRWs now. Off to test...

 

[fkloster]

Some of you gents who have installed it go quick and try a clonecd backup using sub channel and come back...

 

[Leo V]

Sorry for ignorance... but what the heck is sub-channel? Any links?

 

[Leo V]

Why is everyone mum about sub-channel? Is it an illegal secret technology? I couldn't find anything by searching online!

 

[WebDude]

It's secret technology. I could tell you what it is, but then I would have to kill you.



(Certain CD's use sub-channel data to copy protect their disks. If you don't copy the sub-channel data, the CD doesn't work.)

 

[Tired of the Bull]

I would love to hear the final word on this. I'm still using firmware 1.02 has there been any major improvements by the other firmware upgrades?

 

[dalfollo]

i think you can learn more from www.cdrinfo.com

 

[Tired of the Bull]

Thanks dalfollo, I was just being lazy.

 

[Technonut]

The firmware update worked fine for me, and I have had no problems with Clone CD copying any of my game or data CDs. There is a notice to turn off DMA from the drive in device manager before updating the firmware, which I did to be on the safe side.

 

[SonOfZeuz]

Technonut,
Don't forget to re-enable DMA after the upgrade

 

[Radboy]

I saw the following copy-n-paste here.

Read this slowly and carefully...

Today I had a nice talk to XiT (coder from DiscDump). We talked especially about Plextor and about SafeDisc 2. First I want to say we just have some suppositions. I have now to do more tests on more burners, right now I can just say with 100 % about Plextor 124 TSi and about Plextor 1210A. XiT said he have done many tests with his burner, and nothing helped. It was not able to copy SafeDisc 2.

But then he had a great idea He used the oldest firmware he had on his HDD. The 1.01 for Plex 1210A. And then suddenly his burner was able to copy the CDs without any problems He used as I said the Plex 1210A with the old firmware and a combination of DiscDump and CDRWin. So after he has told me that, I was first shocked, and then I wanted to do my own tests ... I have the Plextor 124 TSi (it is an SCSI drive and so its not DiscDump compatible, but XiT is working on a SCSI version of DiscDump).

I downloaded the oldest firmware which is compatible to CloneCD and then I made my test series... I got "No One Lives Forever" and "Red Alert 2" both in german, but I think that doesn´t matter First I tried to read and burn the CD with my Plex 124 (the newiest firmware from Plextor (v.1.07)) and with CloneCD. When I want to run game the game tells me: Please enter the right CD... (you surely now this text)

So, and now I downgraded the firmware from v.1.07 to v.1.04. I did everything again Read the CD with CloneCD and burned it with CloneCD. Everything with the Plex 124. And it really worked... I was just impressed... I tried now with some other games, and every copy was working So first it was just a hypothesis, but now XiT and me we have some evidence. Right now it really looks like Plextor modified the firmware of their models so, that they become incompatible to SafeDisc 2. Here I gave you the information to copy SafeDisc 2 protected games with Plex 1210A and Plex 124.

Try to find an old firmware for your burner. Don´t try Plextor.com... They have started to remove the old firmwares. And them try to copy your SafeDisc 2 protected games... Try with DiscDump and CDRWin (if you have IDE drives) or use BlindWrite or CloneCD...Plz try to burn it with the newest firmware and with the oldest one you can find... Then mail me n.b.cdrsoft.net@gmx.net Tell me which burner you have, which firmware, and which program you have used, and if the copied CDs worked or not... THX !

Folks, spread this information into every forum, every newsgoup, really EVERYWHERE !Everybody should now about Plextor turned against us ! I remember a time when Plextor produced the best burners But now these times are over ... I will never buy a Plextor drive again !

Note: This was NOT written by me, but by N.B., but it looks like the truth (unfortunately).

 

[Tired of the Bull]

This deserves a bump.

 

[AndyHui]

Argh!! No the drive doesn't even RECOGNISE let alone write to 8cm CDRWs.....:|

 

[Tired of the Bull]

Has anyone confirmed the SafeDisk 2 crap?

 

[fkloster]

Its true. Anyone care to upload & post there archive of the firmware 1.01 for the 12/10a?

 

[Tired of the Bull]

Now may be a good time to collect all the different versions of the Firmware that's been previously released.

 

[Tired of the Bull]

I have versions:

1.01
1.02
1.04
1.05
1.07

 

[Tired of the Bull]

I found this on CDR-Info.


Plextor's official stance on SafeDisc 2

"...The problem is that all forms of copy protection break at least one if not multiple specifications. Adding to the confusion is the assumptions made by consumers as to what "bit accurate" means to them, and what is the definition as outlined by the ISO committee that ratified the specification.

Currently the most common form of copy protection is to write "bad blocks" of data with incorrect checksums in specific locations on the disc. Most software does not consider it a good thing to transfer bad data. The irony here is that your choice of software does not do bit accurate anything, but instead will allow for bad data to be transferred. The portion of the command set that allows this "end-around" for reading/writing "bad data" has nothing to do with bit accurate reads/writes, and in fact is in direct conflict with such specifications.

Plextor FULLY supports the MMC command set. Bit accurate reads will not allow for bad blacks to be transferred. We absolutely adhere to that specification, and in fact part of our reputation is built on our performance of bit accurate reads. This is an absolute requirement for our professional markets, whom, not surprisingly, do not duplicate copy protected discs. If you can find a piece of software that will blithely copy discs with bad sectors, then clearly our hardware performs as such..."



There is a long thread running here.

 

[extro]

Found the 1.01 firmware on a public mirror. They have 3 updates for the W1210A, versions 1.00, 1.01 and 1.02: W1210A100.ZIP, W1210A101.ZIP and W1210A102.ZIP.

 

[Supradude]

Andy... by 8cm you mean the 185 MB 21 min cd's right?... i have an iomega/plextor 12/10/32A and i burned like 3 of these a few weeks ago... i'm using firmware 1.07

 

[Insane3D]

Will this work with the TDK VeloCD 12x10x32? When Plextor released 1.07, TDK followed fairly quickly with their own 1.07, but nothing yet with 1.08...