news

23.11.2009:    QPxtool-0.7.0 RC3 released

• NEC scan plugin: fixed returning drive to normal operation after test finished
• probing implemented in all plugins
• spec file: libs package splitted from main, paths fixed
• qscan: added spare area info for DVD-RAM media
• fixed write transfer rate could not start on DVD+R on non-PLEXTOR drives
• fixed reading DVD+R capacities on ASUS DRW-2014

• source code
• SlackWare 12.2 (built with QT 4.4.2)
• SlackWare64 13.0

09.11.2009:    QPxtool-0.7.0 RC2 released

• fixed some bugs with big-endian CPU's (tested on SPARC)

• source code
• SlackWare 12.2 (built with QT 4.5.2)
• SlackWare64 13.0

02.11.2009:    QPxtool-0.7.0 RC1 released

• spec file: qpxtool separated to 3 packages: main, devel, gui
• man pages: device names section is for all supported platorms now
• added test speeds reporting by plugins
• libqpxtransport: bus scaning code reworked
• gui: fixed test capabilities updating when selecting plugin

• source code
• SlackWare64 13.0

18.10.2009:    QPxtool-0.7.0-pre6 released

• works under FreeBSD again (tested in 7.2)
• mans path changed to man1 (except pxfw one)
• added some path options to configure script
• some MacOSX fixes in configure script
• some code cleanup
• fixes in transport code
• some minor bugfixes
• gui:
  • added color presets
  • added qscan plugin selection
  • optimized print preview

• source code

01.10.2009:    QPxtool-0.7.0-pre5 released

• added parameters to configure script
• successfully builds on OpenBSD (needs GNU Make) all features work with libpng qt4 installed
• some fixes for 64-bit machines

• source code
• SlackWare 12.2
• SlackWare64 13.0
• SUSE 11.1
• win32 (mingw), mingwm10.dll included

22.09.2009:    QPxtool-0.7.0-pre4 released

• added configure script
• successfully builds on NetBSD (needs GNU Make), cli only
• some fixes in results printing/saving
• readdvd: output image file option '-i' changed to more obvisious '-o'

• source code

11.09.2009:    QPxtool-0.7.0-pre3 released

• another fixes in error correction results
• TA graph added to printed/saved results

• source code
• SlackWare 12.2 i386 package
• SlackWare 13.0 i386 package

31.08.2009:    QPxtool-0.7.0-pre2 released

• fixed average values in error correction results
• fixed build on x86-64 systems

• source code
• SlackWare 12.2 i386 package
• OpenSUSE 11.1 i386 package

25.08.2009:    QPxtool-0.7.0-pre1 released

• win32 (mingw32) and experimental MacOS X support
• qpxtool GUI completely rewritten using Qt4 (GUI is just frontend now)
• deadreader renamed to readdvd
• merged pxcontrol and pioquiet (named cdvdcontrol now)
• added qscan: console quality scan tool
• added qscand: network wrapper for qscan
• added f1tattoo: DiscT@2 tool for Yamaha CRW-F1
• qpxtool (gui)
  • simultaneous scan on multiple drives
  • logarythmic/linear scale for error correction graph
  • user defined graph colors
  • results printing
• readdvd
  • multithread reading using multiple drives
  • CSS-protected DVD's reading
• cdvdcontrol
  • added DVD+R(W) testwrite control
  • added MQCK support
• pxfw
  • supports Premium-2
  • fixed eeprom reading on Premium and PX-712
  • fixed Premium checksum calc error
• and more...

• linux Installation Instructions
• windows Installation Instructions
• MacOS Installation Instructions

29.03.2008:    patch QPxtool 0.6.1 and kernel above 2.6.23

• patch to prevent:

19.08.2007:    QPxTool 0.6.1 released

• Makefile-based build, thanks to Mike Frysinger
• added 'uninstall' target
• pxfw & pxcontrol man pages: Thomas Maguin
• some code cleanup
• pxfw now in QPxTool package
• new tool called deadreader - multi-pass damaged discs reading
• pxcontrol: full AutoStrategy support
• pxcontrol: experimental AS database save/load, PX755/PX760 only
  (PX755 output is buggy, PX760 is more or less stable)
• media change detection
• it was unable to set Silent Mode speed limits for CD in 0.6.0
• fixed Plextor FE/TE scan if it's not standalone scan
• fixed problem with NEC PIE & PIF scan on DVD+RW
• fixed bug with DVD-ROM results saving
• fixed Cx scan stability issue
• fixed SegFault at the and of PIE/PIF scan on LiteOn and Pioneer drives
• fixed compilation problems on some Linux distributions

13.06.2007:    QPxTool 0.6.1-rc2 released

• added deadreader
• added pxfw 0.3
• added ASDB export function to pxcontrol (experimental)
• fixed NEC segfault
• new buildsystem
• some minor bugfixes

16.11.2006:    QPxTool 0.6.0.9 snapshot

• scons has been removed
• some minor bugfixes

16.11.2006:    pxfw-0.2.1 released

• force flashing option (may be useful on PX-712 and older models)
• Plextor drive reboot command
• eeprom reading

