NEC 2500A Drawbacks?

[NetTechie]

I am thinking of buying a NEC 2500A, and I am wondering what drawbacks it has.

I am new to dvd burners altogether, what re issues you run into with them, and are to be avoided?

I have heard burning quality (pixilation during dvd watching I guess) is something to be avoided, and that this NEC does very well in this respect.

I have also heard that the NEC 2500A does not support buffer underrun with nero, that the option can not be enabled. Has this been fixed with a newer firmware, or is this still true?

What other things are there that one should have, besides buffer underrun on a dvd drive?

Another thing to watch out for is support of different types of DVD-R media, and the ability to burn cheaper media, or so I read. This drive does well in this respect?

I have heard that DVD burners now burn in the dvd drive's serial number onto every dvd they copy. Is this true? If so, is this only an issue with newer drivers or firmware, or is this something entirely software so just using older burning software will prevent it?

My prime use for this drive will be to make copies of DVD movies, and backup of data (my 160GB hard drive is full to the brim). If this is not the best drive out there, what is? I'm willing to put out extra $ if I have to, to get the best. I am not stuck on speed, if a older or slower drive is better for any reason, I'm interested in it.

I will be backing up very important data... losing it could effect my career. What media is the best? What recording type is the best (+/-)? What speed is the best to burn at for error free data and movie backups?

I will also be backing up movies I have in avi and other formats, and I will be making copies of copy-protected movies. Burning in RAW format can override computer game copy protection, does this drive support that kind of burning format? Is RAW burning option important for DVD backups?

I have heard you can not copy a copy of a dvd? Why is this? Is there a workaround? I figure you could rip it to divx, and then reconvert it back to dvd format.... but what are the other options? How can this be done the best way?

Well, hope I didn't ask to many questions for one post, but I really appreciate any help!!!!!

This forum rocks by the looks, I look forward to your replies.

Thanks in advance!

NetTechie

[Vanderlow]

Make sure you talk in terms of backing up copy protected movies you own in here or you'll get your thread closed...so we'll assume that (not by me either).

You can copy a copy of a movie. I think some s/w puts a mark on it like dvdxcopy, but not all s/w.

One draw back is the NEC has a 5x rip speed, but I think there's a hacked firmware that will uncap that.

[drewson99]

One draw back is the NEC has a 5x rip speed, but I think there's a hacked firmware that will uncap that.

is that true? I just bought it as an 8X.

go here to view my probs with the 2500A:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=205692&highlight=

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=204664&highlight=

other than those probs (big probs though) I had a great experience with my first 30 burns or so. prolly a fluke?

[jawgee]

...One draw back is the NEC has a 5x rip speed, but I think there's a hacked firmware that will uncap that.

How the hell can NEC advertise this drive as reading at 12x if the you're saying it only reads at 5x? That's an alarming difference in speed!! Are you talking about average or max read speed?

Thanks,
jawgee

[jawgee]

Nevermind...just read a review about the 2500A that stated that for DVD-Video, the drive was locked at 5x for quiet operation while watching a DVD. Data DVDs will rip much faster. I wonder if an app like AnyDVD or DVDIdle can open up the drive so that it can rip DVD videos at its maximum speed?

Thanks,
jawgee

[NetTechie]

So rip speed could be a drawback? Ok... you mentioned a hacked firmware... any idea how to find it? Keywords or project name, anything?

The serial of the DVD drive being written into the DVD... that's totally software? Good... just use software that doesn't do it to get around that?

Anybody know a good site describing how to get around the verious DVD copy protection? At least maybe describe how they work? You could pm me the link(s) if so, since I don't want this thread deleted.

This thread is not on the subject of hacked firmware though, so please open a new topic if you want to get into discussing that. I want to know the drives drawbacks in comparison with other drives, before I spend $ on it.

[elmotheteapot]

If something as important as a career depends on its, aswell as a dvd burner invest in something like a tape drive or Magnetic Optical Drive for reliability, or even a 2nd HDD, itll be worth having that peacre of mind for you career. BTW ive heard that the 2500A is one of thebest 8x burner,supposedly better than the Pioneer 107, NEc have made improvements over the ND1300A

[NetTechie]

I already store data on a disconnected spare hard drive... but I don't feel it is very safe, since hard drives can get corrupted when you connect them to a pc, and a lot of things can go wrong. Plus, that's only one copy. I want to make multiple copies of my data and store them in different places. DVDR's are pretty reliable now by the looks... and piece of mind knowing I have more than one copy.

