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Eug · 10:23 AM

See this thread.

I don't know anybody who has actually tried it and to be quite frank I dunno what features this updater installs (or removes). Use at your own risk, and don't blame me if you break your drive.

*** EDIT ***

Firmware updater works fine. Scroll down to see ivi's and my results.

Gotta love the internet.

EDIT:

Now that this thread has been brought back from the dead:

If you have a 17" PB, do not use this firmware updater. You can see the reasons why later in this thread.

Karim · Mar 14, 2003, 01:55 PM

Well if you go past authentication it gives you a warning that says:

Be sure you want to update the MKE superdrive and don't interrupt or your hosed and this update must be followed immediately by a firmware update.

Two windows open up, one on top of the other. The background window is the firmware update and the top window is the warning. I didn't proceed past this point.

What does MKE stand for?

And where did you get this update from?

Eug · Mar 14, 2003, 03:14 PM

Originally posted by Karim:
Well if you go past authentication it gives you a warning that says:

Be sure you want to update the MKE superdrive and don't interrupt or your hosed and this update must be followed immediately by a firmware update.

Two windows open up, one on top of the other. The background window is the firmware update and the top window is the warning. I didn't proceed past this point.

Well, you went one step further than I did - you're braver than I am. And I trust that those weren't the exact words.

I wonder if that means it will require a second app or if it does the second part automatically. Do you have a screen grab?

What does MKE stand for?

Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics

And where did you get this update from?

Sorry if I tell you I will have to kill you.

Over Achiever · Mar 14, 2003, 03:39 PM

I'd run the updater...its just that I haven't recieved my 17"er yet.

When I get it I'll:
take pics
run benchmarks
take it apart (show the insides)
and run this.

Anything else I should do?

Eug · Mar 14, 2003, 03:50 PM

Originally posted by Over Achiever:
I'd run the updater...its just that I haven't recieved my 17"er yet.

When I get it I'll:
take pics
run benchmarks
take it apart (show the insides)
and run this.

Anything else I should do?

Yeah, pray to your diety of choice that you don't wreck your machine.

I hope you're aware that the 17" on display at Macworld had a different SD firmware than the current TiBooks, etc. Furthermore, I don't think I've heard of anyone having a DDBC firmware either, in any machine. Maybe this updater updates FROM the DDBC firmware which could be a generic firmware? I really have no idea.

Karim · Mar 14, 2003, 04:08 PM

What is DDCB?

Eug · Mar 14, 2003, 05:38 PM

Originally posted by Karim:
What is DDCB?

It sounds like just another firmware version, possibly a hexadecimal number.

eg. Mine is D0C4.

Karim · Mar 14, 2003, 05:49 PM

Since you can't answer where you got it, and its already setup as a Mac OSX installer.

Can you tell who the target group is. There were slight spelling mistakes in the screen I saw which implies someone hasn't run it by a totally fluent english speaker.

Eug · 06:09 PM

Originally posted by Karim:
Since you can't answer where you got it, and its already setup as a Mac OSX installer.

Can you tell who the target group is. There were slight spelling mistakes in the screen I saw which implies someone hasn't run it by a totally fluent english speaker.

I don't know who the target group is. Remember, the main reason I posted it was so that somebody who understands this sort of thing can look at it and tell us more about it. Up to now, I have never seen ANY UJ-815 updater for Mac posted anywhere. Not even for OS 9.

I wonder if Panasonic wrote the updater... My PC version of Panasonic DVD MovieAlbum had grammatical/spelling mistakes, and mine was already version 2.6. (Version 3 seems to have corrected most finally though.)

Take a screengrab of what you see and post it.

redmac1 · Mar 14, 2003, 11:26 PM

It would be great if this restored the DVD-RW functionality and the 2x write.

hmmm... Wish I were braver...

