DVD backup problem

[nanllyn]

First I would like to say I am a newbie to burning DVD's and not sure I know the process on how to burn. (I am fairly tech savy with a computer and have enough knowledge to build my own computer.) Please keep that in mind when you give me advice. I am having problems with backing up my DVD's. I bought a copy of XCopy Gold(XCopy & Xpress) but tech support and I could not get it to work after several calls, so that is not an option at this point. So I tried to burn them using DVD Decrypter and then I used DVD Shrink 3 to compress it, then I burned it as a DVD-Video with Nero 6.0.19. I had the video folders and the blank audio files in the folder to burn. It played on my DVD burner but with no sound but it would not play on my DVD stand alone(Toshiba SD-K625). Did I miss a step or do something wrong? Or can someone suggest a better way to backup DVD's? I have used media from Fujifilms, Sony, Memorex, Maxell, Plextor, and CompUSA. Could the media be the problem? If anyone has the Plextor drive could you tell me what media you have had success with? I am concerned more about quality than I am the time to burn. I also would like to keep all the menus and extras and such if possible. I have a Plextor 708A with a LG CDRW/DVD Rom, 1G of memory, 100+G of free space on hard drive, Win XP Pro. Thanks for the help in advance.

[housepig]

you have a lot of different questions and possibilities there.

first off - when you rip, check the files you've ripped with a software player such as PowerDVD and make sure everything plays correctly.

next, when you run DVD Shrink, if you don't need subtitles, or French-language tracks, etc, take 'em out. compress all that is left until it's sized for a dvdr.

next, check those Shrunken files with PowerDVD and make sure they play correctly.

burn the disc. get a rewritable disc, so you don't waste discs if the content is not right. check the disc in your computer - does it play?

check the DVD Players list at right, check for your standalone player and see what kind of media it likes, and if it will play dvd-r or +r, etc. try your disc in there.

somewhere along the line, you are going to find where the problem lies. just be methodical and go step-by-step.

[zenith52]

Toshiba Standalones can be a bit fussy about media.
Most of the older ones will only play DVD+R with bitsetting at DVD-ROM.

You need to find out what the Tosh likes before you will get anywhere.

Zen

[nanllyn]

Thanks housepig. You have a lot of great ideas. I didn't realize I could play these files before they were totally burnt. I will try this and let everyone know.
Also thanks zenith52 for the information. I will check out the media. We only bought the Toshiba last week because we also bought a Toshiba 36" television. Thought I would stay with same brand. I may exchange my player out. Thanks for the help.