Apple offers SuperDrive Firmware, Pro application updates

[AppleInsider]

Apple on Wednesday evening issued a series of software updates, targeting SuperDrive firmware, Pro application support, Soundtrack Pro, Compressor, Color, Motion and Final Cut Pro.

SuperDrive Firmware Update 2.1
The SuperDrive Update [12MB] improves readability of certain CD media. The updater application will be installed in the /Applications/Utilities folder. Please follow the instructions in the updater application to complete the update process.

Pro Applications Update 2007-01
Pro Application Update 2007-01 [8.1MB] includes fixes to underlying frameworks and shared components for the updated Final Cut Studio 2 applications.In particular, the software updates the following components:
Apple ProRes 422: Delivers improved encoding performance for Power Mac G5 computers.
ProAppsEffects: Delivers filter improvements for Motion 3.0 and Final Cut Pro 6.0 customers.
PluginManager, FxPlug, ProFX, and FxPlugWrapper:These shared components deliver updates to Effects Support, 3D Support, and Versioning Support.
Helium.framework: Delivers improvements for SmoothCam. This update is required for customers using Motion 3.0 and Final Cut Pro 6.0.
About Soundtrack Pro 2.0.1
Soundtrack Pro 2.0.1 [74.5MB] contains several updates, including: improved stability, improved performance, and Delay Designer surround effect plug-in. The update is recommended for all users of Soundtrack Pro 2.0. Additional information about this release is also available in the release notes.

Compressor 3.0.1
Compressor 3.0.1 contains several updates, including: improved performance, improved stability, and compatibility updates for Apple Devices. The update is recommended for all Compressor 3.0 users. Further information about the update is available in the release notes.

Color 1.0.1
Color 1.0.1 [8.3MB is recommended for all users of Color 1.0 and contains several updates, providing the following fixes: improved stability, improved metadata support from Final Cut Pro, improved single-display mode, floating-point processing on computers with NVIDIA graphics cards, and Dissolves of 2K files during rendering. For more information, see the Color release notes.

Motion 3.0.1
Motion 3.0.1 [19.4MB] improves stability and resolves performance issues that may be encountered when using Motion 3.0 on both PowerPC-based and Intel-based Macintosh computers. The software update is recommended for all users of Motion 3.0 and includes fixes for: 32-bit float projects, rendering of intersecting 3D groups, and Final Cut Pro integration.
For further information about this update, see the release notes.

Final Cut Pro 6.0.1
Final Cut Pro 6.0.1 [37.5MB] contains several updates, including: improved stability, support for the AVCHD format through the Log and Transfer interface, FXPlug improvements with Motion and third-party applications, improved master template support, and esolution of issues with long filenames (greater than 32 characters, up to 255 characters) on non-HFS file systems (network or Xsan volumes, FAT32 volumes, and so on).

The software update is recommended for all users of Final Cut Pro 6.0. For more information see the release notes.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[digitalclips]

The teams at Apple are sure busy just now!

[Slewis]

Null.

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by Slewis

So, does the Firmware update work or will it break my Superdrive?

I've been burned too many times by Apple updates. Airport Updates screwing up my card and some people's Macbook's are effectively useless with the 10.4.10 update which I'm glad I decided to skip.

Sebastian

That is so strange. I have loads of Macs ranging from old iMacs to Dual G5s, iBooks though Intel Macs and nothing has ever gone wrong after any update on any one of them.

[palegolas]

This is good.
A firmware hack usually starts with analyzing an official firmware update. I don't know what superdrives this firmware is for, but it's common knowledge that several of the Superdrives for macs are region locked with no hacks available. If this firmware update is indeed for these drives I hope it gets in the hands of good hackers.

It's ridiculous to have a DVD player that's locked to one region. That's just ridiculous. I end up never using it because my DVD library is multi region. Fingers crossed for this one.

[Slewis]

Null.

[Serif]

Applied the superdrive update on a C2D Macbook and things are still working and showing a firmware revision of KBVB on an Matshita DVD-R UJ-857D.

One thing to be aware of though. Despite what I was expecting, the update is started automatically from Software Update; it tells you it is going to install the update in the Applications/Utilities folder and I was expecting to have to run it from there myself. So, don't make the mistake of running Software Update and restarting immediately or you could get badly hosed.

[Ste]

I updated my 2nd-gen C2D MBP last night then had software to install from DVD and several CDs to import into iTunes. No problems so far.

My hope is that the firmware update will do exactly what it says -- improve readability. My biggest (only) gripe with my MBP lies with the SuperDrive. I borrow a lot of CDs from my local library. Now some of them are admittedly scratched beyond reading, while others just have some light scuffing. The SuperDrive starts to beachball when it reaches even the slightest surface mark. This happens on maybe 20% of the discs that I insert, and I invariably then have to force-quit iTunes in order to eject the disc. My work-around is to burn a copy of the problematic disc on my girlfriend's PC and then import the CD-R copy into iTunes on my Mac. It's a pain in the arse, but it works. The point being, though, that the PC can read CDs that my Mac cannot. Not what I expect from a 2.5K machine.

[BlackSummerNight]

Hehe, I thought I was the only one getting burned by the Airport updates. I installed the Superdrive up date, and burned a CD, no problems. But I wasn't having problems before.

[macha]

installed pro app and fc studio 2 updates. Very happy with avchd support.
BUT .....my render times are totally rediculous now in final cut pro 6.1.
3 to 4 hours for rendering a split screen with a small text . would cost me 2 min in final cut 6.0.

