Firmware choice madness, which one to use?

[Netslider1000]

Ok, I’ve read through the forum posts a bit and through the sticky’s at the top of the NEC Forum, along with the CDRInfo review and The Dangerous Brother’s web site. I’m getting lost in all the possibilites of which firmware to use. If I throw some guidelines out there, can you guys make a recommendation on which firmware? I have the 3500A model.

-Bitsetting for Single Layer and Dual Layer
-Remove the Rip Lock
-Windows firmware flasher (I’m using the 3500A in an external firewire enclosure on a laptop)

Thanks!

[g-t]

Try the 2C8SE. My Fuji TY are doing fine @ 16X so far.

[pinto2]

Welcome Netslider1000

You will find firmware 2.C8_SE here

[Netslider1000]

Thanks guys, especially for the quick replies! 2.8C SE worked fine. I have the 3500 in a generic USB/Firewire enclosure, uses the Oxford 911 chipset. I get a max read speed of 10X on DVD-R using CDSpeed, but I think that’s a limitation of the firewire chipset afer having researched the forums. Unfortuantely it’s still slow when using DVD Decrypter. Won’t reach the max 7x other people are getting. But again, this could be because it’s connected via firewire. Heck, even my laptop internal combo drive is faster.

NEC 3500A 7.6GB Movie

I 20:04:23 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:29:02
I 20:04:23 Average Read Rate: 4,393 KB/s (3.2x) - Maximum Read Rate: 6,214 KB/s (4.5x)

Teac DW-28E 7.6GB Movie

I 20:22:10 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:16:21
I 20:22:10 Average Read Rate: 7,800 KB/s (5.6x) - Maximum Read Rate: 10,971 KB/s (7.9x)

[soloredd]

My Lite-ON DVD-ROM reads faster than my NEC 3500 w/out riplock as well. I think it’s the drive itself, not the firmware. I’ve read a few places where DVD-ROMs are better to use for ripping.