DVD Burners & Softwear?

[Kush]

Master thread if you're looking for a DVD Burner or DVD Burning Softwear


I feel my burner is crapping out on me. I'd like to invest in a new DVD/CD combo burner to fix the issue. I'm not sure of the quality ones out there because the only burner I've ever had came with my computer. I'd like to find one that is EAC friendly. Can someone reccommend a few good models and what I should be looking for in a new drive (features). I figure everyone on the site has a burner so it should be easy to get several responses from people who like their burner and its features. Thanx for the help in advance.

[Jorge]

I am also looking for a combo drive and would appreciate suggestions~
Jorge

[Kush]

To my great surprise I found out that DVD burners burn cdr's also. I didn't know that. So, to narrow my question down. I'm looking to find an internal DVD burning drive that is EAC friendly. Any suggestions or feedback from people here that have/use these burning drives?

[rcarljohnson]

Here is a good site to peruse for all things Video/DVD related:

http://www.videohelp.com/

You can look up the models of DVD burners out there and read other peoples experiences with them. I myself just recently picked up a MadDog 16x Double-Layer Burner and love it! I haven't burned many discs yet (3) but from the reviews on VideoHelp, I was able to determine that this is a really decent drive which is really a private-labled NEC drive. (http://www.mdmm.com/products/optical/MegaSTOR6in1-16DL.asp)

Oh yeah, and I bought it at Office Max for $79.00 after mail-in rebate.

Hope this helps!

Bob

[Karst]

To my great surprise I found out that DVD burners burn cdr's also.

You probably want one that can read both CD & DVD? Then maybe get one of the high-end Sony ones - although they will set you back $158 I think. In my previous workplace we a got LaCie and their internal one is $99. I always found them to be quite reliable.

http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?pid=10568

Good luck!

[Kush]

Anyone have any feedback on this one?

LiteOn
LDW-851S
8X DVD Dual

ATAPI / E-IDE Half-Height internal DVD+R / DVD+RW / DVD-R / DVD-RW / DVD-ROM / CD-R / CD-RW / CD-ROM combination drive

SMART-BURN avoiding Buffer Under Run error, Automatically adjusting writing strategy & running OPC to provide the best burning quality

SMART-X function adjusts CD-DA / VCD / DVD data extraction to a fastest allowable speed according to both data request rate from host and disk quality

VAS® system reduce vibration and noise during recording and reading
Support Fixed Packet, Variable Packet, TAO, SAO, DAO, Raw Mode Burning & Over-Burn

DVD read compliant: DVD single / dual layer (PTP / OTP), DVD-R (3.9 GB / 4.7 GB), DVD-R multi-borders, DVD+R, DVD+R multi-sessions, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW

CD read compliant: CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-ROM / XA, Photo-CD, Multi-session, Karaoke-CD, Video-CD, CD-I FMV, CD Extra, CD Plus, CD-R, and CD-RW

Supprot both 8 cm and 12 cm disc of CD and DVD family

Conform to Orange Book: Part 2 CD-R Volume 1, Part 2 CD-R Volume 2 Multi Speed, Part 3 CD-RW Volume 1 (1x, 2x, and 4x), Part 3 CD-RW Volume2: High Speed, Part 3 CD-RW Volume 3: Ultra Speed

Supported transfer mode: PIO mode 4, DMA mode 2 and Ultra DMA mode 2

Product Specifications


Speed DVD Family:
Write:
DVD+R 8x (10800KB/sec) by Zone-CLV
DVD-R 4x (5400KB/sec) CLV
ReWrite:
DVD+RW 4x (5400KB/sec) CLV
DVD-RW 2x (2700KB/sec) CLV
Read 12x (16200KB/sec) maximum by CAV
CD Family:
Write 40x (6000KB/sec) maximum by P-CAV
ReWrite 24x (3600KB/sec) maximum by P-CAV in UltraSpeed disc
Read 40x (6000KB/sec) maximum by CAV
Buffer Size 2 MB
Access Time DVD Family: 160 ms
CD Family: 140 ms
MTBF (Life) 70,000 Hours
Support OS Windows 95 / 98 / NT4.0 / ME / 2000 / XP
OS Requirement Pentium III 450 MHz or faster CPU and 128 MB or higher RAM are required
650 MB HDD available capacity; and 5 GB free space for creating a DVD image file
Power Requirement +5 V +/-5% and less than 100 mVp-p ripple voltage
+12 V +/-5% and less than 200 mVp-p ripple voltage
Dimension 145 ( W ) x 41.3 ( H ) x 170 ( D ) mm
Weight < 0.9 Kg

[rcarljohnson]

Here is a link to the reviews page at VideoHelp.com

-http://www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters.php?DVDnameid=180&Search=Search&list=2#comments -

Scroll down toward the middle of the screen to start seeing the reviews.

Bob

[Kush]

Anyone else have a DVD burner that they like.

Why? Specs?

[silentmachine]

Hey!

What software do you guys recommend for creating DVDs, i.e. chapters and menus etc?

Thanks for yer help! :)

[Boddah]

link: http://www.videohelp.com/tools?s=2#2

[Five]

check here:

http://www.videohelp.com
http://www.doom9.org

hope this helps

[silentmachine]

thanks guys!

[New Homebrew]

Get this.

http://www.mediachance.com/dvdlab/dvdlabpro.html

[bertharpua]

i was wondering what type of software i should use to copy shows. does anyone have a recommendation for some good freeware....or do most of you purchase ripping software? thanks for any help....

[smurfatefrog]

I would definately say the best free DVD copying software is DVD Decrypter, it rips DVDs & then will burn the .iso file. I use this and Nero for all my copying, but Nero obviously isnt free.
DVD Shrink is also good, especially if you need it for other reasons ;)

[bertharpua]

sweet,
i'll try it out....anyone with other recommendations?
thanks, bert

[psyde]

I agree that DVD decrypter is a great program for making backups of your favorite movies/shows on DVDS. However, you will likely need to compress or edit your movies, since most DVD-R or DVD+R discs have less than a 4.7 gigabyte capacity and movies on DVDs are usually bigger than 4.7 gigs. I should also note that there are dual layered discs out there too with double the 4.7 gig capacity, but these are very expensive at this time. As a result, you'll need DVD shrink, which is software that is also free. There are a few good guides out there that give very detailed instructions on how to use both of these programs. Do a google and you should find all the answers you need.

Also, I recommend Nero, which is a great program to use when you want to burn something.

Psyde

[bertharpua]

okay so i tried out dvd decrypter with dvd shrink and it worked like a charm, thanks for the tip. :wave:

[RainDawg]

DVD Shrink is only good if you are copying material from a DVD-9 (dual layer) to a DVD-5 (single layer) disc. You do NOT want additional compressing if you are just copying from one single layer DVD to another, and as such DVD Decrypter is the best and only way to go.

There is nothing on this site that DVD Shrink is good for. It is useful in pirating original DVDRs, but if you want help with this, you need to look elsewhere. Within the next year, as dual-layer DVDRs become more commonplace, bootlegs may begin to circulate on this medium. However, converting from DVD-9 to DVD-5 and seeding here will be against policy, and this a program to compress files will not be useful.

[AAR.oner]

the px-708 in my pc rig is finally kickin the bucket i think...two years is all we can expect these days i guess! :disbelief

i was looking at the px-716a, given my overall satisfaction with the 708, but thought i'd get some opinions first...anyone have any suggestions/comments re: internal dvd burners from BenQ/NEC/other manufacturers?

thanks&cheers!

[Five]

Don't get a Teac!

[paddington]

the px-708 in my pc rig is finally kickin the bucket i think...two years is all we can expect these days i guess! :disbelief

i was looking at the px-716a, given my overall satisfaction with the 708, but thought i'd get some opinions first...anyone have any suggestions/comments re: internal dvd burners from BenQ/NEC/other manufacturers?

thanks&cheers!

NEC!!!

go to newegg.com

[wazoo2u]

Plextor has a well earned reputation for their drives capability at DAE and audio writing. Their DVD writing is reliable and consistent. I have a 708 that's worked perfectly for me.

I added a LiteOn drive that I RMA'ed immediately, they sent me a brand new one that's now used as a doorstop.

