DVD writer/reader...unable to read DVDs

[maass]

Hi all,

i have some basic doubts regarding the DVD writer i am using.
i am using a Sony DVD writer since two years.
i clean its lens every month or two.

nowadays its unable to read DVDs that can be read smoothly in other DVD writer/readers.

what is wrong with it (please don't suggest to change it )

another basic doubt is regarding the writing speed.

when i burn any DVD i set the speed to the lowest level and burn (eg : if DVD has 4x - 20x speed capability , i choose 4x)
is it the correct setting to burn DVD at low setting.

thanks

[redwudz]

It somewhat depends how much you have used it in the last two years. They do wear out, and not just the laser. The mechanism that moves the read/write head can also wear out or get sticky and cause read and write problems.

How did you clean the lens, what method?

There are differing opinions on what speed to use for writing. I use one speed lower than the media. IE, 12X for 16X DVD media. For 8X, I just use 8X as that's slow enough. Many newer burners don't perform well at 1X or 2X, if they will work at all at that speed. They aren't designed for very low burn speeds. Most DVD media is now at least 8X, or more commonly, 16X. 4X media is a bit hard to find.

The media you are having problems reading. Is it burned discs or commercial pressed discs?

Lastly, some burners don't read all brands of burned media as well as other brands. But I assume these discs are ones the burner could read in the past. This all points to a problem with the burner itself. If all else fails and you have just been using a cleaning disc, take the burner apart and do a more through cleaning. And check the slides for the laser mechanism. The lube may have dried out and they may be sticking.

This is from a CD burner, but the mechanism is similar:

[lordsmurf]

Cleaning discs are known to damage lenses.

[samijubal]

If you clean it every month or two you are way overdoing it. Every year or two should be plenty, if it even needs that. You may have scratched the lens up from too much cleaning.

[bevills1]

What brand and model burner is it, and is it all DVD media or just -R or just +R media?

[MOVIEGEEK]

If the writer still reads CD's then I would say the DVD laser is burned out.
BTW:I have never used one of those cleaning discs.
As for writing speed I always burn 16x media at 8x,if you burn at the lowest or highest speed you might get more errors.

[maass]

Thanks all .....

thanks for your replies and i will try to follow the same

[handyguy]

What model Sony? Sony didn't make them after their 4x writer, they just rebagged them.