A couple of NEC 3500 Q's

[ACiD303]

OK, Ive done the search before anyone starts slating

Ive just installed the NEC3500 into my machine . . . first thing I thought Id do is to burn a CDR - however, in Nero it only comes up with options up to 32x burning . . . now forgive me if Im wrong, but isnt the NEC supposed to be 48x CDR burning compared to Pioneers 32X burning? It's not the media, media is 48x certified, with it doing 52x reliably in the liteon unit I had in the machine before. any thoughts, Ive done 3 burns to CD at 32x with no otpion for 48x



Ive found on this forum a link to firmwares for the NEC 3500 - tho the one I got to refers itself as the MAD DOG MD-16XDVD9 - is this right?




What is the best software for creating data disks ? Would it just be the same version of Nero Im using just now to burn CDs? Ver is 6.3.2.20.

Cheers guys

[jamadaia]

I find Nero is best all round. Also note there is a newer version out, I believe its 6.3.2.25

[Swafe]

not sure about the cdr burning, maybe firmware? i used to have a 4 speed nec, which only did 2.4x on 4x media, not sure why, but still

nero 6.3 is the way to go, with nero vision express 2 for dvds

[ACiD303]

the CDR burning issue is the biggest problem at the moment

[Swafe]

what is the main problem then ?

[ACiD303]

just been googling . . . it seems some people think the NEC is just picky with what it burns at 48x (CDR wise) and limits everything else to 32x. Anyone else been having this problem?

[ACiD303]

Cant flash firmware either . . . got the windows flasher, but once run, it does absolutely nothing.

Edit: Did it the long way and it worked.

[ACiD303]

OK, new question:

Has anyone tried overburning DVDs with the NEC? If so, what success/failure did you have (how much extra were you trying to burn?) and with what media?

I just tried using a Datawrite Grey Top overburning an extra 30mb (prob a bit too much!) and it didnt even start at 2x.

[Rave]

I tried overburning a DVD to 4500MB. The Grey top DVD-R didn't even start burning, a Bulkpaq +r did burn but failed the overburn, the last 20s of the film were missing. I've since read a review at cdrinfo.com that reckons the 3500 can't overburn DVDs. Maybe a firmware mod will cure it; it's a bit of an annoyance but I'm made up with its performance otherwise, so I'm not going to moan.

Don't know about the CD questions, my other drive is a Yamaha CRW-F1 so the NEC won't be called on for CD duty.

Rich :¬)

Edit: Dunno why the firmware didn't work. I flashed the Herrie 2.17 no problemo.

Edit2: Over use of the word 'dunno'

[ACiD303]

lol, always there to save the day arent ya Rich

Ive flashed the drive now with the 2.F8 BIOS - tho not sure how I can check if it was done right tho unless I actually rip a DVD or something. Which one is the best, 2.17?

It does seem increasingly that the burner can only take specific 48X certified media for 48X CD burning. PANTS! Now I have to buy another rounded IDE cable and find space in my spaceless case for it

[Ch!lledBudwei2e]

Not sure how relevent, but when I burn data its 32x but when I copied a CD full of web data etc it did it at 48x, so might be when copying from another drive or something?

[ACiD303]

Wouldve thought local data would've been the faster option? Even if not, it can cache everything before burning it . . . nah, seems to be a damn media thing. Cant believe Im gonna have to buy specific media just for the "privelege"

[Flibb]

My take on how this works is that the driver maker certiffies media that it can guarantee will work at a set speed and often has a write format developed for it. This gives you a better chance of getting a sucessfull burn without errors. So basically you should get less coasters, or less errors on disks. Havent looked at firmware hacks myself but these allow writting of other media at higher speeds. So your not gettin specific media for the privalege of of speed, your gettin it for a better chance of a sucessfull write.

[ACiD303]

So your not gettin specific media for the privalege of of speed, your gettin it for a better chance of a sucessfull write.

Aye, but you do this anyway with unsuccessful fast burns - you lower the speed . . . I would at least like the option (esp when it markets itself having the capability but not including the fine print) to screw up my own burns through writing too fast or something.

[athlon_xp_2800]

I find Nero is best all round. Also note there is a newer version out, I believe its 6.3.2.25

I just checked the Nero website, but the latest version is 6.3.1.25 .....
Or not?

[Spud1]

afaik you do need certified media...but then why would you use anything else? Its worth the extra £5 or so to get better discs, less coasters made then..