I replaced the LiteOn with the NEC 3520 that got off to a rocky start, but seems to be OK with new firmware. I found that both the LiteOn and the NEC were both REALLY particular about the brand of media used.

I have a Pioneer 108 that I use at work, and it's been extremely reliable for data burns. Doesn't care what kind of media it sees, and burns DVD video very well. Haven't done any audio work with it.

http://www.cdfreaks.com (http://www.cdfreaks.com/) forums are a really good place to research this.

[AAR.oner]

thanks for the help ya'll...

wazoo--i primarily use TY dvdr/cdr for trading, and Ritek G05s for general use...have you had any experience with either of those brands and the NEC drive you got?

i'm jugglin between plextor's PX-716A and that NEC ND-3520A...still figuring out if the plextor is worth the extra 50 buckz...thanks again--cheers!

[cmaz]

I added a LiteOn drive that I RMA'ed immediately, they sent me a brand new one that's now used as a doorstop.

On the contrary, i have had no troubles at all with my very old LiteOn LTR-16102B (cd rewriter) and my more recent SOHW-812S (dvd rewriter).

Also, LiteOn has a very active community over at cdfreaks.

http://www.cdfreaks.com (http://www.cdfreaks.com/) forums are a really good place to research this.

Agreed. Everything you need to know should be at that site.

[wazoo2u]

thanks for the help ya'll...

wazoo--i primarily use TY dvdr/cdr for trading, and Ritek G05s for general use...have you had any experience with either of those brands and the NEC drive you got?

i'm jugglin between plextor's PX-716A and that NEC ND-3520A...still figuring out if the plextor is worth the extra 50 buckz...thanks again--cheers!

The Plex, NEC and Pioneer drives all loved TY's. The NEC didn't like G05's too much at all. I had good luck with MMC (Mitsubishi) media by Verbatim with all my drives.

[wazoo2u]

On the contrary, i have had no troubles at all with my very old LiteOn LTR-16102B (cd rewriter) and my more recent SOHW-812S (dvd rewriter).
Also, LiteOn has a very active community over at cdfreaks.

I had a bad LiteOn. After wasting a solid 12 hours troubleshooting it, I decided I had more important things to do with my life than getting a $70 DVD drive to work correctly. It's much easier to throw it out and buy something that actually works, right out of the box. Both my Plex and Pioneer drives did that. My NEC needed a firmware upgrade to settle down, but that was a minor fix.

Not impressed with LiteOn at all. Their factory tech support is non existent, and if it wasn't for CD Freaks I would have had no place to turn at all.

Love the CD Freaks community... much more valuable to me than some ratty ass cheap DVD burner, but I'm glad that you had good luck with your LiteOn.
I've been a Plextor customer since they had 2X drives, and even though I'd RMA'ed a couple of their CD burners (the 6X was particularly a lemon) they always stood behind their product and worked to make their drives perform well. I still like them, even if they cost a few dollars more.

You can always shop at www.pricewatch.com (http://www.pricewatch.com/) or www.pricegrabber.com (http://www.pricegrabber.com/) to find the cheapest prices on any drive... just try to buy RETAIL BOX, NEVER OEM... that 30 day warrantee will getcha... :(

[AAR.oner]

The Plex, NEC and Pioneer drives all loved TY's. The NEC didn't like G05's too much at all. I had good luck with MMC (Mitsubishi) media by Verbatim with all my drives.

thats what i was looking for :D

i just noticed that my external Lacie d2 drive on my Mac is actually a NEC Nd-3500[i think] and so far no issues with the G05s...however i've only burned a few dozen discs on it, so...

thanks again ya'll

[wazoo2u]

thats what i was looking for :D
i just noticed that my external Lacie d2 drive on my Mac is actually a NEC Nd-3500[i think] and so far no issues with the G05s...however i've only burned a few dozen discs on it, so...
thanks again ya'llThe firmware upgrades for the NEC 35xx are supposed to allow 12X burning on G05's and other media. On my machine, setting Nero to burn them at 12X actually takes longer than if I set it to 8X. The Ritek's seem to be error free at 8X. I create MD5's for all filesets I burn as data, and everything hash checks perfectly from the opticals when I check them after a burn...It's mostly the speed issue that is a problem.

There's a new firmware upgrade for the NEC 3520, but I haven't grabbed it yet, nor read the forums to see what's up...

[gsmyth79]

I'm thinking about getting a LaCie d2 external DVD burner.

I would like to get the Firewire connection, but my Powerbook G4 only has 1 Firewire input. I have an external HD that runs on that input, so my question is, can I run the burner off the firewire input on my external HD? I need to keep the HD connected because that has the files I would like to burn...

In other words will it work to go Powerbook > external HD > external burner (using Toast as a burning program)?

I could always get the USB connection but Firewire is so much better.

If anyone has any input I would really appreciate it.

[U2Lynne]

I would think there would be no problem with that. Firewire is definitely the way to go! :thumbsup

[gsmyth79]

Thanks Lynne, you're always on the ball!

[AAR.oner]

what lynne said...i've had to daisy-chain before, and never had aproblem when running thru the firewire [i'd burn at a reasonable speed, just as a safety precaution]...

you can always pick up a firewire multi-hub later on to expand [they're gettin cheap]...

[outpostnorth]

yes...just to reiterate...firewire loves to daisy chain :)

[Evenreven]

Hey, this is nice info! I didn't know that was possible.

Btw, that burner is great. Never had any problems. And it makes it possible for me to read dvd+r's - a big plus.

[gsmyth79]

Hey, this is nice info! I didn't know that was possible.

Btw, that burner is great. Never had any problems. And it makes it possible for me to read dvd+r's - a big plus.

It's the best hundred bucks I've spent in a long time! I got a refurbished one and it's like new!

[Evenreven]

WHAT?! Hundred dollars? I bought one for my workplace for the Norwegian Kroner equivalent of 300 dollars.

It's more than a year ago now, though.

[gsmyth79]

I just got it from the lacie website. Refurbished firewire d2s are USD99.

[LastHonestFool03]

I was looking on newegg.com for one, but I can't tell which ones are dual layer and which ones are single layer, anyone got anyhelp?

[AAR.oner]

plextor px-716...by far the best

[LastHonestFool03]

thanks, and I heard I might need to get firmware, and flash it? I have no idea what that means...and also, how would I install it on my laptop?

[TheMamba]

I was looking on newegg.com for one, but I can't tell which ones are dual layer and which ones are single layer, anyone got anyhelp?

If it's dual-layer, it will most definitely tell you.

[guygee]

I've been a loyal Plextor fan for many years, and I bought the Plextor PX-716A, but when I tried to flash the bios something went wrong, and now I get the dreaded "double flashing amber light". I went through the whole troubleshooting procedure on the Plextor website, but to no avail. I have to RMA it. In the meantime, I needed a DVD drive, and I went with the Sony DRU-800A (which is really just a rebranded LiteOn 1693S). Both of these drives have Dual Layer capability, whcih I do not plan to use since I want downward compatability. I should add that the Plextor is rated 8x DVD+R write, but it only seemed reliable up to 6x (this could have been the media, though) while the Sony easily writes 16x, even with system load like ABC running.

Plextor may produce a higher quality product with respect to jitter and other technical specs, but there is also the issue of system interoperability. I notice that Plextor does not appear in the list of manufacturers when you try to add hardware to Windows XP. The last Plextor drive I bought, a year or two ago, was the PX-708UF external, and I can't get Windows to recognize it anymore. I don't know, maybe it is fried, but it really wasn't used all that much.

Then there was the tiff over Plextor lawyers shutting down the free source PxScan and PxView projects, just so they could try and make money on their PlexTools Professional Software ( you can read all about this incident here:
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/06/06/1139203&tid=185 )
Hardware vendors suddenly trying to generate revenues from software products is usually a bad sign (e.g. SGI). I have to wonder if Plextor is slipping a bit. Any informed comments welcome.

[AAR.oner]

all you have to do to update firmware is to go to the website [for instance, plextors main site if you buy a plextor], find the Firmware downloads page, and d/l the appropriate fw for yer drive model.

