cant burn with nec 3500

[fishboy]

can anybody tell me which firmware to use and where to get it
i have a load of discs of various brands all with a Disc id TTGO2
and a nec 3500 burner
im sure i should be able to burn these discs with it but i cant i always get read errors while verifying
i have the latest firmware from the nec site but it dont help
if its not a firmware problem then what is it
its really uncoOoOoOl

[fishboy]

oh yeh i should have added
the burner itself is ok - i burn other discs just fine with it

[NightTran]

there are every thing you need to know in Blu's sig

blu's sig

[locoeng]

Those are TDK discs and are not held in high regards...try some quality media from Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden, Sony, Fuji, Maxell(made in Japan).

Here are some modified NEC firmwares: http://www.micheldeboer.nl/firmware/

[fishboy]

actually thats a popular misconception- tdk discs may not be held in high regard- but i think its a reflection of there price rather than there performance
their tapes used to suffer from the same stigma even though they were actually amongst the best
but if you check they do very well when tested
admittedly these tests are for faults per disc and general performance rather than compatability
but compatability issues are more the drive manufactureres realm and their failure to take the effort to update the firmwares more often and more thoroughly
thanks for the firmwares link its appreciated
but i do find that theres very little info on what the firmwares are updated to
they are more concerned with making them region free and removing the speed locks on them ,in my experience
its mostly trial and error -
and a risky trial at that
but i shall still check the links - thanks

[Dan]

I have used 100+ TDK DVD+R on my LG and NEC without a failed burn. They may not be the best, but certainly aren't the worst IMO.

[locoeng]

I'm not referring to the price, but the quality...TDK's like Memorex, Imation and many other brands outsource to different manufacturers to make the discs for them. The difference between them and the others is they may still code out as using TDK dye, and may in fact be CMC Mags or come from another undesireable source...Fakes. So while TDK by themselves may be good, the fact remains that you don't really know what you are getting. They may have steered away from this practice, but I'm still not inclined to recommend them. If they work for you use them, this is the true test

I use the modified f/w from that site for my 3540A and have no problems with it...

[fishboy]

well that is certainly food for thought - i certainly would not like be to using cmc fakes
does anyone know if the source you buy the discs from helps
are they less likely to be fakes if you buy them say from svp rather than ukdvdr
is there anyway of checking whether or not there fakes - any inspection?
actually im gradually coming down on the side of svp in general
they are a little more expensive than ukdvdr but there customer attitude
and service are superb in my experience
while ukdvdr make you post faulty stuff back at your own cost - the cost of which comes to more than the product value
i have a sneaking suspicion that svps sources may be a bit more reliable
but it may be no more than that- a suspicion
anyhoo - i digress
does the modified fimware cover a multitudeof disc ids - becuase the official nec one for the 3500 could be better
and thats the trouble ,for me with modified firmware they never list the ids its compatible with
has it got all the same ones as the officail firmware plus more
or is it merely a different assortment
and since they never give you a list of compatible ids it seems pot luck whether or any particular firmware will cover the discs i want it too
or am i missing something

[locoeng]

Here is where I get the info on the TDK's, they are listed as first class media, however, if you read down towards the bottom they explain about the "legal fakes". TDK may have stepped away from this strategy, but who knows.

As for the firmware, I can't comment on the media compatability because I don't have your drive and don't use your media....I use the hacked f/w from this site and find it to be reliable, and I use Maxell's(made in Japan). The good thing is, the site also offers original firmware, so take your pick.

[fishboy]

thats kind of my case in point
i know this particular firmware site and i have spent a couple of hours looking at it and scratching my head
there is a bewildering array of firmware for my burner - it must be in 3 fig ures or close too
how am i supposed to know which is the right one to use
not forgetting that we are warned about using the wrong firmware, all over the place or my pc will explode or something
while i am quite comfortable upgrading with the official firmware from nec
i am a little wary of using a hacked one that i know nothing about
and even if i was happy too - like i say im taking a risk and i dont even know whether or not it covers the required ids
i assume the ones that have rpc 1 next to them are no good if your in zone 2

[locoeng]

The firmware supplied by the deboler site I linked you to earlier actually comes from Liggy and Dee...Here is their FAQ on the NEC firmware.

You can also find a list of compatable media in this link.

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?p=1161940#post1161940

RPC1 actually means region free, so it would matter what region you are in, the patch should still work.

Q: What is RPC1 and do I need it?
A: RPC1 is a general term used for region free. This patch will make your drive region free; however, region free software will also be required to enjoy DVD region free playback on your PC. If you have DVD discs from only one region, there is really no need for this patch. For more info, you may like to check this out here.

Chewy, I believe uses the 3550 and I'm suprised he hasn't chimed in on this thread yet. I also have a buddy on another site who uses the modified f/w for his 3550 and has reported any problems to me.

I'm not here to goad you into using the modified firmware, nor am I hear to argue with you about the help that you've requested. I've given you all the resources you should need to make an informed decision, so now the choice is yours.

Good Luck.

After reviewing the initial post I realize I've used the wrong NEC drive as an example (oops) but I'm not going to change my whole post because the jist is still the same, regardless of the model number.

[Gary D]

Here is a link to videohelp about TDK:

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia.php?dvdmediasearch=TDK&dvdmediadvdridsearch=&type=6&size=All&dvdburnspeed=All&order=Name&hits=100&search=Search+or+List+Media

See how many different manufacturers there are of TDK's. It is turkey shoot at best because you generally can't see what you are buying before you buy it. Therefore, make sure the retailer has a good return policy.

[atifsh]

i have TDK writer which is NEC 3500A, iv updated the firmware with latest but few of my dvd's didnt read on it, so i downgrade a step and it worked fine, just to check i again updated th firmware , this time it works fine.....hmm maybe a update problem.

u may try different firmwares tobe sure.

[fishboy]

its a rare retailer that will let you return discs just becuase they are incompatible- if anybody knows one please tell me -
theres a cry in the wilderness

[photo_angel2004]

you can always use them for data from you pc.