NEC ND-1300A Firmware Help

CD, DVD and (Ultra HD) Blu-ray Writers NEC / Optiarc Writer
#1

I own a TDK DVDRW0404N with 1.0C firmware. However, rpc1.org states my burner is really an OEM NEC ND-1300A.

I am in search of a patched/modified firmware that will allow media support for RITEKF1 16x 4.7gb DVD-R discs (labeled as Office Depot). My current firmware will recognize the discs, but cannot burn to them.

What ImgBurn says about the discs:

TDK DVDRW0404N 1.0C (ATA)
Current Profile: DVD-R

Disc Information:
Status: Empty
Erasable: No
Free Sectors: 2,298,496
Free Space: 4,707,319,808 bytes
Free Time: 510:48:46 (MM:SS:FF)

Pre-recorded Information:
Manufacturer ID: RITEKF1

Physical Format Information (Last Recorded):
Disc ID: 0@P-!-00
Book Type: DVD-R
Part Version: 5
Disc Size: 120mm
Maximum Read Rate: Not Specified
Number of Layers: 1
Track Path: Parallel Track Path (PTP)
Linear Density: 0.267 um/bit
Track Density: 0.74 um/track
First Physical Sector of Data Area: 196,608
Last Physical Sector of Data Area: 2,495,103
Last Physical Sector in Layer 0: 0
#2

I’d also like to know if it’s safe to go from a TDK firmware to an NEC firmware? …and if I can flash back to my old TDK firmware if need be without issues?

#3

In all honesty, if you have a lot of these discs it would better to replace the drive with an up to date Optiarc drive. Even if you can implant support into a frimware to burn F1 the results may not be good.

#4

I have a 100-pack spindle of them… so I’d like to be able to at least try on one or two of the blanks w/ a patched firmware. Can you recommend one? Do you know if flashing from TDK to NEC will damage the burner at all?

Btw, how much would a really good Optiarc burner cost? I’m curious.

#5

You can safely try these firmwares using Binflash. http://liggydee.cdfreaks.com/page/1300/
Use Binflash to dump your TDK firmware to the hard-drive and then you can flash back to your original firmware if you wish.

Optiarc AD-7173/7170 about £20 UK pounds.

#6

You can get a new burner for about what you paid for the discs.

#7

What about the firmwares hosted here? Are these trusted also? http://www.herrie.org/firmwares/nec1300.html

And just a little FYI for everyone, TDK Tech Support e-mailed me stating that 16x DVD+R will work with my model but not DVD-R. I don’t care about the speed. I was quite content with my 4x max. But a lot of you say higher speed media like 16x can burn poorly on a 4x burner. Also, although very obvious, TDK stated they would not be making new firmwares ever again for that model.

#8

Herries firmwares are trusted too. Actually I learned from him how to patch firmwares.

But I doubt there is a modified firmware that includes support for RITEKF1 discs. I think your only chance is experimenting with MCSE.

#9

How hard would it be for someone like yourself or Herrie to make a new patched firmware adding RITEKF1 support? I don’t know the innards of these firmwares so I have no idea.

Have you ever had success using this MCSE program? I read it’s overview. You add media codes by writing over older, less or even unused ones?

#10

@Liggy: Your most recent, and Herrie’s most recent patched firmwares (as you already imagined) still won’t allow my RITEKF1 discs to burn.

I’m going to have to try this MCSE program. Any suggestions?

#11

I would suggest using the strategy for RITEK G03 or Prodisc S03

#12

Okay. I tested MCSE. I was using your latest patched 1.0C firmware, and I replaced some media code I had never heard of (strictly as a test) with RITEKF1 and saved it. Then I used BinFlash GUI to re-flash the firmware and I rebooted.

I burnt a movie image (.img) using ImgBurn and it actually burnt successfully! I test it on two dvd players as well as a software dvd player. I am shocked!

However, what software can I use to run these “quality” tests / scans on the disc? I want to post results so you guys can tell me the real quality of the burn.

  • I just tried to run “Nero CD-DVD Speed v4.7” using the ‘Disc Quality Test’ and it failed with this error message: Drive does not support this function. Is there something else I can use to test the disc now?
#13

You cannot run quality scans with that drive, about the only thing you can do with that drive is perform a Transfer Rate Test with Nero CD-DVD Speed, it will give you some idea of the readability of the disc.

#14

[B][U]Transfer Rate Test:[/U][/B]

#15

I will re-patch a firmware with RITEKF1 over RITEK G03 as you suggested. Do you know if using Liggy’s 1.0C patched NEC firmware is better than using the official TDK 1.0C firmware when using MCSE to add in the RITEKF1 media?

Also, does anyone know if my transfer rate test went well? Since that’s the only test I can run I guess…

#16

Looks good. There’s some VERY minor dips towards the edge which may or may not suggest marginal burn quality towards the edge. It’s hard to gauge much by a TRT alone, although this at least tells you that the drive has no problems reading the disc in its current state, and that the odds are good that it will also read back fine in most players.

#17

Excellent! I’ll do another scan when I use the new patched firmware that will be using the RITEK G03 (replaced with RITEKF1) strategy.

If there’s any other tests whatsoever I’d like to run them.

#18

Replacing [B]RITEK G03[/B] strategy with RITEKF1 = failure, would not burn
Replacing [B]Prodisc S03[/B] strategy with RITEKF1 = worked, but only at 2x (even when set to 4x)

[B][U]Transfer Rate Test Using ProDisc S03 (replaced w/ RITEKF1) Strategy:[/U][/B]