DVD-R and MP3

[str1der]

I know this isn't video but I thought I might ask. If I fill a DVD-R with MP3 files can I play them on my Pioneer DV-440 like I do with CDRs filled with MP3s? What about DVD+RW?

[str1der]

Anybody?

[videoguy79]

As far as I know, that is not possible. However, you might want to pop $2.95 on a DVD-R and just try it out. The reason why I don't think it is possible is that DVD players don't neccesarily read the data headers on files to figure out what they are. If you put in a VCD, SVCD, CDDA, or MP3 CD-R, it sees a "CD" disc and plays it accordingly. Before I applied a firmware hack to my player, I couldn't play miniDVD, which essentially are 15-minute DVD's on a CD-R(W) disc. "But it should play it if it's a DVD, right?" Not necessarily. The player saw that it was a CD-R, and thought it was an mp3 CD. I would venture to guess that your DVD player firmware probably will not recognize mp3 audio on a DVD-R. It's worth a try--let everybody know how it turns out.

[str1der]

Thanks for the reply. I really can't try it because I dont have a DVD burner yet. I'm trying to decide. This was just one of the factors that would go into the decision. That's why I asked about DVD-R and DVD+RW. I'm just suprised no one on here has tried it. It would be great because you could fit about 100 cd albums on a single disc. Plus with the file navigation on my Pioneer DV-440 it would be pretty easy to find the songs that I wanted. Thanks.

[videoguy79]

I won't be getting a DVD burner until later this year, but I'd try it out and let you know if I had one. I wouldn't buy a burner with putting mp3's on DVD's in mind--I really don't think it will work on most standalones. For now, try putting mp3's on 99 mintue CD-Rs. If you use 128kbps to encode, you'll get an extra 170 minutes (almost 3 hours) of audio on a disc compared to an 80 minute CD (1MB/minute at 128kbps, 870MB compared to 700MB for an 80 minute CD-R).

[Baldrick]

It dont work with my pioneer dv-444(almost the same as the 440) using dvd+rw disc burnt in both iso and udf mode. DVD-Video on dvd+rw works great though. I think it is exact as videoguy says that the dvd dont recognice dvdrw as mp3 only dvd-video.

[videoguy79]

Of course, there is another possibility that it may work under a specific circumstance: a firmware hack that allows miniDVD. Let me explain--I have a GE player that would not recognize miniDVD before I hacked the firmware. Now, it will even read UDF formatted CD-R's. My thinking is this: the firmware hack is either a.) blurring the initial distinction between a 740nm CD and the 650nm DVD disc or b.) is forcing the player to recognize discs not by the type of disc, but rather the folder hierarchy and/or file headers. That's why my player will now read .vob files off of CD-R's whereas it wouldn't before. If this is the case, a DVD-R filled with mp3 files burned as UDF may work. That is, if the principal can be applied backwords. It's not that the player lacks the facilities to play mp3 on DVD's--it can play mp3's and read DVD discs. Clearly, it is a firmware issue. I wish I had a DVD burner to try it out!

[kinneera]

This isn't exactly what you're going for, but couldn't you do a trick similar to the audio-only VCD, except with DVD?

[videoguy79]

kinneera--

You know, I had wondered about that myself. Question is, would you have to mux a "dummy" video stream with the audio? The nice thing about a 4.7GB DVD-R is the fact that even if you had to include a 100kbps dummy video stream, it wouldn't take up that much space on the disc, all things considered. Certainly worth a try.

[str1der]

I appreciate all the input. If someone comes up with a solution let us know because this would be great for a mp3 collection.

[bingo23]

I've tried it.

I burned a TDK 4.7 Gb DVDR with about 1000 MP3's - and tried to play it back on my Acoustic solutions DVD551 - Would have been amazing if it had worked! DVD Jukebox anyone? - i think this is the future :)

Anyway it didnt, I spoke to a very helpful support person at Accoustic Solutions who explained

'the DVDR media is invisible to the laser trying to read the MP3, very few players (only expensive ones) will be able to do this at the moment'

This didnt make sense to me as the player will apparently read dvd from a dvdr (but I havent tried that)

Does anyone think a differnet brand of media would help?