NEC or Pioneer

[dx]

I've had a Pioneer 107 and it's been a great burner, but its not fast enough anymore. Plus DVD drives are quite cheap now. So time to upgrade.

I'm trying to decide between these 2...
1) NEC ND3500A
2) Pioneer DVR-108

From what I've read thus far, the NEC is slightly better, has bitsetting, and is $20 cheaper. As far as software support, firmware (including hacked), DVD/CDR media support, drive reliability, Company reliability, etc., is there any reason to purchase the Pioneer instead?!

Opinions?!

 

[soundforbjt]

In owning both Pioneer and NEC drives, I would say the Pioneer is more "forgiving" with cheap media than NEC is. But using quality media I feel the NEC gives better quality burns. JMO.

 

[ChickenMan]

I just got rid of my Pio 108 and bought the NEC 3500a. I've always used Ritek media and the KProbe scans are substantially better from the NEC by a huge margin. Quality burns is what I'm after. There is Bitsetting firmware for both.

I'd check out when the Pio109 and NEC 3520 are to be released (I think its soon), both have been reported to support -R DL media and higher burn speeds for RW's. Otherwise they are much the same as the 108 and 3500.

 

[slippery]

both have been reported to support -R DL media

-R DL Media?? Didnt know it existed, or was going to.

 

[dx]

-R DL Media?? Didnt know it existed, or was going to.

My Japanese is not all that good, but yes, it seems that it will be.


@ChickenMan... thanks, perhaps I will wait until January then. Even if I go for the ND3500A, it will undoubtedly be cheaper then.

Are the NEC drives better +R or better -R burners... or does it even matter? I usually go for Taiyo-Yuden media (CDR & DVDR), but may go with Rytek meda next spindle.

 

[ChickenMan]

Both the Pioneer & NEC seam to prefer -R media from reading around. Then again I never had any probs with +R media in my 108 when I tested a few out. I've never put a +R into the NEC (and have no real intentions of doing so either). -R media here in Oz is very cheap and far more plentiful than +R. No need for Bitsetting, just burn -R and I've tested a few of my burns on -R media (in my old Pio 105) in probably a 100 or more DVD Players by now and have NOT found one that cant play them yet. Ritek -R's are very good, been using those with the GO5 id and they burn fantastic at 8x in the NEC, as I said before, I get substantially better KProbe scans compared to 4x or 6x burns on the 108. Ritek +R's have had a lot of bad reports.

 

[PC-GUY]

Both the Pioneer & NEC seam to prefer -R media from reading around. Then again I never had any probs with +R media in my 108 when I tested a few out. I've never put a +R into the NEC (and have no real intentions of doing so either). -R media here in Oz is very cheap and far more plentiful than +R. No need for Bitsetting, just burn -R and I've tested a few of my burns on -R media (in my old Pio 105) in probably a 100 or more DVD Players by now and have NOT found one that cant play them yet. Ritek -R's are very good, been using those with the GO5 id and they burn fantastic at 8x in the NEC, as I said before, I get substantially better KProbe scans compared to 4x or 6x burns on the 108. Ritek +R's have had a lot of bad reports.

Thanks for some great input, you have me sold on the NEC.

@ChickenMan... thanks, perhaps I will wait until January then. Even if I go for the ND3500A, it will undoubtedly be cheaper then.

But I'm wondering how much cheaper it can get then $68 @ newegg with shipping? I'm thinking about a xmas gift to me.

Just seen this if you want black $63.99 with free shipping, One Day Sale, Ends 12/14/2004 5:30 PM PST

 

[PC-GUY]

For some more info try a nice review at CDRinfo.

 

[HiBob]

what does KProbe mean and should I buy this drive for backing up movies???

 

[Blane]

KProbe is a CD and DVD Media scanning tool used for checking errors on your discs. I've never tried NEC. Have always used Pioneer because of the cracked firmware. I also own a 108 and haven't had a problem burning all speed dvdrs at 16x.

 

[ponzan]

every last review says NEC NEC NEC

check http://www.trustedreviews.com/article.aspx?art=914


PD maybe not to be blindly trusted, as chickenman below reveals, but this ain't about faith, is about taking informed decisions. Anyway, any other recent reviews I've read nowadays in which plexors and pioneers are included seems to be saying pretty much the same: these are the 3 to choose from; NEC, Pioneer and LG, with NEC leading by the neck. Plexors and Sony may be good ones too, but they ain't pricewise.

 

[ChickenMan]

I wonder why they didnt include top selling units like Pioneer/Benq/Plextor/etc in their testing? Yet they include insignificant rebadged units like the Gigabyte. Yet another biased report.

