How do i know if i have a Dual Layer DVDRW drive?

i currently have the SONY DVD RW DW-U21A and id like to k now if its dual layer/how to mod it to dual layer.

thanks in advance guys.

Got this from another site

G5's OEM Sony DW-U21A flashed to Liteon SOHW-1653S
(from a drive db report)
" I bought my Powermac G5 dual 2.5ghz in March 2005. It had a SONY DVD RW DW-U21A DVD+/-RW burner. I looked around the internet and found that it was a (actually) Lite-On SOHW-1653S dual layer optical drive.
Using the PC based flashes, I flashed the drive using the CS09 firmware and used Patchburn 3 to allow 10.3.8 to recognise the drive in itunes, idvd and finder. You need Toast 6 to use the dual layer writing. Also the speed of the dvd writing was increased to 12 times. No problems with it. everything works! also region unlocked it with the LtnRPC PC program.
cheers
mike "

MadSkillzMan said:

i currently have the SONY DVD RW DW-U21A and id like to k now if its dual layer/how to mod it to dual layer.

thanks in advance guys.

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Im wondering the same thing. I have a PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-117D. I did some searching around but cant find the info I'm looking for. Not even on Pioneer's website. Does anyone know how I can go about doing this. I'm wondering because Im about to purchase DVD Copy program (Popcorn) for the Mac and this info would be helpful. I also have one day left to act on the special offer that the Roxio company is offering.

I don't mean to hi-jack your thread either. We just have some-what of the same question.

Your pioneer is a dual layer drive that apple dumbed down to 8x single layer

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/tips/FlashingDVR-117guide.html

You can reflash it to its origianl 108 status (16x dual layer) but it is risky

oh thats sweet, and i hear patch burn drives work flawlessly in osx.4 now.

edit: doesnt that mean ill hafta hook it up to a PC to do this? which is NP im just wondering.

http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/mac911/2005/05/duallayerdawn/index.php?lsrc=mwrss

guides you through the Pioneer drive flashing, mate of mine did in Tiger last week and he is as happy as pig in the old

Thanks guys! Im going to look into this instead of buying the new drive for the new G5.

no worries mate i hope it brings you as much joy as it did my mate

inflexion said:

no worries mate i hope it brings you as much joy as it did my mate

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As I read throught the steps I wonder. I wonder how many have done this and left their drive useless.

Good to know your friend did this in Tiger and it worked out. I just updated to Tiger and that was going to be my next question.

Thanks again. It would be a lot cheaper if nothing goes wrong than buying the MCE 16X DVD-R/RW SuperDrive Pioneer DVR-109 for the G5.

TBH its one of those things, flashing a drive wont harm it unless you have a powercut during it.

It normally only takes a few seconds to do so there is normally minimal risk at the best of times

I think it'll go fine. Ive had to flash a lot of firmwares with PC. With this, I have to use "Terminal" which I've never done.

All in all, the steps seem quite simple and easy to follow.

now i just read that story, using patchburn, would i have to always use it? or does it nicely integrate into everything so i can just use it silently?

MadSkillzMan said:

now i just read that story, using patchburn, would i have to always use it? or does it nicely integrate into everything so i can just use it silently?

Click to expand...

i would give it a shot, but theres no way in **** im voiding my warranty just to get dual layer support and 8x more burning speed..

It seems like a simple enough project to do if you have some experince with doing this type of thing. If it doesnt work out for me, I will buy the optical drive that comes with the new G5's.

let me know if it works for you.. we have more or less the same setup.. if it works for you, send me a screen shot under profiler that says Pioneer 108

well, ive done my share of firmware hacks. liteon, 100$ DVDRW drives on a shaky dual PSU pc lol im not too nervious, although id like to see some instructions..

isnt there like a blindflash or something thatll just flash hardware reguardless? i kinda thought there was a way to revive your screwed up hardware.

besides if you screw it up couldnt you just claim you have no idea *** is going on? yet us OC'ers have discussed thats very dishonest, since YOU killed it.

if i can find more info, ill gladly make a step by step HOW TO with screen shots.

with my luck id patch the firmware, it would work fine, and then three days from now both g5's would get fried and Id be stuck with a 2,000$ paperweight

menace3054 said:

let me know if it works for you.. we have more or less the same setup.. if it works for you, send me a screen shot under profiler that says Pioneer 118

Click to expand...

No Problem.

menace3054 said:

with my luck id patch the firmware, it would work fine, and then three days from now both g5's would get fried and Id be stuck with a 2,000$ paperweight

Click to expand...

So far so good. Im about to instal patchburn. It showed up in my system profiler.. Just have to complete it with patchburn.

Also, when doing it, it did begin to run and a tiny beep came out of it. Terminal said, "Flash has been succesful ". Even with that happy face in it. At one point it said, "Now sit back and hold your breath for 30secs"!

I'll post up again.

hahah you dont get this personality with windows.

now this is the pioneer drive correct?
is there ANY way we can backup the firmware?