NEC 3500A can't read it's own burnt DVDs

Hi,

I have a rather big and annoying problem with my 3500A, it does not read my latest bought DVDs (ProdiscS03, DV 3174, Datasafe "Full Face" Printable 4x DVD-R, at svp.co.uk). It reads RitekG04, TG01 perfectly.

It can burn them without problems (they even verify OK!) in Nero but trying to access files over approx 3 Gbytes just seem impossible. I have tried Nero DVD/CD speed on them to and the DVD's are read perfectly until they just stop somewhere between 3-4Gb.

Tried different firmwares from original 2.16 to Liggy And Dee's V2 Beta 6 using different burning speeds with the same result.

However the burnt DVDs works perfectly in my Pioneer 107D and my Xbox. I should also add that the 3500A can't read the ProdicS03 DVD's burnt by the Pioneer either (same behavior).

Would be very glad to hear if someone has any solution to this since I bought a lot of them or if anyone can confirm that they have the same setup and no problem, thanks.

This is usually caused by poor quality media, The 3500 reads media very fast and by the time its reached the 3gig part of a disc it will be reading above 12X, poor media can cause errors at this speed.

Thanks,

Isn't it still little mysterious that both Nero and DVDDecrypter manages to verify the compilation after burning?

I have also checked the disks with my Pioneer 107D and the pi/po levels are really low actually better than any media I have used before. (average pi = max 1, average po = always 0).

Hmmm...is there any way to limit the speed so it will be possible to read the discs?

Not sure why you are trying to come up with a work-around solution to poor quality media. The NEC is not a POOR DVD reader. Therefore, you may encounter read-related issues with other DVD-ROM drives. Dump those crappy discs if you value your data. Or use the Pioneer as the reader.

Interesting. Are you quite certain about this?

I know for a fact, the 2500 was a poor reader. It was well established that it could not read many of it's own discs that it had burned.

I had assumed that the 3500 is no different.

Weak in the CD-R department, but definitely okay with DVDs. I'm using 2.18 FW. Most DVD-related complaints are about the riplock and slow read for DL DVDs (3.1X to 7.2X).

Well that's easy, I have 400 of them!

And I'm not sure that the media is bad yet, it's different than for example the Riteks for sure but according to the pi/po tests I have done on my Pio 107D the Prodiscs are better than the Ritek ones. I have also tried them in 2 standalone players and two Xboxes (One with a VERY pick reader) with perfect result so I'm not convinced that the media actually is bad, obviuosly it's bad for my 3500A at the moment though.

I have also burnt them in 12x and they still verify in Nero, so the drive must be able to read it somehow, just not in the normal Windows way.

(ProdiscS03, DV 3174, Datasafe "Full Face" Printable 4x DVD-R, at svp.co.uk)
I have loads of these, no problems at all burning at 8x using Quickee V3 milestone extreme. All read back with perfectly smooth speed graphs in my NEC3500 (6.5x - 16x). Burnt more than 50 so far.
maybe you have a marginal writer.

Ahhh, that was exactly what I wanted to hear...ehhh...well I hoped for some other fix like a broken ASPI, DMA settings or patched firmware but it's still good enough to know that it should be able to read them, thanks!

Hi all

I have a simmilar problem.
I have a 3520 Writer and sometimes it can't read it's own burned DVDs.
Nero verification fails.

I have tried 4x, 6x, and 8x, Fw 1.24 and 1.05.

I thinks it's related to media: MCC 002 (which it's 4x) but not Verbatim original (it's bulkpaq brand).

Reading speed on NEC-3520 is quite fast until I get an error having copied over 70% od the disc.

The point is that if I read those DVD-ROM (I use booksetting) with my BTC 1004, it can read ALL the files OK.

And other thing I can't understand is why a friend of me used a pair of this DVD brand for me with his NEC-2500 (at 4x the first and 8x the second one) and I can read them with every DVD reader I own.

I request some light over this ...

Thank you all.

Just a [almost obvious] note about transfer rate using Nero CD/DVD speed:

File -> options -> Standard Tests -> Read Speed: uncheck 'maximum', check 'selected' setting a lower value (8x, 10x), and try again 'reading' the whole DVD disc

I am not an expert but here my comments:

Nero CD/DVD speed serves its own purpose, just to show you 'an idea' of disc quality or drive reading capabilities. But, when an application / OS really need to read a file there are internal mechanisms (slowing down, etc) so the file is more likely to be succesfully read.

