DVD is now only worthy of frisbie Status, Advice Appreciated

[SIMES]

Its time for you to try what I advised in my first post.
Buy a DVD-RW to see if it works.

I know the players comments say it won't work but they also said DVD+RW would.

Yah, good point, I have decided I want a domestic DVD recorder in my living room anyway so I will go ahead on that route, but I will putting my old Toshiba in the bedroom so could be usefull if I could still create DVD's and watch them on that.

I'll pick up some -R or -RW's next time I'm in town.

I'm just happy it wasn't me doing something wrong and that they work fine.

[SIMES]

Its time for you to try what I advised in my first post.
Buy a DVD-RW to see if it works.

I know the players comments say it won't work but they also said DVD+RW would.

Ah, curiousity got the better of me, so I went and grapped some DVD -RW's and using Nero, I get a coaster, looks like the Toshiba is about as compatible as Jaylo and Affleck.

Gonna try again using TMPEnc DVD, just in case it's a Nero issue. If that does not work, I will reside the Toshiba to next to my ZX81 and my Betamax recorder.

[Gees]

looks like the Toshiba is about as compatible as Jaylo and Affleck

:cD At least you are maintaining your sense of humor* through it all!

*A requirement. Or you could end up smashing expensive things. :c)

BTW - your -RW should not be a coaster. That's the beauty of them. You can use it again. So don't go setting any drinks on it just yet. :c)

[dcsos]

Phillips
Norcent
older VCD compatible APEX

get a new player
In the states they had the NORCENT that plays everything for US$49.00
at Wal-Mart!

[mkelley]

I want to comment on a few things in your original post that no one has seemed to address; specifically, your encoding with TMPGEnc taking so long.

TMPGenc is one of the slowest encoders out there -- while the quality is good, you can get as good or better results in a much shorter time period using either Main Concept (which I use) or CCE. These will both cost you more ($150 or so) but the time savings are worth it, IMHO.

I get near real-time encoding with MainConcept on my machine, which means it takes me no longer than two hours for two hours worth of video.

I also use DVDLab for authoring -- this takes about 20 minutes to convert the MPEG source into the various VOB files needed for burning. Then another 15 minutes to burn a +R and I'm done. So it's a lot more painless than what you first tried.

Also, I would have asked you to try a +R or -R in the very begining -- RW media is not quite as universal and you might have saved yourself a lot of grief (although in the end you learned some things).

Getting a standalone recorder is nice -- I have one as well -- but I tend not to use mine much anymore. The fact is, you get spoiled by the nice menus you can create with your burner. Standalones are good for quickly transferring stuff you don't need to edit, though.

Good luck -- the good news is it really does get easier, and once you've found your workflow you won't think twice about creating DVDs that can be played by nearly any newer (than a year or two) player.

[SIMES]

looks like the Toshiba is about as compatible as Jaylo and Affleck

:cD At least you are maintaining your sense of humor* through it all!

*A requirement. Or you could end up smashing expensive things. :c)

BTW - your -RW should not be a coaster. That's the beauty of them. You can use it again. So don't go setting any drinks on it just yet. :c)

Sure, I can use it it again, just confirming it didn't like -RW either. I did also try the TMPGenc and got exactly the same problem as Nero so as I say the old Toshiba is now relegated next to my 'must have technology purchases' which will never be used again.

[SIMES]

I want to comment on a few things in your original post that no one has seemed to address; specifically, your encoding with TMPGEnc taking so long.

TMPGenc is one of the slowest encoders out there -- while the quality is good, you can get as good or better results in a much shorter time period using either Main Concept (which I use) or CCE. These will both cost you more ($150 or so) but the time savings are worth it, IMHO.

I get near real-time encoding with MainConcept on my machine, which means it takes me no longer than two hours for two hours worth of video.

I also use DVDLab for authoring -- this takes about 20 minutes to convert the MPEG source into the various VOB files needed for burning. Then another 15 minutes to burn a +R and I'm done. So it's a lot more painless than what you first tried.

Also, I would have asked you to try a +R or -R in the very begining -- RW media is not quite as universal and you might have saved yourself a lot of grief (although in the end you learned some things).

Getting a standalone recorder is nice -- I have one as well -- but I tend not to use mine much anymore. The fact is, you get spoiled by the nice menus you can create with your burner. Standalones are good for quickly transferring stuff you don't need to edit, though.

Good luck -- the good news is it really does get easier, and once you've found your workflow you won't think twice about creating DVDs that can be played by nearly any newer (than a year or two) player.

