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Frustrated with DVD burning

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I don't know if this has been covered in another area, but the search function turned up nothing so I figured I'd just post here. A few times I'll burn a fan edited DVD and I'll get great results. Other times, it'll play fine on my computer, but on a stand-alone DVD player I have skipping issues, pixelation and so forth. Does anyone know why these errors are not apparant on a computer DVD player, but only on stand-alone? Sometimes copying the DVD and reburning it on another disc via Nero will work, but in one case (Blade Runner) I get a disc copying error, which means I have to download the whole thing over again. Ugh. This is probably more of a rant as much as it is a legitmate question. Thanks in advance guys!

Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here, this is the war room!

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Originally posted by: bad_karma24
I don't know if this has been covered in another area, but the search function turned up nothing so I figured I'd just post here. A few times I'll burn a fan edited DVD and I'll get great results. Other times, it'll play fine on my computer, but on a stand-alone DVD player I have skipping issues, pixelation and so forth. Does anyone know why these errors are not apparant on a computer DVD player, but only on stand-alone? Sometimes copying the DVD and reburning it on another disc via Nero will work, but in one case (Blade Runner) I get a disc copying error, which means I have to download the whole thing over again. Ugh. This is probably more of a rant as much as it is a legitmate question. Thanks in advance guys!


Sound like a classic case of media problems. Standalone players tend to correct errors less often than burners (which seems odd).

Briefly(?):

See if you can find Made in Japan media, most brands will say on the box/spindle. Most Taiwan disc makers follow a cheaper buisness model that produces poor results. In some of the worst cases, the media can even start deteriorating in about a year. Its been a problem since the early CD burning days. Since cheaper media was more attactive to customers, most brands turned to buying from different sources and averaging out the cost. Unfortunatally, a lot of people know about this, and Made-in-Japan can be hard to find in stores.

If your disc has dips in a Nero Transfer Rate Test, toss it and try again.

You may have to experiment to find discs that your burner and player(s) like. But usually, a good burn will play in anything.

You *probably* also want to update your burner's firmware. Most brands of burners are "rebadged" units from a small pool of manufacturers, so you might be able to get very-new firmware from the manufacturer. The CDFreaks forum can be invaluable, there. (But you may be in for a lot of research before you find out).

See my post in the other thread for a lot more detail. (And don't neglect to read the other posts. I've been told that I sound more authoritative than I really am. I don't know what they're talking about, but just in case. ).

Dvd brands

One day I found... 10 years had got behind me. Next day was worse.

 

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So that's how you double-post! Neat!

Sorry about that.


Aw... and I wanted my 50th post to be all cool and shit.

Whoo! 10 posts per month! Move over Adamwankenobi.

One day I found... 10 years had got behind me. Next day was worse.

 

Download  shows from Cable DVR (Updated! Yes, it needs a rewrite, but it's worth slogging through, anyway).

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ROTFLMAO! I like this guy ^ (Can't wait to see what you do at 100. )

b_k, you might want to also try burning at a slower speed. If you have an older DVD player, they tend to need better glasses due to their age.........uh, I mean, they have trouble reading the pits of a DVD that was burned quickly (the pits aren't always as discernable.)

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: Sadly, I believe the prequels are beyond repair.
<span class=“Bold”>JediRandy: They’re certainly beyond any repair you’re capable of making.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: You aren’t one of us.
<span class=“Bold”>Go-Mer-Tonic: I can’t say I find that very disappointing.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>JediRandy: I won’t suck as much as a fan edit.</span>

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Jaiman, thanks for the info about the discs. I tend to just buy whatever I see first, I've been told by sales reps that brands don't matter. On the other hand, I've been given far worse advice by sales reps before... maybe its time I just stopped talking to them altogether. I'll experiment with the firmaware too, though I think I updated mine when I first bought my laptop.

