Gary D's NEC 3550 is dying!

[Gary D]

EDIT: This threads title (hopefully) has been changed. My NEC 3550 is dying. This is not a fair review of 1F3.

Last night, I noticed this firmware for the NEC 3550: 1f3 (by MadDog) dated Oct 19, 2006

http://liggydee.cdfreaks.com/stratinfo/en/9/2

It is listed as OEM but it looks like new strategies for the drive.

Is anyone else using it??

I downloaded and installed it last night but have not burned with it yet.

I am worried that 1Y6 did not have RAM and that it is called OEM.

[Dan]

Good eyes Gary, I never noticed that firmware before.

So you get to be the guinea pig for this one I guess, lol.

Looks like the only major difference is the strategy for +R, the others are the same or similar. I wonder what effect this will have?

Let us know what kind of results/changes you receive.

[Chewy]

does nero infotool say you can burn ram now???


4550/1 do dvd-ram

[volfann]

Go ahead Gary, take one for the team! My curiosity has been peaked.

[Gary D]

The RAM is a no go~!



But now look at the name of my drive in the screen shot.

(My drive still reads SL DVD-ROM (pressed) at 16X))

I am doing a rip right now so it is limited to 12X

EDIT: It still recovers fast from inserted sectors!!

[Chewy]

riplocked was removed by nec for the whole family of drives, but you are region free and hopefully bitsetting still works

but watch out if the drive started foaming at the tray(mouth)

[Gary D]

Both of these discs were burned at 4X with everything shut off.

The first disk was scanned at 5X. The 2nd disk was scanned at 16X.

There seems to be a problem between 1400-1700MB that is causing a spike in both discs.

I am not happy with either burn... I will reinstall 1Y6 and compare.

The 1st screenshot was the results of the 2nd scan and the 2nd SS is the first scan results. I missed getting a SS of the 2nd scan.

[Dan]

Doesn't look good Gary, I was hoping to see some positive results. I Don't blame you for not wanting to potentially waste good disks when we know the 1Y6 firmware is excellent.

Were the problem areas similar on both disks? Just wondering if it was a few bad disks, or the burner needs a few burns to adapt.

Thanks for trying it out though, if you have anymore tests/results please let us know.

[Chewy]

dee said somewhere that 1Y6 was really the best until a new firmware for the whole line was released by nec, especialy that solve the spikes when burning at 12x and 16x

it's been so long and so many new models I don't expect anything

[Dan]

Yeah, me too. I used to check periodically for a new update, but I don't expect anything else to be coming our way, just use it till it dies on me,lol.

[Gary D]

I will be switching back to 1F3 when I do my next DL burn. I want to see if it is better than I got with 1Y6.

When I burn my next DVD5, I will scan and post to rule out the drive. This drive has been my work horse and was cleaned (with air) about a month ago.

[volfann]

Much appreciation for you playing the guinea pig Gary. Wish the results had been better.

[Dan]

Hey volfann, you have 2 3550's? Sure you don't want to do some testing with one of your drives?

[volfann]

I'll get the next one.

[Gary D]

Those heavy spikes in Disc #1 of this thread is causing pixelization and mini jumps in those areas of the disc. I am watching it with the wife right now and she is NOT happy!