Liggy & Dee NEC ND-3540 Modified Firmware V 1.W5 results & support thread

LD3540 1.W5 (Liggy & Dee NEC ND-3540A firmware)

Package contents
Version Release Date 9/07/2005
Binflash + LD3540 1.W5 Firmware
Binflash + LD3540 1.W5 Quiet Firmware
The firmware package can be used with Windows, DOS, Linux or MAC. (see minifaq)
Please make sure you read the documentation included in the package.

Visit our new website for all the latest firmware news

NOTES
LD3540 1.W5
RIPLOCK REMOVED for fast DVD ripping

LD3540 1.W5 QUIET
RIPLOCK enabled for quiet DVD playback on your PC. Please note, this will only playback slow on pressed DVD’s. DVD-R and +R media will still play at full drive speed. This is a feature of the STOCK NEC firmware.

Both firmwares share the same strategy edits and speedups.

Changes
New base firmware (Liggy's 1.01e with bitsetting)
Full media table included in the documentation

A Big thanks to Liggy for making his patcher compatible with the ND-3540A drive, and his Binflash flasher utility packaged with this firmware.
An extra big thanks to Liggy for his new bitsetting 1.01 firmware
This firmware is only compatible with NEC ND-3540A
DO NOT try and FLASH a ND-3500, ND-3520 ND-3530 drive with this firmware.

LD Firmware Mini FAQ

Q: Which NEC firmware is this firmware based on?
A: This firmware is based on Liggy's 1.01 Bitsetting firmware with version and name string changed to ND-3540A 1.W5, with riplock removed and RPC1

Q: How do i flash my drive with this firmware?
A: The firmware is now bundled with Liggys Binflash Unzip then run the package, now click on the FLASH button. The firmware will now be uploaded onto your drive, when completed you will be prompted to restart your PC.

To Flash a drive in DOS, LINUX or MAC. Use a current version of Binflash. Run Binflash with the commands necessary to load the firmware package. Binflash will accept either a .BIN or a .EXE file and flash your drive.

Q: What are the risks of flashing my drive with this firmware?
A: Great care has been taken to make sure your drive is not damaged in any way by using this firmware. However, you flash your drive with this firmware at your own risk. Neither I, Liggy, or cdfreaks will be held responsible if your drive or media is damaged in any way.

Q: Will flashing my drive with this firmware void my guarantee?
A: Yes, flashing your drive with any unofficial firmware will null your guarantee. If something should go wrong with your drive, you should buy a new one and not RMA the drive.

Q: Do I need special IDE drivers when running this firmware on my drive?
A Like all optical drives. It has been proven they work best when using Microsoft’s default IDE drivers. This is a must for this firmware.

Q: Why do i not get good results when i burn media on the modified media list at MAX speed?
A: This is largely down to the quality of your media. If the speedups don’t give you good results. Set the burn speed lower. This firmware will give good results at the stated stock firmware speed, without having to flash back to a stock firmware.

Q: What about media not on the modified media list?
A: All media both SL and DL not listed in the modified media table use the default NEC STOCK write strategies and speeds. If you don’t get the results you expect with media not in the modified list, this is a limitation of the media or drive, not this firmware.

Q: How do i set SL bitsetting for +R media?
A: Use CD Speed or WinBtype to set booktype to DVD-ROM This setting is remembered by the drive and only needs set once. Make sure no disc is in the drive.

Q: How do i use DL +R bitsetting?
A: Use CD Speed or WinBtype to set booktype to DVD-ROM This setting is remembered by the drive and only needs set once. Make sure no disc is in the drive.

Q: How do i use DVD+RW bitsetting?
A: Use CD Speed or WinBtype to set booktype to DVD-ROM This setting is remembered by the drive and only needs set once. Make sure no disc is in the drive.

Note Submitting test results
Please state the LD firmware version used for the burn, the media type (MID code) and the burn speed.

If possible burn a disc with NERO CD-DVD Speed (create data disc) and save the burn screenshot by clicking on the disc icon at the top of the window.

Also submit a (data transfer test) Using the ND-3540A, again saving the screenshot from CD-DVD Speed

Disc Quality scans can be submitted with NEC Drives using CD-Speed with scan speed set at 5X or 8X
Note Version 3.75 or higher is required for PI/PIF scanning on the NEC drives.

Below is some additional info from the author of CD-Speed.
(Liteon drives) using K-Probe @4X scan speed or CD-DVD Speed (disc quality) @4X scan speed.

If scanning with a Benq drive. use CD-DVD Speed (disc Quality) @8X scan speed.

DOWNLOAD LINKS
NOTE We do not allow offsite linking to these files. You may also have to temporarily switch off any firewall or similar software you are running.

