[Appleman]

I have asked this in a couple of threads to people who said they did this, but no answer.
Does anyone know how to do this?
Thanks.

Edit: tried to change the thread title to 117 -> 108...

[Skip Breakfast]

Replace the drive (as I said in the other forum).

[Kenneth]

107 and 108 are just the model numbers.. basically you need to buy a newer DVD burner.

[Cadaver]

Originally Posted by Appleman

I have asked this in a couple of threads to people who said they did this, but no answer.
Does anyone know how to do this?
Thanks.

You're thinking of the Apple OEM DVR-117 (which doesn't really exist) to DVR-108 firmware flash hack.
Here's a how-to guide...
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/tips/Flas...-117guide.html

[Appleman]

Originally Posted by Kenneth

107 and 108 are just the model numbers.. basically you need to buy a newer DVD burner.

No you don't. Thanks to Cadaver I was able to upgrade my 107 to 108, made it Dual Layer and faster!

Thank you Cadaver!

[cloudhorse]

I tried the link that Cadaver posted and got "no such device or address"...is there another way to get to the Apple OEM DVR 117 to DVR 108 firmware flash hack how-to? I think I'm going to need that once I get a DVR 107 to replace my dead 105 ... that is if the DVR 107 will fit in my G4 MDD FW800 ... does anyone know if it will?

Thanks!

[Kenneth]

Sure, it will fit.

So, DVR-117 = DVR-107?

[Appleman]

Originally Posted by cloudhorse

I tried the link that Cadaver posted and got "no such device or address"...is there another way to get to the Apple OEM DVR 117 to DVR 108 firmware flash hack how-to? I think I'm going to need that once I get a DVR 107 to replace my dead 105 ... that is if the DVR 107 will fit in my G4 MDD FW800 ... does anyone know if it will?
Thanks!

Hm, I have edited my former reply which apparently made it confusing.
The link to follow is the one Cadaver posted in reply to my question, and is the following link (can't be more specific...):


Pioneer 107 to 108 flashing

I have done this yesterday and it worked for me
Haven't tried the Dual Layer option yet. Will report back when I have.

[Appleman]

Originally Posted by Kenneth

Sure, it will fit.

So, DVR-117 = DVR-107?

Yes

[cloudhorse]

Originally Posted by Appleman

Hm, I have edited my former reply which apparently made it confusing.
The link to follow is the one Cadaver posted in reply to my question, and is the following link (can't be more specific...):


Pioneer 107 to 108 flashing

I have done this yesterday and it worked for me
Haven't tried the Dual Layer option yet. Will report back when I have.

Thanks...got it! With all those warnings though, it looks like a scarey prospect. Maybe I should just go ahead and buy the DVR 108 instead of the 107 ... if it will fit a G4 MDD... anyone know?

thanks!

[Al G]

Ok, please before we confuse the hell out of everyone, let's get this straight. A DVR-107 and DVR-117 are not the same thing -- 107 <> 117.

A DVR-107 can not be flash upgraded to a DVR-108. They are different pieces of hardware and firmware won't change that.

However, a DVR-117 can be upgraded to a DVR-108. The reason is the 117 and 108 are the same hardware.

I don't know why Apple did this, other than to say it was just Apple being Apple... Anyway, Apple wanted to continue shipping machines with the DVR-107, but Pioneer had discontinued them and was only making the DVR-108. So Apple, in their brilliance, instead of just going with the 108, had Pioneer create a special firmware that disabled the extra features of the 108 and called it the 117. That's why the 117 is upgradeable -- it's the same 108 hardware with crippled firmware.

[Appleman]

Originally Posted by cloudhorse

Thanks...got it! With all those warnings though, it looks like a scarey prospect. Maybe I should just go ahead and buy the DVR 108 instead of the 107 ... if it will fit a G4 MDD... anyone know?

thanks!

107 is not 108. If you happen to have a 117, this can be made into a 108.
A 107 cannot be made a 108. (See former post of Al G).