Speaking of disc deterioration, is it possible to happen in a matter of months? I burned ADM's Hannibal edit a while back when it first came out on MySpleen, and burned it soon thereafter. I never actually watched the whole thing through, but checked several scenes throughout the movie and not a single problem. I played it back in full last night (well, almost in full) and 45 minutes in I got tons of errors and pixelization. I tried playing back on my computer, and it ran fine for a bit, then just locked up entirely. Copying didn't work because apparantly the disc data is in error. Rather annoying, especially since it's no longer up on MySpleen (and if it was, there probably would be hardly any seeders). I've heard of DVD Rescue programs, would those work in this situation, or will I have to trouble someone into providing a copy for me? (hint, hint ).

MeBeJedi, I've been told (on this forum actually) that writing speed really doesn't matter, and that a slower speed will just mean that my information will get to the disc slower :/. Though since I'm usually out to lunch when I start a burn, I'll give this method a try and see what happens.

Great advice guys, I'll definetely look into this and see what I get.

And one more thing, do disc labels affect playback at all? I can't remember faulty playback on a disc with a label on it, though I've played others that have labels with nary a problem. Any ideas? Thanks!

Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here, this is the war room!

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Originally posted by: bad_karma24
MeBeJedi, I've been told (on this forum actually) that writing speed really doesn't matter, and that a slower speed will just mean that my information will get to the disc slower :/. Though since I'm usually out to lunch when I start a burn, I'll give this method a try and see what happens.
Who told you that? It does matter. I have an older player which glitches on anything burnt at 4x, but plays fine at 2x.

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Well, it's one of those things that you either encounter, or never do. If you have a newer player, it's generally not much of an issue.

Nonetheless, slower burning means the pits are burned longer, and are more pronounced. It's not a tremendous difference, but for some players, it's enough of a difference. It's certainly worth a try.

"And one more thing, do disc labels affect playback at all? I can't remember faulty playback on a disc with a label on it, though I've played others that have labels with nary a problem. Any ideas? Thanks!"

Technically, anything that is added to a CD/DVD can potentially affect playback, generally by throwing off the center of gravity. If you are using labels that adhere to the disc, I would be very careful how you apply them. I print directly to my DVDs.

If every labelled disc you have doesn't play, and every labelled disc that is blank does play, then I'd say it's causing the problem. Other than that, it's hard to say without going through some real trial and error.

For what it's worth, I buy the generic Ritek DVDs (generally 8X), and have never burned a toaster. They are 30 cents apiece. My Toshiba 1200 is about 4 years old, and plays my DVDs fine.

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: Sadly, I believe the prequels are beyond repair.
<span class=“Bold”>JediRandy: They’re certainly beyond any repair you’re capable of making.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: You aren’t one of us.
<span class=“Bold”>Go-Mer-Tonic: I can’t say I find that very disappointing.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>JediRandy: I won’t suck as much as a fan edit.</span>

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Yeah, slowing down the burning speed does the trick for me - for the recent discs I've burned, I've used Imation media. Probably not the best out there, but they do their job.

Also, my Nero Express tends to complain about a "power calibration error" most of the times I burn something at 4x. Either that or that disc comes out faulty. So I recommend that you slow down as well. It may take a wee bit longer, but it's better in the long run. Grab a cup of coffee while you wait!
"The things that stick in my mind and make me laugh were, like, memos worried about whether or not the Wookie should have pants. They're looking at this thing and saying, "Couldn't he have some lederhosen?" This is great. Of all the things to worry about, the Wookie has no pants." -Mark Hamill
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Looks like I'll be using 2x instead of 8x from now on. Bleh.

The labels seem to be working fine, I think its more of a problem with the disc itself. Or... I tried playing Hannibal back today and it worked fine, even in scenes where it completely froze. I'm using the labels that adhere... would the heat generated from spinning have something to do with it? Thanks guys!

Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here, this is the war room!

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And by the way, I'd advise you to avoid Memorex.

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"would the heat generated from spinning have something to do with it?"

No, I don't think that would be a problem. What would be a concern is if the label comes loose, causing wobble or even aerodynamic "lift". If pieces came off, they could gum up the works, too.