[guygee]

thanks, and I heard I might need to get firmware, and flash it? I have no idea what that means...and also, how would I install it on my laptop?

For your laptop you should get an external DVD with USB 2 or Firewire (IEEE1394) interface. If your laptop doens't support these, you can get a PCMCIA Card to support either. USB 1.x is too slow. The Firewire is slightly faster than USB 2 (I've done the measurements). Most external drives support both.

As for flashing the firmware upgrade, be very careful! (See my post above). Read the manufacturers instructions carefully, and also read the troubleshooting guides before you flash. Usually, you have to disable DMA before you can successfully flash your firmware. This goes like: Contol Panel->System->Hardware->Device Manager->IDE ATI/ATAPI Controllers->open->right click Properties-> (Uncheck "let BIOS select" if needed), then choose PIO mode for both primary and secondary channels. Reboot, flash, then reverse the procedure to turn DMA back on.

The Plextor website didn't mention tunrnng off DMA until after the fact (If you have a problem...then turn off DMA), while the Sony website told me upfront. This is probably the cause of the failure I had with my Plextor drive.

Once you disable your DMA, the procedure is very simple, you just download the firmware upgrade application from the manufacturers support webstire and run it. If you follow the instructions carefully, it should not be difficult.

[cmigliaccio]

Looking to get a DVD burner for my laptop, and am curious as to what brands (or even models) people suggest? I'm a poor college student, so want to get it as cheaply as possible (seem to be going for ~$65 on ebay at lowest), but I'd also be receptive if you all think paying a bit more provides signifcant performance differences.

Thanks for any help,
Chris

[AAR.oner]

personally, i've always preferred the Plextor's...i had one that lasted me almost three years, and heavy burning...plus, outta the dozens of folks i've talked to, only one person had any problems with there's...

i also have a Lacie d2 external [NEC guts]...no probs so far

[thisistoto]

Plextor. There is no arguement, and they arnt that much more expensive. They are solid strong burner :thumbsup

[feralicious]

Plextor. There is no arguement, and they arnt that much more expensive. They are solid strong burner :thumbsupI agree with Toto! :)

[AAR.oner]

the PX-716 external is about as top notch as you can get...more than you were orig lookin to spend, but well worth imo [i'm guessing fera and toto both woul;d agree]...

you might can also find a PX-708 [prev. model] online for even cheaper, google it

[PintOfGuinness2]

In regards to the plex 716 external I cuncor wholeheartedly. Ordered one from Newegg last sunday 189.99 arrived weds and I've been using it eer since. So impressed with this burner 100X more reliable then my old Sony DRX-700 so glad I bought this

[cmigliaccio]

Thanks for the help... I'll look into those Plextor models, although it's interesting that you mentioned the one with NEC guts, as those seem to be the cheapest.

[sillyolbear69]

cd's just dont have enough room and with the new dvd systems for tvs i can use them for all my music now , i think its time i got with the program.below is what i have in my system now and i want to get a dvd burner.i figure if ya want to know things ask the pros so i pose this to anyone that can help . any other info that you can offer would be great also. in advance i thank you immensly


brand?
type??
should i wait for faster burning speed?
internal ?
external?





http://docs.us.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4500/specs.htm
ive added a 120 gig secondary internal hard drive
also added a cd burner
and im running 1 gig of ram

[guido12]

I too am looking into a DVD burner. I have about 50 Hi-8 tapes that need a new home. My Hi-8 player got damaged during a horebask riding canter incident (too much jarring forthe poor thing - me and the camera!) Anyway, I plan on borrowing a Hi-8 and getting all my tapes copies to digital. So I will need a digital video camera and a DVD burner. I'll be looking for the replies for suggestions. :help:

[AAR.oner]

re: DVD burners--

based on personal experience, a few other's experience, and the various computer mag's "testings", i would recommend going with a Plextor drive...right now, the best model is probably the PX-716...it has one of the fastest burning times out there, has wide compatability with media brands, and will also burn to the newer Dual-Layer DVDs if you can afford the DL media...as far as internal or external, it's up to yuo...externals are of course more $ than internals...

===========================================================

re: transferring from HI-8 to digital...you will need a HI-8 player, or a HI-8 cam for starters...*if* the Hi-8player/cam has usb or firewire outs, you can probably capture directly from it to the video editing/capture software you use...

if there is NO usb/fw out, then you'll need an A/D Video Converter...Canopus is a good brand...they range from "inexpensive consumer-level", to pro-level--all depends how much you wanna spend...compare all the "Digital Video Converters" they have...the models you want to look at will be the ADVC___ units...from there, you can probably find cheaper prices at the various online retailers....

Canopus -- http://www.canopus.us/US/Products/index/product_index.asp

[sillyolbear69]

thanks for the info ,how long does it usually take to burn a dvd aproximatly ? ok is internal better than external?? pros and cons??vice versa .

[BoNeZ]

how long does it usually take to burn a dvd aproximatly ?
Depends on what speed you are burning at and how large the DVD is. Typically for me, burning a full 4GB DVD at 4x takes about 20 minutes. I have a LITE-ON LDW 411S.

[Lars411]

I have 2 of these NEC dvd buners. They're highly rated.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827152047

Heres another place to get reviews

http://www.cdfreaks.com/

[AAR.oner]

thanks for the info ,how long does it usually take to burn a dvd aproximatly ? ok is internal better than external?? pros and cons??vice versa .
depends on media and speed you burn at...typically, i prefer burning at 4x using TY media, which takes approx 12-15 mins with a PX-716A drive

at 8x, approx 6-8 mins...

re: internal vs external--neither is really "better", just depends on if you want an internal slot drive or an external via Firewire...i've used both and have never seen any difference as to "quality".

[AAR.oner]

I have 2 of these NEC dvd buners. They're highly rated.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827152047

Heres another place to get reviews

http://www.cdfreaks.com/
i've heard some good things about the NEC drives, and also smoe bad things...i've only owned one [it was loaded into a Lacie d2 external shell @ $200+] and it died in less than a year, so i'm back to Plextors...

for future refernce--the link you provided Lars is for an OEM product, which means it ships out-of-box, no software, etc...alot of folks warn against getting drives that are OEM, due to increase in possible "issues"--its one of those roll-the-dice situations, much cheaper, but more likely you get a lemon...

[Lars411]

i've heard some good things about the NEC drives, and also smoe bad things...i've only owned one [it was loaded into a Lacie d2 external shell @ $200+] and it died in less than a year, so i'm back to Plextors...

for future refernce--the link you provided Lars is for an OEM product, which means it ships out-of-box, no software, etc...alot of folks warn against getting drives that are OEM, due to increase in possible "issues"--its one of those roll-the-dice situations, much cheaper, but more likely you get a lemon...

Yes I'm sorry I should have stated that the link was for the OEM version. The site also sells the retail verison as well. I have 2 because I have 2 computers not because 1 died out or anything. You can review on the site the cust reviews. I haven't heard of a lemon coming from 1 of the 356 who have bought it from this site.

[saltman]

I love the plextor drives :love:
That's the only one I'd consider.
Guaranteed to not let you down.

[Chachi420]

I LOVE my LG super-multi DVD+/-R/RW...that thing will burn whatever you put into it :) (except dual layer...but those discs are WAY too expensive anyway so that doesn't matter)
My new laptop burner is sweet too. HL-DT-ST DVD-RW GWA-4080N

[Black Dog]

for future refernce--the link you provided Lars is for an OEM product, which means it ships out-of-box, no software, etc...alot of folks warn against getting drives that are OEM, due to increase in possible "issues"--its one of those roll-the-dice situations, much cheaper, but more likely you get a lemon...[/QUOTE]

I purchased a OEM Sony DVD RW DW-U18A for $49 new @ Tiger Direct.
Could not locate drivers online, so it's running the generic win driver. I also cannot find any info on firmware....not problems yet...but not worth the headache.

[Lars411]

for future refernce--the link you provided Lars is for an OEM product, which means it ships out-of-box, no software, etc...alot of folks warn against getting drives that are OEM, due to increase in possible "issues"--its one of those roll-the-dice situations, much cheaper, but more likely you get a lemon...

