There was an unofficial beta version unveiled.
It can shift DVD-R/RW ability to DVD+R DL ability and vice versa.
You will get a new version B3J7 as it flash back to dual fimware.

ScreenShot：822a DL firmware：B3XC

Where can you download the unofficial firmware for DL?

Link?

Notice the 2mb Buffer??? It's obviously a 830A fimware

The beta DL firmware swith tool was unveiled on a thread of PCDVD Chinese forum in Taiwan.

Notice that the switch tool is written in Traditional Chinese.
There is no guarantee if anyone want to use it！
Take the risks on your own.

No need to risk with this one, BenQ will release a new firmware for DW822A drives on Sep. 30!

seven days to go.... I wonder what happens if they're not releasing it on the 30th

I heard that it might be delayed till the 1st week of October.

Do you guys have DL media waiting to be burnt?

DL media is far too expensive here in the states for me. I'll be waiting for the official Benq firmware and the media prices to drop eventually.

yes and hoping for better burning on -r media

I had successfully complete a DL recording by 800a@822a DL firmware B3XC.

It truly works and make both 800a and 822a become a DL machine via windows-interface firmware flasher and vice versa.

i will not try this fw since it only seems to be reading 2mb and 822 should read 8mb. this seems to be a 830 fw since it only shows 2mb and no support for -R/RW media.
it could als be a pain to flash back to 800 or 822 since it was not easy to begin with

By any signs that I might wonder it will be the RC flasher.
It has a highly possibility that it will be the 822a DL supporting mode.(One strongly reason is that newest version of B3JC！！)

And there is no pain to flash via this. You can change the model type anytime if you want.

if you look at the nero info tool picture above you will see no support for -R/RW media

There is no need to see that in Nero info tool.
If you can read Traditional Chinese, you will know what is going on by this switch tool and its reason by doing this.

I had point out this by the first post that it "shift DVD-R/RW ability to DVD+R DL ability"

if you can fully read it and comprehend it why dont you elaborate on it

My advice: Stay away from this. It sounds very risky without any need. Wait 5 days for the official firmware and you are done...

Yeah～ I do understand.
I was busy yesterday and I was thinking about how to express the switch tool's statement by my poor Chinese to English translation.

Here is my try.
「BenQ DW822A DL,DVD-R/RW switch tool
Attention! This tool is only designed to switch [DVD-R/-RW] and [DL recording] on BenQ 822A and can't be used on other models.

Because of too large size,[DL] and [DVD-R/RW] firmware can't coexist on the same time in DW822A. The switch tool is specially developed to switch the ability and vice versa for DW822A users.

The tool is no limit and you can switch the ability anytime if you want.


Precaution：
1.Don't use this tool if your DW822A is in a USB enclosure.
2.Please confirm that there is no disc in DW822A.
3.Please don't power off when the tool is working.
4.Please make sure that all windows applications are shut down.」

ScreenShot：



It is obviously unofficial and deadline made by BenQ is oncoming.
I also suggest users not in Taiwan needn't to take the risk because it's easy to get a fixing service here in TW and the tool is written in TC. Benq's Custermer Service is really excellent here！！I must give them a thumb-up！

There are 5 days left for the official firmware.

@starless
thanx for trying
sounds kind of odd that you would have to switch back and forth to disable and enable each feature. I don't remeber seeing anything like this being done. It could be a first if it is at all true.

Welcome~

And by the statement form, it does look like a Release Candidate or so........

Anyway, we will see.

In fact, its not too hard to find the information inside that firmware file.
And its no need to try to translate it
Below is from its string table.
I personally think starless is right.
It has a highly possibility that it will be the official 822a DL supporting mode.

So does this mean that if you only use + media that you'd only need to switch it to DL once, since + writing and DL can co-exist in the same firmware?

Hmmm, DL and -R excluding each other? That would truly suck big time

The official 822a DL firmware showed up today!

Firmware (B3JCX)
Release Date:
30-Sep-2004


「Release Reason:

1. Support DVD+R DL writing (support DVD-R/RW writing by firmware switch) 」

Check it on Benq firmware download page.

Well, I'm having a theory. Please tell me what you think.

The switching-tool switches between the following:

DVD+R(W), DVD-R(W) 8MB =[DW822A]
and
DVD+R(W), DVD+R(DL) 2MB =[DW830A]

So my theory is, that the real 822 DL-Firmware is simply not ready yet, by whatever reason.
So they asked their attourney whether this is big deal, and he answered:
Publish something!! It doesn't have to work perfect. But publish something on the 30. of September!!

So after my theory what Benq did is: Publish a tool to switch between 822 and 830 Firmwares until the real 822 DL-Firmware is ready.

Because I never heard of something like this before, my theory is that the 'not enough space in the flash-ROM' story is just a marketing-fake. Also keep in mind that they are saying: We are still working on a solution....