Since I posted this I have been doing a lot of reading, and have found that DVD drives have different tastes, and sometimes don't eat just any old DVDR. The NEC seems to take a lot of media, and it burns very reliable recordings, plus it is quieter than most drives. I have also found out it doesn't work with Mount Rainer (is this important?), and can't read DAO lead in and lead out (whatever that ammounts to?), and it also is a slower overall reader than others. Other than that, I haven't found any drawbacks worth noting. Any I should know about? I'm about set to buy it.

By the way, anybody know if the buffer underrun works good on this drive? My current cd burner is really oldschool (8x cdr), and doesn't have that. I can't use my computer when it is burning a cd or it gives me a coaster. Will this underrun thing fix that? So I can use the computer while it burns? Or is that not advisable?

[NetTechie]

From all I read it doesn't seem like there really is any copy protection on DVDs like there is on games for example...? You just have to have a decrypter and that's it?! Big problem is getting a DVD-9 to fit on a DVD-5 size disk... essentially half the capacity.

[Kingnog]

From all I read it doesn't seem like there really is any copy protection on DVDs like there is on games for example...? You just have to have a decrypter and that's it?! Big problem is getting a DVD-9 to fit on a DVD-5 size disk... essentially half the capacity.

LOL, what's your 'career' ... a movie pirate?!

[blinky]

According to the details that Nero gives my 2500A support Just-Link which is equilavent to Burn-Proof (which is Sanyo's Trademarked method).

Only slight issue with mine is that Datasafe 8x +R media (RitekR03) only burns at 4x, but this will be corrected with a firmware updates. Bukpaq DVD-RW 2x disks (Ritek) also work fine. The writing quality is excellent. Everything I've burnt plays without problem on in the 2500A, my JLMS (liteon) 166S and my Aiwa AX10. Just waiting for my Verbatim Datalife Plus 4x to arrive so I can burn at 8x at the moment.

Very quiet drive (I usually have to check the light to see it is actually doing something).

The 12x speed stated is for data reading not video. Most DVD writers have their rip speeds locked down by the manufacturer (e.g. Pioneer A06/106 is locked at 2x). A hacked firmware will increase the speed. The exact ripping speed depends on the disk and whether it is single or dual layer.

As to the extraction speed not being the same as the claimed read speed, this is to be expected. c.f. CD-ROM's / Writer's where the DAE speed is much lower than the data read speed.

I'd personally get a separate DVD-ROM for ripping. They are very cheap these days and it saves wear and tear on your DVD Writer.

[NetTechie]

Are you using the hacked firmware? I found the site on it, and it appears to be worthwhile to apply it, since it makes the drive region free and no cap on extraction. However it also makes the drive not write certain DVDR brands for some reason (maybe it's the base base firmware?), or so I was reading. Any thoughts?

Regarding Kingnogs remark: Backing up personal data and copying a copy protected dvd are two distinctly different things. Copying dvd's has nothing to do with my career. lol.

[wonderuss]

I have heard that DVD burners now burn in the dvd drive's serial number onto every dvd they copy. Is this true? If so, is this only an issue with newer drivers or firmware, or is this something entirely software so just using older burning software will prevent it?

If a dvd is burnt on a copybox or if done on a pc with recording software the drive's Make, Model & serial number are embedded onto the disc, it's not the software...... it's the burner.

[steve2713]

The NEC 2500 doesn't have any major drawbacks, if you want a burner that does an excellent job of burning discs the 2500 is a GREAT drive.

[ofbarea]

If you want double layer support, try using Herrie’s NEC firmware 1.07v2 Beta 5 DLBS. During my OWN testing I got the best result with this firmware http://herrie.rpc1.org/downloads/2k5107v2b5dld.rar. You could also use Herrie’s firmware 1.08v3-2. This version was OK, but I had some problem burning to HP 8X DVD+ media (the older version was OK). You could get the files in here: http://herrie.rpc1.org/downloads/2x00/2xx0v3-2.rar

For Single layer burning I obtained best results using The Dangerous Brothers HP 420n 1.31 Firmware reporting as "_NEC DVD_RW ND-2500A" - Rip Lock, Bit Setting. Get the firmware file in here: http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_file.php?site=tdb1&file=2500_131.ZIP

Since this file only contains the binary firmware file, use Binflash Win32 GUI v1.16 to flash your drive from windows. Get this great little tool from here: http://binflash.cdfreaks.com/

I forgot to mention. There is a rev.2 of NEC 25x0 (108v3-2/218v3-2) hacked DL bitsetting firmware. Read more about it in here: http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=122096

I will test this firmware version through the week and I will post my results later.

[miksu]

My ND-2500A does Dual Layer with updated firmware (since 2510 is actually same as 2500A, but uses different firmware). It's also region-free and able to rip at full speed. Thanks to haxed firmware.

It's great drive! Best you can get, actually!