I purchased a OEM Sony DVD RW DW-U18A for $49 new @ Tiger Direct.
Could not locate drivers online, so it's running the generic win driver. I also cannot find any info on firmware....not problems yet...but not worth the headache.[/QUOTE]


Heres the firmware for your drive.

http://dhc014.rpc1.org/indexOEM.htm#DW-D18A


You can also turn your single layer into a duel layer burner. If you know what you're doing.

http://www.legitreviews.com/article.php?aid=109

[alg]

I too am looking into a DVD burner. I have about 50 Hi-8 tapes that need a new home. My Hi-8 player got damaged during a horebask riding canter incident (too much jarring forthe poor thing - me and the camera!) Anyway, I plan on borrowing a Hi-8 and getting all my tapes copies to digital. So I will need a digital video camera and a DVD burner. I'll be looking for the replies for suggestions. :help:

I wonder if that was a freudian slip 'horebask riding incident' or just a typo :D

[Black Dog]

Thanks for the links. Back when I was searching for drivers, a read something about mine (OEM Sony) being a rebadged lite-on. Much appreciated!!:D



I purchased a OEM Sony DVD RW DW-U18A for $49 new @ Tiger Direct.
Could not locate drivers online, so it's running the generic win driver. I also cannot find any info on firmware....not problems yet...but not worth the headache.


Heres the firmware for your drive.

http://dhc014.rpc1.org/indexOEM.htm#DW-D18A


You can also turn your single layer into a duel layer burner. If you know what you're doing.

http://www.legitreviews.com/article.php?aid=109[/QUOTE]

[drpino]

despite having 4 Plextor optical drives (1 Premium CD-RW, 1 708UF external and 2 716As), i would say the best bang for your buck DVD burner out right now is the BenQ 1640...i got one not too long ago and it's a helluva drive for $50 (online/newegg) or $80 (retail/circuitcity)...

i would highly suggest reading up at the forums at http://club.cdfreaks.com , the reviews at http://www.cdfreaks.com and the reviews at http://www.cdrlabs.com

each brand has its loyal fanbase you'll see...

[agenbite]

I LOVE my LG super-multi DVD+/-R/RW...that thing will burn whatever you put into it :) (except dual layer...but those discs are WAY too expensive anyway so that doesn't matter)


FWIW, I second this choice.

I love my LG super-multi etc... too. Easy to setup, operate, and works like a charm on anything I've thrown at it. Before purchasing it, I was kicking myself for not specifying a DVD-R burner when I bought a new PC...but now I'm glad I didn't. This is much better than anything DELL would have installed.

I bought mine at newegg.com for $100.

[sillyolbear69]

ok i did alot of research and read alot of reviews and decided to get the NEC Model ND-3540A and man i love it !! thanks for all the info everyone it really helped alot . i figured for 44 bucks new i couldnt go wrong and i loved the ease of install and understanding i almost bought another one to do dvd to dvd but decided against it . again........thanks


dave

[drpino]

'grats on your new burner...you can find custom modded firmwares, media code editors, quality scans, recommendations on media to use and a plethora of other useful info here (all NEC-specific): http://club.cdfreaks.com/forumdisplay.php?f=86

be careful, once you get to know more about optical drives you kinda get hooked on tinkering around with 'em ;)

[lennox14]

I've just downloaded a DVD that is 7.71 gigabytes. I have a DVD burner but it only burns the traditional 4.7 DVD-/+r(s). I was wondering if anyone here knew any way to help me get the DVD that I downloaded onto a regular DVD 4.7 DVD-r.

[AAR.oner]

dvdshrink http://www.dvdshrink.org/what.html

[spiritinaphoto]

Well, it looks like I'll have some money to buy a DVD burner pretty soon. I'm looking for an external because I've got a laptop, and although I have found a DVD burner that'll fit my laptop, it's only 8x and I don't want to buy something I wouldn't be able to use if I get a new computer.

I know you're all going to chime in with replies of "Plextor PX-716UF", but I do believe that model requires at least a 1.4 GHz processor, and mine is a mere 1.06 GHz, so unless you really can get by with a slower processor with that drive, it's a complete no-go.

I'm really tempted by the LG GSA-2166D, because its box says its minimum processor requirement is only 800 MHz, and it's a 16x burner--dual format, dual layer, and LightScribe (not that I can even use LightScribe since I don't think there's Linux support for it just yet). Is this a good burner, or should I just opt for a refurbished Plextor PX-712UF? Or is there another burner that would better suit my situation?

[gsmyth79]

I never burn DVDs over 4x.

I can't remember why burning faster than that is bad but I could probably find it if you wanted to with some quick Googling.

[spiritinaphoto]

I never burn DVDs over 4x.

I can't remember why burning faster than that is bad but I could probably find it if you wanted to with some quick Googling.
I imagine that probably depends on the accuracy of the burner in question and isn't a general rule-of-thumb across the board.

[gsmyth79]

Alrighty. I got a LaCie D2 burner refurbished for 100 bones and LOVE it. Zero coasters (TY media, burned @ 4x).

[Qstick333]

Hi guys -

What is the software of choice for ripping dvd's to my harddrive for trade? I am thinking of signing up for a few dvd vines, and not sure what the best way to get the show to my harddrive would be.

thanks,

Zach

[diggrd]

Unless you are ripping a commercial release you should be able to just copy the VIDEO_TS to your HD. Three must have tools for dvd are DVD-Decryptor IFO-Edit and Iso-Buster

[Five]

that's right.

create a folder on your computer and drag-and-drop the VIDEO_TS folder from the dvd into it. after that, generate wholefile md5 checsums from the original dvd in such a way that that VIDEO_TS is in the path beside the checksum for each file. save this into the folder you created alongside the copied VIDEO_TS folder but not in the VIDEO_TS folder. now you can run that same md5 file from where it is, it will check all of the files inside the VIDEO_TS folder that is on your harddrive to ensure that there were no errors whatsoever during the "extraction". this md5 file should stay where it is and be included with the seed. also create the .txt file with all the required info as per the video bit torrent seeding policy (check the link in the faq at the top of the page). post back if you hit any roadblocks.

[MightyBurn]

Does anyone recomend any free dvd burning software. Intervideo or something like that came with my computer but after using it a couple times i'm officially convinced that it's the worst product out there. any suggestions?
Thanks,
MB

[miserablemik]

I've used 'BURN 4 FREE' a couple of times with no problems. It also seems to do a fair job of audio c.d's if you're stuck. The version I have was on a magazine disk, the version they have on their website is newer and now comes bundled with a websearch facility, how intrusive this may be I dont know, but it is free, and it is functional, and it is easy to use. Check out www.burn4free.com and decide for yourself. Hope this is helpfull.

[brimstone]

I use burnatonce

[alchemy71085]

Does anyone know of good DVD burning software other than Nero?

I just burned another coaster with the crap piece of software known as Nero.

Oh, don't worry, it claims to have burned your disc 100% error free, but god forbid you should scan it with DVD shrink. You wouldn't want to do that. :rolleyes:

Nero. :disbelief

[Five]

try generating md5 checksums from the files the dvd you burned and the files on your HD and post 'em up. I'd like to see what's going on there.

[alchemy71085]

I put together a new .md5 with TLH, it's attached. TLH said that there were no errors.

I don't know what it could be. I never had any problems until one day I noticed that the buffer (not the read buffer, but the write one) kept jumping around. It goes from 36% to 74% to 98%, then back down to 30...etc... It still does this now. I don't know what could be causing this, but I'm thinking that's what causing the errors on the resulting disc.

So what happens is that I burn the DVD with Nero with the crazy buffer level movement, the disc gets to 100%, and write's the lead-out. Then, just as I always do, I check the disc for errors with DVD shrink, my quick way to see if there will be some serious playback issues, and sure enough when it gets to a certain part, Shrink spits back an error.

I'm wondering if it could be a hard drive issue, maybe Nero needs more space for temporary files. But I do have about 1.5 gb left, so I don't know how big these temporary files could be...

My computer is more then capable of burning DVDs too, it came with the burner after all. 1.7 Ghz, 512 RAM, Centrino Processor.