This reminded me: Anyone ever see the "Mythbusters" where they spun CDs to the point where they shattered? Funny stuff!

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: Sadly, I believe the prequels are beyond repair.
<span class=“Bold”>JediRandy: They’re certainly beyond any repair you’re capable of making.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: You aren’t one of us.
<span class=“Bold”>Go-Mer-Tonic: I can’t say I find that very disappointing.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>JediRandy: I won’t suck as much as a fan edit.</span>

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Originally posted by: MeBeJedi
(Can't wait to see what you do at 100. )

Wow. Think about it... my 100th post... Whooah duuude... ya know, with some persistance, I bet I could reach that high...

I hope it's not marked by originaltrilogy offline for 3 days, and news stories about Jay savagely beating me.

Yeah, ok, the humor comes and then it goes. I think it just wandered off somewhere.


Hey, I think I'm going to steal... errr.. take inspiration from, the way you split up the quotes, Usenet-style.


Originally posted by: bad_karma24
I tend to just buy whatever I see first, I've been told by sales reps that brands don't matter. On the other hand, I've been given far worse advice by sales reps before... maybe its time I just stopped talking to them altogether.


Most sales reps are fuckun posers...

I chose both my burners because they can test for and count the 3 kinds of disc-errors (trivial, kinda-bad, and fatal), that show up before error-correction kicks in. I can tell you - manufacturer makes a humongous difference.


Online is great, there's reputable dealers who sell good discs in bulk, at a nice prices. I like Rima.com, myself, and there's other good ones. And, hey, no sales reps! :-)


You can use different utilities to check a thingy called the disc's MID - find out the manufacturer (if the MID is honest). I'll refer you over to CDFreaks again. Be sure to check out their media review forum.


I'll experiment with the firmaware too, though I think I updated mine when I first bought my laptop.

It usually comes out every couple of months or so. Its really worth a shot. Burner firmware updates usually do a lot more good that other device firmware updates.


Speaking of disc deterioration, is it possible to happen in a matter of months? I burned ADM's Hannibal edit a while back when it first came out on MySpleen, and burned it soon thereafter. I never actually watched the whole thing through, but checked several scenes throughout the movie and not a single problem. I played it back in full last night (well, almost in full) and 45 minutes in I got tons of errors and pixelization. I tried playing back on my computer, and it ran fine for a bit, then just locked up entirely. Copying didn't work because apparantly the disc data is in error.


Yep, months - yup, possible.

If the burn was marginal, the first blip of deterioration could send it over the edge. Every dvd-burn is loaded with correctable errors. If your drive doesn't like the media, or the media was crap, or a single disc was weak, it can be 100's of times worse. Errors like to clump together...

Music CDs don't have as much error-correction as data discs, so it's painfully obvious (earache) when there's deterioration. When an error finally leaks through the correction on a data disc, it's already in worse shape, but you might have a chance to salvage. (DVD-video is stored as data, but in a way that tells the machine that it's video). So by the time you see errors on DVDs, its time to jump into action.

Burned DVDs will self-destruct decades before retail discs - they use dyes within generic-pits instead of physically-embossed data-pits. So they're kinda like film... You may have 20~80 years on a good one, no one knows. But a low-quality disc is doomed.

Prolonged heat, humidity, and light exposure are deadly, good discs or bad.

I'd be doing the TransferRateTest on all of them, replacing any that show a slowdown. (Keep the orginals as backup). Of couse testing all of them takes forever, at maybe 8 minutes a pop, but, ya know, a few a day... And, even more impractical , it helps to do 2 copies - you have far more than double the chance of recovering everything. Another idea would be to make pars of the Video_TS of each DVD - then store collections of those on data discs. But that idea probably wont catch on.


Rather annoying, especially since it's no longer up on MySpleen (and if it was, there probably would be hardly any seeders). I've heard of DVD Rescue programs, would those work in this situation, or will I have to trouble someone into providing a copy for me? (hint, hint ).