Few points

1) I still have not actually tried a plain -R or +R, they may work I presume but as I have now decided to buy an uptodate domestic DVD recorder, I guess it's a moot point as the one I want plays everything , the list is so long I'm surprised it didn't include 8" floppies and Vinyl!

http://www.dvdplayers.co.uk/php/showitem.php?pid=339

2) Which is the better DVD Lab (which at 20 minutes seems amazing, seeing as TMPGenc took me 5 hours) or Main Concept. And if DVD Lab allows you to operate so quickly why bother with Main Concept? Oh, sorry I just re-read your comment, (I am still a little hazy on the terms) you use Main Concept to do the bit where you take the avi or mpg then convert it to a mpeg-2, (which takes 2 hours , around 3 hours less than TMPGenc), then you use DVD lab to make the vob files and burn it.

Is that correct?

Also what is CCE?

3) The standalone DVD recorder is really more for domestic use, really for my better half who is a history teacher to tape all the satellite history documentaries etc. I won't really use it that much, but seeing as I have to upgrade my DVD player anyway, I thought I might as well get a recordable and this one is multiregion and records onto +RW and -RW, plus has a ton of nice features like being able to plug my camcorder in , etc etc

Finally, thanks for the support, I've learned a huge amount in the last 2 days, which will enable me to approach this in a less time consuming fashion.

[dcsos]

Also what is CCE?
Cinema Craft Encoder

The Software version, very expensive for years, now has a BASIC ENCODER for US$60 that the experts (who tweak too much for my comfort) say is the best encoder on the planet.
Me I'm happy with Main Concept as a Premiere turned Vegas user who uses
Sonic-Foundry DVD Architect for authoring(like DVD Lab but $400)
I also seperate out the burning as I like to use NERO or STOMP RecordNowMax
to make multiple copies of one authored piece

They also make a hardware board that the pros in hollywood use (some of em) It goes in your P4 for $30,000.

[SIMES]

They also make a hardware board that the pros in hollywood use (some of em) It goes in your P4 for $30,000.[/quote]

Ok, I am pretty expert in this field, so that seems like the option for me. I'll take 2, one for my laptop as well!!!

[SIMES]

TMPGenc is one of the slowest encoders out there -- while the quality is good, you can get as good or better results in a much shorter time period using either Main Concept (which I use) or CCE. These will both cost you more ($150 or so) but the time savings are worth it, IMHO.

I get near real-time encoding with MainConcept on my machine, which means it takes me no longer than two hours for two hours worth of video.
.

When you say you use Main Concept and get 2 hours of DVD decoded in 2 hours which Main Concept product are you using?

http://www.mainconcept.com/products.shtml

Is there any reason you use that s/w aside from it obviously being super fast or was it just what you stumbeled on and it worked well for you.


Reading inbetween the lines (perhaps incorrectly ?) presumably you do this professionally?

[dcsos]

I use the Main Concept engine built into
Adobe Premiere 6.5
or Sonic-Foundry Vegas Video 4.0

so the settings I used to need to make in CCE 2.50
(A plug in for other progams)
seem complex by comparison

[obeck]

Hello To All

What I am trying to achieve

Simply to take avi and/or mpg files and make them playable on my domestic DVD Toshiba player.

I have checked the compatibility chart on this site and it says my Toshiba SD100e can read DVD+RW. I have not tried VCD or SVCD, as I would rather have proper Mpeg-2 DVD's at 720x576 (apparently better quality)

[Regards
Simon H

I dont have to read even another word... the first thing you need to do is to burn something that you know a DVD drive will read. Grab a decryptor (smartripper) a transcoder (dvdshrink) and a burner (your fav) and burn something "standard" to make sure that your SD100e will , in fact, read this particular media burned by this particular burner. Once you know it works, then you are ready to go about trying to create something from a more dubious process

[obeck]

[quote="SIMES"]

Info looks OK


So many terms, and only approx another 60 years of my life left to understand them..

There a about one or two dozen newbie/idiot guides with pictures and numbers in the newbie/guides sections. I was able to create a ripped dvd from them in the first hour after I installed my dvd player. Instead of 60 years, why not spend an hour reading them? You dont have to understand them, just follow the instructions.

[Viper10000]

SIMES,

I don't think it's not your authoring process, because almost like you:

1. I also have a Sony DVD Rewriter, a DW-U10A (i.e. OEM version of the DRU500A)
2. I also use TMPGEnc & TMPGEnc DVD Author to produce the DVD files (i.e. ifo, VOB, etc.).

But unlike you:
1. I don't have a Toshiba SD100e. I have some cheapo chinese DVD Players (i.e. Ampex 1500, Norcent DP300), and a not to cheap player (i.e. Sampo 611).
2. I burn with Nero 5.5 (but I don't think because of the burning process, and I trust TMPGEnc DVD Author will burn it fine).
3. I mostly use DVD-R. So far I have so good DVD-R (i.e. PioData 4X), some not too cheap DVD-R (i.e. Ritek 2X), and some cheapo DVD-R (Princo 1X, CompUSA 1X).

