FAQ - Firmware - What is firmware?

Brief explanation

Firmware is a small piece of software which is stored in a programmable ready-only memory chip (also called programmable ROM). This is a permanent part of a computing device (Printers, Modems, CD/DVD-ROM, CD/DVD+/-R(W) etc).

Firmware is created and tested like software (using microcode simulation). When ready, it can be distributed like other software and, using a special user interface, installed in the programmable read-only memory by the user.

When looking in specific at firmware for DVD+/-R(W) drives this means the following. The firmware contains amongst other things the following information:

-Which recordable media are supported.
-At which speed a certain media is supported.
-A number of parameters indicating how a certain discs should be written (laser power, distance between pits etc).
-Maximum read speed for DVD Video's.
-The number of allowed region changes for Video DVD's.

What do my hacked firmwares do?

-Remove the region protection from the drive.
-Remove the maximum read speed limitation for DVD Video's.
-Add support for media that are not supported by the official NEC Firmware.
-Increase write speed for certain media, so they can be written at a higher speed.
-Increase write quality for certain media.
-Add bitsetting support.