1) Since it's not a retail disc, it's not copy-protected. Try copying the disc contents to the hard drive. You'll find out right away, if there are unreadable spots. If you copy successfully, then ya can burn again. I'd use a Dos Window to copy from. "CD D:\" (or whatever the drive letter is for your DVD) "xcopy/s *.* c:\Dvdbackup". Windows tends to lock up for a long time if it can't read something (at least Win98). A Dos process is easier to kill. Unrelated tip: A Dos copy also loses the read-only, for you, which can be handy for data.

2) If you know people with other burners or DVD-ROM drives, try your copying your disc on theirs. My BenQ (fantastic burner) saw a scuffed cheapo DVD (that I paid for, - nobody on this board, don't worry) as a blank CD! But my LiteOn (Their burners are reputedly the best readers) read every byte without pausing for breath.

3) Serious data recovery - haven't tried it yet. (I know I'll have to some day). But IsoBuster has a good rep (if you pay the $30 for the full version). Even the free version will give you files. But, even with the registered version you might have to settle for errors in them. That's where my whacky par-idea comes in. Tip: Start your recovery before you go to bed, or leave for hours. :-)


MeBeJedi, I've been told (on this forum actually) that writing speed really doesn't matter, and that a slower speed will just mean that my information will get to the disc slower :/. Though since I'm usually out to lunch when I start a burn, I'll give this method a try and see what happens.


On the chance you're thinking of something I wrote in haste, about burning below rated speed, I went back & changed it a bit, for clairty and reduced inaccuracy. :-) Here's the OhMyGawdWillHeEverShutUp version.

You always get somewhat fewer errors at lower speeds - UNTIL you burn below the rated speed. The high-speed-disc's dye is designed to respond to the laser faster - so it's hard for the manufacturer to design a strategy that burns a fast-disc slowly. So the total error-rate usually actually increases.

But it helps some folks.

A big reason it works is CAV vs CLV. When you burn 6X or above, the burner has to shift speeds, you get clusters of errors at the shift points. At 4X, and below, the drive is burning at a steadily-increasing rate of speed. So, even if you have more total errors, they are spread out. And since your player is reading at 1X... (I'll qualify that, different drives might have to start shifting before or after 6X, I can't say).

It also depends on how good the burner is at learning from past burns, or learning on-the-fly. And it depends on how good a job the manufacturer did with figuring out how to burn different media (newer firmware helps there).


Jaiman, thanks for the info about the discs.

Yer welcome.

Hey, I got to babble about technical shit. It's a good day.

One day I found... 10 years had got behind me. Next day was worse.

 

Download  shows from Cable DVR (Updated! Yes, it needs a rewrite, but it's worth slogging through, anyway).

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Wow... it took a long time to save that last post, up there. Maybe I'd better be careful, after all... :-)

Am I overdoing it with the bold type? Yeah, probably, huh?


Originally posted by: bad_karma24
Looks like I'll be using 2x instead of 8x from now on. Bleh.

Try it and see. <shrug> Try 4X first. Firmware and good media are your best shot (yeahyahyah good media, blahblahblah). Firmware can also help with reading discs. In fact, you can update the firmware for standalone players, too. But I don't know how you would go about it.

The labels seem to be working fine, I think its more of a problem with the disc itself. Or... I tried playing Hannibal back today and it worked fine, even in scenes where it completely froze.


Intermittant problems with playback is another sign of deteriorating media and/or a bad burn - copy that sucker right away. Sometimes error-correction will kick in better than other times. But if it gave you problems once, its probably deteriorating. There could be random errors from vibration caused by the label - but there would also have to be a high error-rate on the disc, for you to ever see your computer lock up on a read-error.

I'm using the labels that adhere... would the heat generated from spinning have something to do with it? Thanks guys!


Heat might cause the adhesive to loosen... that would cause vibration, or, like MeBeJedi said, it might actually lift. Sticky bits in the machine? I don't want to think about that...

From what I've read, I'd avoid disc labels for DVDs. But I really couldn't say.

