DVD Media - Video quality vs Data quality

[mikesbytes]

Having had good results with Ritex RITEKG05 DVD-R 8X buned at 4X for video, I decided to make a data disk on my Pioneer 110. The result was a bad disk, it burnt fine using Nero, but failed the verification test. I repeated the burn of a data disk using a Verbatim MCC 02RG20 DVD-R 8X burned at 4X and had a similar failure as per the other disk.

This made we wonder, do we need better quality disks for data than we need for video, the rationale being that the video can tolerate a few minor errors with only minor reductions in viewing quality, where a data disk must be 100%.

That being the case, should I go for some TY's specifically for data ?

[Gen-An]

I've heard that Nero verifcation isn't all that reliable...

[harley2ride]

Ritek g05 media is substandard media. Sometimes it's good, and other times it's bad. Also, you should not be burning 8x media at 4x. It is normally recommended that you burn at or close to the rated speed of the media. I would suggest that you try burning the verbatim (which is better media), at 8x or 6x. Also make sure that you are using the most current version of nero which is available to you.

[CobraPilot]

Confirming the sometimes unreliable Nero verification reports, I've had many a "failed verification" for a disc that worked fine when put into use.

To doublecheck, when you get such a report:

o In Nero 6.6x, go to the Nero Toolkit and select Nero CD-DVD Speed.

o Select Scandisc and watch for any indications of bad spots on your disc.

This can clarify (but perhaps not confirm) whether or not you really do have a bad disc. I've run this Nero Scandisc on the same disc on two different computers and sometimes the results don't match, with one showing bad spots on the disc, the other giving it 100%. Why the difference? Who knows?

When I get such a variance, I tend to make sure I make another, folowing the old axiom of never having just one copy of anything you really would hate to do without.

[Bodysurf]

That being the case, should I go for some TY's specifically for data ?

I personally think it is silly to use anything but "1st Class" recordable DVD media for ANYTHING unless you don't care about much whether what you burn works.

I could see when the good stuff was $5.00+ a disc, but not with the good stuff being <$0.45 when it's NOT on sale.

[INFRATOM]

every media that is not MIJ with my experience is substandard as above and if it works you've been lucky! I tried Verbatime +R 16X it freezes, not reliable even at lower burn speeds.

[mikesbytes]

Ritek g05 media is substandard media

I've had 100% success rate with video from these disks. Perhaps I've had a good batch? Perhaps the quality has improved.

I would suggest that you try burning the verbatim (which is better media), at 8x or 6x.

Will switch to 8x burning.

[mikesbytes]

I've heard that Nero verifcation isn't all that reliable...

Dam! What's a good alternative? Kind of like the idea that you know that you can read what you have just written.

[Gen-An]

every media that is not MIJ with my experience is substandard as above and if it works you've been lucky! I tried Verbatime +R 16X it freezes, not reliable even at lower burn speeds.

Either you've been incredibly unlucky in getting bad batches of Verbatim, or your burner just doesn't like the discs. Your unforunate experience with Verbatim is the exception rather than the norm...

[FulciLives]

Long Live Taiyo Yuden and MIJ

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[mikesbytes]

I could see when the good stuff was $5.00+ a disc, but not with the good stuff being <$0.45 when it's NOT on sale.

A bit more expensive in AUS. This is the best price I've seen ($8.80 postage for upto 150 disks). http://www.jpldisplays.com.au/oscommerce/catalog/index.php?osCsid=8b9e67c5720cb8ce9bdb...dbdb18bd4065ed

[Cornucopia]

Just want to clear up a few things:

1. Could be bad batch of discs, but you don't yet know for sure. Follow CobraPilot's advice with Nero CD/DVD Speed. The graph should be smooth(ish), but will show spikes/notches where there are misreads due to scratches/bad media, etc.

2. Also try ISOBuster. Right-click disc and "Perform a Surface Scan". On the files/folders you could use any 'ole File/Directory compare app.

3. On a 5-point scale, what you've got there I would put as 4 or 3 (5 being the best--TY or MIJ, etc). They're not perfect, but most should be reliable. There's not a whole lot of difference in price per disc though. Buy the best you can afford.

4. re:Video vs. Data--You're probably thinking along lines of CD Mode1 vs. Mode2 stuff. This doesn't exist in DVD land. On DVD's, ALL content is DATA MODE1. It is only the player application (DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, misc. computer app) that determines what is done with that data. Don't get stuck in that old rut.

5. re:Burnspeeds--That certainly must not be true. Here is a glaring example: settop DVD recorders (not the ones with HDD). They all record in realtime (1x). Yet they all can make use of 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x and even 16x media. If there were problems not burning to optimal speed, they would be putting out garbage all the time.

6. Could be your burner doesn't like those discs. Check the Pioneer site and see what media they suggest. There may be a firmware upgrade to allow for additional media formulations.

Scott

[mikesbytes]

A firmware update wouldn't do any harm, I have 1.17 firmware and there is 1.58 available. BUT having gone to the pioneer web site, there are 2 versions of the 109 burner, so how do you know which version of the burner you have ?

http://wwwbsc.pioneer.co.jp/product-e/ibs/device_e/dev00001r_e.html#firmware1

[joeg04]

Look for the name of your DVD burner under:

Start / programs / accessory / system programs / system information / components / CD
(above windows menu names are translated back from German to English)

or use:

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pio/pe/images/portal/cit_3424/76945239DeviceInfo.exe

(=link under http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/article/0,,2076_4273_128163990,00.html )

[mikesbytes]

It was a bit difficult to determine which burner I had, as it boils down to their being the A109 and A109XL. All of the other names seem to be variants of the above. If you have an A109, it is identified simply as an A109 without any suffix'es.

Firmware update was a piece of cake [first time for me]. Now I have 1.58, which has a lot more media than 1.17 had.

I was wondering if the driver does more in its write strategy than simply set the speed?

[joeg04]

I was wondering if the driver does more in its write strategy than simply set the speed?

Yes, write quality should be improved for supported media.