Authoring DVDs and DVD Speed

[ctdvd]

I've been authoring DVDs using TMPG's Xpress 4.0 then DVD Author 3.0. These SWs work great and have been very reliable. I recently encountered a problem playing some DVDs I authored on a Sony DVP-NS700P. Towards the end of the DVD play stopped and the picture broke-up and just froze on the screen. Pressing PLAY and FF sometimes would move the frames along but it would just freeze. Sometimes a message would appear saying "the disc is dirty..." I encountered this problem recording to Panasonic DVD-R 4.7 GB 1~8X and Memorex DVD+R 4.7 GB 16X. I can understand the Memorex perhaps being a problem but not the Panasonic. How critical is speed (recording or reading) when authoring DVDs? Is there a "safe" format to use that will play across most DVD Players? DVD Author 3.0 records at the "Maximum" and I cannot step down the speed (an issue for TMPG but probably something I'm not realizing).

Both of these DVDs played fine on my PC (Philips DVD8801) and my Panasonic DVD recorder EH-55.

Thanks

[theewizard]

Mostly i do not burn/record from the authoring engine

I have the software create DVD folders on my HD not the ISO image and then I burn the video_ts folder to the DVD using my favorite burn software, I have used a variety of burning engines from nreo burning rom, deep burner, nti cd-dvd, and currently using imgburn as suggested on this forum

burning from the folder, lets you check the vobs with a media player before burning, and lets you select your speed when burning, I always burn at 1/2 the max media speed, and when authoring I always use a custom size setting on full movies to keep the size within my personal limits , so as NOT to burn to the edge of the media, most of the time my max limit is 4200, sometimes less, I never try to overburn, i got the same problem you did when i let the software create files totaling larger than 4400, ( 4400meg to 4600meg ) so to play safe i made 4200 my personal limit

since the discs are sony and the fact that i experienced this on different brands of media, I feel that part of my problem might be my burner, ( not working as well nearthe the edge of the disc ) and it is a combination issue ,not just one thing

[ctdvd]

So then you feel its the burner as opposed to the disc (being 16X)? I also have Nero 7 Ultra and as a burner it works well. I was more inclined to think is was the Sony NS700P not being able to handle 16X speed.

[theewizard]

I think it's a combination of both..

I never burn at 16x , I burn at 1/2 the medias max speed

if the media is 16x I burn at 8x,

if the media is 8x I burn at 4x

many people think only in terms of RPM or record speed

but the spining DVD has 'surface speed' the whole disc is spining at ???rpm the outside edge of that disc has to cover a bigger ( travel farther ) than the inside edge this means for any given rpm and any given burning speed the laser burns more territory for the same time interval when burning near the outside edge than burning near the inside edge, its a matter of physics,

burning at max speed may result in a perfect burn near the center and a lousy burn near the edge

burning at 1/2 speed works best for me, other burner & media combinations will allow for different results

[TJohns]

many people think only in terms of RPM or record speed

Correct!

but the spining DVD has 'surface speed' the whole disc is spining at ???rpm the outside edge of that disc has to cover a bigger ( travel farther ) than the inside edge

I agree with you on this fact. The DISTANCE travelled by the outer edge is larger!

this means for any given rpm and any given burning speed the laser burns more territory for the same time interval when burning near the outside edge than burning near the inside edge

Hang on there! Now you're mixing thing together. If a burner runs at 4x OVER THE WHOLE SURFACE, and the outer edge travels "faster" there's two ways to reconcile these facts...

1) one "bit" of information is bigger on the outer tracks (it "spreads" because the disk is whizzing past the laser head faster). This seems to be your assumption

2) the "bits" are burnt with a constant "size" by disk slowing down for the outer tracks so the surface travels past at a constant speed.

I'd suggect you check the specs on your burners in regards to CAV versus CLV recording formats.

its a matter of physics

I'd say more about mathematics

[theewizard]

either way its physics, you either slow down the disc speed, or you increase the laser burn speed speed ( which would less time to change the dye later, because your busy trying to write more bits in the same time limit )

its a matter of sematics, the point is things change, writing at the middle of the disc is not the same as writing at the edge

you want to run full bore all out , you best best be using pro equipment and media NOT consumer media and consumer quality burners

[ctdvd]

I had a feeling slower is better -- I found that out with Nero as it failed before the burn started.