Labels actually seem to stabilize & protect CDs. But DVDs spin faster, the data is much denser - they are sensitive to vibration. A label that isn't applied inhumanly-perfectly can (theoretically) throw things off, at that speed. And you'll always get tiny bubbles. I'm not sure if its ever been a problem in the real world. But it might contribute.


By the way, I don't know if it's safe to remove a label from a DVD. But if you do, then take some Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol, and gently clean off every trace of the gum (or the gum will unbalance the disc a bit). Don't remove labels from CDs, they're built differently, the data layer is near the top & the shellac could peel right off.


Hmmm... maybe heat could change the reflectivity of the dye, or something. A very-hot machine will tend to be running a little off-spec... Also, if the disc is heated before you actually play it, the layers wll expand, physically. Stuff like that. I could see where that might trigger something, maybe. Possibly. I think. It could explain why the problem showed up later in the disc, and then on the computer. Then again, I don't know what I'm talking about there. And errors are more likely later in the disc.


Note to self: Start watching Mythbusters.

One day I found... 10 years had got behind me. Next day was worse.

 

Download  shows from Cable DVR (Updated! Yes, it needs a rewrite, but it's worth slogging through, anyway).

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"Hmmm... maybe heat could change the reflectivity of the dye, or something."

Now that makes sense, though I would hope it would take a tremendous amount of heat, seeing as how the dye is supposed to be "fluid" only under the direct beam of a laser. Otherwise, pit size would be all over the place.

"Note to self: Start watching Mythbusters."

Oh, it is one of MANY awesome episodes. They attach CDs to a router and try various speeds - faster and faster. Slow-motion photograpy shows the disc warping as it spins. Finally, they max out the router, and the discs shatter as soon as they throw the switch. GREAT STUFF!

Episode 2: Cell Phone Destruction, Silicone Breasts, CD-ROM Shattering
"In this episode, Jamie and Adam test several explosive theories. Can chatting on a cell phone while pumping gas cause the pump to blow up? Our mythbusters put themselves at risk so you don't have to. They also put silicone breast implants to the test at high altitude. Will they burst under pressure? Finally, we'll learn once and for all if high-speed CD-ROM players can really shatter a compact disc."

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: Sadly, I believe the prequels are beyond repair.
<span class=“Bold”>JediRandy: They’re certainly beyond any repair you’re capable of making.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: You aren’t one of us.
<span class=“Bold”>Go-Mer-Tonic: I can’t say I find that very disappointing.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>JediRandy: I won’t suck as much as a fan edit.</span>

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Alright, I just tried copying the files to my computer just through a file transfer (which has worked in the past) and I get: "Cannot copy VTS_01_03: Data error (cyclic redundancy check)." Gaaaaah!! Maybe I'll try my roommates computer, but for now I'm just pissed.

Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here, this is the war room!

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Originally posted by: MeBeJedi
"Hmmm... maybe heat could change the reflectivity of the dye, or something."

Now that makes sense, though I would hope it would take a tremendous amount of heat, seeing as how the dye is supposed to be "fluid" only under the direct beam of a laser. Otherwise, pit size would be all over the place.

Good point. Yeah, well, I was just spitballing. But I think its possible that properties, like that, might change slightly, long before the melting point... That could explain why error-tests come back with slightly different results each time--- but it might not explain why it fluctuates more on poor media. Yah, doesn't matter... it was just a tired mind spewing out random thoughts that I should've edited off.


"Note to self: Start watching Mythbusters."

Oh, it is one of MANY awesome episodes. They attach CDs to a router and try various speeds - faster and faster. Slow-motion photograpy shows the disc warping as it spins. Finally, they max out the router, and the discs shatter as soon as they throw the switch. GREAT STUFF!

Episode 2: Cell Phone Destruction, Silicone Breasts, CD-ROM Shattering
"In this episode, Jamie and Adam test several explosive theories. Can chatting on a cell phone while pumping gas cause the pump to blow up? Our mythbusters put themselves at risk so you don't have to. They also put silicone breast implants to the test at high altitude. Will they burst under pressure? Finally, we'll learn once and for all if high-speed CD-ROM players can really shatter a compact disc."