 

[PC-GUY]

Both the Pioneer & NEC seam to prefer -R media from reading around. Then again I never had any probs with +R media in my 108 when I tested a few out. I've never put a +R into the NEC (and have no real intentions of doing so either). -R media here in Oz is very cheap and far more plentiful than +R. No need for Bitsetting, just burn -R and I've tested a few of my burns on -R media (in my old Pio 105) in probably a 100 or more DVD Players by now and have NOT found one that cant play them yet. Ritek -R's are very good, been using those with the GO5 id and they burn fantastic at 8x in the NEC, as I said before, I get substantially better KProbe scans compared to 4x or 6x burns on the 108. Ritek +R's have had a lot of bad reports.

What firmware are you using?

 

[mojo8850]

Hmmm...

Im Thinking Of Purchasing The Pioneer 108 After Reading This Lot.. Maybe I'll Think Twice..

Anymore Hint's...

 

[PC-GUY]

Hmmm...

Im Thinking Of Purchasing The Pioneer 108 After Reading This Lot.. Maybe I'll Think Twice..

Anymore Hint's...

All I can say is do a search online and read the reviews. I did and I changed my mind. Also lets not forget what chickenman said and did.

 

[ChickenMan]

What firmware are you using?

I'm using the latest 2.18 but patched with the Mad Dog firmware to allow +R and +R DL Bitsetting. For +R DL the Pio 108 has it auto set and unalterable (thats good) but the NEC didnt patch it, so others have. Since I was m=wanting to bun a few DL, I needed it bitset to DVD-ROM. Its also patched for RCP1 and the rip lock removed. No higher than official burning speeds included (which I like ). There are also patched firmware allowing 16x burning on all media but I'm after quality burns, not fast burns.

Just for the record, the Pio 108 is a fantastic unit and identical to the NEC spec wise (even uses the same NEC chipset). All my friends have the 108, but the excellent burn quality of the NEC reported by many needed to be checked out. I can confirm, I get substantially better Kprobe scans from the NEC than from my old 108. I have only used Ritek G05 -R media since owning the NEC so how it goes with other media I have no idea at this stage, but all reports say its very forgiving (like the Pio 108) with all media, just prefering the -R (from others reporting). The -R blanks are cheaper and more plentiful than the +R's here in Oz so that suits me, may not others. My DVD Players also play every thing I throw at them as well, be it -R +R or DL This may not be the case for everyone and needs to be taken into consideration.

 

[PC-GUY]

I'm using the latest 2.18 but patched with the Mad Dog firmware to allow +R and +R DL Bitsetting. For +R DL the Pio 108 has it auto set and unalterable (thats good) but the NEC didnt patch it, so others have. Since I was m=wanting to bun a few DL, I needed it bitset to DVD-ROM. Its also patched for RCP1 and the rip lock removed. No higher than official burning speeds included (which I like ). There are also patched firmware allowing 16x burning on all media but I'm after quality burns, not fast burns.

I'm guessing you meant 2.F8? From what I've read it does what you're talking about.
Any info on the newer firmware?

Thu Aug 12, 2004 9:07 pm Mad Dog MD-16XDVD9 Mad Dog MD-16XDVD9 - 2.F6, 2.F8, 2.F9, 2.FA
Beta region free, (RPC-1) firmware is available here. Patched by The Dangerous Brothers.
Firmware 2.F8 allows full bitsetting capabilities for both single layer and double layer DVD+R media as well as DVD+RW discs.
OEM NEC ND-3500AG
RPC-2
Also I found this at CDRinfo about the firmware flashing.

 

[ChickenMan]

Well sort of, but as I said Liggie patched the Mad Dog firmware into the NEC firmware, so I still have a NEC 3500 instead of a Mad Dog xxxxx.

If you want to know whats the latest firmware and whats happening with the NEC, cdfreaks NEC forum would have to be the best as all the firmware hackers hang out there.

This is where I got the firmware from http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=114665
"I used the bitsetting code from MadDog 2.fa and integrated it into the 2.18 firmware....Riplock is removed, RPC1 included." I just used the Binflasher file to flash it, took a whole 10seconds

 

[dx]

I'd check out when the Pio109 and NEC 3520 are to be released (I think its soon), both have been reported to support -R DL media and higher burn speeds for RW's. Otherwise they are much the same as the 108 and 3500.

I'm ready to buy now... waited long enough.

I'm thinking of going with the NEC 3520. Seems many of the early reported issues are gone. I've read about some issues with the Pioneer A09. A friend has an Pioneer A09XL and is having compatibility issues with various high quality media. There is a new firmware out though.

I'm thinking of going with a Black one as it will have a black tray. I've been reading that black trays seem to do slightly better burns other colors (usu. beige). Opinions?!

 

[PC-GUY]

I'm ready to buy now... waited long enough.

I'm thinking of going with the NEC 3520. Seems many of the early reported issues are gone. I've read about some issues with the Pioneer A09. A friend has an Pioneer A09XL and is having compatibility issues with various high quality media. There is a new firmware out though.

I'm thinking of going with a Black one as it will have a black tray. I've been reading that black trays seem to do slightly better burns than other colors (usu. beige). Opinions?!.

Your joking right?