NEC ND-2510A
1. Retail Package - Installation
Review Pages
2. Transfer Rate Reading Tests
3. CD Error Correction Tests
4. DVD Error Correction Tests
5. Protected Disc Tests
6. DAE Tests
7. Protected AudioCD Tests
8. CD Recording Tests
9. Writing Quality Tests - 3T Jitter Tests
10. Writing Quality Tests - C1 / C2 Error Measurements
11. DVD Recording Tests
12. KProbe/PlexTools Scans - Page 1
13. KProbe/PlexTools Scans - Page 2
14. DVD+R DL - Page 1
15. DVD+R DL - Page 2
16. BookType Setting
17. Conclusion
18. Firmware Hacks - Page 1
19. Firmware Hacks - Page 2
20. Firmware Hacks - Page 3
21. Firmware Hacks - Page 4
22. Firmware Hacks - Page 5
NEC ND-2510A Recorder - Page 1
After the big success of the ND-2500A drive, NEC released in June of 2004 the ND-2510A. The ND-2510A is able to write up to 8.5GB on the new double layer DVD+R9 media. This multispin drive supports both +R/+RW and -R/RW discs along with DVD+R9 discs at 2.4X. Although there are drives on sale that can record a full disc in less time than the ND-2510A, NEC's main interest is burning quality, and not so much the speed.
The ND-2510A takes advantage of NEC's "high resolution writing strategy" and an improved version of NEC's "Active Optimized Power Control" (Active OPC), the "high resolution writing strategy". NEC further includes its own buffer underrun error prevention technology.
- Features
The NEC ND-2510A can read at 12X max DVD-ROM discs and 40X max CD-ROM discs. It can write at 8X for both -R and +R DVD formats, and can write/rewrite at 4X -RW and +RW discs. The recording speed for DVD+R9 discs reaches 2.4X. As a CD recorder, it can record at 32X max when CD-R discs are used, and 16X max with CD-RW discs. Unfortunately, this drive does not support DVD-RAM media.
- Specifications
Drive | NEC ND-2510A |
|
Media | DVD |
CD |
Transfer Rate Read | 5...12x (max 16200 kb/s) | 17...40x (2550-6000 kb/s) |
Transfer Rate Write | DVD-R 8x ZCLV (max 11040 kb/s) | CD-R 32x ZCLV (max 4800 kb/s) |
DVD-RW 4x CLV (5520 kb/s) | ||
DVD+R 8x ZCLV (max 11040 kb/s) | CD-RW 16x CLV (max 2400 kb/s) | |
DVD+RW 4x CLV (5520 kb/s) | ||
DVD+R9 2.4X CLV (3300 KByte/s) | ||
Access Time | 140ms | 120ms |
Mechanism | motorized Tray load mechanism for horizonal and vertical use | |
Interface | IDE / ATAPI | |
Burst Transfer Rate | PIO mode 4 / Ultra DMA 33 | |
Cashe Memory | 2MB | |
Audio | headphone jack and volume control at front plus digital-out and line-out at the back (MPC compatible) | |
Media/Modes supported | DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-Video, CD-ROM, CD-ROM XA, CD-Audio, CD Extra, CD Text, CD-IReady, CD-Bridge, Photo-CD, VideoCD, Hybrid CD | |
Writing methods | DAO(disc at once), SAO(session at once), TAO(track at once) with zero gap, variable or fixed packet, multisession | |
Compatibility | MPC Level 3, MultiRead, PC2001 | |
Weight | 1.02kgr | |
Dimensions | 148mm x 42mm x 190mm |
The drive does not support Mount Rainier and it uses the well known RPC II region control, allowing a user to change the drive's region at most 5 times. Below are the drive's main specs as given by NeroInfoTool, VSO Inspector and DVDInfoPro:
- The drive
The European retail package includes an installation guide. Also included
is Nero 6
The IDE
We received one black colored and one white colored drive from NEC. You can see from the pictures above that the faceplates not only differ in color, but the DVD+R DL logo is shown only on the black colored drive. However, we removed the screws and covers from both drives and found that the the drives are 100% identical. Maybe all drives released from hereon will display the DVD+R DL.
On the rear panel you will find the analogue and digital audio outputs (SPDIF), the IDE slave/master selection pins, the IDE connector and the power input.
Removing the screws and opening the drive's cover voids the drive's warranty. For reference reasons, we post the following pictures. Click on the photos for an enlarged view.
The drive uses the same chipset as the ND-2500A, namely the D63630. Clicking on the image above will reveal a high resolution image. Notice that inside the ND-2510A, there is a white barcode label with 2500A written on it!
The following picture shows the laser lens of the ND-2510A . Clicking on the photo will open a higher resolution picture.
It should be noticed that the laser head unit of the ND-2510A is exactly the same as that of the ND-2500A drive! Clicking on the above image will show a high resolution picture. For comparison reasons, you can also see a picture of the ND-2500A laser lens here.
- Installation
The device was connected to our test PC and was identified as "NEC DVD_RW ND-2510A" under WinXP. All tests were done with firmware revision v2.15.
In this review, we will be comparing the drive with the LiteOn SOHW-832S since both drives have similar specifications.
- Testing software
In order to perform our tests we used:
- Nero CD-DVD Speed v3.12
- CDVD Benchmark v1.21
- ExactAudioCopy v0.9 beta5
- Nero Info Tool v2.24
- KProbe v2.2.0 (Reader: LiteOn LDW-811S firmware vHS0Q, LiteOn SOHD-167T firmware 9S13, LiteOn XJ-HD165H firmware CH11, and LiteOn LTD-163 firmware GH5S, Reading speed 8X CAV)
- PlexTools v2.15 (Reader: Plextor PX-712A firmware v1.01, Reading speed 8X CLV for CD-R)
- DVDInfoPro v2.54
- Nero Burning Rom v6.3.1.17
- DVD Decrypter 3.2.2.0
- CopyToDVD 3.0.19.33
Review Pages
2. Transfer Rate Reading Tests
3. CD Error Correction Tests
4. DVD Error Correction Tests
5. Protected Disc Tests
6. DAE Tests
7. Protected AudioCD Tests
8. CD Recording Tests
9. Writing Quality Tests - 3T Jitter Tests
10. Writing Quality Tests - C1 / C2 Error Measurements
11. DVD Recording Tests
12. KProbe/PlexTools Scans - Page 1
13. KProbe/PlexTools Scans - Page 2
14. DVD+R DL - Page 1
15. DVD+R DL - Page 2
16. BookType Setting
17. Conclusion
18. Firmware Hacks - Page 1
19. Firmware Hacks - Page 2
20. Firmware Hacks - Page 3
21. Firmware Hacks - Page 4
22. Firmware Hacks - Page 5