Is this scaremongering or could your DVD recorder catch fire?

D

DaveP

Guest
Just read this in PCW:

A firmware glitch in some Pioneer DVD Recorders and re-writers could send a disc or player up in smoke. The problem can occur when two-speed and four-speed write once discs are used in the drive. The laser does not recognise these formats. The result is that when it tests a disc to determine the correct burn power it just keeps pilling on the heat.

The affected models are the DVR-7000, PRV-9000, DVR-A03, DVR-103, DVR-A04 and DVR-104.

A firmware upgrade is available at

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/hs

The link doesn't work!!

DaveP
 
it sounds possible, but i reckon you would need to keep it running for a very long time before anything got dangerous......

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got to say that my writer did get worryingly hot in a firewire case before the upgrade and that was with 1x media.

I would flash it.
 
This also affects Pioneer drives supplied to Sony, Sharp , Compaq and Apple for re-branding.
According to Andy Parsons, Pioneer Electronics senior vice-president for U.S. business solutions ..... " The laser can burn itself out within five minutes but there's no danger of personal injury or fire. "
 
I question the fire risk. If the lasers in the pioneer players were so capable at producing heat like this, why are we not pulling them apart and using them in place of guns?!!!! I suspect that there is significant danger of damage to the drive, but i dont think that fire is likely.

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no they didnt get that hot :)

just compared with the plextor i had in there (which never got warm) it was really hot too touch, if Pioneer thought there was any risk of an actual fire these things would have been recalled straight away, after all look how many have been sold in the land of the lawsuit.
 
I think it was just a good way of getting people to upgrade the bios on the machines without much fuss.

Now if they'd said it was optional, I doubt that many people would've downloaded the firmware replacement and done it. Whereas by saying you can cause damage/fire it was/is more effective. The age old reward/punishment psychology rule:p

With regards to causing a fire, highly unlikely. The laser would more likely burn out and render the drive useless...

IMO
 
i still like the idea of butchering them and making phasers! :D

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Be careful if you use the v1.90 formware update....becuase if you use that you cant update the firmware with the 'hacked' firmware to burn all dvd-r at x2.
 

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