NEC 2500 Burner

[Matsaki]

I have some setting problems with my NEC 2500 burner. Sometimes (depending on the media maybe? I mostly use TDK- DVD) The minimum burn speed I can choose is 2x, and would like 1x speed as I meny times get bad blocks on the movie when I playback on my regular DVD Player.

Or any other ideas?

[steve2713]

That burner probably doesn't allow any burning at 1x - my older NEC 1300 doesn't even allow 1x, so the 2500 is probably the same. I wouldn't think that you would be having problems with TDK media and that burner, as the media is generally good quality and the burner is an excellent burner as well. Maybe you need to look into upgrading the firmware?

[Matsaki]

Hmm can I update Firmare on OS X? I will check it out. But Why in hll does the movie get uggly SOME TIMES on the regular DVD player (a very good rated Samsung player) and not i.e. playing the movie in Mac DVD Player

Can be the ripping method, way of burning, media or the Samsung Player??? But the Samsung always play bought media without problems.

[steve2713]

It may be just a case of that DVD player being bad at playing burned media

[Matsaki]

Don't think so after all the rewiews Iv read about the Player

I see a lot of nice Firmware fixes for NEC 2500 but they all just seems to work with window or DOS

[steve2713]

I just now saw that you responded. I really don't think you should be having problems with TDK media in conjunction with that burner. I have a NEC 1300 and I've used TDK media with it, and it has been great media so far. It really would be beneficial if you could upgrade the firmware, maybe with a Herrie's version hacked firmware. look here - http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?category=4&manufactor=23

For firmware for your drive. You say that you're having 'blocks' and it gets 'ugly' at times - are you sure you're not having issues with excessive transcoding or compression of your movies? I also use a Samsung DVD Player, an old N501, and it does fine with DVD-R and DVD+R. You should consider removing your drive from your computer and taking it to a friend's computer that has windows, it is beneficial to upgrade your firmware regardless of whether this is your problem or not. Good Luck

[Matsaki]

Just found a bin firmware flasher for Mac OS X that is out now

Just some problems getting it to work so far

Also I found out that the blocky problems only occures on the Samsung when I made a DVD that was a AVI first and then converted. But it plays fine in other players???

Hope the update of firmware and some cleaning and service of my Samsung will solve the problems

[dj_yerba]

hey matsaki... please tell me where did you find the nec firmware upgrade for mac . i've been searching a lot. is it for dual layer and more?
thanks

[dcsos]

My 2500 only does 2 or 4x with the TOAST TITANIUM undr JAGUAR,
but on the same system, TOAST allows me to choose 1X on the same piece of 4X or 8X media when using the PIONEER 103

it seems the newer drives are now locked out of the slower speeds...phooey!

[miksu]

Good firmware collection for Nec drives (and some TDK & MadDog) can be found at:
http://www.micheldeboer.nl/firmware/
Lot of RPC-1/Riplock removed and new media codes. Also Dual Layer firmware for ND-2500A. Works

Binflash and OSX GUI can be downloaded from
http://binflash.cdfreaks.com/

[dj_yerba]

thanks... i accesed both links. but i don't know which one to download i just want to make it dual layer. i believe the ones that should work for me are the modified ones, but how do i know which one to download and how to install it?
The rpc-1 is for unlock anything special?

anyone can give me a hand?

[steve2713]

I've had the best luck with Herrie's FW 1.07v2b5, found here:

http://herrie.rpc1.org/downloads/2k5107v2b5dl.rar

It adds dual layer and bitsetting, as well as burning well with about any media I've put in it. It's a .rar file which is like a zip file, but you may need something like Winrar to open the file. Flashing is easily done in Windows.

[dj_yerba]

i forgot to mention but i use nec nd 2500a external enclosure...

[steve2713]

I've got mine in an external enclosure as well, and I've not had problems updating the firmware. Only difference is that when the firmware is done flashing it will say to restart the computer and the light on the burner will be flashing. Instead of restarting you may just have to turn off and back on your enclosure, as turning the computer itself off will probably not reset your burner since it's in an enclosure. Restarting is done to reset the burner after a FW upgrade, so turning the enclosure off and back on again after the flashing is done has the same effect.

[dj_yerba]

thanks a lot... but how about an app i found on a site called necflash? i believe it can be done on mac without the need of a pc... you can check it out on...
http://www.ralf-papenfuss.de/mac/necflashX.html

it seems that you know a lot about this so i guess you'll know if this is little app works.

i can't use a pc cause all my friends have macs...

[steve2713]

I don't have a Mac but I've heard of this program, I believe it works about the same as the PC equivalent. If you download my linked firmware there will be a .BIN file inside the .rar file that you will use with the NECflash program.

[miksu]

2xx0v3-2.rar-FW is DL+bitsetting capable. It says beta, but no problems so far, been using it four months.
That site has collection of FWs, including Herrie-made. They are BIN-files.

http://www.micheldeboer.nl/firmware/2xx0v3-2.rar

[steve2713]

I had alot more problems with that FW version, and there's been other users that have documented more issues with that FW than the 1.07v2b5. I even spoke to Herrie about it and he knows that there are some write strategy issues with it vs. some of the older FWs such as 1.07v2b5, but he must be too busy to work on it for now. For now I'd personally suggest 1.07v2b5, I tested about a dozen different types of media with the 1.08v3-2 and found it much worse with several types of media vs. 1.07v2b5 (and it was not a bad flash, I reflashed after awhile to be sure).

[dj_yerba]

thanks to everybody... but i don't know what to say... i used necflashx but the app could't recognized my external firewire nec nd2500a which uses the firmware 1.06/mmc-3. after launching the app it started to scan and says no suported devices found. perhaps i'm doing something wrong?

[miksu]

Maybe it just can't be flashed in (that particular) Firewire enclosure. You may need to take it out and connect to your Mac directly (that is, using internal ATA/IDE-bus).

If enclosure has also USB, you could try connecting using it, then try flashing. Some Firewire-bridges seem to prevent flashing, for some weird reason (compatiblity issue?).