I am not really interested in riplock or bitsetting, but moreso the ability to recognise extra media types. I have a lot of stuff on disks burned with my old 2500a (updated with Herries). However the ND-3540a can't recognise some of the disks (Datawrite Red as one example)

Do the Iggy or Mad Dog firmwares add extra media types as well as the riplock/bitsetting that are not contained in the official firmwares, and if so, which firmware version do you recommend I go for.

Welcome!

Try first the most recent official firmware from NEC and if still the same then go for a patched firmware. This is what I would do.

(in reply to CmdrX3)

I have already updated it to 1.03 NEC firmware, and it is still the same, however I don't want to upgrade to a patched firmware if there are no new media types contained in them,

(in reply to CmdrX3)

What is the ID for those media you have problems with?

(in reply to CmdrX3)

I have no idea. The DVD doesn't even acknowledge a DVD disc is in the drive. DVDinfo  just gives me Media Not Present, so I can't get the ID code

(in reply to Antonio)

Ok Managed to get the info from another drive

Datawrite Red V2 
                          Media Information                            
Region information                                    N/A not a DVD-VIDEO
Media code/Manufacturer ID                                           AN35
Format Capacity                                                Blank Disc
Free Blocks                                                     411107328
Free Capacity                                              4.38GB(4.71GB)
Book Type                                                           DVD-R
Media Type                                                          DVD-R
Manufacturer Rated Speed                                  4.0x   5540KBps
Available Write Descriptor                           CLV  4.0x   5540KBps
Available Write Descriptor                           CLV  2.0x   2770KBps
Write Strategy Speed                                        4.0x 5540KBps
2x Speed OPC beta                                                      0B
2x Speed OPC power                                                     10
2x Write Strategy field 1                                     11 87 78 80
2x Write Strategy field 2                               88 80 00 00 00 00
4x Speed OPC beta                                                      06
4x Speed OPC power                                                     17
4x Write Strategy field 1                                     0D 0F 0B 0B
4x Write Strategy field 2                                     98 08 0F 0B
4x Write Strategy field 3                                     00 00 00 00
4x Speed OPC beta multi-pulse                                          06
4x Speed OPC power multi-pulse                                         1C
4x Write Strategy field 4                                     13 A8 88 65
4x Write Strategy field 5                               98 9A 88 80 00 00
4x Write Strategy field 6                                  00 00 D0 00 00
Data area starting sector                                          30000h
Linear Density                                                0.267um/bit
Track Density                                                0.74um/track
Number of Layers                                                        1
                                                                        
                          Complete Media Code                           
00000000 00 6A 00 00 01 40 C1 FD 9E D8 52 00 02 87 0E 15 [email=.j...@....R].j...@....R[/email].....
00000010 98 9A 90 00 03 41 4E 33 35 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 .....AN35.......
00000020 00 00 00 00 05 CC C0 00 00 00 01 00 06 0B 10 11 ................

Some CD Store type Disk
                           Media Information                            
Region information                                    N/A not a DVD-VIDEO
Media code/Manufacturer ID                                       MXL RG01
Format Capacity                                                Blank Disc
Free Blocks                                                     411107328
Free Capacity                                              4.38GB(4.71GB)
Book Type                                                           DVD-R
Media Type                                                          DVD-R
Manufacturer Rated Speed                                  2.0x   2770KBps
Available Write Descriptor                           CLV  2.0x   2770KBps
Write Strategy Speed                                        1.0x 1385KBps
Data area starting sector                                          30000h
Linear Density                                                0.267um/bit
Track Density                                                0.74um/track
Number of Layers                                                        1
                                                                        
                          Complete Media Code                           
00000000 00 2A 00 00 01 40 C1 FD 9E D8 50 00 02 58 0E 11 [email=.*...@....P..X].*...@....P..X[/email]..
00000010 98 99 80 00 03 4D 58 4C 20 52 47 00 04 30 31 00 .....MXL RG..01.
00000020 00 00 00 00 05 88 80 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 ................

(in reply to CmdrX3)

AN35???

Personaly I wouldn't bother to get a firmware in order ot burn those crap discs...avoid them.

If it was a known brand then yes this might be an issue, but with those believe me your drive is not the only one that has problems. Moreover the NEC drives are most known for their ability to burn on unknown mdia, due to their large media list, imagine than this one probably is not listed.

(in reply to CmdrX3)