DVD copy quality turns bad at the end.. Explain this to me?

[suspended]

I have burned quite a few DVD's with no problem. DVDBackup 1.3 works fine, then DVD2one. Then Toast 5.2, make new DVD, name it, drag VIDEO_TS in there and burn.

I just read the tutorial about using Toast 6. While I don't make an AUDIO_TS folder, I don't think this is part of the problem, but who knows.

So, the last 2 DVDs seemed to go fine, except when getting to the final chapters. The audio would skip, the picture would pixelate very badly and at some point, the (stand-alone) player would freeze.

I can't say what is different, but the last two exhibit the same issues. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

I used the same procedures and the same FW external AV-105, but different computers.

This is really annoying! All help appreciated.

Thanks!

-S

[grmpy]

Try defraging your HDD. I had the same problem and defragged more often and it helps alot

[BJ_M]

it may be your media -- this is a common problem with some media , try another brand ..

[galactica]

I agree with BJ_M
i had this on the princo disks i bought when i first started out because wow $.80 per disk!

but then i noticed what you said, its mostly right as the end of the movie and the credits, so its not soo bad, but sometimes it makes the end of the movie unwatchable!

so i got better media, never had the problem since!

[suspended]

Ok. New media is the next thing I try.

I did for defrag my HD and use 1X burning for laughs, but no go.

Something else I noticed. I have burned short movies, 20m to 1 hour and those are all fine on the same media. The movies that don't work are longer and are larger file sizes, filing the DVD to capacity. I am wondering if lower quality media shows its weak points when filled to higher capacity? Just thinking out loud...

I bought a bunch of eProformace DVD-Rs that suck, as they don't work with my AV-105. What a pain in the ass..

So what DVD-R media do any of you suggest? I did buy some 4X a while back for almost $3/DVD and I'd like to avoid that. I'd appreciate suggestions on where to buy as well. I usually buy from Meritline, but I'll look at other places.

[BJ_M]

try riteks , though apple disks are great also

[galactica]

when burning in those upper speeds i like these disks
http://meritline.com/rit4xcerhigd.html
but its just my preference

[brett]

galactica -- have you ever used two-sided discs? if so, could you tell me what you liked?

fwiw, i am not interested in cost, sorta interested in speed, and way interested in quality/compatibility.

[MikieV]

Something else I noticed. I have burned short movies, 20m to 1 hour and those are all fine on the same media. The movies that don't work are longer and are larger file sizes, filing the DVD to capacity. I am wondering if lower quality media shows its weak points when filled to higher capacity? Just thinking out loud...

You are not alone.

I was checking the "DVD Media" section of this site (on the left-side, in Red, under the "OTHER" heading) to see what experience people were having with the "no name" discs that are priced so temptingly.

The concensus seems to be that -some- of the cheaper ones aren't balaced as well, so there is more "flutter" and/or vibration at the outer-edge (rim) => so, as the laser reaches the outer-edge, write performance degrades.

Sounds logical.

Scary, that you could make a burn without errors, thinking you had a archival copy - if you only played back the beginnning, or skimmed-through a few sections. You would only catch the problem if you checked the end of the movie.

It doesn't help that you get good prices by buying in bulk. You need to try a few of a given brand, before committing to 50 or 100. Even then, the DVD Media section has several instances of the disc info, read off the actual discs, differs - while the brand/packaging stays the same => different lots? different foundry? made in Fred's garage instead of Bob's shed?

Mike

[Ladd]

So, the last 2 DVDs seemed to go fine, except when getting to the final chapters. The audio would skip, the picture would pixelate very badly and at some point, the (stand-alone) player would freeze.

This is a classic symptom of DVD media that isn't fully compatible with your burner, your player, or both. Some folks might attribute this incompatiblility to cheap media (overall or inconsistent quality) and this is certainly possible -- but it may be more accurate to say that the media simply isn't fully compatible with your particular burner and/or your particular DVD player.

Prior to purchasing a large spindle of DVD-R media, I tested numerous brands of media with my specific burner and player. Some disc brands recorded and played fine. Some brands recorded fine but had the playback problems at the very end just as you have noted. Some disc brands would record but not verify. And others wouldn't even load in the burner as they weren't recognized as recordable media.

Some cheap media recorded, verified and played back (on my equipment) fine. Some didn't. Some expensive media recorded, verified and played back (on my equipment) fine. Some didn't.

I ended up purchasing a large spindle of inexpensive media that had tested well with my setup. Since that time I have burned dozens of discs of that media with zero problems, so it looks like the expense of buying sample packs to see what media worked was, for me, a good value.

You'll either have to purchase sample packs from a couple of on-line resellers and test your equipment for yourself, or search this discussion group and the "DVD Media" discussion group (link at left) for people with your specific burner to try and get clues as to what media works and what doesn't For Your Specific Burner.

If you need media in a hurry and have to purchase some without further research and/or testing, certainly higher-priced media MAY have a better chance of working properly than the lower-priced media, but higher price is no guarantee of performance With Your Specific Burner.

[galactica]

galactica -- have you ever used two-sided discs? if so, could you tell me what you liked?

fwiw, i am not interested in cost, sorta interested in speed, and way interested in quality/compatibility.

I did give these a try
http://meritline.com/ritek-dvd-r-dvdr-4x-blank-media-94-case.html

they worked. But honestly, the only point i saw with them is that you can keep the exact quality of a dvd on 1 disk (splitting required)

however, you have to get up 1/2 of the way through movie and actually flip the disk. Too much like old school laser disks if you ask me.

id rather just run it through dvd2one and enjoy the RELAXING aspect of a movie!!!

its just me maybe, but i dont like to get up during a movie.

they worked nicely though

[brett]

no, i don't want one movie on two sides. yucky!

but you guys are all into copying . . . errr . . . backing up movies. i understand the response.

i, on the other hand, effin' hate movies. not that i haven't copied . . . errr . . . backed up my share.

i am into capturing 240-minute football games on my replay, editing them into the 45-minute range with capty mpeg edit, and packing three to a side via capty dvd.

i would thus like to get six games -- half a college football season -- on a disc, and thus only have to pass two discs to my friends.

the same might apply for people capturing and/or encoding a season of 24, for instance -- or any multiepisode type-o-thang.

wouldn't you like to have, say, godfather 1 & 2 on a single disc?

perhaps not.

thanks for the rec, tho. i will definitely give it a shot. i appreciate the tip.

and i'm just joshin' you, g, and i love you and this forum, but there are other uses for dvds than to hold the product of a dvdTWOONEx session. (misspelling = trying to kill the keyword -- looks like an ad? -- guess i'm not up on all that)

(ed -- NOT an ad, but the link is still strange at first glance -- will give a longer look later)

(ed2 -- looks like a helpful "learn more" link -- bravo dvdrhelp!)

[dcsos]

Hey BJ_M aren't all Apple disc made by RITEK anyway?
when I use DVD info on my Wintel Box it shows Ritek

Is there a utility to show Manufacturer of media for OS 9 anyone could reccomend?

[BJ_M]

Hey BJ_M aren't all Apple disc made by RITEK anyway?
when I use DVD info on my Wintel Box it shows Ritek

Is there a utility to show Manufacturer of media for OS 9 anyone could reccomend?

apple disks are made by different companies depending on when they were made and what speed .. but i found the apple branded ones always to be the highest quality.... i use riteks g03 printable still though - for almost 99% of the burning i do (a lot - with a duplicator) unless a cleint requests a different brand or an authoring disk or supplies thier own.