Powerbook Superdrive firmware upgrade hack. Get faster spee... [Archive]

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MacBytes

Aug 12, 2003, 09:52 PM

Category: Tips and How To's
Link: Powerbook Superdrive firmware upgrade hack. Get faster speeds with your Superdrive... but with some risk. (http://superdrive.cynikal.net/)

Posted on MacBytes.com (http://www.macbytes.com)

Approved by arn

Mudbug

Aug 13, 2003, 03:09 AM

the words firmware, upgrade, and hack all in the same sentence give me the heebeegeebees, and I don't even own a machine with this kind of drive. If there's a brave soul, I hope you took notes and are willing to share with us, 'cause I'm not sacrificing anything to find out if this works or not.

MacBandit

Aug 13, 2003, 03:22 AM

Mike at XLR8yourmac.com has performed this rom upgrade already without problems. There is still an issue though of the potential of overheating. He has documented the information on the front page on 8/12/03 for future reference. I suspect there will be updates and maybe a faq made on his page for this.

Kazu

Aug 13, 2003, 08:35 AM

I don't know if this is helpful, but here it goes...

Cynikal writes on his/her web page that Pioneer is the same as Mat****a (sic, actual spelling is Matsu****a) when in fact Matsu****a is the same as Panasonic, NOT Pioneer. This is also shown clearly in the picture of the DVD drive's specs taken at the Japanese trade show.

I assume this means he applied a Panasonic DVD drive's firmware update to his Pioneer Superdrive. Luckily for him it worked, but I sure wouldn't want to try it.

Mudbug

Aug 13, 2003, 11:19 AM

daveL

Aug 13, 2003, 01:23 PM

Originally posted by Kazu
I don't know if this is helpful, but here it goes...

Cynikal writes on his/her web page that Pioneer is the same as Mat****a (sic, actual spelling is Matsu****a) when in fact Matsu****a is the same as Panasonic, NOT Pioneer. This is also shown clearly in the picture of the DVD drive's specs taken at the Japanese trade show.

I assume this means he applied a Panasonic DVD drive's firmware update to his Pioneer Superdrive. Luckily for him it worked, but I sure wouldn't want to try it.
Really? I've gone through the link above a couple times and read the referenced forum thread, and I can't see an mention of Pioneer. The author clearly uses the Panasonic/Mat****a model number consistently. So your statement is bogus. The idea that he could take firmware from a completely different Pioneer drive and "Luckily for him it worked" is just rediculous! Did you read the forum thread with all those folks reporting success? Guess not.

Kazu

Aug 13, 2003, 10:36 PM

It looks like the website has changed to a Q&A format since I posted my message last night. (Can anyone back me up that the website has changed in the last 12 hours or so so I don't think I'm going crazy?)

And you are correct in pointing out that there is no mention of Pioneer currently. However the site did clearly say that the PB used a DVD drive made by "Pioneer (aka Mat****a)" above the picture from the Japanese trade show. Must have been a typo. You are also correct that he has consistently posted the Panasonic model number.

My only point in posting was to state that Pioneer is NOT Matsuhita. I don't own a PB and so don't have first hand knowledge of which company makes the DVD. Considering all the positive comments on the forum thread you mention (which I did read btw) I'd guess it was Panasonic.

My Quicksilver G4 uses a Pioneer DVD drive, and that may have contributed to my misunderstanding and concern. When I saw the statement equating Pioneer to Matsu****a I just assumed the PB used the same drive as my machine.

cynikal

Aug 13, 2003, 11:25 PM

Nope Kazu, you seem sane (and have good eyes). I corrected my type last night. Someone was kind enough to email me for the correction.

I've also come up with a way to patch the original updater to allow the drive to be downgraded (if you have a 12/15" powerbook, with the 17" it'll really be a downgrade :\