[rherron]

It's got to be something other than just Nero. Lots and lots of people burn with Nero error-free. What's running in the background when your burning the discs? What kind of system resources are you using when Nero is burning?

Rob

[diggrd]

I think 1.5 GB is kind of tight for DVD burning
Plextor's PX-716A recommends
CPU: Pentium® 4 1.4GHZ (minimum)
HDD 800 MB - 1 GB free space for copying CD to CD image
10 GB free space for DVD authoring
RAM 256 MB

[Zeromancer]

I've been using Roxio 8 and so far I like it. I still use Nero from time to time though.

[gsmyth79]

Try slowing down your burn speed. Go down to 4x and even 2x if you need to.

[alchemy71085]

Try slowing down your burn speed. Go down to 4x and even 2x if you need to.

Yes, but the problem is that I have already slowed down the burning speed to 4x, from it's 12x capabilities.

[alchemy71085]

It's got to be something other than just Nero. Lots and lots of people burn with Nero error-free. What's running in the background when your burning the discs? What kind of system resources are you using when Nero is burning?

Rob


Nothing really, when I burn a CD or DVD, I always close out any open apps and just let it sit there and burn. The only extra processes that are running are those that are associated with the network I'm on, but those are very small and don't take much memory at all. In fact, it's IE that always takes up the most memory, but like I said, that gets closed.

[irishcrazy2005]

I have had this problem on two separate occasions (except that my discs usually never finished burning because the buffer would fail). On both occasions it was because the hard drive was going bad in my laptop. I would recommend going to your drive manufacturer's website and downloading the hard drive diagnostic tools. Run them and see if you have any problems.

Phil

[alchemy71085]

I have had this problem on two separate occasions (except that my discs usually never finished burning because the buffer would fail). On both occasions it was because the hard drive was going bad in my laptop. I would recommend going to your drive manufacturer's website and downloading the hard drive diagnostic tools. Run them and see if you have any problems.

Phil

I will test it, but I would be really pissed if it was that problem, considering I just bought this new computer in August!

P.S. I tried using DVD Shrink to make a complete back-up copy of my DVD, and then tried to burn that DVD through Shrink, and I still got an error when I tested it!

I give up. :confused: :mad:

[TheMamba]

I have had this problem on two separate occasions (except that my discs usually never finished burning because the buffer would fail). On both occasions it was because the hard drive was going bad in my laptop. I would recommend going to your drive manufacturer's website and downloading the hard drive diagnostic tools. Run them and see if you have any problems.

Phil

Ditto. Or lack of drive space.

[alchemy71085]

Ditto. Or lack of drive space.

The lack of drive space may very well be the problem. I think I'm on to something.

[alchemy71085]

When I ran Nero InfoTool, and took a look at the ASPI tab, it displays a message under ASPI that says "ASPI installation is corrupted". Do you think that might have anything to do with it? This is the system ASPI, the Nero ASPI claims to be working correctly.

And thanks by the way, I appreciate all of th feedback, you bet I do. :)

[TheMamba]

Ton of info on Google:

http://www.google.com/search?q=ASPI+installation+is+corrupted&sourceid=mozilla-search&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

[alchemy71085]

Ton of info on Google:

http://www.google.com/search?q=ASPI+installation+is+corrupted&sourceid=mozilla-search&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

Yea, I know, I looked at that already but as it turns out that Nero and most progams don't even use the system ASPI drivers. And the Nero ones are working fine, according to the program. So that's not the problem.

I did take a look at Nero's system requirements and it said that it requires at least 9 gb for temp files to burn a DVD. I have 1.5. :lol

Do you guys all have 9gb free just to burn a friggin DVD?

[Five]

ok thanks for the md5, we just need one more. is that generated from the disc or from the files on your hd? another md5 from whichever one you didn't generate from will allow us to do a comparison.

also, are the results of scanning the files on your hd with dvdshrink good whereas scanning the dvd you burned they are not?

oh yeah, that prob of your buffer going waaay up and waaay down is not a good sign... could possibly be a hardware issue with your burner.

[alchemy71085]

ok thanks for the md5, we just need one more. is that generated from the disc or from the files on your hd? another md5 from whichever one you didn't generate from will allow us to do a comparison.

also, are the results of scanning the files on your hd with dvdshrink good whereas scanning the dvd you burned they are not?

oh yeah, that prob of your buffer going waaay up and waaay down is not a good sign... could possibly be a hardware issue with your burner.

Yea, I re-read your original post and realized that you wanted to sets. The one I originally posted was from the files on my hard drive.

I'm creating ones from the burned disc as I type this.

[alchemy71085]

OK, now here is the .md5 from the burned disc.

[diggrd]

They match till you get here

HD
0cc3e84d0c2de8977823c18e766b27b5 *VTS_02_1.VOB
b7e630372629dc14b9d2c38b90ac6595 *VTS_02_2.VOB
ed39d54f852fbcabdac99878074cf78f *VTS_02_3.VOB
f74049993094fe1ee8e03128cafe374b *VTS_02_4.VOB

Burned
3b743098a87d41db57e94cea227e32cd *VTS_02_1.VOB
b7e630372629dc14b9d2c38b90ac6595 *VTS_02_2.VOB
ed39d54f852fbcabdac99878074cf78f *VTS_02_3.VOB
f74049993094fe1ee8e03128cafe374b *VTS_02_4.VOB

So somethings going bad, this is a new system how big a HD do you have?

[alchemy71085]

They match till you get here

HD
0cc3e84d0c2de8977823c18e766b27b5 *VTS_02_1.VOB
b7e630372629dc14b9d2c38b90ac6595 *VTS_02_2.VOB
ed39d54f852fbcabdac99878074cf78f *VTS_02_3.VOB
f74049993094fe1ee8e03128cafe374b *VTS_02_4.VOB

Burned
3b743098a87d41db57e94cea227e32cd *VTS_02_1.VOB
b7e630372629dc14b9d2c38b90ac6595 *VTS_02_2.VOB
ed39d54f852fbcabdac99878074cf78f *VTS_02_3.VOB
f74049993094fe1ee8e03128cafe374b *VTS_02_4.VOB

So somethings going bad, this is a new system how big a HD do you have?


Indeed, I saw. That's actually where the real video kicks in, the other vob data before it is the menus and such.

[TheMamba]

Do you guys all have 9gb free just to burn a friggin DVD?

Yes.

I personally use 2 hard drives in my PC - 1 for system and programs, 1 for data (audio, video, etc.). The System drive has plenty of free space on it...so 9 GB is not hard to come by.

[rherron]

Yes.

I personally use 2 hard drives in my PC - 1 for system and programs, 1 for data (audio, video, etc.). The System drive has plenty of free space on it...so 9 GB is not hard to come by.

I use two drives as well. 80G internal for apps and files for work, etc.

120G external for all the BT stuff.

I have 47G free on the internal. No problems with Nero and DVDs (not that that is necessarily the problem here, though it does increasingly sound suspicious).

Rob

[Five]

Alchemy, are you burning a "video disc" or are you burning a "data disc" (where you create your own AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS)?

In video disc mode nero is notorious for slightly altering bup and ifo files but I've never seen/heard of it do it to a vob

[alchemy71085]

Alchemy, are you burning a "video disc" or are you burning a "data disc" (where you create your own AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS)?

In video disc mode nero is notorious for slightly altering bup and ifo files but I've never seen/heard of it do it to a vob

Yes, I am attempting to write a VIDEO_TS and an AUDIO_TS DVD as a video disc.

[alchemy71085]

Yes.

I personally use 2 hard drives in my PC - 1 for system and programs, 1 for data (audio, video, etc.). The System drive has plenty of free space on it...so 9 GB is not hard to come by.

Well too bad for me then because my computer only came with 60, and I seemed to turn around and it was 90% gone, just like that. :lol

Although an external is in the making.

[gsmyth79]

Although an external is in the making.
You're making your own external HD? You know you can buy those pretty cheap... :D

[alchemy71085]

You're making your own external HD? You know you can buy those pretty cheap... :D

Meaning I'm planning on getting one soon, not that I'm actually going to make one.

But I hear it's pretty easy if you get the right internal drive and put it into a shell, you could be up and running in no time. I think it's cheaper that way too.

