DVD+R DL Help

[editor1593]

Recently purchased a Pioneer DVR-109. I have updated the firmware to 1.17. I have some Memorex DVD+R DL discs. However I cannot seem to be able to write to them. Is there a different method required for burning dual layered discs? Is there an incompatibility with the Memorex discs with my Pioneer burner? Any help would be much appreciated!

BTW: I'm using Nero 6.6.0.8 for burning

[thor300]

Give DvdDecrypter a try, download the latest version.

[editor1593]

Hey, thanks for your reply. I've tried DVDDecrypter. I get similar errors to the ones I get with Nero regarding media. I should have said in my previous post that with Nero I get an error reporting that it cannot burn the disc using Disc-at-once. However when burning DVDs I don't any other option. Maybe it the discs themselves that the DVR-109 isn't happy with.

[HatchetMan]

Apparently a new firmware version is available for the 109, v1.40, didn't see any mention of a hack yet, must be official Pioneer, probably just added new media compatibility:

The firmware page-
http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?download_id=2017

Flash's repository-
http://flashman.rpc1.org/Firmware/PIONEER/DVR-109/Standard/

Also new version 3.5.4.0 of DVD Decrypter out-
http://www.dvddecrypter.com/index.php?act=changelog

[editor1593]

Thanks for the reply hatchetman, unfortunately I still have the same problem. oh well, i'll try another make of disc.

[BSpielbauer]

Recently purchased a Pioneer DVR-109. I have updated the firmware to 1.17. I have some Memorex DVD+R DL discs. However I cannot seem to be able to write to them. Is there a different method required for burning dual layered discs? Is there an incompatibility with the Memorex discs with my Pioneer burner? Any help would be much appreciated!

BTW: I'm using Nero 6.6.0.8 for burning

You did not state if you are doing a straight one-to-one backup of a commerical disc that you own, or if you are trying to do some sort of authoring / editing. In other words, what exactly is the source material / procedure BEFORE you burn with Nero?

If you are trying to re-author, and then burn, or if you are trying to burn some video you shot on a camcorder, or some video you you have compiled, or captured, or edited, then you should do a search, and you should find a long (VERY LONG) thread which discusses dual layer burning, and all of the complications that people found. The title is:

"DVD +R9 Double Layer first burn: Problems with layer switch"

If not, though, read on...

My own experiences: I have successfully backed up 19 dual layer discs, all of which were commercial DVDs purchased in retail stores. In every case, I only needed a straight "one-to-one" copy, to protect the original media. I did not need to re-author, or do any sort of editing.
The easiest / safest method to do THIS type of dual layer burning is to forget Nero entirely. Use DVDDecrypter. Use it in ISO mode, to rip the entire disc to the hard drive. Then, switch to ISO WRITE mode, and choose the .MDS file from your ripped files on the hard drive. Do an ISO burn right back to your dual layer DVD.

If you read the thread referenced above, you will note that Nero lets you try to place a layer break. However, if you do not know what you are doing, it can be placed incorrectly. Even worse, if the source material has a layer break in it already (because you ripped it using certain other software programs), you can actually end up with two layer breaks, and your player is bound to get very, very confused. I do not know if the new update for Nero fixed this issue. Apparently, there is an option to let you place a layer break, or to let Nero place it for you. In the earlier version, at least, Nero would NOT remove a layer break if it was already there, because of how you ripped the files to your disc. Two layer breaks = bad news...

I realize that Nero's new update claims to address dual layer burning, and that the new just released version was designed to improve issues associated with dual layer burning. However, I have yet to see any reports of how the latest Nero upgrade works with dual layer burning. I do not know if it is still doing the same thing. If you try it, YOU may be one of the few pioneering this... (an expensive venture, with the cost of dual layer blank media).

If you must re-author, or work with material from a camcorder, or from some other software, I would tread carefully, and use your search button, to read about others' trials and tribulations.

If you are just trying to backup some commerical DVDs that you own, though, I would suggest that you just forget Nero for now, and use the one tried and true method -- DVDDecrypter's latest version to rip, and DVDDecrypter's latest version to burn. Do not use file mode. Use the ISO mode, to create an image, and you will end up with an exact duplicate, with the layer break at the original spot.

Regarding media, the consensus with dual layer media so far seems to be that the only "safe" choice is Verbatim dual layer DVD+R discs. That is what those who have done this a lot seem to be swearing by. I have read that again and again. I own a Pioneer external burner, and I had success with the Verbatom media mentioned above, and I also had no problems with Ritek dual layer media. I have not tried the brand you are trying. I successfully burned 11 of the Verbatims, and 9 of the Riteks. My only unsuccessful burn was completely MY FAULT, as i accidentally screwed up and tried to do this with an older version of DVDDecrypter. So, I have tried 21 times, and have only one coaster -- and I can blame that one $9.00 coaster on myself, only.

-Bruce in Chi-Town

[editor1593]

Hey Bruce, thanks for the reply. My query was regarding both methods, backing up pre-mastered disc, and for creating discs from DVD Authored by myself. However the DVDDecrpyter method does not work for me with backing-up. I get serveral error messages. Could be the discs, could be the burner, but until I get some other manufacturers discs, I won't know for sure. But again thank you for your reply.

[BSpielbauer]

Hey Bruce, thanks for the reply. My query was regarding both methods, backing up pre-mastered disc, and for creating discs from DVD Authored by myself. However the DVDDecrpyter method does not work for me with backing-up. I get serveral error messages. Could be the discs, could be the burner, but until I get some other manufacturers discs, I won't know for sure. But again thank you for your reply.

Hmmmm... are these errors occurring during the initial ISO rip, to the hard drive? Or are they errors that occur during the final burn?

Just a thought... if you post the entire error log over at the DVDDecrypter forum, the author (LightningK) will be able to tell you definitively whether the error is due to a bad disc, or to bad medium, or with some settings that got changed in DVDDecrypter. He is very good about giving individual help, and diagnosing issues. There are many over there who can read those logs and tell you precisely what is going on. Just be certain to post the ENTIRE log (even though it can be very, very long). You will see lots of others doing the same.

http://forum.dvddecrypter.com/

At least, then you will know for certain where the issues are, so you are not spinning your wheels.

Take care,

Bruce

[editor1593]

Hey Bruce, thanks again. They are errors when burning, but they occur even before the burning starts. I've post on the DVDDecrpyter forum maybe I'll have some luck. Thanks for your advice