I have got 1 or 2 [bad quality] discs NEC / Nero transfer rate would fail, BUT using other Applications for reading the very same apparent unreadable disc in the very same NEC 3500 unit, the files are completely read, no failures There are applications better than other ones. Good ones, for example: DVD decrypter, Isobuster.

The experts would say these applications make a better use of the ASPI layer... right?

In any case, NEC 3500 is a fantastic WRITER (the main purpose of thes units,.. right?), but only 'a bit' worse READER.

Hope this helps,

Hola,

Hello,

This is amazing: I burnt a 3 GB data DVD. Nero data verification failed.
I tried CD check ( program that verifies CRC on files) using N-3520 ... failed.
I read it in BTC 1004 ... It was Ok.

I try again NEC-3520 and it CRC are OK.
I come here to post and read 40tacos message, I try again CRC and ... IT FAILS!!!!

3 checks on less than 20 minutes: 2 with errors and one 100 % error free.

What the hell is going on?

BTW: I have tried CD/DVD speed, it doesn't seem to solve the problem.
My two cents about applications to read DVDs: When I copy files from DVD to HDD I get a "CRC error". The 'best' app to read DVDs is Windows (or another OS). If windows can't read that DVD ... you have a wothless copy.

You are right: I'm using now Isobuster and trying to copy files from DVD to HDD and Isobuster found an error at sector 789XXX. I clicked retry and seems to work.

Yess!! Isobuster managed to copy all the files from DVD to HDD.
I'll try Isobuster with those 'faulty' DVDs

Hi again,

My Nec-3520 drive STILL fails reading files that are read OK by BTC 1004 (even using Isobuster).

I don't think this drive would be a bad (or not good) reader. It seems it can read OK sometimes and wrong others.

I don't know what is the matter.

Anyone knows if original FW has a better reading?
I suppose reading features would be the same, but perhaps...

Actually, there is one single circumstance where they are poor readers --- if you've labeled them (those press-on adhessive ink jet labels). Certain brands of standalone players, PC readers and burners will choke on these every time without fail. But put it in my old Pioneer 4X burner or my laptop DVD reader/CD writer (Toshiba, I think?) and it'll read it all day long. Set top players: fine on Philips DVP642, Apex AD-1225 --- chokes identically on an all-in-one Panasonic (TV/VCR combo, forget the model #; interesting to note my old Panasonic RV31 had no issues).

Burning on NEC, these will verify 100% (even on MCC and Yudens); stick a label on them afterwards and they'll error out in read mode; soak the label off and they're back to perfectly readable again.

I don't label my DVDs.

I have tried reading several times 3 or 4 DVDs and sometimes NEC-3520 can copy files from DVD to HDD and sometimes can't.

I try first time and, perhaps, works ok. I try again without ejecting the tray one minute later and NEC can't copy the same files.

I supose my drive is defective. As the problem is reading perhaps it needs glasses

I'm going this evening to the shop where I bought the writer and we we''ll see what happens...

Just amazing!

I have another NEC-3520A drive.

I try a 'conflictive' file and it's readed ok.
I try again past five minutes and It doesn't read that file.

It only worked fine first time of some attempts.

I have to surrender: My 'old' NEC wasn't defective. It should be a media issue: Prodisc R02 and MCC 002 (Bulkpaq's, not Verbatim).
What most hurts me is that those 'faulty' DVDs are read 100% OK by BTC-1004.

Kbronct: good name

Don't suffer; I have had similar scenarios with some discs.
The only difference is I'm using a Liteon LDW-811s (HS0E) as the best reader, for those hard-to-read discs.

Buy Verbatim-branded discs and you won't suffer; it's not a matter the procedence (Japan, Taiwan, India), at least for 4x (that you can burn at 8x, at least with a hacked NEC firmware). Ridisc (Ritek G04) are good ones, too. Avoid Pr***o.

One more recommendation (if applies): for those hard/impossible-to-read files in a disc due to scratches, before you give up throwing to the bin you can try the 'toothpaste trick' (no water at this stage...), i.e., rubbing the surface from center to outer of the disc; first rub it softly, clean with water and dry; then insert the disc, isobuster again ; if it fails again, then rub a bit harder...