[Five]

Yes, I am attempting to write a VIDEO_TS and an AUDIO_TS DVD as a video disc.
hmm... it should work like that (always has when I've tried it)

another option would be to start a data disc, make your own AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS folders and burn it that way. that might work. has anything like this happened with other dvds you've burned?

[gsmyth79]

Meaning I'm planning on getting one soon, not that I'm actually going to make one.

But I hear it's pretty easy if you get the right internal drive and put it into a shell, you could be up and running in no time. I think it's cheaper that way too.
I know I was just messing with you.

And yes, that is a cheaper way to do it.

[alchemy71085]

hmm... it should work like that (always has when I've tried it)

another option would be to start a data disc, make your own AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS folders and burn it that way. that might work. has anything like this happened with other dvds you've burned?

Yes, the other DVD that I attempted to burn before this started giving me the same problems. I can try the data DVD route. But I did attempt to burn the same DVD with burnatonce and that didn't seem to go so well.

[RobDerhak]

OK, I've been using Nero, and when it works, it is fine, but when it is not working, it locks up my computer like the Feds did to Pete Townsend ;) .

Is there another program (preferably one that I can DL free or cheap) that is better, or shall I just continue un-installing & re-installing Nero as it acts up.

Thanks for the help in advance - Rob

[thisistoto]

Nero is really the best. Are you on a PC or MAC?


Try Roxio. It may just be your system is old or not enough juice to run the program.

videohelp might have some free software links, but your better figuring out whats wrong with it (bad copy?) as nero has that wonderful "verification" tool.

[TheMamba]

Be a little more descriptive. How does it "not work" at times? Are you getting error messages? What causes it to not work? Give us a little more information so we can help you out.

[alg]

Nero is usually trouble free unlike Roxio in my experience.

If things are locking up are you trying to do too much at once ? Nero writing to disc is resource demanding.

Make sure you run as little as possible while burning and burn slow DVD x4 CD x8 and all should be well.

Which version are you using ?

[RobDerhak]

Well, when it locks up, basically, I have the Nero Start Smart open, click the application I want to run, and it minimizes, never to pop back up.

Windows Task Manager doesn't show Nero as a running program at that point.

If I go to re-open Nero, it says I cant have more than 1 of the same application running at the same time.

I am not multitasking to any significant degree when I run nero (Maybe 2 i.e. windows, BT, and a couple of background programs).

My system isn't state of the art or anything, but it should be more than enough to handle Nero without any second thought.

Nero OEM, Nerovision express 2 are the only names that resemble versions.

Thanks for your help all, I do truly appreciate it.

[showtaper]

When Nero stops working, have you loaded other software or changed
any other configurations? Quite a few audio and video programs will load
their own versions of ASPI drivers which can cause problems with Nero.

Check their website for the Nero ASPI drivers and reapply.

http://www.nero.com/nero6/enu/ASPI_Driver.html

Nice little ASPI tool:

Lists all ATAPI/IDE, SCSI, FireWire, USB, Parallelport devices and works under Windows 95/98/ME and Windows NT/2000/XP

http://www.nero.com/nero6/enu/Nero_Ping.html

[RobDerhak]

This is the results when I run that neroping program, if anyone can translate into Emglish that would be great!

NeroPing V1.10
Initialize Win Aspi32........Ok
Start scanning device.....

Host Adapter = 0
[Target ID = 0] 'WDC WD20 0BB-00CLB0 05.0 '

Host Adapter = 1
[Target ID = 0] 'TDK CDRW121032 1.07 '
[Target ID = 1] 'MITSUMI CD-ROM FX4830T!B R02E '

Host Adapter = 2
[Target ID = 0] 'DVDRW USB 16X A089 '
[Target ID = 1] 'WDC WD12 00BB-00CAA1 17.0 '

Finish scanning..............Ok

[RobDerhak]

OK, after replacing that ASPI driver, it is working again. I really appreciate the help showtaper !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :banger2:

[RobDerhak]

OK, I lied, I THOUGHT it was working, but this time, when it crashed windows told me to update from version 6.0 to version 6.6. I'll try that, and if that doesn't work, I'll cry some more.

[TheMamba]

Let us know how THAT goes!

[showtaper]

Yeah, I'm curious too! I've used Nero for years and it's always been
very stable......

All that the Nero tool shows is all of your devices that use ASPI.
Looks like you have:

Western Digital hard drive
TDK CDRW drive
Mitsumi CD drive (read only)
DVDRW drive
Western Digital hard drive (second drive)

Please confirm this.....

Did your problems start after adding another hard drive or burner?? You
seem to have a lot of drives in your computer. You may be having resource
or interrupt conflicts.

When Nero crashes, have you looked in the Device Manager? You may find
one of your drives has a yellow error flag. Check this before restarting your
computer (if you can).

The fix may be as simple as rearranging the order of devices on each cable,
or you may have to remove one completely (I'd recommend starting with
the read only drive). If you do not try to do disk copies directly from one
burner to another, they should be on the same cable. Putting a hard drive
and burner on the same cable can lead to conflicts and dropped data.

I'm still a little sleepy here, are your drives ATA, SATA, IDE or SCSI???
Please list them......

[RobDerhak]

Western Digital hard drive
TDK CDRW drive
Mitsumi CD drive (read only)
DVDRW drive
Western Digital hard drive (second drive)

Confirmed

The problems w/ Nero have been since I initially got the DVD burner, but they got worse since I updated the drivers on the DVD Burner (My comp was no longer recognizing that it was connected to it, and there is a sticker on it telling me to go to www.drvupdate.com).

I'll give more detailed info on my drives when I get back from my initial run of deliveries this morning, I'm in a bit of a hurry.

One thing that did happen when I updated the drivers though (besides the fact that my computer not recognizes the DVD drive). Before I did that my External HD was Drive F: and my DVD Burner was Drive G:. After the update, they flipped, so the DVD was F: and the HD was G:

[showtaper]

Need you to check/verify a couple of things.

Are both of your drives internal? They look like:

WDC WD20 20 gig internal??
WDC WD12 120 gig internal??

DVDRW USC 16X A089 IO magic external burner??

If so, where do the files reside that you are trying to burn?? If they are
on the WDC WD12, they are on the same bus and you may be having I/O
conflicts.

If you have room, try burning a disc from files on the WDC WD20 hard
drive as it uses a different bus. This may reveal the problem. Running
Nero's utilities (they are in the Nero Toolkit) can reveal a lot more about
your system and how it is interfacing with your drive. We'll go there if
you cannot burn files from the other hard drive.

Have you tested your USB interface??

I don't have as much experience with external burners, the two I briefly
owned were nothing but trouble. A couple of the forums I read are filled
with questions concerning external drives (IO magic in particular).......

[oar1125]

I downloaded my first dvd not too long ago, Herbie in Japan, and am wondering what program(free) I should download that would allow me to view the dvd on my PC? Thanks for everyones feedback in advance.

[spiritinaphoto]

I don't know which OS you're on, but I think it's pretty safe for me to assume that if you're having problems watching a DVD on your computer, the pre-installed media players on your computer are lacking the proper libraries (i.e. if you want to use Windows Media Player or RealPlayer, you'd need WinDVD or some similar proprietary libraries to allow you to use those programs for playback).

Never fear--there is a wonderful free, cross-platform solution, and it is called VideoLAN Client. Find the right version for your OS here: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

[AAR.oner]

werd...VLC :thumbsup

[showtaper]

Don't leave us hanging, did you get your problem fixed???

[darinperaza]

OK. I have Burned like 50 DVDs already< but i want to Author them. I want to create True Chapters (that goes with the songs) and A Menu.
Any software that can be useful and esay to do this? Preferably to be free :D

Thanks!

Darin

[GregY]

TMPGEnc DVD Author is pretty simple to use. Don't know if it's free or not.

[AAR.oner]

as GregY said, TMPGEnc DVD Author is probaly the route you'll want to go [assuming yer using the windows platform]...currently $68
http://www.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/tda.html

there are other, better programs out there--but they're much more involved and run around $500 and up

[darinperaza]

Thanks guys, i'll check that one out!

