Hi there!
I have an old NEC 1300A, which I am very happy about (using modded Firmware from ‘Herrie’). But now my 5 year old Plextor CD-Burner is dead and I am planning buying a second DVD burner…
For what I have read the newest NEC Burner, 4571, has some problems and a lot of people are waiting for a new firmware to get things fixed, right?
So, would it be better getting the “old” 4550 or 4551?
I use my dvd burner for backing up movies (burning to DVD+R), ripping audio cds and burning data-dvds (all kinds of file back-ups) using DVD-R.
I do not use “cheap” media, I try to get good media, to backup my things, like Verbatim, TDK, and especially for DVD+Rs Ricoh (which my stand alone DVD-Player likes), so it would not be a huge problem, if the burner could not use all media that is out there.
Or should I go for another manufacturer like LG or Lite-On?
It would be very nice, if some 455x and 457x users could give me some hints which one to buy… 
thx
Chris