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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > REGION FREE Firmware For UJ-815 Superdrive!!!

REGION FREE Firmware For UJ-815 Superdrive!!!
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Spheric Harlot
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Dec 15, 2003, 04:11 PM
 
http://superdrive.cynikal.net

...from the same guy that brought us the 2x DVD-R burning capacity.

Haven't installed it yet; just a heads-up to you folks.

-s*
     
Eug
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Dec 15, 2003, 05:25 PM
 
Yeah, I just saw the MacNN front page article. Schweeet!

I knew there was a reason for me to check out MacNN during my vacation, away from my TiBook...
     
Helvetica Neue
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Dec 15, 2003, 05:39 PM
 
Excellent. Just ordered a few dvds for which I'd need to change the region code. Hopefully this firmware patch will solve the problem, as well as enabling me to burn faster.

On a related note: what apps do you use to switch regions - Region X?
Always on the run...
     
Eug
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Dec 15, 2003, 05:45 PM
 
Originally posted by Helvetica Neue:
Excellent. Just ordered a few dvds for which I'd need to change the region code. Hopefully this firmware patch will solve the problem, as well as enabling me to burn faster.

On a related note: what apps do you use to switch regions - Region X?
Yes, Region X.

Check out the link in the first post in this thread. There's more specific info there.
     
eddiecatflap
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Dec 15, 2003, 06:24 PM
 
.be careful , i've heard it causes heat probs.
     
Wet Jimmy
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Dec 15, 2003, 08:03 PM
 
Care to cite your sources for the "heat problems"?
     
cynikal
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Dec 16, 2003, 02:10 AM
 
I haven't heard of any bad reports relating to my firmwares, but as always you should exercise caution when doing something that wasn't intended.. Apple must have had a reason for crippling the drives.. too bad they're keeping quiet about it.. I think if you make sure you don't burn when your system is already hot, dont burn consequitive back-to-back disks, and definately dont' use your powerbooks on a pillow or blanket (anything that restricts airflow).. I'm sure you guys know better than that anyway just a heads up and enjoy!
     
Spheric Harlot  (op)
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Dec 16, 2003, 04:42 AM
 
Originally posted by eddiecatflap:
.be careful , i've heard it causes heat probs.
No, that's hormones.

(if you're worried, you can get a region-free version of the firmware that retains the slower burn speeds set by Apple)

-s*
     
11011001
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Dec 16, 2003, 05:05 AM
 
Couldn't one just use VLC instead?

I use it to watch Korean movies.. (whatever region code that is). DVD player asks to change the region code. No option to quit it, so I just do a force quit. Then play the movie in VLC. (which I like quite a bit anyways)
     
haunebu
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Dec 16, 2003, 07:38 AM
 
Originally posted by 11011001:
Couldn't one just use VLC instead?
Now that's a really good point.
     
Freeflyer
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Dec 16, 2003, 10:58 AM
 
No, you can't just use vlc, because the region firmware is built into the drive, rather than being in software. It won't matter what program you use to play the movie, the drive won't play it if it's not the authorised region.

A lot of the discs coming from the far east are pirated copies, and they're often set to region 0, which is playable in all players. This may be why you can play them regardless of the region that your drive's firmware is set to.

J.
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
Freeflyer
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Dec 16, 2003, 11:27 AM
 
Just read through cynikal's page, and it appears that the region free firmware for the Tibook 1Gz is on hold for a few days.

Have I read this correctly or should I use the first set of firmware which doesn't specify the type of powerbook?

Anyone tried this on a tibook yet?

Thanks,

J.

PS. Cynikal, you are definitely the main man. Thanks for all the hard work and hours you must have put into this.
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
threestain
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Dec 16, 2003, 12:08 PM
 
Its only the region free official firmware - the 2x burning and region free stuff is there but you have to downgrade 1st then reflash.

Am I right?
     
Freeflyer
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Dec 16, 2003, 04:22 PM
 
Having reread it a few times, the firmware that is on hold allows region free but without the upgraded burning capabilities. If you want it all, you use the first version of the new firmware, at the top of the list.

I think that's right anyway. I'll have a go later.

J.
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
Freeflyer
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Dec 16, 2003, 04:29 PM
 
Yep, found this from cynikal on another forum:

quote

Missy,

The reason X0BC has been pulled is because we found it wasn't working properly with regard to region-free operation. We found there was an additoinal region check we overlooked (because they weren't present in the other firmwares and those were tested successfully and we focused mostly on those).. X0CB WILL be back! sometime this week once we've confirmed it works as it's supposed to.

As for which firmware you want, X0CB is indeed the original capabilities of the drive, with the addition of region free behaviour (soon), but you most likely don't have DVD-RW capability (and only 1x DVD-R and 8X CD-R).

X101 on the other hand is the more-capable firmware with region free as well as 2x DVD-R and 16x CD-R in addition to 1X DVD-RW).

