Do not upgrade to Nero 5.5.10.0, DVD menu playback problems

[Almantas]

Just lost 20 of HP DVD+Rs. Noticed before about DVD+R problems and upgraded from Nero 5.5.9.17 to 5.5.10.0 before burning DVD+R production. That was a big mistake.
DVD files were authored with Studio 8, and all the tests after burning DVD+RW with 5.5.9.17 were fine. After quick upgrade to 5.5.10.0, I burned 20 DVD+Rs, and only after I gave the DVDs to recipients many of them called me back that Power DVD 3.0 does not show menus - buttons are not active and they cannot view DVD (except menu picture) on PC.

After research I found that the problem is easy to reproduce by creating one minute DVD project with menu in Studio 8. Same problem for DVD+RW, and +R and even for playing from DVD image file (when tried to play with Power DVD from Nero image drive), so it's not the media. All files are bit by bit equal, so the problem is probably in Nero wrong handling of directory structures. Menus do not work in Power DVD if DVD-Video compilation is used, same for UDF/ISO etc. Everything works again if I delete empty AUDIO_TS folder, or if I create manually AUDIO_TS and THeN VIDEO_TS by right click/"Create new folder" in UDF/ISO compilation, so that VIDEO_TS is upper in the listing. If AUDIO_TS is first in the folder list in the compilation, then again no menus in Power DVD. Stange, but fact.

If you are authoring with Nero 5.5.10.0, just check if your menus work in Power DVD in your case. Probably will not, if you just drag the video files into VIDEO_TS folder in DVD-Video compilation, and then burn without deleting AUDIO_TS folder.

Problem disappeared when downgraded again to 5.5.9.17. But now I read from others that there is a problem with writing DVD+R with this version. Bottom line: too buggy for DVD, too many versions which are just bug fixes. I am dissapointed in poor testing practices at Nero - their bugs killed not only lot of people time which could be spent to create something, but also lot of expensive DVD+R blanks, more than the cost of the software. Very expensive software to use with DVD+R, when you have only one chance to write properly. Due to low quality of product switched to other software just to be sure that no any more surprises will appear.

[MOVIEGEEK]

I had similar problems burning DVD using Nero so I dumped it and installed Veritas RecordNow Max,no more coasters!
Don't get me wrong Nero works great for CDs' but the people at Veritas know how to make a product that is compatible with any writer,easy to use,plays on any DVD player and you don't have to upgrade every two months.

[Cornucopia]

Man, if I were you, I'd us RW's ANYTIME I switched version #'s of burning software. Certainly until all the bugs/methods were worked out. A 5pack would save you tons of $$$ in avoiding coasters.