New iBook Superdrive

[Peel]

Does anybody know if the new iBook has a pana UJ-835 or UJ-845?

 

[shadowmoses]

Does anybody know if the new iBook has a pana UJ-835 or UJ-845?

Maybe you shoudl expand on what a pana UJ 835 is as i think the majority of people have no idea....and therefore won't be able to answer your query,

shadoW

 

[Peel]

Maybe you shoudl expand on what a pana UJ 835 is as i think the majority of people have no idea....and therefore won't be able to answer your query

Sorry, you caught me writing shorthand there. I was refering to the Panasonic (Matsushita) model number for the superdrive. When the iMac G5 was last updated it went from the UL-835 model to the UL-845. Just wondering if the iBook did the same. You can see the model you have by going to the System Profile (apple menu: about this Mac: More info).

 

[Yoyodyne]

I've got the new 14" and it has a UJ-845E, revision DMP2

 

[Peel]

I've got the new 14" and it has a UJ-845E, revision DMP2

Great! So I take it that means it will burn double layer DVDs as that was the main difference between the 835 and 845. The iBook page on the Apple website doesn't mention DL though.

 

[chucknorris]

Great! So I take it that means it will burn double layer DVDs as that was the main difference between the 835 and 845. The iBook page on the Apple website doesn't mention DL though.

I'm almost positive the iBook's superdrive does NOT burn DL DVDs.

This is a feature that Apple usually brags about, and I can confirm the PowerBook is single-layer only.

Based on those two facts, it seems very unlikely the iBook would support DL.

Come on, iBook before PBook? I don't think so.

Somebody please prove me wrong!

 

[Rod Rod]

If the drive is DL capable, then you're just a firmware flash away from gaining that functionality. I don't know where you'd get the flashing utility but it shouldn't be too hard to find.

 

[Yoyodyne]

Well, this is starting to get complicated. From what I can tell this is what is in the new ibooks, but with a slight revision. Note the dual layer capability. Many people are saying that the hacked firmware will not be released until Apple updates their own firmware, which will let the coders take a look at it and modifiy it accordingly: see here and here .

 

[Peel]

If the drive is DL capable, then you're just a firmware flash away from gaining that functionality. I don't know where you'd get the flashing utility but it shouldn't be too hard to find.

If it's just a firmwear issue, then in theory you should be able to remove the drive, install it in a PC, download a firmwear with a windows installer, flash it to the drive, then reinstall it in the iBook. However it may be that Apple has disabled DL burns in the operating system instead of the drive firmwear (i.e. "If drive is DL capable, but hardwear is iBook, then act like it's not a DL drive"). Then someone would need to write a system hack, similar to the hack to make the video out a non-mirrored display.

 

[Rod Rod]

However it may be that Apple has disabled DL burns in the operating system instead of the drive firmwear (i.e. "If drive is DL capable, but hardwear is iBook, then act like it's not a DL drive").

That possibility is absolutely diabolical. 🙂 Hopefully it's not true.

 

[MRU]

Apple simply lock out features all the time. Look at Dual Screen Spanning on iBooks & iMacs.

Same with those crappy matushitty superdrives that have immense issues buring anything above 2x on most brands of media.