Well im coming to a decision to get a new DVD writer cos my NEC 1300 is starting to play up I think, unless its the media?! Anyways, im looking to get a DL burner, so would like to know which is the best, the NEC 3500 or Pioneer 108. Ive noticed that the pioneer is generally abit more expensive than the NEC, any reason for this? Please share your opinions!
Mark
I would go with the NEC 3500A as its the best drive at tne moment…
i should wait for the first reviews
we should wait for OC review
Not sure with the very new Pioneer 108/108XL firmware v1.10, introducing (maybe) 16X CAV for the Pioneer too…
Maybe you could help me out with this as well, been looking at media lately as ive been using crappy princo for ages seeing as I bought a big batch of them.
Im wanting to get some good quality discs at a pretty cheap price, I read that Taiyo Yuden are the best and Fuji are good as well. Ive found some datawrite discs, with the ADVDINFO: FUJIFILM 03. Are these good discs? Found them on www.svp.co.uk
Mark
NEC ND-3500A for sure.
The Datawrite Classic Grey Tops with FUJIFILM03 dye that you talk about are very good 
Here’s an in progress review comparing the two burners.
ND-3500 for sure, all I’ve seen is crap coming from the DVR-108.
Hmmm…looking at that article Id say the Pioneer looks to be better? Or am I reading it wrong!?
Mark
people here are NEC addicted 
even if nec is a shit , they will but it
I have a couple of questions about the review of the NEC vs the Pioneer.
Can a general statement of quality be made based on the comparision of only one example of each drive?
Would future firmwares improve the quality of the burn?
I would hate to think that I waited for the NEC only to have passed on the Pioneer, if indeed the Pioneer is better.
Those are good questions and I’d have to say with some sample to sample variance (probably very little, but it’s already a close call) and what future firmwares could bring, if you’re not in a hurry you might be better off waiting and getting a better off overall consensus.
I know what you mean. OCFreaks review of the Pioneer 107 bore no correlation to the performance of the one I had.
Mine was Ace!!!
BTW
I bought a 108
You should try the SONY DRU500AX now that is a crap drive i will be glad when my NEC 3500A arrives…
Last year everyone was raving about the PIONEER this year NEC next year probably something else…
I would love to be able to buy a LITEON DVD writer but i dont think there write quality is yet good enough…
Maybe a bit too harsh . There are positive reviews around for the Pioneer , just like the NEC
I am sure that whichever camp you are in, be it Pioneer or NEC, you can find cases for your brand and against the other.
At the end of the day, both of the drives work and work well so far.
Customer allegiance is what these manufacturers rely on so much.
Look at Liteon and the number of people that bought the 411s based on their experiences with CD burners. That was a bad drive. Had it not been for Zebra and his tweaking mods, I am sure a lot of people would not have put up with it like they did.
I wonder if I post this in the Pioneer forum, i would get different results?!
…Ah only just realised the post has been moved! my mistake. Ignore post in Pioneer Forum.
Mark
the 2 are great drives.
They are indeed, and you can add the drive from BENQ as well, and i don’t think any of the 3 mentioned here would disapoint and there are more 16X drives due soon, its still early days and you can expect all the drives to improve with firmware updates.
liteon also have top quality, its a question of taste (hi dee :p)