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Posted: 7/6/2004 10:15:04 AM EDT
[#1]
A Dual-layer DVD burner for $80? I smell a rat...
Run, Forrest, RUN! A dual-layer burner is fine, but since they're relatively new to the market, it might be a good idea to let somebody else figure out which ones are best. Go with a company KNOWN for quality products. To get the full potential of a dual-layer burner, you need dual-layer disks, which are a LOT higher than regular single-layer DVD's. Before you go forking over your hard-earned money, do yourself a favor, and do some reasearch: CDR Labs DVDR Help.com You're not doing yourself a favor by being cheap, trust me. Even though it gets decent reviews, the one I have, which is a Lite-on 401S (+R/RW) burner, is a POS. It is VERY picky about the media that it will recognize. I have yet to find re-writable disks that will work in it. Hell, even the one that came with it won't work. I'm going to shit-can it, and get either a Plextor PX708ASWBL (has a very good reputation, and is dual-format, but single-layer), or a Sony DRU-700A (which is a new dual-layer, dual-format burner). The Sony is newly out, so before I got it, I'd wait a bit and see how others who have bought it like it. |
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Posted: 7/7/2004 1:12:54 PM EDT
[#2]
$80 for a dual layer is not that out of line. i have seen the nec2510 for ~$85 @ newegg.com. i have the nec 2500 which is a 8x dual format burner which has been very good.
you can pick up a single layer nec 2500 for ~$70. these have been around for some time so the bugs are worked out. the problem about the dual layer is media and also time. it takes so much time to burn a dual layer disc. a pain in the ass until the speeds go up. honestly, you can't see the difference when backing up your own movies with a single layer disc, and this is from my personal view from a ~$1000 DVD player connected to a ~$4000 HDTV. sound quality will not be affected as it is not recompressed. -r/+r are different formats. you need different media to burn either. now that the burners are dual format, don't worry about it. for a rule of thumb, most home dvd players will play -r and only some will burn +r. look to dvdrhelp.com for the exact differences. personally i have burned both formats and find that they both work equally well. i do choose to use -r more because my home dvd players will play the -r better. Zardoz: if you are going to shit can that lite-on, let me have it. i will pay for shipping :) |
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Posted: 7/7/2004 8:00:20 PM EDT
[#3]
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Posted: 7/8/2004 8:32:14 AM EDT
[#4]
sounds good. i may not know much about guns, but i do ok in the computer arena :) |
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Posted: 7/20/2004 12:09:16 AM EDT
[#5]
The Mad Dog dual layer burner is a NEC 2510 under a Mad Dog name. The NEC 2500 can be flashed with the NEC 2510 firmware hacked by Herrie at The Firmware Page which will supposedly make it a dual layer burner. I have done this and I do know that with the updated firmware it will burn a lot of 2x and 4x DVD media at 8x. I also own the NEC 2510 and have not flashed it yet to increase speed and I have no dual layer media to test its DL abilities. Both can be purchased at NewEgg.com for good prices, weekly sales and free shipping. I am burning movies as I type this using DVDShrink (free) and Nero. Nero comes with the burner if you pick the right one at NewEgg.
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Posted: 7/20/2004 10:40:16 AM EDT
[#6]
that firmware may not work in a 2500. it will take it, but i have read that they may not (hit or miss here) do dual layer because their tolerances aren't where they need to be. just buy a NEC2510 and leave the 2500 without the flash.
DVDShrink w/ Nero is the way to go. it is by far the best way to protect your DVD investment :) |
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Posted: 7/22/2004 4:42:16 PM EDT
[#7]
Guys, not to hijack the thread, but at newegg they have this
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=19-116-170&DEPA=0 I have a pentium III 800 some Mhz. Can I upgrade to this chip? does anyone know? I'm a newby in the PC world. Sorry for the hijack, though. |
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Posted: 7/22/2004 8:50:35 PM EDT
[#8]
I have an NEC 2500. I have burned 500+ DVDs and 3,000+ CDs. Not a single coaster yet.
Its a badass burner. |
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Posted: 7/22/2004 10:31:34 PM EDT
[#9]
damn, that is a lot of burning since that drive has not been out long... |
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Posted: 7/22/2004 10:38:08 PM EDT
[#10]
no probs on the hijack. no you cannot upgrade to that chip. it will not work with the type of motherboard and ram you currently have. to use the chip you listed at newegg you would need atleast a new motherboard and new ram. also, just a note - if you do decide to get a intel 2.8, get a 2.8c which uses a different core than the e model. the e models run very hot compared to the c models and you can overclock the c models pretty high without much cooling trouble. |
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Posted: 7/27/2004 11:10:00 PM EDT
[#11]
Just to add another opinion, look into a Pioneer DVR 107D from Newegg. These suckers can burn perfectly on good media and crap media with no read errors on the disks. I'm convinced that if I took a dump in the bastage, it will burn that too. However, the nec is a good burner too. Just be sure you use good media with it. I would recomend Riteks for the both of these burners.