Eug · 03:17 AM

OK, this is what comes after authentication. As Karim said, there is first a dialogue box that pops up that says:

"Quit all applications and remove any disc from the optical drive before updating the firmware"

However, it comes up too quickly to catch a screengrab of it, because immediately following is this immovable dialogue box, on top of it:

I did NOT proceed any further than this.

If you want to take a peek inside it, you can open up the installer package simply by CTRL-clicking on the icon and selecting "Show Package Contents". Among other things, including the MKE815DDCB file, there is this Info.plist file:

Code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>CFBundleExecutable</key>
	<string>MKE815DDCB</string>
	<key>CFBundleGetInfoString</key>
	<string>DDCB</string>
	<key>CFBundleIconFile</key>
	<string>DVD-ROM.icns</string>
	<key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
	<string>com.apple.MKE815DDCB</string>
	<key>CFBundleInfoDictionaryVersion</key>
	<string>6.0</string>
	<key>CFBundleName</key>
	<string>MKE815DDCB</string>
	<key>CFBundlePackageType</key>
	<string>APPL</string>
	<key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
	<string>1.0</string>
	<key>CFBundleSignature</key>
	<string>FlsH</string>
	<key>CFBundleVersion</key>
	<string>1.0</string>
	<key>IFLanguageOrder</key>
	<array>
		<string>English</string>
		<string>French</string>
	</array>
	<key>IFLanguageShortNumber</key>
	<integer>2</integer>
	<key>LSHasLocalizedDisplayName</key>
	<true/>
	<key>NSHumanReadableCopyright</key>
	<string>Copyright  �� 2002 Apple Computer</string>
	<key>NSMainNibFile</key>
	<string>MainMenu</string>
	<key>NSPrincipalClass</key>
	<string>NSApplication</string>
</dict>
</plist>

ivi · Mar 15, 2003, 12:24 AM

According to the firmware it will actually send ATAPI DVD-RAM Write buffer, i'm just gonna look more

Karim · Mar 15, 2003, 12:28 AM

So I read somewhere that the reason our 815 mechanisms are only 1x dvd write and not 2x is that (like processors) they sorted them according to reliability after manufacturing into two grades, capable of 2x or only reliably capable of 1x.

This seems hard to believe, because I have never heard of optical drives being graded like this.

Assuming it is true, a firmware upgrade wouldn't help with this.

Assuming it isn't true which is more likely, this sucker may do it.

However, I'm getting the 17" so really don't give a flip about it. I'll let the new owner wonder about it.

Now, if something similar comes out for my 17" I may just risk it. I've come across similar choices and only about 30% of the time do I get burned (no pun of course)

Eug · 12:37 AM

According to the firmware it will actually send ATAPI DVD-RAM Write buffer, i'm just gonna look more

Kewl.

I anxiously wait your comments.

Now, I hope people don't start indiscriminately flashing their drives.

I'm sure most people know already, but just to be sure... Some firmware revisions are specific to certain revisions of the same model of drive. We still don't know how many revisions of the UJ-815 there are, and for which one(s) DDCB is compatible.

I've come across similar choices and only about 30% of the time do I get burned

Hmmm... That's still a lot of coin. I had a similar choice a few weeks ago and yes I got burned.

I guess that's why I'm so cautious now. Fortunately, it wasn't worth all that much, and it still partially works. I'd hate to have a partially working laptop drive though.

Now, if something similar comes out for my 17" I may just risk it.

Actually, if my info is correct, this was originally discovered on a 12" AluBook. It wasn't a TiBook if that's what you're thinking.

ivi · Mar 15, 2003, 12:37 AM

Ok.
This is not a complete firmware, but rather an update to existing, which supposedly will add DVD-RAM writing capabilities. It includes a full flash, which will update your firmware. I am 99% positive it will not screw your superdrive, but cannot garantee you will be able to write to DVD RAM. Since I give garantee, I will install the firmware on my powerbook first, but have no DVD-RAM to test it. So, in 5 minutes I'll report back.
Edit: It does test your drive to be uj 815, apple version and will only install then.