Aww, I missed 3 of them this afternoon... Ouch - Variable scheduling vs. my rotton memory. But it sounds wicked-cool. I'm sold, I'll just keep trying to remember to search tv.com every day. Thanks!

One day I found... 10 years had got behind me. Next day was worse.

 

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Mmmm... MythBusters. Is there anything those guys don't do?

Speaking of Hannibal, I transferred the files to my computer one by one, and got no errors. When I go to class tomorrow I'll set a burn at 4x and see if that did anything. I'll probably refrain from putting a label on it for now though, until I test some of the other discs with labels that I have (maybe I should start watching these DVDs as soon as a burn them, as opposed to months later. Damn school.).

Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here, this is the war room!

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Originally posted by: bad_karma24
Mmmm... MythBusters. Is there anything those guys don't do?

Speaking of Hannibal, I transferred the files to my computer one by one, and got no errors. When I go to class tomorrow I'll set a burn at 4x and see if that did anything. I'll probably refrain from putting a label on it for now though, until I test some of the other discs with labels that I have (maybe I should start watching these DVDs as soon as a burn them, as opposed to months later. Damn school.).

Cool! That's great news, man!


You beat me to it! I was just about to hit the reply button. But I'll post it, anyway, in case it's ever useful to anyone.


Originally posted by: bad_karma24
Alright, I just tried copying the files to my computer just through a file transfer (which has worked in the past) and I get: "Cannot copy VTS_01_03: Data error (cyclic redundancy check)." Gaaaaah!! Maybe I'll try my roommates computer, but for now I'm just pissed.


I've been there, in various unexpected ways [Western Digital doesn't tell you a controller card is required, on Win9X, for >120-Gig, unless you buy a kit with the controller (or you find the "wraparound bug" faq at their site); Rewritable discs go blank at random; a bad hdd sector can scramble a file or directory-entry without notice; the default settings of M$ Automatic Scandisk make it impossible to recover data...].

I know how pissed you are. Maaan, I know. But there's a good chance you can recover it.

I'd start by selecting the rest of the files & seeing if they'll copy out.


Then the first rule of data recovery is try-try-again. It rarely works on HDDs, but you've got a good chance with discs.

Repeated disc error-tests always come back slightly differently, on good discs, and can fluctuate wildly on bad burns. So that same drive might work next time (or the 20th time, or...). Even the free version of ISOBuster will retry as many times as you can stand (I don't know if it'll do so automatically). Then there's the thing about other drives.

And Isobuster can ignore a read-error to copy out a complete file, with a corrupt chunk. The video would break up at the corruption, but I imagine that the video could be fixed so it'd play normally shortly after that point.

I dunno about repairing the AC3 enough to play after the bad spot, though...


Of course, look at the disc for dust, or other cleanables (it would be risky to clean before you salvage all you can - cleaning tends to scratch). Its bad practice to blow on a disc - because saliva drops can be microscopic, so you might want to buy a can of pressurised air, or something, to get dust off before you clean. When its time to clean - rinse the data side with water (to reduce dust), dab off the water, then clean with Isoprypyl alcohol (to reduce waterproof stuff). Always wipe from center towards edge. Never wipe in a circular motion. (Circular scratches confuse the drive a lot more than radial scratches). After you dry the disc, it might be helpful to let the laser dry it, too (that's advice for LDs, I doubt if its nessecary for DVDs, but its worth trying).


There's a good chance its just one bad spot, now. So if you request (and get) a seed, you might be able to get it repaired in a matter of seconds. (I'd ask if you could, then, seed me, but there's already other stuff (Demonoid) that might go seedless during that time. ).

One day I found... 10 years had got behind me. Next day was worse.

 

Download  shows from Cable DVR (Updated! Yes, it needs a rewrite, but it's worth slogging through, anyway).

