Hot-Rod Your CD-RW Drive

Anonymous Coward writes: "Currently almost everyone with a computer has a CD-ROM drive and also a big part of them have a CD-RW drive. But what if you want to spend less time on writing a CD-R ? You have to buy a new one, or, if you are a real geek, you just overclock it! Seems to be to good to be true ? It's not! Currently a lot of cheap manufacturers of CD-RW drives are using the same parts in their 32x,40x, and 48x drives and start to sell them at 32x, later to 40x and in end as 48x. and with a little upgrading of the firmware (totally legal) you will have a faster drive, because you remove its limits! It currently works on drives from Lite-On (who also makes drives for Memorex, TDK, Iomega, Cendyne, TraxData and Pacific digital all overclockable) And the list goes on as there are also overclock tricks for LG (32x -> 40x) and Sony drives (32x -> 48x). If you don't believe it, read all the reactions and the postings on the forums mentioned above!"

Too good to be true?

[stevenbdjr]

And if you act now, we'll send you two kits for the price of one. That's the two CD-RW hot-rod kits, plus the terry cloth bath robe, absolutley FREE!

I can see it now...

[papasui]

LIVE AT 10.
An area man inadvertently set fire to his dwelling while attempting to burn Jenna's Built for Speed with his self modified CDRW drive. When asked why he modified his CD recording device he stated. "My wife was coming home...."

It wasn't new

[jsse]

When I worked at IBM an engineer told me the million dollars 'mainframe upgrade' was actually removing a jummper from the motherboard. So I started to remove one jumper at a time from my IBM PC to see if it'd run faster. (the answer is no)

Re:Too good to be true?

[prof187]

But does it also chop jullienne fries?

Re:Firmware

[Angry White Guy]

This is not *technically* just a firmware upgrade. This is circumventing/reverse engineering of their intellectual property, and in violation of the DMCA.

Imagine what would happen to the world markets if you were to do this. Just sit back and watch all that nothing spread like wildfire!

AWG

Just like my opinion, my sarcasm's free! Just remember: You get what you pay for!

Re:Plextor?

[Anonymous Coward]

dude, my plextor 2x is now burning at 32x, ra!

Hardcore overclocker

[Beliskner]

if you are a real geek, you just overclock it!

Yeeeeeehaaaa, right on dude! I overclocked the Quartz crystal in my watch, changed multiplier from 1X to 2X. Now I have to do stuff twice as fast just so that I can keep up with my watch.

My time at work passes real quick which is great, when I punch out the Sun is still up and everybody else is still having lunch! Trouble is apart from my watch overheating, there's another side-effect - my pay has halved. This proves that if you're twice as efficient at work you get paid half as much, uhhhhhh, yeah.

Re:no can do mister!

[natophonic]

I have a small sticky label over one of my screws on my CDRW drive that says "Do not remove". Doing so will be against the DMCA(?)

Washington, D.C. (AP) -- Attorney General John Ashcroft announced today that the mandate of the FBI's Upholstry Mutilation Prevention division would be expanded to cover personal computer peripherals and other consumer electronic products. "For decades this Department has stood by the notion that pillows, mattresses, couches, and other upholstered items should not have to worry that their care and composition labels might be removed by those who would flaunt the laws of this great nation of ours. It is time now to extend the same protections to comsumer electronic devices," Ashcroft said in a prepared statement. He noted in particular that CD-RW drives are a new and tempting target for abuse. "Our young men need to spend less time figuring out how to copy pornography and hardcore rap 'artists' material faster, and more time working at their jobs and praying to Jesus our Lord and Savior," he said. Asked why funiture items carry tags that read, "Do not remove under penalty of law," Ashcroft said, "I was raised to not ask questions about why our laws are they was they are. Unless you want to have the full weight of an FBI investigation on your hands, I'd suggest you do the same."

$14,400 / hr

[feldkamp]

$14,400/hr ???

At that rate, the only person this guy could be is my lawyer.

Re:Firmware

[Anonymous Coward]

You should've asked him if it is illegal to kick him in the nuts.

Re:Firmware

[Waffle Iron]

You can do whatever you want with your CD-R drive and it would be totally legal- you have first sale rights.

You don't have a right to be an "X" thief. These companies are selling you Xs. You paid for 32 Xs. By modifying the drive, you stole up to 16 extra Xs from the manufacturer.

If you bought a 6-cylinder Ford, would it be OK to break into the dealership and steal two more cylinders so you could have a V8? Of course not.

Xs don't just grow on trees. Stop stealing them.

If you really feel you need a bunch of Xs, you can get them in bulk from Microsoft, who sells them by the box. It really doesn't cost that much per X to stay legit.

Re:Firmware

[mosch]

It's also illegal to modify ATM machines to give you money without deducting an appropriate amount from your bank account. The nerve of the government, always keeping the thieves^Wpeople down!