I recently recieved & installed a nec nd-3520a 16x-dual-layer dvd burner. The drive "works", it plays cd's, movies, burnes cd's & dvd's, & transfers any data files, but when burning in nero & dvd decryptor (the only software I've tried so far) the "write" buffer is ranging from 0-99% and fading from each end of the spectrum and back within 2 seconds, thus creating abnormally slow burn times..... i've downloaded the firmware that i need to flash and what I believe to be a firmware flasher from the site mentioned in the earlier posts on afterdawn, but I don't think that I know how to use the "flasher"? Any tips or help would be great, thanks, brian
nec drives have their own firmware board, and that is the only play you should go to get their official firmware. google NEC and you should be able to find the official page pretty easily. About your buffer problem. It could be many things. First off, anytime you try to burn dvds at 12x or 16x, you are going to get at least some buffer fluxtuation. That just comes with the territory. But, certain measures can greatly decrease the problem. First, make sure your HD is set in DMA mode. To check this: Control panel>admin tools>comp manag>dev manag>IDE>then right click and choose properties>advanced>and there you go The second thing to do, also very inmportant if burning faster then 8x, is to change the buffer size in DVDD. Its default setting is much too small for fast speed burning. For that: tools>settings>I/O>raise the buffer size to max Now, for most setups, that should fix the problem. You didn't give much info so I can't say for sure. If you have a really old PC, then this might just be a fact of life. btw, with DVDD, as long as you have BURN-proof enabled(its enabled by default on the new version) the buffer can run to 0% and it still won't effect your burn.
yeah, i've been to nec's firmware download site & there isn't any for the 3520a. I was only trying to burn the dvd's at 8x because that's what my media supports. My devices are set to dma (if applicaple) in the device manager. I will try raising the buffer in DVDD, but can I do that with the new nero as well? I will also enable burn-proof in dvdd. thanks any more help would be great, brian
My computer is brand-new, 1 gig of ram, pentium 4, lots of hd space. I have burn-proof enabled, dma activated, i flashed the drive & it still is slower than the nec nd-2500 i have on another computer. When burning with the nec nd-3520a, the read buffer is completely full, but the "write" buffer doesn't stay at a constant percentage!! Therefore, slowing the burn speed excessivly!! A 48x cd takes over 5 minutes, on the nd-2500 i can do it in less than 4, that's @ 32x!! If anyone has had the same problem or knows how to fix this problem, PLEASE offer some information. Thanks AGAIN, brian