Karim · Mar 15, 2003, 12:39 AM

I just had an evil thought. What if we took this sucker down to CompUSA (Don't want to hurt the Apple Store one's) and flashed it as an experiment?

I know... Baaaaaad

Karim · Mar 15, 2003, 12:40 AM

My positive energy is with you.

Eug · 12:51 AM

I just had an evil thought. What if we took this sucker down to CompUSA (Don't want to hurt the Apple Store one's) and flashed it as an experiment?

I know... Baaaaaad

BAD!

This is not a complete firmware, but rather an update to existing, which supposedly will add DVD-RAM writing capabilities. It includes a full flash, which will update your firmware. I am 99% positive it will not screw your superdrive, but cannot garantee you will be able to write to DVD RAM. Since I give garantee, I will install the firmware on my powerbook first, but have no DVD-RAM to test it. So, in 5 minutes I'll report back.
Edit: It does test your drive to be uj 815, apple version and will only install then.

ivi, you are one brave soul... May the force be with you. If it works, give us a screengrab of your Apple System Profiler.

BTW, I didn't know it was possible to do an incremental upgrade of a firmware. I don't get it.

Don't try this at home kids...

DVD Plaza · Mar 15, 2003, 12:50 AM

What's with the brushed metal GUI?

Karim · Mar 15, 2003, 12:52 AM

I know...I know...But it's everywhere now. Coming soon to mail.... Better get used to it. Or write that theme changer we all want.

Eug · Mar 15, 2003, 12:56 AM

Originally posted by Eug:
It sounds like just another firmware version, possibly a hexadecimal number.

eg. Mine is D0C4.

By the way, in my Apple System Profiler it says my "Device Revision" is D0C4. It says nothing about firmware. Is "Device Revision" just Applespeak for "firmware"? Or it actually a hardware revision of the UJ-815?

Karim · Mar 15, 2003, 01:01 AM

I'd guess it is the same as firmware version. Of course, if we subtract D0C4 from DDCB in hex that is 3,335 different builds in decimal. If thats the case, boy it does take some serious revisioning to get stuff working.

ivi · Mar 15, 2003, 01:08 AM

Well, as expected, everything works fine. I tryed two dvds and it shows it fine too.
here is an immage for you

Again, all it does is adds DVD-RAM writing capabilities, but I have no DVD-RAM to test it.

Karim · Mar 15, 2003, 01:12 AM

So it doesn't change the DVD writing spec from 1x to 2x?

Boy, EUG you should be ecstatic, I remember when I first got my Tigig how much you wanted the drive to work with DVD-RAM's.

ivi · Mar 15, 2003, 01:16 AM

Originally posted by Karim:
So it doesn't change the DVD writing spec from 1x to 2x?

Boy, EUG you should be ecstatic, I remember when I first got my Tigig how much you wanted the drive to work with DVD-RAM's.

No it doesn't improve speed.

Karim · Mar 15, 2003, 01:20 AM

One problem with this not being a "released" upgrade is that if they do release one someday, it might not want to update from a non-released version.

One thing about firmware upgrades is that often downgrades are never made available.

slugslugslug · Mar 15, 2003, 01:40 AM

Originally posted by ivi:
Well, as expected, everything works fine. I tryed two dvds and it shows it fine too. ..
Again, all it does is adds DVD-RAM writing capabilities, but I have no DVD-RAM to test it.

Don't suppose you've got a DVD-RW to test? Maybe you can pick up one of each tomorrow?..

thanks for being the guinea pig..

ivi · Mar 15, 2003, 01:42 AM

Originally posted by slugslugslug:
Don't suppose you've got a DVD-RW to test? Maybe you can pick up one of each tomorrow?..

thanks for being the guinea pig..

my plessure

I don't think I'll have time to get one any time until next week, so you gotta wait.

Eug · Mar 15, 2003, 02:26 AM

OK, I did the deed.

However, it doesn't seem to do anything.

