Author DVD Porblems

[mic2x]

hi, im sorry if this topic has been address, however i have some problems after authoring a dvd...

1. After authoring a DVD like for the sixth time, the DVD i have copied sometimes has macro blocks....im using a Sony DVD-R, burning @ 4x, my DVD writer is a LG GSA-4163B, using Ulead DVD workshop 2

2. Also after authoring a DVD like for the sixth time, my authored DVD has a problem of freezing on certain chapters and it wont play, and also macro blocks... still using Sony DVD-R, burning @ 4x, writer is a LG GSA-4163B, using Ulead DVD workshop 2

3. What is the difference between a "fake DVD player" (once made in China) and a Branded DVD players????(mainly on the lens of the DVD players), and how come burned/authored DVD works fine on Branded rather than the "fake DVD players"?

note: on #3 im using both DVD fake and branded btw.

4. does any1 feel the same way as i do when authoring a DVD???do u guys come across with these kinds of problems?

5. last question, what is the best way to burn/authored allot of DVD in a single day like (ex. 20 burned/authored DVD of the same titles/events) without having all these problems using just 1 dvd writer. no freezing, no macro blocks, etc.

[redwudz]

Generally the problems you are encountering happen before authoring. If your video is DVD compliant, then all an authoring program should do is split the MPEG-2 into VOBS and create the rest of the DVD format. It should not re-encode or alter the basic structure of the MPEG-2 file.

Burning also rarely causes these problems, but a bad burner could create a damaged burn that may cause problems. Still, this is not common. The burn often just fails as the burner has some error checking of laser power and likely some other checks that may cause the burner to stop in it's task. Not foolproof, but works most of the time.

I haven't heard of 'fake DVD Players', but probably the majority of DVD player electronics and mechanisms are made in China at present. This doesn't necessarily mean lower quality. They still usually have to meet some standards to be sold in the US. If they are junk, they won't last long in the business. With that said, I don't think I would buy a DVD player that I have never heard of.

If you are burning many DVDs with a burner in quick secession, you may experience an overheating problem. They are not really designed for that. People that need a bunch of DVD copies burned regularly probably have more than one burner. Even Nero should be able to handle 2 burners or more at one time if you are making copies of the same file multiple times.

[mic2x]

hey, redwudz thanks for your generous and kind response to all of the questions that i have asked, ill take all of your advise/answers into consideration next time i burn/author DVDs...

oh btw, am the "fake DVD player" i was referring to those are not herad of DVD player or there name change to sound like the original...allot are sold here in southeast asia land of the Pirates...hehhehehehe roughly if would be sold in the USA it will be like $30 - $60 or mayb less.

[AlanHK]

I have what the poster calls a "fake" player, i.e. a Chinese brand he hasn't heard of. Actually, in operation thay generally are more reliable than Sony etc, as they are designed to be more forgiving of out-of spec media.

The difference is mainly the interface is a bit less polished, the manual isn't well written; but it was much cheaper so I'm not complaining.

Most of the poster's problems sound like bad media. Try doing a verify after a burn. And try playing the files on your hard disk with a software player to ensure they're okay.

[mic2x]

@AlanHK: am well i dont usually play my Authored DVD on the computer coz wat matters most is that it plays on the "fake DVD players" i have to say i agree with u on that "fake DVD players" are good in playing all kinds of DVD out there, however wat i have it is called "Matrix" dvd player i think u heard of this when i tried to play my authored DVD the quality really sucks on that player but when i played on my branded dvd player it works fine, however sometimes not.....but u get the picture its vice-versa.

[mic2x]

@redwudz: 1 more question, in order to have a good quality authored DVD and lets say im burning 20 DVD disc, is it better to at least burn 2 DVD at a time and lets say rest for like and hour and burn another 2 DVD until u reach ur quota????is this a best way to burn DVD with out any problem?????

[AlanHK]

@AlanHK: am well i dont usually play my Authored DVD on the computer coz wat matters most is that it plays on the "fake DVD players".

Well, yes. But to isolate the problem, first see if your files are good. The use verify on your burner to see if it burned correctly.

As for overheating, a five minute pause should be enough to let it cool down.

Also try burning at lower speeds, (eg if your drive is 16x, try 12, or 8).

As for media, there is apparently a lot of "fake" brand DVD disks around in Asia, though in Hong Kong I haven't had any problems so far.

[mic2x]

@AlanHK : thanks allot for the reply, usually for me after burning once its successful i tought that its fine, i never tried to verify my copies.ryt nw im going to try to verify them, and btw all my files are anime related fansub or dvdrips i think all of them are in good conditions....but jst in case ill try use verify nxt tym i burn...and lastly, it is very true there are allot of fake DVD but still cant figure out how to tell whether its fake or not....i tried using the nero info tools and here is the result of the DVD i used today its RiDATA 16x DVD-R

Type: Blank DVD-R
Capacity: n/a

Layers: 1
Supported Speeds: 4.0x
Blank Capacity: 4.38GB
Manufacturer ID: RITEKF1
Copy Protection: n/a

Content
File System(s)
Title: n/a
Date: n/a
Publisher: n/a
Application: n/a

[AlanHK]

.i tried using the nero info tools and here is the result of the DVD i used today its RiDATA 16x DVD-R

It's suspicious that you say it's labelled 16X, but Nero says 4X.

There are forums here discussing media, but you basically have to go on trust, from a shop you know, or talk to other people and compare experiences.

[redwudz]

I think AlanHK answered the question about DVD burner overheating. 5 minutes sounds reasonable. Good ventilation of your drive helps. If they are in an external case, one with a fan is good. An internal drive, IE, in the computer case, doesn't have as much a problem as the case has some air circulation that keeps the drives cooler. Easy to check, though. If the drive is very warm to the touch, then you should let it cool off a little. It may still do your backups with no problems when hot, but the burner may wear out a lot quicker.