How do I create a DVD that will play on all players?

[jammer20002]

I want to create a DVD that will play on ALL players.
How do I do this?

I've done my homework and have read up on the various types of discs available.
I know that if I create something on DVD-R or DVD+R, then either will not necessarily play on ALL players.

It must be possible to create DVDs that plays on all players!

What kind of discs are the DVD films made on?
How do I create one of these?
Or do you need special harware, media and software to create the DVDs you buy from the shop!?
Surely not!

I'm confused!

Help!

Thanks.

[mkelley]

If you *really* want a DVD that will play on all players you need to spend upwards of around $20K (maybe even a LOT more) and buy one of the pro DVD burners out there. I am told those commercial burners produce disks playable on everything.

Otherwise the best you can hope for is to produce disks that play on the majority of DVD players made within the last three years or so -- the newer the better. You use +R or -R but you definitely include PCM or AC3 audio and more probably use only one for all your sound. If you use AC3 audio you encode using big indian (which means *not* using BeSweet but one of the Dolby licensed encoders costing at least $300 for a plugin, or $600 or so for a standalone). You write on top quality branded disks, and verify your write.

Even after all this effort your disks may still not play on some machines -- but the worst case scenerio is that someone can spend less than $100 and buy a machine that *will* play them (nearly all new progressive scan players nowadays will play most DVDRs thrown at them).

[lightbluecollar]

there is also a problem with cd lables on dvd-r's some dvd players really cant handle the labels on and some can whats up with that. is there a speacial lable you have to use?

[solarfox]

Or do you need special harware, media and software to create the DVDs you buy from the shop!?
Surely not!

Actually -- surely yes.

Commercial DVD's which you buy in the shops are not -- I repeat, not -- "burned" onto blank media. They are pressed, using the same kind of plastic-stamping, aluminum sputter-coating process used to manufacture CD's, using metal stamper plates made off of an etched-glass master. This is not a process which you can duplicate at home, unless you've got a few thousand square feet of empty space in which to install the machinery and a few million dollars to invest in the purchasing, installation, maintenance, and raw materials.

It is not possible to create a burned DVD-R of any flavor -- plus, dash, R, RW, General or Authoring -- which will play in absolutely 100% of every DVD player ever made. Period.

[housepig]

your cheapest method is going to be - create the dvd the way you want it, ship it to a company that makes dvd's, and pay them the money to press them for you.

Oh, and be prepared - most won't press unless you have 1,000 or more copies in your order - that will get you 1,000 pressed discs with screen printed tops. If you go under 1,000 at most places, you end up with burned dics and sticky labels - so you're no better off.

But that would only set you back maybe $2,000 - $3,000 - sure beats a couple million to set up your own plant!

Or you can burn a -R, which is pretty damn compatible with most new players, for about $1 (not including the burner cost).