Panasonic DVD-RAM blank: UJ-815 spits it out. Also, Toast says DVD-RAM burning not supported.

Panasonic DVD-RAM with data on it: UJ-815 spits it out. (Disc works fine in Firewire Panasonic LF-D521U hooked up to TiBook.)

Pioneer DVD-RW blank: UJ-815 spits it out.

Pioneer DVD-RW with movie on it: Plays fine but Disk Utility won't erase disc. (Erases fine with Firewire LF-D521U.)

El cheapo Ritek DVD-R blank: Burns fine (tried 1.3 GB). Still same 1X max speed.

CD-R blank: Burns fine. Still same 8X max speed.

On the bright side, now the RPC-1 guys know that both this firmware and this updater are fully functional.

Karim · Mar 15, 2003, 02:35 AM

Ahhh hah! I see why you couldn't divulge your sources. Maybe I can play some of my UK DVD's one day without having to switch regions.

DVD Plaza · Mar 15, 2003, 03:20 AM

My god look at that brushed metal dialog on top of brushed metal applet - uglier than Windows

Next we'll start seeing the OS9 GUI on OSX...

Karim · Mar 15, 2003, 03:26 AM

Wouldn't it be funny if you dragged a brush metal window over another brushed metal one and they scratched each other.

So we went from beige to translucent plastics to brushed metal.

What's next?

Maybe ceramic?

Eug · Mar 15, 2003, 03:51 AM

I happen to like brushed metal. Long live BRUSHED METAL!

I'm more surprised at the poor Engrish.

It doesn't seem true to the Apple style... Of course, not everyone is fluent in English and this app won't see much usage anyway in its present form...

Spheric Harlot · Mar 15, 2003, 08:11 AM

This software is from the 12" Alubook.

Some of these were/are delivered with the 5GB test partition on them, filled with Apple internal test/update software. Guys at the plant simply forgot to reformat the disk before packing the things back up.

Tools & Utilities:
MKE CW-8122 fw BA1D
Update UJ-815_DDCB (OS X)
BootROM 4.5.5d11 folder

What are
Mr. Registry,
COPYLOGS,
KeyLargo?

-s*

Eug · Mar 15, 2003, 11:23 AM

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
This software is from the 12" Alubook.

Some of these were/are delivered with the 5GB test partition on them, filled with Apple internal test/update software. Guys at the plant simply forgot to reformat the disk before packing the things back up.

Tools & Utilities:
MKE CW-8122 fw BA1D
Update UJ-815_DDCB (OS X)
BootROM 4.5.5d11 folder

What are
Mr. Registry,
COPYLOGS,
KeyLargo?

-s*

Interesting.

Anyways this makes sense as the 12" PowerBooks come with the D0CB firmware. I wonder what the difference between the firmwares are:

12" AluBook: D0CB (What my TiBook is running with after the flash)
15" TiBook: D0C4 (What my TiBook shipped with)
17" AluBook: D0C7 (?)

Judging by the numbers, it would seem that D0CB is the latest.

BTW, what does the BootROM folder do? Is that a motherboard BIOS flash utility?

Karim · Mar 15, 2003, 11:49 AM

Keylargo was/is? the motherboard controller chipset that Apple has customed designed. I thought it was used several models ago, maybe still...

Sounds like Bootrom is what they use as firmware that is loaded initially.

That would be a bad thing to use on any other model than for what it was intended

Eug · Mar 15, 2003, 11:57 AM

xvi has spoken:

Thank you!
I will probably be able to do something usefull with it, like, say, region free...
But I'm quite busy, so it will probably take a LOT of time...

GlobalNomad · Mar 16, 2003, 04:28 AM

Originally posted by Eug:
xvi has spoken:

Can you give us a link?

Eug · Mar 16, 2003, 12:19 PM

Originally posted by GlobalNomad:
Can you give us a link?

Linky to that thread in the first message of this thread.

Post a note of encouragement if you have a moment.

