Burning low quality DVDs (from VCDs)

[semifamous]

I'm trying to burn the first season of my friend's favorite show to DVD-Rs with my Pioneer DVR-03. I'm using SpruceUp to make the menus and Nero to burn. For some reason, the first set that I burned a while ago has some problems, and I don't know what's causing them, whether it's the files I'm using (converted using TMPGEnc), or the player they're watching it on (three different APEX players), or the program I used to burn them (originally it was Nero 5.5.7.8 I think, where you didn't have the "DVD Video" option, and had to burn as DVD UDF/ISO.)

The problem is that although most of the disc plays just fine (and after each file, it goes back to my beautiful menu), the last file on each of the four discs I burned won't play. Occasionally, the video will "glitch", where random colored blocks come up on the screen for a while, but never in the same places twice.

Because I don't have a DVD player to test it on, I don't get to test them from home, but according to my friend, it's always the last one on every disc that has the problem.

Now some things that I think may be the problem. Perhaps some experts can tell me how far off base I actually am.

When you make a TS with SpruceUp, it includes a .LAY file. When Nero 5.5.8 came out, it said that you can't have those in a DVD Video. Could having an extra file on the DVD cause things to get out of sync occasionally?

Is it more likely just that I'm using discs that are the problem? (http://store.yahoo.com/cdrdvdrmedia/25pac47dvbla.html is what I'm using)

Might it be a problem with the DVD Player and not the discs I'm making?

Might all of the problems be fixed if I burn them again with the new version of Nero (5.5.9.0)?

Thanks in advance for your input!
Mike

[bugster]

Just an idea or two, but if I remember correctly, DVD's are burnt from the middle outwards and it always seems to be the outer most parts of a DVD-r that DVD players have most trouble reading, especially with cheaper media. I say this partly from experience and partly from other posts on this and other forums.

You could try putting one less episode on each disc, using better quality media or (if possible) a different brand DVD player.

I know this is not much help but it is the best I can do, sorry!

[semifamous]

Actually, that was exactly what I needed to know. If the problem is more likely with the discs themselves, I'll pick up some higher quality ones and see if I have the same problems with them. I've tried playing most of my discs on other players, but the only ones that actually play the stuff I've burned (VCDs, SVCDs, and DVD-Rs) have been Apex ones.

I guess everyone else I know just doesn't know what to look for in a DVD player... =)

Oh well. Thanks again for you help!