I purchase a NEC 3540A and just came by UPS today. It came with no software,manual, and cables. I knew that before I order it because it was OEM. The question is what kind of software do i need to set the reading and recording speed for my NEC 3540A ? I tested it out today and it took 30 minutes to read my disc and 6 minutes to burn it. So how can I increase the reading speed? Also I checked on the NEC site and there is no firmware update for this burner yet.

With the official firmware, the read speed is locked - "riplocked". To remove the riplock, you should flash the drive with one of the unofficial firmwares. Try the latest from Liggy and Dee and read the NEC FAQs page which contains all the links you need: NEC FAQs.

The speed of burning is determined by the media you use. Some firmware will permit you to overspeed - burn faster than the the disc would normally permit; burning programs like Nero allow you to change the burning speed to a slower rate, but NOT increase it.

HTH

Legs2Sag

Ok Legs, I need for you to pick one out for me with the model I have and then I can start from there. For example, cut and paste a link to the download I need to change the write speed for my NEC 3540A burner. I also went to the NEC set and they were dead set against others using unoffical firmware. They advice not to do that. So why they saying that ?

Go to my NEC firmware page (see link in signature) and download the Dee-27/Liggy 1.W5 firmware. Works great.

Click here to download the file you need. It contains all everything to flash your drive to Liggy & Dee's latest firmware 1.W5. Read the documentation very carefully as you'll have nobody but yourself to blame if things go wrong!

Legs2Sag

Thanks Legs and ScorpioSoft for the links. I will read more on how to install the firmware more carefully and then install it.

ok I just flash my burner with the patch firmware. Wasnt much to it. The question I have now is where in the world do you set the read spead and burn speed at ? Remember my NEC came OEM, so their no software for it. So what I am looking for to change the read and burn speed with ?

If you used the "Fast" or Non-"Quiet" the read speed will be the same all the time unless you specify in a Testing program. "Rip Locked Removed"....... Burn speed will be what you set it at in the burn program you use So you will need to check burn speeds with a few discs you use and check quality to see what speed works best for you

Ok ROLLING,
There were two choices in that fireware to choice from. I choice the first one which was called LD 3540 1.W5 Firmware Package exe. The one under it was called Quiet firmware. And the burning program I have is DVD X Copy Express and there is no option or settings you can change read and record speed on it. So I am pretty much out of luck huh ?

The one you used is the one for riplock removed so your ripping will be faster. I don't have that program DVD X Copy so i guess your right on not being able to set burn speed. I'm not sure but i'd say in that firmware knowing Liggy & Dee27 that alot of the media codes are sped up So if you want slower burns and possibly beter quality burns you will need a diff program so you can control the burn speeds with that firmware.........Make sense?

Yes, thanks Rolling, What you trying to say I am stuck to what ever speed that firmware made by Liggy and Dee set at. I hope its not set too high or i would bet tons of write errors .

Well you can go back to stock or you can use Ala42's MCSE Tool to make your own special firmware or get different burning software. The speed ups are pretty safe in that firmware i'm sure but some people don't want to burn TY02's @ 16X they might want to burn @ 12X instead.

K, Thanks ROLLING for all your help, Not sure what i am going to do yet, Might just keep it at the speed what ever liggy has it set for and be happy with it.

All burning apps allow you to select the writing speed you want among the available speeds for the media. If you feel unsecure with higher burning speeds (which is perfectly legitimate ), just select your media rated speed. As you can see, no big deal...

EDIT - Sorry didn't notice you mention DVDXXopy doesn't allow you to choose the speed... Strange app.. - there are tons of burning apps out there, maybe it's time to choose another one..?

Something you need to be aware of, if you weren't already. The recording and ripping speeds quoted for the drive are the MAXIUM attainable.

What this means in practice is that the drive will start burning at, say, 4x. After a coupe of minutes it will switch to 6x, then 8x, perhaps 12x then 16x. So the max burning speed will only be attained if two criteria are met...

a. You are burning a FULL disk-worth of data (4.3GB). The max sped is reached at the outer edge of the disk.
b. Your medium supports 16x wrtiting.

The same is true of ripping: the drive GRADUALLY increases speed until it reaches the outer edge of the disk.

HTH

Legs2Sag

what does the 1 mean in RPC1? Region 1 only?

you dont choose a read speed, it'll do it as quick as it can.

i think..

AnyDVD and Nero have read speed feature but i never use them.

K, thanks Leggs, i never knew that

Decrypter let's you set the burn speed.