In the middle of a blue screen project with a deadline in a week., Guess i m in trouble......

[rickag]

For those interested, I downloaded the Superdrive firmware updater. Before trying to install, I opened the package contents and tunneled down to an English read me file that said;

Read Before You Install
SuperDrive Update v2.1

The SuperDrive Update improves readability of certain CD media.*You can print these instructions and refer to them while you are updating the firmware.

System Requirements
- Mac OS X v10.4.4
- One of the following products:
MacBook Pro Core Duo*(15 -inch 1.83GHz, 2.0GHz, or 2.16GHz)
MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo*(15 -inch 2.16GHz or 2.33GHz)
MacBook Core Duo*(13 -inch 1.83GHz or 2.0GHz)
MacBook Core 2 Duo*(13 -inch 1.83GHz or 2.0GHz)

Installing the SuperDrive Update
Follow these steps to install the update:
1. Save all open documents and quit all applications.
2. Eject any media from your SuperDrive.
3. Double-click the SuperDrive Update icon.

If you meet the system requirements and cannot update the firmware using this program, contact your local Apple Authorized Service Provider or an Apple Store retail location.

Important: Do not reset, shut down, or turn off power to your computer while updating the firmware. Doing so may damage your SuperDrive.

© 2007 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Tiger, SuperDrive and MacBook are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Apple Store is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by Slewis

It's not strange. I spent a week tied to an Ethernet cord after an Airport update gone wrong. Turned out there was a conflict with my 2WIRE and I switched to WPA (which is way better than WEP anyways) but Apple eventually came out with a fix for it. I'm going to wait about 2 weeks, look around and see if it's safe, and then I'll probably update.

There have also been problems with the 10.4.10 update reported in the forums and probably some on Apple's support site (I never look there) and it's been acknowledged by Apple that it's a bug with Macbooks during the update. Some people are closing their Macs and the Macbook will restart or beach ball. I'll wait until there is a fix for that, then 2 weeks after that fix is released to see if it's all clear. I've grown paranoid with Software Update and updates to Mac OS X itself (as opposed to something minor like an iWork update or iTunes update that I'll update the first chance I'll get).

Sebastian

I always use specified MAC addresses for wi-fi security on my networks so perhaps that spared me. Plus I always run permission repairs before and after updates and always have a total clone of any Mac's drive before any such update just in case (I use a Wiebitech FireWire adapter and a pile of bare drives for cloning). So far I have never had a problem in recent years, My Mac PLus may have had in 1984 but I forget lol.

[sennen]

Originally Posted by macha

installed pro app and fc studio 2 updates. Very happy with avchd support.
BUT .....my render times are totally rediculous now in final cut pro 6.1.
3 to 4 hours for rendering a split screen with a small text . would cost me 2 min in final cut 6.0.

that sux...

In the middle of a blue screen project with a deadline in a week., Guess i m in trouble......

something i read here once a long time ago and always have stuck by it: never update in the middle of a project...

[duct tape]

Thank goodness. It's about time they fixed the superdrive. Mine used to freeze and I'd have to force quit out of itunes on about 25% of the cd's i tried to import.

The "genius bar" guy told me I was crazy and nothing was wrong and one shouldn't expect anything better from a computer as thin as the macbook pro... and went on and on about tolerances, and all the while the cd's imported perfectly fine on any computer that wasn't a macbook.

I later called apple care and after talking to 4 different people was finally able to find someone who realized it was a problem and had me record data of when the problem happened, he told me apple was working on a firmware update, but now that it's 6 months later I was beginning to doubt him, but I guess it was true.

I'm glad apple finally recognized that it was a problem that their computers couldn't read cds. Now it rips those exact same cd's without any freezes or skips. Yay.

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by sennen

that sux...



something i read here once a long time ago and always have stuck by it: never update in the middle of a project...

And even when you do always have a clone of boot drive and data to revert back to. Having produced many TV shows for ESPN on a Mac I learned the hard way. I lost an entire show once (not Mac or Apple fault I should add, it was Adobe Premiere screw up back in '97 I think, before we got Media 100 or FC Pro years later). You never make that mistake twice though. Stacks of clones now

[nvidia2008]

All good in da 'hood on my MacBook Black 2.0ghz Core2Duo. 10.4.10 and new SuperDrive Update. My MacBook White 2.0ghz Core[1]Duo didn't need it as a brand new SuperDrive was put in it for the Matshita that crapped out on me a month+ ago. 10.4.10 there holding.

I am running FolderShare[it's evil but needed for work] backup, DVD+RW backup, and backup .dmg(s) to my AMD64.nVidia8500GT WinXP2Pro box. 2 backup WinXP2Pro Parallels images for Parallels3.0forMac, build 4128.

[nvidia2008]

I suspect this firmware update is to make things more compatible with +R DVD media, perhaps. Just a guess.

[Ste]

Originally Posted by nvidia2008

I suspect this firmware update is to make things more compatible with +R DVD media, perhaps. Just a guess.

The update says it is to improve CD readability, not DVD. I've never had a problem reading DVDs -- even rentals -- but the drive has always been overly sensitive where CDs are concerned. (Sounds like duct tape had the same problem.)

After importing a dozen CDs of varying condition from my local library yesterday, I am happy to confirm that the problem has been fixed by the new firmware. My MBP is now perfect.