Eug · 10:28 AM

This is not a complete firmware, but rather an update to existing, which supposedly will add DVD-RAM writing capabilities. It includes a full flash, which will update your firmware. I am 99% positive it will not screw your superdrive, but cannot garantee you will be able to write to DVD RAM. Since I give garantee, I will install the firmware on my powerbook first, but have no DVD-RAM to test it. So, in 5 minutes I'll report back.
Edit: It does test your drive to be uj 815, apple version and will only install then.

ivi, as far as I can tell, there is no DVD-RAM read or write support. And I'm not sure what you mean by its being not a complete firmware. All previous features are supported, and my uneducated guess is that it isn't doing just a incremental upgrade.

Care to comment?

This software is from the 12" Alubook.

Some of these were/are delivered with the 5GB test partition on them, filled with Apple internal test/update software. Guys at the plant simply forgot to reformat the disk before packing the things back up.

Spheric Harlot, I wonder why I've never seen the updater posted before. Do you have a link to a thread discussing these machines? Any idea what the differences between D0CB and D0C4 are?

Does this also mean that they flash each of the SuperDrives manually one by one? Seems like a lot of work.

schalliol · Mar 17, 2003, 10:31 AM

I wonder if Matshita will be willing to tell us the diff. Just calling them up and asking.

I don't think they have to flash them all by hand the new units should get made with them on the correct version.

Boy, I'd like RW or RAM support. I sorta assumed that if my Jan 01 G4 has RW capability that a Jan 03 Ti should too...I know it's portable, but i wasn't aware of any DVD-R only drives

Spheric Harlot · Mar 17, 2003, 12:45 PM

Originally posted by Eug:
Spheric Harlot, I wonder why I've never seen the updater posted before. Do you have a link to a thread discussing these machines? Any idea what the differences between D0CB and D0C4 are?

Does this also mean that they flash each of the SuperDrives manually one by one? Seems like a lot of work.

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=1277404#post1277404

I know nothing beyond what's mentioned on that thread (and an earlier one by GlobalNomad where consensus seemed to be that his 12" was pre-owned. We now know it not to have been, as others have seen what he described.)

There's screenshots of the set-up buried in that thread, too.

-s*

Eug · 01:10 PM

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=1277404#post1277404

I know nothing beyond what's mentioned on that thread (and an earlier one by GlobalNomad where consensus seemed to be that his 12" was pre-owned. We now know it not to have been, as others have seen what he described.)

There's screenshots of the set-up buried in that thread, too.

-s*

Kewl. One interesting thing to note is that there is also an MKE CW-8122 BA1D combo drive updater. I'm sure the combo drive owners would kill to have that...

It's too bad the poster didn't have a chance to check what his original firmware was.

schalliol, before I got my TiBook, I called up Panasonic (which is a subsidiary of Matsushita). First they said they don't deal with OEM drives, and second they said that even if they did I wouldn't be able to get the info I wanted, because the laptop builder (ie. Apple) can support whatever it wants to. No matter though, since we already know that the drive itself can support DVD-RAM and DVD-RW according to Panasonic's display pics and by the MCETech upgrade specs. The problem is that the updater doesn't support either of these, so any modifications to it will likely only add RPC-1 support and nothing else.

schalliol · Mar 17, 2003, 01:28 PM

I guess it just irritates me that a drive has the functionality we want, but Apple forces it to not allow us to use that function.

Thanks for the info.

cwasko · Mar 17, 2003, 01:41 PM

Originally posted by schalliol:
I guess it just irritates me that a drive has the functionality we want, but Apple forces it to not allow us to use that function.

While I agree this is indeed very irritating, I think the more irritating thing is there is no explanation as to *why* the drives are crippled. If there was some sort of official response like "it just gets too damn hot", or something to that affect, it might be more accepted.