All our firmwares for all 35xx series drives are now stored on our new website

Note
We do NOT offer support for previous versions

PS: Before posting in this thread, please read the documentation supplied

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Last edited by Dee; 11-07-2005 at 00:52.

Thanks Dee, but still no speed-up for the Ritek D01 DVD+R9

Dee, do you want a Ritek D01 (Traxdata) DVD+R9 test on the 3520 1.UF (4x) or on the 3540 1.W1 (2.4x)? I have to burn on so it's your pick.

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Last edited by ScorpioSoft; 13-05-2005 at 20:51.

Didn't speed any DL in this version.
I'd like to see how a D01 burns on this drive though.

Verbatim MKM001 +R DL
Burn Speed 8X
Firmware 1.W1

Taiyo Yuden T01
Burn Speed 12X
Firmware 1.W1

Not bad for a 300% overspeed.

Damn...
I get my 3540 on monday from NL. So in weekend it's just reading this thread and not writing

And thanx for ScorpioSoft for his reply Let's hope that 1640 will be available soon.

I'm really burning ( ) to see if this TY can overspeed at 400%

Dee, here are the results of the Ritek D01 DVD+R9 burn on the 3540 with 1.01bt firmware.

HP LightScribe 8x media (MCC 003) burned at 12x on the 3540 1.W1 burner. Picture on the LightScribe media was burned with the BenQ 1625

@SCorpioSoft
Hmmm The RITEK D01 is a bit disappointing. I was about to say your drive perhaps isn't scanning very well.
But your MCC003 burn, apart from that single PIF spike is very good indeed.
Thanks for submitting the scans though

I have seen this media burned at 16X on the Benq 1620 drive, i have my doubts the NEC could manage this though. But maybe

Awesome work Dee, Liggy, & others!
Your work is greatly appreciated.

NEC have improved the reading performance on this drive.

My attention was drawn to etp's post in Liggy's 3530 firmware thread, were he was able to get a 12X RIP on a DL pressed DVD-Video with RIPLOCK removed.
So i thought i would test this on the 3540 with this this firmware.

NOTE you will only get this speed with a pressed DL DVD

Datalife MCC003 could not manage 12x as you can see. Scan forthcoming but I have to be somewhere now!

P.S. Can you overspeed FUJIFILM03 for me please Dee-27? I have great scans on those and want to see if they can handle 12x

Dee-27: You did not know this ? I saw this when Nec first relesed the specs for 3530/3540. =)

my 3540 is on the way. cant share much yet. but i got one 3530 to share.

these are some reading speeds on diff media.

on DL+9 it is 7x ( improved from the previosu 5x ? )


on DVD+/-RW they are at 13x

Perhaps you can point out where about in the official NEC specs document it states this?

Who said anything about official specs. One of the specs has showed max DVD-ROM DL speed 12x. But can't find it now.

Scan as promised from earlier burn of Datalife MCC003 attempt at 12x. Look at this scan. I can't understand why it would not burn at 12x when it gave such a reasonable scan (Forgetting the quality score which is only affected by the max PIF anyhow). I could have accepted a higher PIE for being able to burn these at 12x :P

Here's my first test disc with your new beta firmware Dee .

Hmm... how does it look Dee?... I'm confused with the high PIE errors, I did the scan at 1.00ECC and 8.00ECC.

Firmware: 1.W1
YUDEN000-T02 (FujiFilm) Burn Speed 16x

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Last edited by XND1n01h; 15-05-2005 at 00:04.

Dee-27 since flashing your new fast firmware I have odd reading on transfer tests. Compare this disc scanned on the drive with your fast firmware to the 1.01 firmware I scanned earlier. Same disc that was burned at 8x


Same disc previously scanned on 1.01 firmware



I am going to flash back to 1.01 to test.

False alarm. CD Speed does not like being run as a high priority process in task manager when doing a transfer test

Reading is fine. Phew!

Would still like to try these FUJIFILM03 at 12x though

Is there any method to force the drive *NOT* to slow down during a burn when it thinks the media cannot handle it? I'd like to see these damned MCC003 burn at 12x regardless and *THEN* perform a scan and see.

I haven't tried disabling AOPC on this drive to stop speed fallback. When this was done on the 3500 or 3520 it just produced coasters.

Here's a MCC003 (Verbatim) burned at 12X

First, Sorry this is not in the right place. But was not sure where to put it.
(also thought I might have a better chance of an answer)

I have a NEC 3500a with Liggy & Dee's firmware and LOVE IT.

I am looking to an a burner to a new system and saw that there was a 3530a and a 3540a.

I can only find the 3520a for sale. Where can I get the 3540a?

I am in the US.

Thanks,

Gordon