NeoDVD 7 – anyone make it work?

[JefeQuickTech]

Has anyone been able to have crash-free success with the NeoDVD Plus version 7?

NeoDVD Plus version 5 worked great for me. The newer NeoDVD Plus version 7 doesn't work on a new system with the latest DVD burner I purchased (LG GSA-4167B). It authors and burns discs with audio that is way off sync. However, more often than not, it just crashes.

Windows Media player indicates the captured MPEG-2 DVD compliant files are in audio sync. Cyberlink Power Producer Gold which came free with the DVD burner also will author a DVD with in-sync audio. But it is SLOOOOOW.

Why did I choose NeoDVD Plus? It is one of the few click-drag-burn-you're-done programs I have found. I am not authoring the next Gone With the Wind here. I just want to transfer ATI MMC captured video quickly to a DVD to watch recorded shows. I use other programs for my higher-end authoring. Every program I've used is either a two step process (author, then burn), re-encodes, or is slow. Nothing has been as simple and quick as NeoDVD at this simple task.

Any suggestions to make NeoDVD Plus 7 work?

[zoobie]

That's the direct-to-disc 73mb download, right?
Never got it to recognize my transfer box.
Finally gave up.

PS - I do believe when they get the quality increased, this will be the way of the future via blu-ray.

[liwei]

You should go to http://www.mediostream.com/Support/emailsupport.html, fill the form and then submit.Or write to support@mediostream.com directly.

Mediostream will assign special people to help you out of your trouble.

Good Luck, Guy!

[JefeQuickTech]

I've sent several emails to tech support. The results have not been good. "Candy" has been the tech support agent trying to help.

I even called to the sales department thinking that someone in that department might have a connection to someone that might actually give me appropriate and logical answers. Since I don't want to be offensive, I will just say that he was a real smart-donkey.

Whenever a company decides to completely eliminate any form of telephone tech support...well, I should have known better. That is simply a sign that they are on their last leg or have no committment to supporting the product.

These are the kinds of answers I'm getting:

1. Download and install ALL the latest drivers for your motherboard, motherboard chipset, video, sound cards. Especially note to update the drive of your capture card.
2. Reinstall DirectX 9 http://www.microsoft.com/directx/homeuser/downloads/default.asp
3. Download and install all service packs and updates for Windows.
4. Re-install Media Player 10 http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/default.asp
5. Re-install neoDVD.
6. Make sure it works properly.
7. Follow the url below to optimize your pc for best video performance.
http://www.mediostream.com/Support/qa6_neodvd.html#11
For bios update you need to find out the bios manufacturer. They normally have a website where you can download the bios update.
Download it and make sure you close all other apps and run the bios updates right in Windows. Usually the site will give you detailed instructions on how to update the bios.

I hate it when things don't work. I don't give up easily. But, I think Version 7 of NeoDVD just must be a dog product that simply doesn't work under a lot of conditions. I'm preparing to return it unless I get some very good and logical answers very quickly from their tech support department on Monday.

[lordsmurf]

I came to the conclusion that NeoDVD and Mediostream products sucked about 3 years ago. It was low quality, and when something did not work, tech support knew nothing.

For fast authoring, dump the files in TDA and make a menu-less disc with everything in the same titleset.

You could also probably find a DVD recorder for under $75 (refurb or cheapie for sale), which I bet costs in the same ballpark as software like TDA or NeoDVD.

[zoobie]

6. Make sure it works properly.

I emailed them why it wasn't seeing my transfer box but now that I see more reviews, I don't care if they reply.

[liwei]

I have just purchased NeoDVD 7 plus a few days before. But It works very well. Though a little low quality , good speed to make DVD.
I think this kind of burner(LG GSA-4167B) is not good I heard from one of my own friends. Or other burn software is installed in your pc such as sonic MyDVD , Ulead movie factory , and so on. Sometimes so many burn softwares often conflict with each other maybe due to different burn engine.
Maybe you follow my instruction to try it and get a good result!

[Bjs]

Both product's work fine for most thing's but direct to disc is something no product dose well .

There are simply too many variable's that can stuff up during the process .

Best record to hd , then deal with the recording to disc after ... never have an issue .

For those that bought it with specific hardware : especially avermedia device's

Install product's from cd .
Turn pc off .
Install hardware , and go .

There is an issue with some motherboard bios version's ... Check support for help / confirmation
(as far as I am aware , this issue relate's to capture device's)

Technical support is 9/10 .

Help's if you can supply them as much detail of the pc and current os as possible .

Some program's that are installed can also cause other product's to perform less than expected ... in some instance's ... nailing the fault down require's clean os , with all relevant update's , and just this product .

I have alway's said too user's to pay attention to when installing product's , that other product's still perform as expected ... there are many case's where these problem's have occured , esspecially with the advent of sp2 for xp as many found out when program's nolonger functioned or installed .