Remember discs are read from center to outer (spiral ) so you can estimate where the bothering scratch could be if any. Other reason, of course, is a bad burned or poor quality disc (high PI/PIF; dont know if you can test it; Liteon can)

Hope this helps,

thank you 40tacos. Yours isn't bad too ,

I knew toothpaste trick, but I have never used it.

My problem seems to be related to bad media: MCC 002 (Bulkpaq, NOT Verbatim) that appears to be VERY crappy. But I have never used Princo

I don't have a Liteon to read PI,PIF but I have access to a Benq1620, which I think it also valid to do that.

Burnt disc (fake? MCC 002) are read OK in my BTC and the ones I have tested, also in the Benq1620 but NEC-3520 "refuses" to read those DVDs at 100%.
The fact that really f**ks me is that I have managed to read those DVDs at least ONCE with the NEC-3520.

Why can 3520 read once a DVD and 5 minutes later can't??

Solution (and expect not to suffer again ): Forget that media. I have been testing this evening and Prodisc S04 (from bulkpaq ) and Prodisc R02 (from Datawrite) seem to work fine, but I have just tried once.

The only problem I see to this solution is that I have about 35 DVDs Bulkpaq MCC 002.
Perhaps I can play Frisbee with them, but they are so crappy that the might not fly

Next time I buy DVDs I surely won't buy MCC 002 from Bulkpaq. I promiss!!
I want to give a try to Verbatims...
TY are expensive, although many times "cheap" becomes "expensive". I have 35 perfect samples.

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Last edited by Kbronct; 02-02-2005 at 02:10. Reason: '

I've heard somewhere about fake MCC discs, from Taiwan (maybe DVD+R 8x, not sure)

What I can say from my own experience and lots of internet references is that Verbatim BRAAANDED discs (forget manufacturing A*IP, in THIS case) are a good choice, because original/real/not-fake Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation quality-controller people spread over Asia (Japan, Taiwan, India and China, at least) are unbeatable. Good guys, strict QC. Chapeau.

And they are cheap (eg: you can buy Verbatim 4x DVD+R made in India and Verbatim AZO Crystal Clear CD's made in China and you will be happy).

Of course, there is always a bit of risk, getting fake discs. Be sure VERBATIM is written at the top of the disc. A brand name is more difficult to fake (more prone to commercial/legal problems for the potential cheating company).

I bought that media at SVP. The brand is Bulkpaq and as you say (and I understand) are not fakes.

Perhaps I have a bad batch ...

Time is $. You don't want to waste your time dealing with bad/suspect media. You may tweak the PC and make it worse, when the root cause of the problem is the media. I only work with quality media. To save $, I don't burn just for "evaluation".

I also keep an image file of a clean WXP partition for troubleshooting bad hardware.

You all seem to think it is a media problem. I have the same issue - a disc burned in my NEC 3500AG won't read but will play ok in my extremely picky stand alone. But I am using genuine Japanese Fuji brand TY02 discs. I can't even scan the discs with CD/DVD Speed as the drive won't recognise the disc, it just spins and clicks in the drive locking up the PC until it is ejected.

Are you sure this is a media problem??

Well, not only media problem...
Bad reading lens alignment is a common problem with some series of NEC 25x0 (that was a so common problem at the time !) and surely with some 3500 burners.
And CRC correcting capacities are quite poor on NEC drives with... bad media.

having this problem with my 3500 recently.

had the writer for a while, i update the f/w often to the latest one.

Just recently when i have come to image some dvd movies, the 3500 reads them fine, up until the end of the disk. Then i get errors, and finally dvd decrypter konks out on me.

media im using is Super AZO GSC003, never had any problems with the disks in my pioneer 107, burning them at 4x aswell.

My liteon 165 reads the disks fine 100%, just the nec has some problems reading towards the end of the disk.

for every disk i burn using the 3500, i use Nero Cd/DVD speed (using the 3500 as the reader)- Transfer rate test and i see a perfect read curve, up untill the end of the disk when the graph goes crazy and i get disk read error.

ive come to think after reading on these forums that the 3500 is indeed a poor reader, not reading its own disks it burns on to.

what do you guys reckon? a common problem amongst NEC?

I have an NEC 3500 and 3520. No read issue with SL media...good all the way to 16x. However, I only use Made in Japan media. I've encountered read problem with crappy Made in Taiwan media.