The reason i have the older firmwares on the page is not to confuse anyone, though I do see it as a cluttered mess (if anyone has any ideas for improvements for the layout, let me know). While they may be confusing, they are necesssary for the people who flashed the drive back when there was a differentiation between UJ-815 and UJ-815A.. The people with previously flashed now UJ-815A drives need those old downloads to downgrade (just like you did).

As for the new downloads, it says underneath it what the outcome of the flash should be and what capabilities each drive has.. anyone have any ideas on how to make it simpler for people? With anything Apple it's all about intuitiveness and i'm not sure i've achieved this goal..

unquote
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
Freeflyer
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Dec 16, 2003, 04:54 PM
 
Flashed my Tibook 1Ghz, and everything is working fine. I still get the region warnings, but I'm investigating region x. The info shows a region free drive which is good. Now it's just a case of sorting out the player switches. It would be nice if there was something you could put in start up that would check and change the player region each time you put a disc in, There might be, but I haven't found it yet.

Cheers,

J.
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
Freeflyer
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Dec 16, 2003, 05:04 PM
 
Using regionX I'm able to switch back and forth between regions with no problems and no limits.

This fu@@ing rocks!

J.
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
GlobalNomad
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Dec 16, 2003, 06:00 PM
 
Okay time to ask the questions

I used this firmware update long ago.

I have a 12" Powerbook 867 Mhz.
It says
DVD-R UJ-815A.
D101

Should I use the old downgreader.
Flashes UJ-815A -> UJ-815 D0CB

Then use the following

Powerbook Superdrive RegionFree Unofficial Firmware
For upgraded 2X DVD-R, 1X DVD-RW, 16X CD-R capability as well as region-free behaviour
(filesize: 1.0 M - downloaded 801 times)
(Flashes UJ-815 -> UJ-815 X101)

Any comments?
     
Freeflyer
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Dec 16, 2003, 06:37 PM
 
Have a look here,

http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?...bbc60fb014517e

I think they've hashed out most of the combinations around and recommended which way to do each.

J.
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
RooneyX
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Dec 16, 2003, 08:07 PM
 
Rev A !7" PB. Runs fine. I wish I could use DVD-RAM and do drag and drop back ups.
     
justinf77
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Dec 16, 2003, 09:49 PM
 
Can I use this for my 15" AlBook SuperDrive? t is UJ-816, and the site says it should be the same drive just with different firmware...
     
RayX
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Dec 16, 2003, 10:04 PM
 
Originally posted by Freeflyer:
Flashed my Tibook 1Ghz, and everything is working fine. I still get the region warnings, but I'm investigating region x. The info shows a region free drive which is good. Now it's just a case of sorting out the player switches. It would be nice if there was something you could put in start up that would check and change the player region each time you put a disc in, There might be, but I haven't found it yet.

Cheers,

J.
There is something called 'DVD Region Killer' that does this on Windows. Basically it intercepts the call from the DVD Player software going to the drive, and sends back the same region as the disc in the drive. It works great.

Unfortunately I haven't seen anything like that for OS X yet. Maybe future versions of Region X will do it, unless another developer out there wants to step up.
     
Freeflyer
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Dec 17, 2003, 11:07 AM
 
I used to have region killer set up on my wife's company laptop for when she was travelling. It was a neat little app.

I'm betting that now we have region free on the superdrive, they'll be more call for some thing similar. I don't think we'll have to wait long. Meantime, I'm happy to use region X.

J.
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
Eug
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Dec 17, 2003, 02:26 PM
 
Originally posted by Freeflyer:
Using regionX I'm able to switch back and forth between regions with no problems and no limits.

This fu@@ing rocks!
Yes, indeed it does. Kewl. Cynikal (and friends) rocks!
     
makkystyle
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Dec 17, 2003, 08:22 PM
 
Updated my 15" tibook this morning and now DVD Studio Pro 2 automatically quits when trying to burn a disc. Will try to restore the old firmware and let you guys know. Very unhappy at the moment.
     
cynikal
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Dec 18, 2003, 11:41 PM
 
thanks for the kind words..

i am holding off on the uj-816 firmware because i need to get approval from the source of the firmware, and i don't know when/if i can get this.. sorry people.. the good news is it's a matter of time, and i've had a few people test it and they say it works as well (the uj-816 firmware actually has many references so uj-815, so chances are, it's just a renamed uj-815, probably because apple doesn't want to support uj-815 owners).
     
cszar2001
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Dec 20, 2003, 07:32 AM
 
Thanks a lot for this update!
Now all my DVD`s can be viewed on my beautiful 17 inch screen like they were meant to.
"Microsoft is a cross between the Borg and the Ferengi. Unfortunately, they use Borg to do their marketing and Ferengi to do their programming." Simon Slavin

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