HAIER HD700 FIRMWARE FOR APEX/HITEKER AD-600A
Here it is!!!! Thanks to <JockyW> and Nowhereman here is the HAIER HD-700 firmware which is capable of playing MiniDVD and has 1.5X zoom feature and has been modified to work in an Apex/Hiteker AD-600A player with proper remote control functions.
This firmware is Macrovision disabled, Regionless and RCE immune.
The HD700 firmware behaves a lot like the later versions of AD-600A firmware like N6 and GK600B, with the addition of MiniDVD. To enable MiniDVD playback you need to enter the setup menu (press SETUP on the remote control) and then follow the in-screen instructions. To access the usual preferences screen, press the SETUP button again.
WARNING: MiniDVD and MP3 may be a problem for players with an older DSL600 drive. Some of the older DSL600 drives cannot keep up - your milage may vary so be careful. This is ONLY a problem with MiniDVD and sometimes MP3, and does not affect CD/VCD/DVD playback. The DSL710 loaders will work fine. The HD700 firmware has also been tried with a Raite RDR-202H and a CDROM drive (thanks Dano) and both play excellent MiniDVD.
UPDATE Nov 14, 2001: The HD700 firmware has now been updated to work properly with the front panel buttons. Thanks to Nowhereman for this hack!
WARNING!!! HAIER HD700 firmware will work with or without karaoke chip equipped players and ES4308 or ES4318 processors, HOWEVER it will ONLY work with standard ADV7170 video chip players which luckily is about 95% of the AD-600A players out there. If your player uses an ADV7175 or ADV7176 video chip you will not be able to use this firmware, sorry.
Or to put it another way, this firmware will work in all AD-600A players, except those equipped with A7, A10 or GK600B/ADV7176 firmware (standard GK600B firmware is OK).
Don't know what your video chip is? Look at this picture!
This is a picture of an ES4308 board. The video chip is in the same place on an ES4318 board. Read the printed numbers on the chip. If it says ADV7170 you can use HD700 firmware. If it says ADV7175 or ADV7176 you cannot use HD700 firmware.
THE FIRMWARE!!!
NOTE: This is EXPERIMENTAL so if you are not confident at playing with your current firmware then DO NOT USE THIS FIRMWARE.
Also be aware that on SOME players the firmware MAY cause you to lose analogue audio output. There is no pattern as to which players will and which won't, but it is known it DOES involve the karaoke chip. Therefore if you DO have a karaoke chip be warned. If you do happen to lose audio then you have two options:
1. Remove the karaoke chip. Details HERE
OR
2. Re-install your old firmware.
Click HERE for HD700 firmware for the AD-600A
(now with front panel buttons fixed)
Can this firmware be CDR upgraded? YES! If you are fortunate enough to have one of the very few CDR upgradable AD-600A players you can upgrade to HD700 by CDR.
REMEMBER!!! Your AD-600A recognises CDR upgrades differently depending on what firmware you currently have. Here is a list of the firmware and what filename it expects:
GK600A and GK600B looks for a file called "UGK600AM.ROM"
N6 looks for a file called "U600NAM.ROM"
N1-4 looks for a file called "U600N1AM.ROM"
Therefore depending on the firmware you have you will need to rename the HD700 firmware accordingly before burning it to a CDR for your player to accept the upgrade. Other firmware not listed above WILL NOT CDR UPGRADE. Also remember that most AD-600A players are equipped with a non-reprogrammable firmware chip therefore CDR upgrading is in 99% of cases NOT POSSIBLE.
The procedure for CDR upgrading (if your AD-600A supports it) is as follows:
1. Download the file and unzip it.
2. Rename the UHD700MM.ROM file to suit your firmware (see above list)
3. Burn the renamed .ROM file to a CDR disc. (Mode 1 format)
4. Turn on the power to the AD-600A DVD player
5. Open the tray
6. Insert the CD into the tray
7. Close the tray
8. The DVD player will begin upgrading. You may see some screen corruption. This is OK
9. When finished upgrading, player will eject disc
10. Take out the CD
11. Turn the power back on and close the tray
DO NOT POWER OFF THE PLAYER DURING THE UPGRADE PROCESS Allow several minutes to complete. The process is over when the CD ejects by itself.
NOTE: To CDR upgrade you need a flashrom inside your player already capable of doing CDR upgrades to the firmware. If the CDR upgrade does not work for you and you have named the file correctly then your player can only be upgraded by programming the chip in an external chip programmer.
If you are not happy with HD700 firmware you can always flash back to your old firmware by renaming the old firmware filename to "UHD700MM.ROM" and burning that to a CDR.
