OK, first off, there is a lot of great info on this site. I'd like to send out a hearty "thank you" to all of you who work so hard helping the rest of us. Anyway, I have a Sony DW-D26A and am having problems. I had wanted to burn a DVD to DVD+R DL media without using a compression utility such as DVD Shrink. I searched the threads before starting and found a post that lead me to this guide http://home.comcast.net/~bbmayo/Copying a Dual Layer DVD in DVD Decrypter.pdf which is very simple to follow. Thinking that I had it all figured out, I followed the guide exactly and produced a 1 to 1 copy of a movie. Unfortunately, my standalone DVD player wouldn't read it. Both DVD drives on my computer play it just fine. Confused I did some more research and found that my DVD player doesn't support the the DVD+R format. After further research I learned that my Sony is actually a rebadged Lite-On. I downloaded and installed the latest firmware (JYS2). I also learned about book typing. I downloaded and ran the Lite-On Bit Setting Utility. This is where I'm having a problem. I figured I'd pick the experts' brains before a burned another coaster. When I run the utility it says Current Disc Type: DVD+R DL, Current Disc Booktype: DVD+R DL, and Change Booktype to: DVD-ROM. I click the Change button and it says "BookType changed successfully !" but when I click Query to update it still lists the Current Disc Booktype as DVD+R DL. Isn't it supposed to reflect the changed value? I also tried changing the booktype in DVD Decrypter. As many have said, DVD Decrypter doesn't list Sony burners. I changed the booktype for Lite-On burners and it seems to remain set. However, in the right hand pane of DVD Decrypter where it shows information, it still lists the booktype as DVD+R DL. Is it possible this particular rebadged burner doesn't support booktyping? The only other thing I could think of is updating the drivers for my burner. Device Mangler says I'm using Microsoft driver version 5.1.2535.0 dated 7/1/2001 and Sony's site doesn't even list the D26A. Sorry this became so long, but I wanted to be clear as to what steps I've taken. Any info anyone could share with me would be much appreciated. Regards, Tewlbocks
hi, in dvd decrypter give THIS a try: continue using the Liteon as the listed drive for your Sony, but, rather than changing the "booktype to dvd-rom", use the one a few steps LOWER..."Change For: Drive (For DVD+R/DVD+R DL Media - EEPROM!) " i have the Sony dru-710a and THIS works perfectly~! i have tried this on both Ritek Ridata DL and Verbatim DL media, but credit for this goes to my buddy "alkohol", this WORKS 100%, both him and i use it for ALL our dvd+r DL burns~ good luck docTY~
Tried your suggestion and when I click on that option it gives a message in the Current Setting: field of Unknown (FAILED!). Anyone else out there have any experience with this particular brand and model of burner? Regards, Tewlbocks
@ hi DOC whats the difference between the drive(for dvd+r/+r d/l media) and the drive(for dvd+r/+r d/l media-eeprom) guess what i'm trying to ask is. why use the second setting above rather than the first.
hi gurnard well, after trying the first one that is just to dvd-rom, it didn't work for me, but after trying the 2nd one, meaning the eeprom one, it DID work~ i was having issues booktyping them to begin with using dvd decryptor as i have it set in nero for automatic booktyping from dvd+r/dvd+r DL to dvd-rom, but, when i backup using my DL discs, i use dvd decrypter ISO read---ISO Write, so, nero is nowhere in that equation~ it just works using this alternative method that alkohol told me about, WHY it works? i have no idea...hehe; don't know all the "technical" differences between the 2 options, but, i just go with whatever WORKS for me @tewlbocks don't know what else to tell ya, the drive you have is an OEM Sony, and i know it can be difficult finding firmware updates on Sony's website as well as on the internet, that's the ONLY REASON i NEVER buy OEM Sony's, only because they mostly use Liteon as their manufacturer and the newest sony, the dru-810a is actually a Benq drive~ i have no problems buying OEM Benq, OEM Liteons, etc.etc..only because they ALWAYS have the firmware updates available...because it's now a rebadged "sony" for your drive...you need to find a SPECIFIC firmware or cross-flash it with a Liteon firmware, this naturally takes much more effort and WILL VOID your warranty, but, there is not much else i can suggest, sorry. Sony is very bad at updating firmwares for their own OEM drives, they never list them, it's just too much headache for me to scour everywhere to find them, my only last recommendation would be "next time" if you decide to get a new burner, don't buy SONY OEMs...get either Sony retail or a different brand that has more regularly updated firmwares AND is supported...Liteon, Benq, Nec, Plextor, etc.. good luck~ docTY~
I think the Sony D26A is a rebadged Lite-On 1673. Firmware for the 1673 should work for the Sony as well. The flasher shouldn't flash if the drive is not identified as a Litey although there is always some risk in flashing. It will void the warranty, but unless you fry it for some reason, you can flash back to the original firmware if needed. They're pretty cheap now anyway. Firmware for the 1673 can be found here: http://codeguys.rpc1.org/firmwares.html http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?category=4&manufactor=17