[Chuck D]

Can anybody recomend me some good dual layer burning programs I might be able to download.

[Shakes]

Nero Burning Rom v.7 can do it for you.

[icksilver]

Hi, Im new to this forum and would like your opinions on the best make of DVD burner to buy. Are there any problems known for certain makes?
Thanks in advance for your help.

[retired]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827129165

pionner 110,
best $40 u'll ever spend.

work on that ratio man...

[icksilver]

Thanks for the recommendation. Have ordered the pioneer and it will be with me in a couple of days. :wave:

[chewie420]

as you can tell from my other posts, i'm having menu issues with my dual layers and nero. what other programs does everyone else use to burn their dl's so the menu work???

[RobDerhak]

OK, I've used Nero, but I'm SICK of it crashing & killing my system. It just freezes, either on the Reading process or very early in the writing process. Occaisonally it will complete a full DVD, but I'd guesstimate it's success rate at about 5%. When it DOES crash my comp, I am forced to do a full reboot, (Ctrl, Alt DEl doesn't respond even) and sometimes I have to hard stop my comp twice before it is opperational again. I've tried re-installing the disc several times with the same results.

I'm looking for a Trial version of a DVD writer that I can burn the TS files too. I've DL'd a few tonight, but they only allow image files to be burnt.

Please, Please, please help, I've GOT to clean off my HD, I've got 30+ Gig I need to clear up!!!

[thisistoto]

try roxio, its not "free" but its an alright alternative.


ONE is freeware, google it. I have heard a lot of good things about it.

[Zwiefel]

Hey, RobDerhak, I've had similar problems w/ Nero. My lastest error message follows:

"Unable to create the disc structure. Transcoding of videos failed. Burn process failed."

[Zwiefel]

As for Roxio, it doesn't recognize any video files I download.

[gsmyth79]

The program Toto is referencing is called ONES not ONE, I've heard it's great for PCs.
http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=11098

[Zwiefel]

Have you ever tried to google the band "Free"? Well, it's kinda like googling "ONE" & "freeware" & dvd. Need some more info to get some decent results. IOW, I can't find it.

[Zwiefel]

Ok, the "s" made all the difference. Check out this url:

http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=Prassi_ONES

Now I'll see if it works for a tech impaired user like me. Thanks.

[Zwiefel]

You are reading the posting of a HAPPY MAN! Initial expirience w/ ONES very positive. I'm now watching FACES at BBC Theatre. Not only did it work, but check the time of my previous posting to see how long it took to download ONES, install it, burn a disc and now ACTUALLY watch it. Many, many thanks!!!

[thisistoto]

im curious as to what version of nero you were using, and if you were using the ROM or one of the guides?

[AAR.oner]

ONES :thumbsup

[RobDerhak]

MUCH THANKS to Zwiefel & Gsmyth79 for the ONES reference. It has worked flawlessly, except for my attempt to burn a Dual Layer :( I'm not 100% sure that my DVDR is DVD9 capatable though.

I'm definately upgrading to the complete version though.

Again, many thanks!!!

[thisistoto]

The program Toto is referencing is called ONES not ONE, I've heard it's great for PCs.
http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=11098


http://www.afterdawn.com/software/cdr_software/cdr_applications/prassi_ones.cfm




Good stuff :thumbsup

[saltman]

ONES :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

[eeyore5251976]

anyone got a site with some programs on it to help a brother out

[Chuffer]

Could anyone suggest a good site to purchase "ones" from. I have had trouble finding a site.

[Chuffer]

:hmm:

[lepaul]

http://www.videohelp.com

[TheMamba]

Google.com

[AAR.oner]

google "prassi ones" for links

[Chuffer]

:thumbsup

[kILLURIDOL]

I am very interested in creating menus for my DVDs....any suggestions as far as DVD authoring software?

[hanshak2015]

I like Uleads DVD Factory (called DVD Workshop in some countries) a lot. It's not a high-end prog, rather doing things the quick-and-dirty way, but if you just want to slap some menus onto a disc, it does the trick pretty well. Good encoding options, nice interface, just right for creating DVDs where you don't want to spend a week on authoring. Plus, it's not that expensive compared to the high end apps.

[TonyHart]

I have used a few different options.

1 The easiest is probabley DVDAuthor by Pegasys systems. This is totally intuitive.
2 Next is Nero Vision Express 6.6.
3 DVDMaestro is an old piece of software, but I like it. It is clunky.
4 Then there is Adobe Encore which is more powerful than the majority of users needs.
5 DVDRecode is useful formodifying existing VIDEO_TS structures.

I would recommend DVD Author as an excellent place to start. It is probably all you would ever need. My skype is brummymax, and i do suggest you skype me.

[hanshak2015]

Hey, if you carry around tasty leaves like you do in your avatar, can I skype you too? :D

Nah, just kidding.

[TonyHart]

Yeahman, found that field in the Loire Valley in France. THEY WERE 3-4m TALL! ACRES and ACRES. Guess it was hemp though.

[mity]

:hmm: I have been at war with my dvd burner since I installed it. I usually burn avi's or divx files on nero 6. And it seems the larger files usually work until they get about 60 minutes into it and then I get errors and the disc isn't successful. I bumped up my ram to 512 and even put a round ide cable for better ventilation. The ide is plugged into the mother board, not the HD. Any ideas are welcome. I bought a cheap burner, as I don't do alot of dvds, just the exceptional torrents that I can't pass up!

[retired]

"Cheap burner"? :hmm:
Pioneer 111 (DL) (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827129001)...$35.99


F$$K Nero...ONES (http://www.cdr-zone.com/software/dvd_burning/ones.html) :thumbsup

[TheMamba]

Hard drive space
Defrag hard drive

[mgleason007]

and then I get errors and the disc isn't successful.
What errors?

[mity]

Node removed: Microsoft Kernel Wave Audio Mixer
[00:18:47] GCCore WARNING: Operation locked for more than 15 seconds: GCSink (259)
[00:18:47] GCCore WARNING: Operation locked for more than 15 seconds: EditingInput (304)
[00:18:47] GCCore WARNING: Operation locked for more than 15 seconds: EditingInput (278)
[00:18:47] GCCore WARNING: Operation locked for more than 15 seconds: GCSink (259)
[00:18:47] GCCore WARNING: Operation locked for more than 15 seconds: EditingInput (732)
[00:18:47] GCCore WARNING: Operation locked for more than 15 seconds: EditingInput (643)
[00:19:02] GCCore WARNING: Operation locked for more than 15 seconds: GCSink (259)
[00:19:02] GCCore WARNING: Operation locked for more than 15 seconds: EditingInput (304)
[00:19:02] GCCore WARNING: Operation locked for more than 15 seconds: EditingInput (278)
[00:19:02] GCCore WARNING: Operation locked for more than 15 seconds: GCSink (259)
[00:19:02] GCCore WARNING: Operation locked for more than 15 seconds: EditingInput (732)
[00:19:02] GCCore WARNING: Operation locked for more than 15 seconds: EditingInput (643)
[00:19:08] NeroAPI Writing file to disc failed

^^^That was the last disc I tried to burn. I use maxell dvd-r's. My puter has 40 GB, and I always leave at least 10 to 15 GB's unused, as windows doesn't run as well under 10 GB. What's strange is every once in awhile it will work, but it always takes at least an hour, sometimes two to burn a dvd. I defragged a week ago, and made sure my burner was set to cable select (I disconnected my other cd drive thinking this might help). Thanx for any further ideas!

[mgleason007]

What kind of burner do you have? Try updating the firmware.

[mity]

It doesn't have a label on it or the box it came in. I know, that seems pretty sad. The only thing on the face plate is drvupdate.com. I went there a coupla days ago and installed their program. Didn't seem to help. It updated one thing but I wasn't really sure it was referring too. But I will go back and see if anything else needs updateing.

[mity]

I just linked to a thread on somebody elses problems. And someone clearly states, trash nero express use nero burn. Well, could this be part of the problem??? I'm useing express 3. And it plays the movie in a little window while it's burning. This always seemed so stupid too me.