25.08.2006:    qpxtool-0.6 released

• scons is used to compile stuff now
• transport and vendor-specific code moved to separate libraries,
  you can use it for you purposes, but API is far to be stable
• more informative SCSI error reporting
• stability improved:)
• Pi/Cx graph plot rewritten (readability improved)
• POF on Plextor drives
• C1/C2 on Pioneer drives
• generic C2 scan on drives supported C2-pointers
• changes in Pioneer PIE/PIF scan
  (especialy DVR-111 support improved)
• one-pass PIE/PIF sum8 scan on many drives
  (separate PIF sum1 on Plextor and Nec only)
• scale for all tests (except TA) in saved html
• SecuRec support
• Pioneer QuietMode support (for XL modifications)
• pioquiet - console Pioneer QuietMode control tool
• fixed CD-R detection problems on some drives
• changed CD track list reading algorythm,
  now it should also work on old MMC-1 drives
• transfer rate can be performed on Audio-CD now if drive can do DAE
• spinup is a time-controled now, not fixed sectors count
• problem with resolving png's path if it's relative
  (then saving results as html)
• various minor bugfixes
• some bugfixes in pxcontrol

13.07.2006:    qpxtool-0.5.4 released

• PxControl 0.9 - console Plextor control tool
  (it's in the qpxtool package)
• more drives supported, may be PX-740A too, but untested
• some code cleanup
• minor bugfixes

23.06.2006:    pxfw-0.2 released

• checking firmware checksum
• checking FW and drive match

05.06.2006:    qpxtool-0.5.3 released

• PIE/PIF scan on Lite-On drives
• C1/C2 and PIE/PIF on BenQ drives (unstable)

29.05.2006:    qpxtool-0.5.2 released

• PIE/PIF scan on NEC drives
• manual vendor-specific command set selection was buggy - fixed now
  NB: some drives may hang at this time, if you select Lite-On commands

27.05.2006:    qpxtool-0.5.1 released

• manual selection of vendor specific command set for you drive,
  if automatic recognition fails.
  Please report INQUIRY of your drive and command set, if it works!
• more realistic PIE/PIF scan results on Pioneer drives.
  now it runs with 8ECC interval, also results changed interpreting
• Extended CD scan for Plextor drives.
  it shows BLER, E11, E21, E31, E12, E22, E32!
  (this graphs are automatically included in saved html if Cx is checked)
  see this page as example
• autoclearing tests results before new scan

15.05.2006:    pxfw - Plextor Firmware updates on your linux box

• get the new firmware update program from the download section to proceed Plextor firmware updates on your linux box.

14.05.2006:    qpxtool now with forum

• added a forum to the QPxTool Website

19.03.2006:    qpxtool-0.5 released

• Plextor PX-755 and PX 760 now realy works! (with Plexluthor FW)
• Plextor PX-130 support (C1/CU scan, NO C2)
• PIE/PIF scan on Pioneer drives
• C1/C2 scan on LiteOn drives
• disc lock and eject ability
• full VariRec support:
  separate change Laserpower & Strategy for CD & DVD
• PoweRec support
• shows GigaRec rate of inserted CD
• Silent Mode support
• Bitsetting for DVD+R & DVD+R DL
• Simulation on DVD+R(W)
• AutoStrategy support
• PlexEraser support
• FE/TE test
• some optimizations for lower CPU usage
• drive selection is disabled during scan to prevent some problems
• fixed speed detection problems on some DVD drives
  supported Realtime Streaming but refuses GET_PERFORMANCE command

16.03.2006:    new FAQ and Glossar

• added new English FAQ
• added new German FAQ
• added new English Glossar
• added new German Glossar

26.01.2006:    qpxtool-0.4.3 released

• fixed Maximum Speed Selection, sets aximum speed on ALL drives now.
• shows CD-R(W) manufacturer
• Jitter scale is now in percentage
• added SpindownTime Setting
  (doesn't work on Plextor drives with DVD inserted)
• reduced CPU usage during TransferRate test
• supports SpeedDetection instead fixed speeds list

25.01.2006:    FAQ language support

• the FAQ is now available in German.
• feel free to send more translated FAQ

04.01.2006:    qpxtool in gentoo portage

• qpxtool-0.4.2 is now in gentoo portage.

28.12.2005:    PX-755 support needs more time

• q-checks for PX-755 are not supported at the moment. For further information read:

11.12.2005:    qpxtool-user.patch

• this is a patch for user q-checks with kernels between 2.6.8 and 2.6.14-rc1 see root problem - known problems

09.12.2005:    qpxtool-0.4.2 released

• fixed average CD read speed
• fixed Segmentation Fault when selecting CD-ROM drive

29.11.2005:    qpxtool-0.4.1 released

• 'C2/PIF' in Pi/Cx tab was called 'C1/PIF' in 0.4.0
• some minor bugfixes

04.11.2005:    qpxtool-0.4.0 released

• tracks information displaying (type, duration...)
• TA results clearing
• results saving as .html or individual .png's

30.10.2005:    qpxtool-0.3.5.8 released

30.10.2005:    qpxtool-0.3.5 released

• added DVD type detection on DVD-ROM
• added C1/C2 scan on NEC drives

25.10.2005:    FAQ has become beta now

• many thanks to Alexander Noé for corrections and improvements

24.10.2005:    qpxtool-0.3.4 released

• result clearing ability
• some GUI changes
• speed setting method now different for CD and DVD
• swaped DVD-RW Sequential and Restricted Overwrite

20.10.2005:    qpxtool-0.3.3 released

• simple build script added to prevent compilation problems
• some GUI changes, added status and menu bar
• test order changed: now Transfer Rate runs first
• C1/C2/CU total and max error rate were zeroed at the end of scan
• now zeroing writable size if drive is not writer, because readers can't perfectly detect free size