Burned DVD Playback Problem

[jc daly]

After burning a DVD, I usually play it back on my TV-connected DVD player, and my computer's DVD player, usually skipping to each chapter stop on the TV player, and clicking on random spots on the playback timeline on the computer DVD player(usually VLC, have lately tried Windows Media Player), just to make sure things went smoothly. I never usually had a problem until recently.

The DVD's are playing back fine on the TV, but are getting stuck towards the end of the DVD on the computer. They either just stop completely or stutter forward very slowly. These DVD's contain 6 episodes running between 24 and 28 minutes each, generally. It might seem like it could be an issue of too much on the DVD, but I've burned the same type and quantity of clip before and never had a problem. I feel like it has to be something wrong with either my DVD drive or the software playing the DVD. Has anyone got any other ideas, where I could be wrong?

-JCD

[Baldrick]

Crappy dvd media? Or are you using same as before?

Or your dvd drive is dying. Try on another computer and see how it works.

[jc daly]

Crappy dvd media? Or are you using same as before?

Or your dvd drive is dying. Try on another computer and see how it works.

The DVD's are each made by Sony(who make good media from what I've read), though they are different Sony DVD's. The ones I'm using now say Accucore on them and have a smooth, shiny surface, while the Sony's I used previously have a more matte, textured surface, but don't have any specific model name or other similar identifier on the surface, just "Sony Corporation, DVD-R, 16x".

I'm afraid of drive failure, especially since I just got this computer a year ago. Will have to stop by a friends house and try on their computer. Will post what happens afterward, thanks!

[Kerry56]

The DVD's are each made by Sony(who make good media from what I've read)...

No, the discs are only sold under the Sony brand. They are not made by Sony anymore, and haven't been for years. Sony used to be a good third choice for blank dvd media, but no longer. You can find the mid code (manufacturer id) on these that you have and identify the real source. ImgBurn will show mid code for you.

You should try some Verbatim blank dvds, those with AZO on the label, not the "Life Series" Verbatim. These can be found online easily at rima, or supermediastore or even Amazon.

And my favorites are Taiyo Yuden, especially the 8x +R variety. Also easily found online.

[jc daly]

The DVD's are each made by Sony(who make good media from what I've read)...

No, the discs are only sold under the Sony brand. They are not made by Sony anymore, and haven't been for years. Sony used to be a good third choice for blank dvd media, but no longer. You can find the mid code (manufacturer id) on these that you have and identify the real source. ImgBurn will show mid code for you.

You should try some Verbatim blank dvds, those with AZO on the label, not the "Life Series" Verbatim. These can be found online easily at rima, or supermediastore or even Amazon.

And my favorites are Taiyo Yuden, especially the 8x +R variety. Also easily found online.

Thank you for the clarification and heads up and recommendations.

The discs worked in an alternate computer, so it would appear to be a DVD drive problem with my computer, at this point. I'm gonna burn a few more discs to test some more. Thanks!

-JCD

[jman98]

Sony has used both the very best and the very worst manufacturers for their DVDs in recent years. One of our long time members is a Sony apologist who swears that currently they rarely use the bad manufacturers, but I have my doubts. Anyway, you probably have no way to know prior to purchase whether you're getting the good or the bad Sony media, so I think it's best to just avoid it and deal with known good media (Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden).

If you want to use more of those Sony discs, try burning at a lower speed, like 4x. Lower speed burns sometimes get better results out of low quality media so doing that might enable you to use up the discs and have them work like you want.