NEC 3500 or Pioneer 111D?

[Ron B]

I have two computers; a work computer(the one in my "Computer Details") that I do all my video work on, and an internet cruiser. The Sony DRU 500A in the internet cruiser is headed for the Antiques Roadshow, I got a Pioneer 111D to replace it.
The NEC 3500 in my work computer has been a great burner, I haven't used it all that much so it's still in good shape. Is the 111D a better DVD writer than the NEC 3500, should the Pioneer be the first team disc burner or should I stick with the NEC 3500?

[samijubal]

NEC, I've burned thousands of discs on the 3500 without ever once getting a bad burn, except a few defective value TYs, that I could have seen were defective if I'd looked at them first. There's probably the same people here that are going to say that's not possible as usual, but that's the facts.

[roma_turok]

NEC

[vico1]

Pioneer fan here.

[Ron B]

The NEC 3500 has been a good burner and I would have gone with another NEC, but now since they are Optiarc, they don't appear to be as good so the 111D seemed like the best deal for a quality, name brand writer.
I have a LiteOn CD-RW, it reads pretty good, but the NEC does a better job of burning CDs than the LiteOn CD burner, so I'm not that keen on LiteOns, which seem to be pretty popular.
Looks to me like it might be a toss-up between the two, so I'm thinking I'll leave the 3500 where it is. Being a much newer drive, if there was something major the Pioneer had over the NEC, I'd do the switcheroo, but they look pretty even, performance-wise.
Think I've got two excellent DVD writers, the cost of both combined would be less than half of what I paid for the DRU 500 a few years ago.

[CrayonEater]

I have the NEC ND-3550a and I love it. I am using the Liggy's 1.06 Bitsetting firmware. That bitsets single-layer DVD+Rs, which the default firmware does not. You also need a hacked, third-party firmware to bitset with the Pioneer.

[budz]

I'd say in this order: BENQ 1640, 1650, 1655 if you can find them, PIONEER 111D, LG-H10 & LG-H22N.

[dwill123]

I have NEC 35xx in all of my personally built machines.

[Ron B]

I just installed the 111D, my first impression is that it is OK, I'll try some burning action tomorrow. I had to fool around with the sound cable to get it to work. It played audio CDs and MP3s off a data DVD, but either wouldn't play the sound, or the sound was garbled on movie DVDs. I think setting the DVD region manually fixed the problem.
Also, I found the receipt for the old Sony DRU 500a, which I bought in October 2002. $350 at Best Buy.

[DVWannaB]

I have the NEC ND-3550a and I love it. I am using the Liggy's 1.06 Bitsetting firmware. That bitsets single-layer DVD+Rs, which the default firmware does not. You also need a hacked, third-party firmware to bitset with the Pioneer.

OK dumb question. I have an NEC ND-3550A in USB2/FW kit and a NEC ND-3540A in my desktop. Why would I ever need or use the firmware updates? What do bitsettings do for a user? I burn DVD+R DL (ImgBurn) and DVD-R (Nero 6.6). Thanks.

[budz]

What do bitsettings do for a user?

Because older dvd players may not be able to playback single layer DVD+R media. But if you use hacked firmware for some dvd burners you'll be able to have bitsetting for single layer DVD+R media.

[bevills1]

Check CDFreaks, and you'll find the NEC 3540 is rated below average reading DVD video as well as find numerous posts about NEC 3520, 3540 and 3550 drives failing to read burned -R media. I had that exact problem with a 3520 which was replaced by Pioneer 111D which was cross flashed to 111L to gain auto-bitsetting for the exact reason budz stated for bitsetting single layer DVD+R media.

[Capmaster]

Pioneer fan here.

Ditto here.

[Thwackum]

OK, to continue this topic...
I've had my NEC 3520A for a good while now and am very happy with its performance except for one thing - it runs extremely loud when burning at 16x. Now I'm about to build a new machine, and after reading up here and in other places, I think I also have it narrowed down to either NEC 3550A or Pioneer 111D. Seeing how there are two camps each advocating either NEC or Pioneer, I guess they are roughly equal in burn quality. So what about the noise? Ron B, is one of them more quiet than the other?
Alternatively, if anyone has a particularly quiet burner in mind, please feel free to suggest it.
Thanks!

[InXess]

I prefer my LG-H22N over Pioneer 110D.

[Ron B]

I haven't done any extensive burn testing with the 111D but it plays DVDs and CDs fine and burns the media I have at hand all at advertised speeds using Nero 6.6 and stock firmware. The drive is pretty quiet. The activity light has only one color, solid when working, flashes when playing.
Seems like a decent drive at a pretty good price(I paid about $32.USD at newegg.com).
Looks like a toss up between the 3500A and 111D, but that's OK because I think the 3500 was one of the best DVD writers NEC made. For the time being I'll still use the NEC 3500 in my main work computer and the 111D as number two.
I think the 111D is a safe buy for a decent DVD writer, there are a lot of them to choose from.

[bevills1]

Having had both NEC and Pioneer drives, I can tell you they have comparable quality burns, and the NEC actually burns some media faster than the Pioneer. Ritek G05 burns at media rated speed of 8X on the Pioneer but burns at 12x on the NEC. However, my NEC 3520 has the inability to read burned -R video which is unacceptable IMO.

[SCDVD]

My daddy drove a Belchfire 400 so I'm sticking with it. Seriously, both NEC and Pioneer make very good burners. You would be happy with either one. You will find fanboys for both burners that are willing to start a fist fight over their personal choice - or their daddy's?

[Ron B]

Just saying that the NEC 3500 may have been NEC's best DVD writer. Now that they are Optiarc, I'm thinking they may not be as good, maybe they are, I don't know. Having used the 3500, I know what it can and can't do. One thing it does do well is burn highly compatible, good quality movie and data DVDs that I have to give to customers and associates, on everything from DVD-RWs to not so high quality printables.
The Pioneer seems like a good unit but I'll need to use it awhile before it will replace a proven winner. I don't care about brand names, I've had most of them; Sony, LiteOn, NEC, Plextor, etc., whichever one I think will do the job is the one I'll buy.
With the NEC 3500 and the 111D, I'm thinking I've got two pretty good DVD writers that should handle any DVD burning job I come across.

[MJA]

I noticed most the new reviews about NEC drives above 3540 are negative

[Ron B]

The Pioneer 111D has been working out OK, about the only negative I've found so far is that it will not burn Sony DVD+RW discs.

[budz]

Get the PIONEER 111D drive while you can because model 112 retail version is already on sale at Best Buy.