[JefeQuickTech]

LordSmurf,

I have always greatly respected your opinions. You were THE GUY that showed me how to really get the most out of ATI MMC and burn DVDs.

As to your opinion on the tech support department at MedioStream, you are dead on. They are absolutely clueless. I really don't think they understand English even though I'm contacting the USA office.

(MedioStream: I'm bilingual, but unfortunately, I don't speak any Asian languages. I would not attempt tech support in Taiwan or China. If you are going to do tech support in English, PLEASE hire people who understand, speak, and write English clearly.)

TDA is not a "quicky" solution. I can burn the files with other authoring software that provides a one-click-walk-away style "quicky" solution for burning recorded TV shows.

As to DVD recorders. I've noted you are leaning toward that solution more and more. Here are the limitations that keep me going back to the ATI MMC/DVD burn method and avoiding stand-alone DVD recorders : 1) If you buy a unit without a hard drive your capacity for recording is greatly limited. 2) I refuse to buy a DVD recorder with a hard disk that can not be replaced or upgraded. 3) Programming is either a pay and pay and pay some more subscription service or the old "program your VCR method."

liwei,
1) The LG drive is very popular and works well. Why would you suggest it does not work with NeoDVD? Are there specific reasons?
2) There is no other authoring or burning software installed on the system. I've removed all of it in an attempt to see what is conflicting with NeoDVD.

Bjs,
Direct to disc recording worked very well in NeoDVD Plus v5. NeoDVD 7 crashes when authoring to the hard drive also.

[Bjs]

When uninstalling the previous version , did you reboot the pc before installing version 7 of the product ?

[JefeQuickTech]

Yes. I rebooted according to prompts. I even manually cleaned the registy of all MedioStream, Cyberlink, and Nero entries.

[classfour]

I have to agree with LS on this one. I gave up on NeoDVD back on version 4 due to the 3 or 4 second pause between .vob files during DVD playback. When I emailed tech support, they advised there was not a fix, was not likely to be one. As I recall, that version was pretty buggy, crashed randomly; but it was capable of importing video from a DVD-RAM disc (about 30 - 40% of the time without crashing).

Much like the original Ulead DVD Movie Factory - a waste of $50.

[JefeQuickTech]

Would there be anyway to make NeoDVD V5 work with an LG GSA-4167B?

[lordsmurf]

As to DVD recorders. I've noted you are leaning toward that solution more and more. Here are the limitations that keep me going back to the ATI MMC/DVD burn method and avoiding stand-alone DVD recorders : 1) If you buy a unit without a hard drive your capacity for recording is greatly limited. 2) I refuse to buy a DVD recorder with a hard disk that can not be replaced or upgraded. 3) Programming is either a pay and pay and pay some more subscription service or the old "program your VCR method."

It's easier. And many of the encoder chipsets found in them are at least as good as, better in many cases, than computer capture cards.

I don't use a hard drive recorder. I have a 50-spindle of DVD-RW discs, and then I also use a lot of DVD-R discs in them too. Hard drives are really a pain, they fill up fast. It's much easier to not be hassled with worries of "is it too full?" and can just set discs aside when I make them.

(Actually, I do have a HDD recorder, but I treat it like a TIVO, I almost never use it for something I intend to keep.)

Recorders have VCR+, EPG's and old-fashioned timers too. I prefer manual timers, as we all know networks do not behave correctly and start/end on time, and I don't want to miss the first/last few minutes of a show.

If you insist on a 1-click, maybe Nero would work, but I won't make any guarantees on it not being buggy.

[JefeQuickTech]

LordSmurf,

Do you use several DVD recorders?

Here are the challenges:
**90% of the shows I want to record are on at times I am not home to program them.
**They are usually all in a row which means the DVD+RW would run out of space and I am not around to switch them.
**We share the DVD+RWs with my in-laws who are older and not even slightly technically savvy. (But we've taught them how to run the DVD player, and they love the shows we record for them.)

I was able to easily do all those things with the ATI MMC to DVD+RW (using NeoDVD v5) system.

Maybe I need to just buy a rack full of cheapy DVD recorders and be done with the ATI MMC > DVD recording scenario (nightmare) forever. Can you easily share the DVD+RWs that are recorded on standalone DVD recorders with folks that have other DVD players?

Maybe it is more the prinicpal that I hate to get beat at the old tech game. I find it hard to believe the NeoDVD 7 just WILL NOT WORK on my system. Pride goeth before a fall, right?

[zoobie]

NeoDVD just replied with nonsense about my transfer box. It was clear they had no clue. I've since tried another direct-2-disc solution (Moviefactory) but the final result had the audio off.
New update on NeoDVD below:
https://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=neoDVD#usercomments

[lordsmurf]

Yep, two DVD recorders. I use LP 4-hour mode when required. Own 50 DVD-RW discs.