Path: cdrom.com!barrnet.net!parc!biosci!agate!news.ossi.com!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!news.intercon.com!news1.digex.net!access.digex.net!not-for-mail
From: rge@access.digex.net (RGE Engineering Service Co.)
Newsgroups: alt.cd-rom
Subject: More NEC 3Xi (CDR-510 OEM)
Date: 13 Jun 1994 14:46:03 -0400
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA
Lines: 30
Distribution: usa
Message-ID: <2ti9hb$1jm@access3.digex.net>
NNTP-Posting-Host: access3.digex.net

I can confirm the problems with the "NEC" 3Xi (CDR-510) discussed in 
recent postings to this group.

As background, my company purchased a NEC 3Xi (CDR-500) six months ago.  
It has worked so well that I decided to get one when I purchased my PC 
for home last month.  When I went to pick up the new PC, I noticed the 
CD-ROM didn't have the roll open face or the LED, and it didn't say NEC 
on the front.  When I complained the salesman said "Yes, it is the NEC 
3Xi, just the OEM version.  It has the same performance."   Well, I 
wasn't too happy but I decided to give it a try.  I bought a CD-ROM 
called the MPC Wizard (by Aris - $10 at CompUSA) which tests the speed of 
CD-ROM drives.  The "real" NEC we have at work got 435 to 453 kbytes/sec 
every time I tested it.  The OEM version got only 210 to 390 (usually 
around 273) kbytes/sec.  Also, the program tests for MPC level 2 
compliance (i.e. more than 300 kbytes/sec at 60% CPU).  The NEC scored 
353 (Fantastic!!) but the OEM only 245 kbytes/sec!!  So, the OEM isn't 
even level 2 compliant, much less triple speed!!!

It took three frustrating weeks of testing for my vendor to reach this 
conclusion, but they have promised me either a "real" NEC or a 
refund.  Although I'm angry at the OEM for selling a misleading product, 
I'm also upset with NEC for allowing the OEM to sell a supposedly 
identical triple speed drive which gets such poor results.  Although the 
OEM cannot use the names NEC or 3Xi (which resellers are doing anyway) 
NEC's name is on the label inside the computer.  I recently 
saw a blurb in New Media magazine for a TEAC quad speed drive for $400.  
If my vendor gives me a refund I may just give the TEAC a try rather than 
finding a "real" NEC!

Keith A. Kaider