Any internal DVD-burner will fit as Apple is using standard ATA stuff used by peecee's as well. So go to any "around-the-corner-peecee-shop" and get the latest and greatest DVD-burner cheapo. Be sure there is a driver for Mac OS X, or make a deal they will allow return of the goods if it doesn't work: my peecee-shop here in Hollland never made a problem about this, not with harddisks (once found out an iMac cannot have more than 137 GB harddisk) nor with RAM, nor with other stuff.

Just go ahead and don't be afraid, however think about voiding warranty if you still have that.
Good luck!

[cloudhorse]

OK Appleman... I just bought a Pioneer DVR-109... it was $5.00 more than a 107 and it was through a Mac supplier, so I should be ok. I hope! You guys have been great! Thanks for all the info and quick responses!

See ya next time!

[ashtoash]

I really hope you paid no more than $60 including shipping....

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_a...d=dvr-109&rd=1

Originally Posted by cloudhorse

OK Appleman... I just bought a Pioneer DVR-109... it was $5.00 more than a 107 and it was through a Mac supplier, so I should be ok. I hope! You guys have been great! Thanks for all the info and quick responses!

See ya next time!

[Cadaver]

Originally Posted by Al G

Ok, please before we confuse the hell out of everyone, let's get this straight. A DVR-107 and DVR-117 are not the same thing -- 107 <> 117.

A DVR-107 can not be flash upgraded to a DVR-108. They are different pieces of hardware and firmware won't change that.

However, a DVR-117 can be upgraded to a DVR-108. The reason is the 117 and 108 are the same hardware.

I don't know why Apple did this, other than to say it was just Apple being Apple... Anyway, Apple wanted to continue shipping machines with the DVR-107, but Pioneer had discontinued them and was only making the DVR-108. So Apple, in their brilliance, instead of just going with the 108, had Pioneer create a special firmware that disabled the extra features of the 108 and called it the 117. That's why the 117 is upgradeable -- it's the same 108 hardware with crippled firmware.

Quoted for emphasis.

You cannot flash the DVR-107 that came in your G5 to a DVR-108. A DVR-107 can be modified to nothing except another DVR-107 (though there is actually a way to unlock its DVD rip speed to 12x and set the DVD player to region-free, but this requires flashing the drive with modified firmware in a PC. I have an Apple OEM DVR-107 that has been flashed to a retail Pioneer DVR-107, then subsequently flashed to region-free and unlocked DVD rip).

On the other hand, an Apple DVR-117 is the exact same hardware as a Pioneer DVR-108. The difference lies only in the firmware (and the sticker on the drive case). Apple locked down the DVR-108's firmware to 107-ish specifications. This model was then called the DVR-117 (think DVR-107, 117, 127, 137, etc). Why did they do this? My theory is because Pioneer stopped manufacturing the DVR-107 in favor of the (faster and dual layer capable) DVR-108. But since Apple wasn't ready/willing to change their already-published drive specs (i.e., the DVR-107 specs), they created a special firmware for the Pioneer DVR-108.

Fortunately, since the hardware is otherwise the same, the Apple OEM DVR-117 can be flashed to a fully-functional dual layer (+R) Pioneer DVR-108.

Follow the instructions in the link I posted above (thanks to Mike at xlr8yourmac.com).

This only works if you have a DVR-117 in your Mac. Don't bother to try to convert something else. It wont work.

[Kenneth]

This is getting out of hand. The topic mentioned 107 and 108.

[Appleman]

Originally Posted by Kenneth

This is getting out of hand. The topic mentioned 107 and 108.

Yes indeed, and that's my fault, let's see if I can change that. Seems not, although I am able to change the titel when I edit the first post, it doens't change actually. Will ask mods.

[Cadaver]

The current thread title, "How to update a DVD-burner 117 to 108?" is correct.

[Appleman]

Originally Posted by Cadaver

The current thread title, "How to update a DVD-burner 117 to 108?" is correct.

indeed, since Oreocookie has changed it on my request.