A100 + Slimline DVD writer = kaboom?

[jibbajabba]

Hi all,
With the latest firmware, hooking up a Samsung SE-S084B (slimline w/ 2 usb connectors for power) causes my A100 to lockup (HDD spindown, HDMI goes blank). Bizzaro. The weirder thing is, with older firmware (unfortunately, I can't remember which one), this combination worked without any issues.
The only thing I can think of is that the drive might be drawing too much power; but, if that's the case, why was it working before?

Anyone seeing this behaviour? Better still, anyone know a solution? Worst case scenario, how do I revert to an older firmware?

Thanks all!

ps. A100 owner for about a year, and until now, couldn't be happier!

[jibbajabba]

Okay, I figured out how to downgrade:
http://www.popcornhour.com/download/A100...-A100.html

But does anyone know if there's anything else I can try?

[pfrom]

hi,

Does it work now with latest fw?

thanks,

pfrom

[TCH]

Any update on this? I am experiencing same problem with my Samsung SE-S084 DVD player and A110 (latest fw).

If not please recommend any slimline DVD player/writer which would work for sure and is commonly available today?

[Willem53]

nothing that a $5 usb power adapter wouldn't solve....

[TCH]

(10-15-2009 05:26 PM)Willem53 Wrote:  nothing that a $5 usb power adapter wouldn't solve....

I am using an active (power from wall socket) USB hub so power supply is not a problem. Infact I connect both USB cables from the player to the hub and then the hub to the A110. So the player shouldn't be drawing any power from the A110.
.
.


Is this a hw incompatibility issue and am I wasting my time trying to solve it? Players are inexpensive so if there is known compatible drives I'd rather buy one of those than waste my nerves on a combo that will not work.

Thanks.

[Willem53]

In that case just use one USB cable and maybe skip the hub.

[TCH]

(10-16-2009 11:47 AM)Willem53 Wrote:  In that case just use one USB cable and maybe skip the hub.

Thanks, I started without the hub with same results. I thought it was a power problem and took one of my hubs hoping it would solve it but identical results.

BTW, initially A110 sees the drive ok and reports it in the source-window as empty drive. When I insert a DVD movie the A110 tries to read it and then crashes and can only be rebooted by pressing reset button. When crash happens screen goes black so no clues there.

I'll try with only one connector, maybe A110 gets confused with 2?

---

Ok. did the test.

This is what I see before I insert a DVD movie. After that everything goes black and stops responding. So, obviously A110 sees the drive but then something goes wrong.

With one lead only with or without the hub - same result.

[dc11ab]

Is that a retail disc or a data disc?

[Willem53]

OK hardware setup looks OK to me. Is the disk your testing with a copy protected commercial release?

[TCH]

(10-16-2009 12:12 PM)Willem53 Wrote:  OK hardware setup looks OK to me. Is the disk your testing with a copy protected commercial release?

I've only tried retail, commercial movies. Probably most are copy protected. They do play on all of my computers and i was hoping the A110 could replace my DVD-player completely. Can't the A110 play commercial disks? Is that the problem here?

[dc11ab]

Yup, no copy encryption per default.
But if you use llink-nmt (available in CSI; nmtinstaller.com) you can play most, albeit without fancy dvd menu.

[TCH]

(10-16-2009 12:26 PM)dc11ab Wrote:  Yup, no copy encryption per default.
But if you use llink-nmt (available in CSI; nmtinstaller.com) you can play most, albeit without fancy dvd menu.

Ah, that explains it. So changing drives will not help. Thank you all for help.

I'll try the nmt-approach then.

[dc11ab]

Decryption is perhaps a better word. Anyway, let us know how it works out. llink-nmt relies on libdvdcss and is not 100% proof, but should work for most discs.