[TheMamba]

I just linked to a thread on somebody elses problems. And someone clearly states, trash nero express use nero burn. Well, could this be part of the problem??? I'm useing express 3. And it plays the movie in a little window while it's burning. This always seemed so stupid too me.

Don't know if that's the root of your problem...but use Nero Burn. Express is garbage. Do yourself a favor and buy the full version of Nero.

[Gromek]

Try DVDLAB or DVDLAB PRO (more options and more effects).
Both are easy to use (that`s in most cases the thing that bothers people in other programs, they are often too difficult).
They (dvdlab) have a very good help section, and elsewhere on the web there are guides (quickstart) for dvdlab.

Try it, you might just like it.
And maybe upgrade in due time to another, more difficult, programme.

Good Luck! :thumbsup

[hanshak2015]

What kind of burner do you have? Try updating the firmware.

I second that. I had to "unlock" a couple of DVD brands with firmware updates. Also try updating your ASPI drivers.

[Chuffer]

Does anyone Know how to change the track Gap. I can't figure it out with this software. :hmm:

[lepaul]

When you're in the audio compilation dialogue box, go up to edit - click Select All, then click Track, and a pre-gap dialogue box opens up where you can change the gap from 150 to 0 for all tracks after #1. It took me a little while to find it also.

[Chuffer]

Yaaa. Thanks for the info. Its a little trick to find this very important function.
Peace :thumbsup

[mgleason007]

Google.com
Yeah, try searching google for "ones"

[Chuffer]

:lol:

[Deadhead77]

Hey guys, I need somethng to burn video_ts with

Ive been using the ONES trial version for awhile but it expires soon. Are there any quality free programs or should I buy ONES?

thank you

[thisistoto]

Do you have nero or roxio sitting on your pc?

Those will get the job done.

[Deadhead77]

Do you have nero or roxio sitting on your pc?

Those will get the job done.

Do you have to pay for both of those? I'll buy somethng if i need to

[retired]

ONES....its in my sig, best thing out there for a PC :thumbsup

[Chuffer]

I agree ^^^ ONES is the way to go. Its under 30 squid, so very worth the investment

[texizjtexiz]

for free alternative try ImgTool Classic 0.91.4 along with DVD Decrypter:

http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=ImgTools
http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=DVD_Decrypter

http://www.dvd-guides.com/content/view/38/59/

[Chuffer]

Queston regarding the Set 2 from Clifford Ball show. ONES does nt recognize this folder as containing any DVD files. It works for the many other shows that I have :hmm: I checked out the files, and they play fine on the computer, i just can't burn them. Could someone give me advice to how I can get around this quirky little problem. :wave:

[dannyandamie]

i'm a little paranoid about downloading free software for burning. someone said use DVD shrink, but i have to register and all that. makes me nervous. any suggestions???

[TheMamba]

Ones:

http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=Prassi_ONES

Another suggestion...keep all your related questions in one thread. Makes it much easier on the people trying to help you so they don't have to hop around to 3 different threads.

[Weekapauggrooved]

My harddrive is completely full and I don't have a DVD burner. So obviously I need to hurry up and get one. Hoping to get one from Bestbuy (I have a couple friends who work there and hopefully can get a discount).

My computer has a pentium 3 processor and runs on Windows XP Home Edition.

-Looking to spend less than $150 hopefully
-Preferably able to burn both single layer and dual layer DVDs
-I have room to have an internal dvd burner, but I think I'd rather have external. Either works tho. Might go with internal to save money.
-I know absolutly nothing about burning DVDs, so hopefully something that comes with easy to use software.

I was thinking something like this might be good
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7638327&type=product&id=1130987962482

Any reccomendations or comments would be much appreciated.
:)

[xequence]

http://www.canadacomputers.com/

They have some good prices, if I remember correctly. Alot of drives for 40$...

That said, my HP burner works great. Ive heard plextor are good quality also...

[jackbutler]

I have two Plextor DVD Burners in my PC right now (a 708A IDE and a 716 SATA) and have never had trouble with them. I did own a Sony External at one time but it died a horrible death....

I would go with Plextor if it was me and they can be had for under $150.00....

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7705218&type=product&id=1138085156990

[Weekapauggrooved]

Thanks. I guess I'll go with Plextor.

[retired]

Pioneer 111 Dual layer burner $36.99......best burner out there for the money :thumbsup
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827129001

[rherron]

I have a predecessor of the Sony DVD burner you linked to (mine’s model DRU 710A). I have had it for almost 2 years and have never had a single problem and have burned over 100 DVDs and a couple of thousand CDs with it. It could not be easier to install (go internal), comes with 2 faceplates (pearly white and black) and it comes with Nero. What more could you want for under a hundred bucks? They were about $150 or so when I got mine. You’ll like it.

Rob

[saltman]

I am on my second sony drive. I have also owned two Plextor drives. The Plextor is superior in every way. Expect the Sony to not last longer than 18 months of heavy use. The Plextor will last several years. The Plextor is about 2 times as much though which is why I bought the last two Sonys. I'd go with the Plextor if I was you. I had the 710a also.... they were $69. I would also say go internal. First Sony lasted about 2 years... second about 7 months. THe Sony also has trouble reading many DVDs... the Plextor doesn't.

[LastStarfighter]

keep in mind that you may need room on your hd that's the same size as the disk you want to burn.
the softwear may have a backup function, you tell it which files you want to back up and it does the rest. it should split some folders between disks to fill them to the max. only problem is the last disc might only have a few files on it, so I try calculate how many disks I'll need to fill the last disk half way...keeping in mind that the file system takes some room.

[TheMamba]

I'd go with the Plextor if I was you. I had the 710a also.... they were $69. I would also say go internal.

Ditto.

[Homebrew101]

Thanks. I guess I'll go with Plextor.

I just looked on New Egg this morning and there is a very highly rated Plextor for $99. The guys at cdfreaks.com recently reviewed it. I think it is also the first 18x speed.

I was too cheap and may regret it, but I bought the Lite-On SHM-165P6S for just under $40 that they also did a good write-up on, mainly because my Lite-On cd-burner has been reliable and again because I'm on a budget(read: sneaking under the wife's financial radar ;) ).

[ragu421]

I had a Sony internal and it did fine for a couple of years.Im currently using a HP dvd740 which was less than $100 and so far no coasters at all.It came with nero software which is the easiest Ive used.I too recomend an internal drive. :wave:

[Weekapauggrooved]

I don't know if i can go with that plextor...
System Requirements Intel® Pentium® 4.1 processor 4.0GHz
My processor is only 2.8 ghz.

[retired]

Pioneer 111 Dual layer burner $35.99......best burner out there for the money :thumbsup
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827129001

u wont be disappointed, check the 'customer review ratings'...
...even if u dont have a need/use for it yet, why not have the option/capability to burn dual layers and use +/-R blanks :cool:

[diggrd]

I don't know if i can go with that plextor...
System Requirements Intel® Pentium® 4.1 processor 4.0GHz
My processor is only 2.8 ghz.
That's gotta be a typo I think the top Pentium is only 3.73GHz at this point

[CPU: Pentium 4 - 1.4 GHz or equivalent (minimum)]


I just looked on New Egg this morning and there is a very highly rated Plextor for $99. The guys at cdfreaks.com recently reviewed it. I think it is also the first 18x speed.

I was too cheap and may regret it, but I bought the Lite-On SHM-165P6S for just under $40 that they also did a good write-up on, mainly because my Lite-On cd-burner has been reliable and again because I'm on a budget(read: sneaking under the wife's financial radar ;) ).
I did the same for similar reasons.

[thejangler]

I have a pretty sizeable collection of boots I've gotten from here, Dime and a couple other places. This collection is starting to bog down the space on my hard drives and I want to be able to burn DVD's so that I can watch tem on my set-top player (no VCD's) so I was wondering if anyone could recommend a cheap ($40 - $60) but decent (will burn the stuff I download here) internal DVD burner.

Thanks in advance,

Dan

[retired]

Pioneer 111 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827129001) $31.82 today, but always under $40...best burner out there :thumbsup

[jackbutler]

I have two Plextors and never had a single problem with either but none are under $60.00 :(

[thejangler]

thanks for the heads up, just one question before i buy it, how is the burning software that comes with it?