hi this is not my news but something i found on another forum just thought i let people know




Hi guys.
I just received an email with some cool news.

Pioneer states in an email to one big distributor in Europe that:

*Pioneer will give up the royalty fight about cheaper media
*Pioneer will release an updated firmware in January 2003

Isn't this what we A05/105 owners has been waiting for ? )
Great news!

I got the 1.21 firmware for a05 is there another one comming?
some are saying there will be an release in januari?

Just because someone took the time to type it up, does not mean it is true.

I dont mean to sound like a complete idiot to you guys but what is firmware exactly. I installed my 105 on Christmas, I noticed the downloads of firmware on the Pioneer site, but my 105 works fine so i didnt bother with it.?

Firmware is the software part of hardware that controls its various functions. Some drives (ok most) such as 105's have a flashable eprom so that the firmware can be upgraded to hopefully improve the way it functions.

Say if a media did not exist when a drive came out and does not function correctly on a drive, with a firmware upgrade the problem could be solved without the need for a completely new drive.

That said, if it ain't broke, then don't fix it...

ok to be honest i'm not sure what the diference between the a05 & the 105
mine is the 105 i did
test record on my pioneer 105/A05 datasafe dvd disc set to 2 speed write total size on disc is 1,482,72mb alittle un 1.half gigs total time in test mode 20 minutes now it says
selected speed 2
used speed 2
same thing in 4speed write 21 minutes & 29 seconds now it says
selected speed 4
used speed 4
now where i get my disc's from in leicester puter fair he told me that the 105/A05 will not write above 2 speed
only pioneer dvd disc's will write at four speed and all the other media companys are taking the to court
so who knows perhaps there will be a new firmware from poneer them selfs perhaps not but i for one am not happy i bought a writer thats supose to write 4 speed but it won'tonly if i uses there disc
bi like sone saying you can only play sony cd's on there hi-fi i think not
corect me if i'm wrong no doubt someone will

http://wwwbsc.pioneer.co.jp/product-e/ibs/device_e/dev00001r_e.html
this is the 1.21 firmware

been using datasafe 4speed at 4 speed on my pie 105.
your software may tell you its set to 4 speed but infact the pie 105 will decide if the media is good enough and only then write at 4 speed.even if it says its at 4 speed it may only be at 2 speed.

I posted a link to the new firmware in the sticky for it several days ago.