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Hi all. Hope you all had a good thanksgiving and got your goodies this morning. I got myself the mad dog 16x DVD+- R/RW burner (rebadged NEC ND-3500). And I already have a ton of questions from all the info that I'm reading about online. Here's a list:

1. Can I use NEC's firmware on my mad dog burner?
2. My laptop doesnt have a floppy drive, is there any other way I can flash my burner?
3. I intend on burning mostly dvd movies, but my .avi's is not the format nero is accpeting (Video TS?) , do you know any software that I use to convert the formats?
4. This booktype/bitsetting stuff is kinda complicated too. I read the bitsetting help topic posted by someone on this forum, but still kinda confused. Can you give me some advice on them?
5. there is a gazzzzzilion types of firmwares out there, any good recommendations> (I do data and movie burning mostly)
Can't think of anymore, but i'll probably come up with more later. Thanks a lot for any advice/help guys!
--Jim

1. Yes
2. Why would you need a floppy drive to flash the firmware in your DVD writer? ? http://binflash.cdfreaks.com
3. Nero Vision Express will reencode the video files into the proper DVD compliant format.
4. Set the default DVD+R bitsetting to DVD-ROM, it will make your DVD+R discs more compatible.
5. You didn't really specify a particular firmware feature that you are interested in. That being the case, use the latest official Mad Dog firmware: 2.FA www.mdmm.com

thanks for the advice. I downloaded the binflash, and extracted NECflash.exe. Tried to run it but a DOS window flashes for a second then disappears. How do I run it? Thanks!

ohhh.and how do i check to make sure my burner is flashed successfully?

NECflash can only be used in pure DOS not in a command window. You will need to make a boot disk and flash from DOS. Just use the bin flash program GUI so you can flash the drive in windows. Just make sure all your burning software is turned off while you flash the drive.

You want NecWinFlash.exe , download file located underneath "Win32".

I know the MadDog (NEC 3500) has a USB 2.0 External ONLY. Would love to know if their setup can burn discs at 16X ?????

Most USB External I have used/tested only will run up to 12X...

Did MadDog find a way around this fact ???
Or are they selling a drive limited to 12X ???

Anyone know ???