QUOTE(zyo @ Jul 18 2011, 11:10 PM)

I guess crossflashing (which is quite common on liteon/mtk dvd drives) might be the way to go once those PCB boards are exhausted.
crossflashing with what exactly?
The only drives/pcbs compatible are 9504/0272,
which are becoming very hard to find, certainly not available in mass numbers, and could be locked by ms,
IF ms choose to send the lock command.