[rant]
This problem, however, is the biggest, deepest, most rooted problem of Apple as a whole. Lack of information regarding decisions and future direction. This kind of treatment is fine for 'consumers', but it is very difficult for medium to large businesses to make IT decisions for the next 5-10 years when there is quite literally no information from Apple regarding future plans.
[/rant]

Corinthian · Mar 18, 2003, 02:17 AM

Thanks Eug for posting the link here. SD of my TiGig didn't work except for CD-RWs before the update, but at least I could recover the capability of burning CD-Rs right now, though DVD-Rs still

Yet, I have read some previous posts saying that the SD is rather picky, and I am interested to know what I can do to get myself burning DVDs again....

GlobalNomad · Mar 18, 2003, 08:14 AM

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
GlobalNomad where consensus seemed to be that his 12" was pre-owned. We now know it not to have been, as others have seen what he described.)
-s*

Hey, I was freaked out okay.
- opend box
- HD arleady partioned (only 5 gb)
- computer making hell of a whiny noise, could be heard over my Power Mac g4 733mhz digital audio!
- Sure now that I look back on it, I did some what over react but hey, wouldn't you?
- Sticky mouse
- Touch pad was scratching the button when you would push the mouse button
- Left shift key was ****ed (very jagged on the side edge, and had lost some paint)

In addition after looking at this powerbook, the last ones coin opperated latch did not close all the way. When the battery would click into position, the coin slot would remain about 45 degrees away from locked.

I mean I worked long and ****ing hard to earn the 'book. Why don't you try and move 5 inch PBC pipe around in 45 C heat. Its not fun, working from 6 am to 5 or 6 pm. Checking coal bed methan gas wells, 3 times a day.

Now all my money went towards this computer, and when I got it and it wasn't up to scratch I freaked out. Brain went into non thinking mode. It went it to 'fight or flee' mode.

All I could see in my mind was all my hard work gone into a computer that was seriously ****ed up, end of story. So I would not liked to be remebered as the Jackass that didn't know what he had.

*ponders what else he should say*

Hurry for of topic posts
There we go I think that summed it up nicely.

Eug · Mar 18, 2003, 10:54 AM

Originally posted by Corinthian:
Thanks Eug for posting the link here. SD of my TiGig didn't work except for CD-RWs before the update, but at least I could recover the capability of burning CD-Rs right now, though DVD-Rs still

Yet, I have read some previous posts saying that the SD is rather picky, and I am interested to know what I can do to get myself burning DVDs again....

I'm not sure if I'm understanding you correctly, but are you saying you had a burner that wouldn't burn CD-Rs properly, but worked after you ran the firmware updater? If so that's very interesting. I assume you were running D0C4 before? Too bad DVD-R still doesn't work though.

However, I still say if you're having problems, the best solution is just to RMA it. Who knows what AppleCare will do if they see a GigaBook SD with a D0CB firmware. So far in my UJ-815 firmware poll, EVERY GigaBook SD has used the D0C4 firmware. (12 GigaBook SD votes so far.)

So I would not liked to be remebered as the Jackass that didn't know what he had.

Reposted here for posterity.

Joke.

GlobalNomad, in your situation I wouldn't have been too happy either. Even if you did have an un-crippled SuperDrive (we'll never know), you would have had to take it back, with all the other problems you listed. And if you took it back, they would have probably flashed the drive back to D0CB. I betcha it corrects some burning or media issues anyway (conjecture) compared to some very old firmwares.

Eug · Mar 18, 2003, 03:56 PM

Hmmm... The released 17" uses the DWDB firmware.

No firmware updaters for that one available yet.

BTW, this is different from the Macworld one, which was D0C7. So:

15": D0C4
12": D0CB
17": DWDB

Corinthian · Mar 18, 2003, 10:38 PM

Originally by Eug:

I'm not sure if I'm understanding you correctly, but are you saying you had a burner that wouldn't burn CD-Rs properly, but worked after you ran the firmware updater? If so that's very interesting. I assume you were running D0C4 before? Too bad DVD-R still doesn't work though.

Yes Eug, you are right, maybe I should consider to get my TiGige to AppleCare.