tewlbocks, I believe this is normal but you will find that after the burn if you check the booktype with dvd identifier you will find that it was changed to dvd-rom. I would try it first with a dvd5 just to be sure. Here's a quote from a usage guide for the lite-on booktype utility. On the screen of this tool, "Current Disc Type" represents the physical disc type of the inserted disc. "Current Disc Booktype" represents the current booktype written on the disc, or if the disc is not written, it will display the current physical disc type. Hint: You can use this to check the booktype of a burned disc. [bold]"Change booktype to" is a bit misleading, and it represents the current booktype setting of the drive. Selecting a different setting from the drop-down and clicking "Change" is what changes the current drive setting. Remember, as mentioned above, the current drive setting simply represents what booktype will be used the next time a disc is burned.[/bold] The "Write Now" button is only for DVD+RW media. I only use the lite-on booktype utility with my litey to booktype dvd+r media to dvd-rom. I also only use the benq booktype mamagement utility with my benq. These settings are stored in the eeproms of the drives and therefor are permanent untill/unless I change them back to dvd+r. I don't use dvd decrypter or other utility since there are utility's available by the maker of my drives. Other utilities (dvd decrypter, dvdinfopro, and nero) are a great resorce for those who have drives capable of bitsetting but the make of the drive doesn't offer their own utility. Eg. some LG's, ricoh, and sony (although the lite-on booktype utility should work with sony's that are oem lite-on's). Again use dvd identifier and I believe it will show your booktype as dvd-rom after the burn. Try this first with a dvd5 to be sure. Here's a link to dvd identifier http://dvd.identifier.cdfreaks.com/ gurnard, I believe the top setting is only stored in your volatile memory and will reset back to default dvd+r after reboot or shutdown where as the bottom setting is stored in the drives eeprom memory and is permanent unless/untill you change it back to dvd+r. Mort
@Doc & gurnard, Actually both "Change for: DVD+R/DVD+R DL Media" and "DVD+R/DVD+R DL Media - EEPROM!" worked for me. I've tested them both and it successfully changed the book type to DVD-ROM. As a matter of fact, I've just backed up "BEWITCHED" and I used the (Change for: DVD+R/DVD+R DL Media) and it changed to DVD-ROM successfully after it burned. Why both of them worked..? Honestly, I don't know, but I know for sure that my SONY DRU710A is a rebadged Lite-On 1633S - and as long as it works [can book type to DVD-ROM] using DVD Decrypter, then I'm happy. So, Doc. (kivory666) sorry for before (via pm mail alright) because I haven't tested the other, that's why I wasn't sure and I said it works on the "DVD+R/DVD+R DL Media - EEPROM!" only, but now I can safely say that they both works for me. This time I got it on pictures from start to finished just for fun, at below. @tewlbocks & whom may concern, I don't know how you set yours on the "book type" settings via DVD Decrypter, but this is what I did/followed and it successfully worked/changed the book type to DVD-ROM for me. Here is the instructions http://www.k-probe.com/bitsetting-booktype-faq.php from DVD Decrypter. However, I did not set the "Change for: Next Write", instead I choose the "DVD+R/DVD+R DL Media" and it worked.
hi ok guys i'm going to give it a go....woe betide you if i get the dredded bird scarer. i will bring a plague of cmc mag upon you for at least 7 yrs LOL
I used DVD Decrypter to bitset the booktype my +R and +R DL media with my NEC 3540. After burning, the disks show up as +R with the DVD-ROM booktype in DVD Identifier, yet Decrypter just shows +R or +R DL as the booktype. I know it works since the DL disks play in my standalone but didn't before bitsetting. So I wouldn't be too concerned if Decrypter still shows a +R booktype. I'd worry though if Identifier didn't show the DVD-ROM booktype.
hi guys your of the hook, (no plague) just done 3 burns on the new setting.. EEPROM..on my Liteon 1693s, all checked out -rom @laddyboy hi yes your right , the 3 i've just done also shows on decrypter as +r, where as dvd identifier shows them as -rom
Just burned the movie again and used DVD Identifier to check the bit setting afterwards. It reads as DVD-ROM! Many thanks to you Mort81 for finding the info on the LiteOn Bit Setting Utility. Apparently it worked, even if it is a tad confusing. The movie plays beautifully (I really can't tell a difference between the copy and the original) in my standalone DVD player, although trying to access the special features causes it to lock up. It works fine in both of the DVD drives on my computer so I'm going to attribute that minor fault to my standalone player; it's a 3 or 4 year old Toshiba. Thanks to everyone for your help. This is truly a great community and, even though I'm far from being an innovator when it comes to burning, I hope I have the opportunity to help someone else out in the future. Regards, Tewlbocks
tewlbocks, You're very welcome and I'm glad to hear everything is working out. I don't know what speed you are burning your DL media at but I would recommend burning it as slow as possible. I was pretty sure from the info in your 1st post that your burns were dvd-rom. I don't know why dvd decrypter doesn't show this but I've come across that before and always rely on dvd identifier to verify booktype. Good luck and happy burning. Mort
thanks for the update alkohol, the dvd+r/DL to dvd-rom doesn't work for me, while the EEPROM setting does...peculiar isn't it? LOL...and hi mort, long time no chat~ yes, credit goes to YOU about introducing me to "EEPROM" from LOOONG time ago~ thanks~ good to see u up and running tewlbocks~ and gurnard, "whew" sigh of relief..no plagues for me~ docTY~