About the authoring, I try all kind of stuff. Sometimes, straight MPEG2 files, and sometimes I even mix & match MPEG1 & MPEG2 or even files with different resolutions (i.e. 352x240, 352x480, 704x480), and that's why I love TMPGEnc DVD Author. As long you put these different files in different tracks, TMPGEnc DVD Author will author just fine.

So I think it comes down to the DVD media and the compatibility of the DVD media you use to your Toshiba SD100e. What I suggest is:

1. Try play your already authored & burned DVD+RW with other standalone DVD players from your friends, colleagues, family members, etc. to see if their player can play your DVD+RW
2. If step 1 still doesn't work, burn it on a DVD-R, to see if it play on your Toshiba SD100e.
3. If your Toshiba doesn't play, try step 1 with your newly burned DVD-R. It should play in other DVD Stdalone.

I think I read somewhere that one study test about 80+ different DVD Standalone with the 4 formats (i.e. DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW), and DVD-R is the most compatible at 97% (or something like that), and guess what?... Yes, DVD+RW is the least compatible.

Cheers,

[SIMES]

SIMES,

I don't think it's not your authoring process, because almost like you:

1. I also have a Sony DVD Rewriter, a DW-U10A (i.e. OEM version of the DRU500A)
2. I also use TMPGEnc & TMPGEnc DVD Author to produce the DVD files (i.e. ifo, VOB, etc.).

But unlike you:
1. I don't have a Toshiba SD100e. I have some cheapo chinese DVD Players (i.e. Ampex 1500, Norcent DP300), and a not to cheap player (i.e. Sampo 611).
2. I burn with Nero 5.5 (but I don't think because of the burning process, and I trust TMPGEnc DVD Author will burn it fine).
3. I mostly use DVD-R. So far I have so good DVD-R (i.e. PioData 4X), some not too cheap DVD-R (i.e. Ritek 2X), and some cheapo DVD-R (Princo 1X, CompUSA 1X).

About the authoring, I try all kind of stuff. Sometimes, straight MPEG2 files, and sometimes I even mix & match MPEG1 & MPEG2 or even files with different resolutions (i.e. 352x240, 352x480, 704x480), and that's why I love TMPGEnc DVD Author. As long you put these different files in different tracks, TMPGEnc DVD Author will author just fine.

So I think it comes down to the DVD media and the compatibility of the DVD media you use to your Toshiba SD100e. What I suggest is:

1. Try play your already authored & burned DVD+RW with other standalone DVD players from your friends, colleagues, family members, etc. to see if their player can play your DVD+RW
2. If step 1 still doesn't work, burn it on a DVD-R, to see if it play on your Toshiba SD100e.
3. If your Toshiba doesn't play, try step 1 with your newly burned DVD-R. It should play in other DVD Stdalone.

I think I read somewhere that one study test about 80+ different DVD Standalone with the 4 formats (i.e. DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW), and DVD-R is the most compatible at 97% (or something like that), and guess what?... Yes, DVD+RW is the least compatible.

Cheers,

Thanks Viper, but I think you probably missed a few of the previous posts, the authouring process works fine, all my disks were fine, I took them to a friends new DVD player and they all played fine, on +RW and -RW

It's just my Toshiba is not compatible, with any media I have tried to date. That's all, everythjing else is fine.

Thanks anyway, appreciate your time.

I have just purchased a nice new domestic, DVD recorder, same as my friends which I know works fine.

[SIMES]

Also what is CCE?
Cinema Craft Encoder
.

Hi I went here
http://www.cinemacraft.com/eng/download.html#basic

To download the basic trial version but it won't let me download it, says file not found. Do you know anywhere else the download may be available?

[SIMES]

[quote="obeck"]

Info looks OK


So many terms, and only approx another 60 years of my life left to understand them..

There a about one or two dozen newbie/idiot guides with pictures and numbers in the newbie/guides sections. I was able to create a ripped dvd from them in the first hour after I installed my dvd player. Instead of 60 years, why not spend an hour reading them? You dont have to understand them, just follow the instructions.

Hi
I appreciate the advice but as I said, I am actually doing that correctly, despite my original thinking otherwise It's just me DVD player was incompatible.

As I say, I burnt the DVD fine, as soon as I put the supposed 'coaster's' into somebody elese DVD they all worked great.

I had no problem following the instructions to make the thing, It just didn't work, so I presumed I was at fault.