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Posted: 7/31/2004 12:52:17 PM EDT
[#12]
556_Chowder - i have had a pioneer 106r/w drive and agree that pioneer makes a good drive. i currently have a nec 2500 and have used many types of "crappy" media with it. i am currently using legacy 4x -r drives that i can get off of newegg for ~$22 / 50 :) |
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Posted: 7/31/2004 1:02:25 PM EDT
[#13]
What is this flash thing? I just bought the 2500 from Newegg for $64. Is there something I should download for it? Thanks. |
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Posted: 7/31/2004 1:11:21 PM EDT
[#14]
I've got an HP 300I at home, and a external Lite-on LDW-851. Neither has ever made a coaster.
Both work great! |
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Posted: 8/1/2004 12:27:33 AM EDT
[#15]
use the windows flash 25k107v2b5dl.rar it has media hacks that will allow you to burn 2x and 4x media at 8x. After you unzip it you will have a windows installer which you click on and let it install. It will then tell you to restart your computer. Windows flasher for NEC 2500
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Posted: 8/1/2004 7:15:10 AM EDT
[#16]
Hey, thanks for the info. I read on that site that its possible to destroy my hardware if the wrong flash is used. Is this true? Also, do you know of a good RAR opening software? And. lastly, is there any kind of DVD recording software that doesnt cost anything? Thanks again.
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Posted: 8/1/2004 8:25:31 AM EDT
[#17]
Yes, it is indeed possible to "paperweight" your DVD Burner if the unit is incorrectly Flashed, or Flashed with the wrong Image. Reading the Step-by-step instructions at the link will keep you out of trouble, and if there is a doubt, don't do it.
WinRAR is the one of the better compression utilities out there. I use WinACE (At Work) and WinRAR (At Home). |
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Posted: 8/2/2004 12:32:48 AM EDT
[#18]
why chance it by flashing when you can get 8x media for $60/100?
i have used just about all of the archive/compression programs out there and winrar is the best, hands down :) |
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Posted: 8/2/2004 2:38:00 PM EDT
[#19]
Guys, as I said, I ordered the 2500 recorder to record from my Digital Camcorder but I dont have the card for a firewire cable on my PC. Can someone tell me what type of card to get to use the Firewire cable please? I have the Dell Dimension 4100 with the P III. Thanks a lot for your time (again)
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Posted: 8/3/2004 12:09:27 AM EDT
[#20]
once you open your case, you should see if you have any pci slots - they are white and should be about 4" in length. just get any pci 1394 (firewire) card and it should work. go with a decent brand like siig, but you do not need to spend a ton of money. personally i would buy one at your local best buy or compusa or whatever is close to you with a good return policy in case you have problems. when installing the card, be careful of static. i always unplug the computer, take it to my kitchen since there is no carpet, take the case and before i touch anything, i always touch a part of the bare metal in the case. this will make you and the computer electrically equal and discharge you into the case instead of a sensitive component. you could always get a static strap too, it does the same thing but it is attached to the computer via a alligator clip and you wear a wrist band. good luck :) Example 1 Example 2 |
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Posted: 8/3/2004 2:30:46 PM EDT
[#21]
Hey, thanks for the reply. Dont I need a special type of card because I have a Sony camera. The firewire that I used on my parents Sony computer looks different than the "D" shaped connections on those boards.
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Posted: 8/5/2004 9:24:22 AM EDT
[#22]
usually from what i have seen, the cards have the "oblong d" connector that you see on the cards and the cameras have a little connector, about 1/4 squared or smaller. the cables you get should have one end with each, but somebody correct me if i am incorrect. also, check out this forum good luck |
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Posted: 8/5/2004 7:20:08 PM EDT
[#23]
removed
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Posted: 8/6/2004 12:59:15 AM EDT
[#24]
WinRAR shareware has a 40 day trial period I believe but I really don't think it ever will expire. I have flashed every dvd burner I own (6 or7) and have never destroyed on. Just use the windows installer I linked you to. And why flash the NEC ND-2500 with Herrie's firmware flash? Even if you have the NEC burner which is an 8x burner, it may burn at no more than 4x even with 8x media as NEC did not write the OEM firmware for all media. But Herrie improved on the firmware to enable it to be compatible with more types of media. An example in Memorex 4x media will burn at 8x with the hacked firmware. Most 2x media will burn at 8x. |
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Posted: 8/6/2004 1:12:39 AM EDT
[#25]
kingfish
By the way, I have many different types of DVD burner software that I will never use. Roxio and Nero from different burners I have bought. Usually receive the same software every time I have bought a burner and haven't even opened most of them. If you need on shoot me a message and I'll send you one. |
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Posted: 9/2/2004 8:36:03 PM EDT
[#26]
Tagged:
As I am about to buy one. |
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Posted: 10/3/2004 12:13:44 PM EDT
[#27]
Btt.
I dont want this info to die yet |
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Posted: 10/4/2004 9:20:21 PM EDT
[#28]
hell, i may eat my words and try that hacked firmware out. i have done it before with other optical drives and video cards, but wanted to warn computer noobs |
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Posted: 10/4/2004 10:21:52 PM EDT
[#29]
well i did the firmware flash on the 2500A and nero sees it as ~8.5GB available, but i haven't tried the dl discs out yet. i just burned a backup and it burnt @ 6x on generic 4x media. thanks for the info ;) |
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Posted: 10/23/2004 4:21:35 PM EDT
[#30]
NEC 16X Double Layer DVD±RW Drive $73
www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=27-152-031&DEPA=1 I have the 8x version. works great |
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