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Alright, I burned Hannibal this morning at 4x. Seems to work fine, though I'm going to plan on watching the entire thing through in the near future to double check. Thanks for all your help guys, hopefully the information on here will help out some more newcomers to the subject who are just as clueless as me.

Incidentally, does anyone have a link the disc art for ADM's Hannibal? I know, I feel like I'm taking two steps back, but those labels just look so damn good... haha. And again, I've had nary a problem with other discs with labels on them, so I might has well give it a shot here. Thanks in advance!

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The problems you have described are caused by burning too quickly onto shoddy media.
Your best bet is to avoid any media that uses CMC Magnetics dye or is a cheap, unknown brand. One of the main ones marketed with this dye is Memorex. Contrary to what others here have mentioned, not all Taiwanese media is bad, but media made in Japan is always better.
Avoid really cheap media-the disc problems and potential coasters are not worth saving $.10 per disc. Sales reps usually know nothing about media; ask them what media code the product is and all you will get is a blank stare. I suggest downloading a program that can read the media code and do disc tests, such as DVD Info. Check out this link for all the info you'll ever need on the subject.

Others to avoid:
Princo
Matrix
Longten (or any media made in HK)
TDK (inconsistent media codes)
Optodisc
unlabeled/store labeled media, such as OfficeMax brand (almost always CMC)
Khypermedia
Any media made by Supermediastore

Ones to look for:
Verbatim (about the best media money can buy)
Prodisc (Best used with Pioneer burners)
Ritek (good, but slipping)
Taiyo Yuden (Best quality/value for bulk Japanese media)
Maxell (usually Ricoh dye)




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Wow, this thread is so full of usefull information...i've been having 'problems' with some of my burnt dvds (seems to be mainly on lower quality players, i think the PS2 takes the cake for worst dvd player ever (i have the first gen so dont know if its been improved) )

anyway, next time i do some burning im gonna try and slow down the burns and see if that helps with compatibility across players.

on a related note, based on TR47's media suggestions meritline is having an anniversary sale and has white inkjet printable ritek (4x) on sale (100 for 18.99) and a 100 pack of white inkjet hub printable Prodisc (8x) for 30.99 for a 100 pack

-Darth Simon
Why Anakin really turned to the dark side:
"Anakin, You're father I am" - Yoda
"No. No. That's not true! That's impossible!" - Anakin

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*touchy people disclaimer*
some or all of the above comments are partially exaggerated to convey a point, none of the comments are meant as personal attacks on anyone mentioned or reference in the above post
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Alright, just a quick update on my own personal situation (since I'm sure you're all dying to know ).

Well, the last batch of DVDs I've used were both Sony DVD-R's and Nextech DVD-R's. I burned all content at 8x and when I would label them I would use only standard labels only (no hub, as the center of both these discs were clear). These discs all have problems with pixelization and so forth, And by and large the problems tended to be immediate.

Currently, I am in the process of re-burning a lot of my stuff using HP DVD-R's at 4x. The hub for these allows for labels to be put on it, and since I'm both a stubborn and aesthetic person, I'm printing full face labels for these (Feel free to yell at me, though I doubt you'll change my mind ). So far, I've watched a couple of these all the way through with nary a problem. I'll have to check them every so often to make sure they're good but so far... the coast seems clear.

I suppose in the future I'll invest in printable discs and a printer that can print on them, since even if the labels don't damange the disc, they're quite frankly a bitch to print out. The calibration tool that came with the program (exPressit... ugh) seems to do nothing, and I don't think I've gotten a perfectly centered label yet. I assume that printers that print directly on to discs do a better job?

Anyways, this thread has some great information on it. Hopefully other people will read it and learn more than I did.

Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here, this is the war room!

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I've been having some problems with OCP's movies using Verbatim 16x and burning at 4x. I think I read on the afterdawn forum it's not good to burn at too low a speed, but to burn at half the rated speed. Is this true?

I don't have this skipping and freezing problem on my backups of other movies which I burn at the same method, 4x on 16x Verbatim media.
There's good in the Original Trilogy, and it's worth fighting for.
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