problems burning dvd+r dl discs - is my media incompatible with my drive?

[dave in or]

I have an HP dvd640i burner which has 2.4x speed for writing Dual Layer DVDs. It's an older drive but is new to me and was sealed - never used. I've tried 3 times with memorex DL discs and no luck - I get an error within a minute or two. I just noticed the disc packaging says 8x. Is that the issue? Do I need to buy discs that are labeled as 2.4x? Almost every store in my area only stocks memorex DL discs (the ones I have tried).

[dglwow]

The software should(?) know the burner speed and adjust. Try another software - like Imgburn for example. I have success with it burning DL: https://www.videohelp.com/tools/ImgBurn

I like Verbatim DL; they are made in Singapore. Some brands are made in Taiwan, some in China and some in India - in order of preference. Call Memorex Customer Service to let them know you have some failure burning their DL, they might(?) send you some replacement.

[usually_quiet]

Verbatim DVD+R DL is the only dual layer DVD media that I know of which qualifies as reliable. It will burn at 2.4x. I have burned 40 so far with no coasters. Amazon sells it at a better price, but I saw some at an hhgregg store last year.

[Kerry56]

It won't matter if they send a replacement. What he needs is a refund.

The only widely available DL +R discs that are recommended for use are sold under the Verbatim brand. There have been some exceptions to that in the past, with a few other brands selling discs manufactured using the 2P process, but they are very hard to find now. Everything else uses the inverse stack method of manufacture, and they have been generally less reliable.

There is a firmware update available for this drive, but it dates from 2006 and may not be of much help. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&softwareitem=dv-31700-3 And this particular firmware may already be installed, you'd just have to check in ImgBurn to see which one you currently have.

And yes, ImgBurn is the best program for burning DL media.

[jman98]

Verbatim's best DL media is either the 6x-10x ones or the 2.4x rated ink jet printable DataLifePlus series. Those are both made in Singapore. Other Verbatim Dl discs, particularly the lower speed rated ones (except DataLifePlus), may be made in India. Their Indian made discs are controversial with some people swearing that the quality is very poor and others saying that they are fine.

ALL Memorex discs, whether single or dual layer, are and always have been junk. The reality is in the USA that you will likely have to get comfortable with the idea of buying online if you want to be sure of what you are getting. http://www.rima.com and http://www.supermediastore.com are both reputable.

[redwudz]

Burners have firmware built in that works with most specific media. But with an older burner, maybe no modern firmware for the discs you are using. But I agree that Verbatim discs seem to be the only reliable media for DL use. And I would definitely try Imgburn. It can also help to update your burner firmware and tell you the capabilities of your burner.

And if all else fails, just replace the burner. The cost is usually less than a stack of DL DVD discs, especially if they aren't working.

[dave in or]

Thanks for the replies! I do use imgburn and that is what I've had problems with. I tried Nero 7 after no luck with imgburn and had similar failure. I have no problem buying online... I was just really wanting to solve the problem immediately. My main question at this point is whether the speed rating listed on DVD media determines compatibility with dvd burners. The drive burned a sony dvd-r rated 1x-8x fine. So I'm wondering if the memorex dvd+r DL (which has a rating on the package of 8x) is only compatible with a drive that can burn at 8x speed. Since my drive can only burn DL discs at a speed of 2.4x do I need DL media that is rated 2.4x on the package? I have found next to no info online for this specific question.

I plan on checking out firmware updates and taking a look at the verbatim discs suggested. As far as simply buying a new drive, I have been looking for awhile but I have an older computer that has IDE connections. Also this one has lightscribe. When I found this one it seemed perfect since it had never been opened. I plan on contacting both HP and Memorex to see what they say.

Further replies greatly appreciated!

[jman98]

Crap media is STILL crap media. I'm not sure that you are really understanding this.

ImgBurn will tell you what the lowest speed is that your discs can be burned at. Your Memorex discs can certainly be burned slower than 8x, but as far as how slow, I would have to see what ImgBurn says.

Seriously, you might as well grab a hammer and start hitting yourself in the nuts as it would be just as helpful as contacting Memorex. They will tell you that their discs are great and anybody who says otherwise is lying.

We have told you that Memorex sucks, yet you seem to be coming to the conclusion that this cannot possibly be correct and that some other mysterious issue must be your problem. I am starting to think that you are one of those people who comes here not really and truly looking for help. Those people want validation, not help. They want to be told "You are a genius and everything you did is correct. It didn't work for reasons that are beyond your control, but you are a genius". Your discs suck and either you can accept the reality of this or you can continue to burn them, but stop wasting our time if you're not going to listen to what you are told when you ask for advice.

Burning DVD-R is not comparable to burning bad quality DVD+R DL discs. And SOME (but NOT all) Sony discs are actually quite good. I generally don't advise buying Sony because sometimes they use the best manufacturers and sometimes they use the worst and it's not worth trying to figure out which you have when you can just buy Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden and get on with your life. And note that everything Verbatim makes is good EXCEPT their cheap "Life" series of discs that you will find in various US physical stores.

[Noahtuck]

Verbatim's best DL media is either the 6x-10x ones or the 2.4x rated ink jet printable DataLifePlus series. Those are both made in Singapore. Other Verbatim Dl discs, particularly the lower speed rated ones (except DataLifePlus), may be made in India. Their Indian made discs are controversial with some people swearing that the quality is very poor and others saying that they are fine.

And the DL+R 2.4x NON printable made in Singapore which I still use.
95310

But yeah, I saw this thread before anyone replied and just left it alone when I saw Memorsux

[Kerry56]

As for you questions on compatibility...each drive's firmware contains burning strategies for various types of media. An older drive like yours may not have one for newer discs, whether they are double layer or not, and so when it cannot use a specific strategy, it will fall back on a generic one, which will often times fail. It isn't a matter of the rated speed of the discs and the rated speed of your drive. It is whether or not your firmware contains this particular mid code and has a good solution for burning it.

But when you buy Memorex, or TDK or any of the other brands that use inverse stack DL media, you have little chance of burning it well even in a brand new burner. And even if it does burn, that doesn't mean it burned well enough to store data for any length of time. The poor quality DL discs may become unreadable fairly quickly.

You are wasting your time when you start with these discs.

[dave in or]

jman98, you have made some incorrect assumptions about me.

"We have told you that Memorex sucks, yet you seem to be coming to the conclusion that this cannot possibly be correct and that some other mysterious issue must be your problem"

I understand that Memorex discs suck. What I don't uderstand is why all of my local stores stock mainly Memorex and why it is the only brand of DL disc at these stores.

"I am starting to think that you are one of those people who comes here not really and truly looking for help. Those people want validation, not help. They want to be told 'You are a genius and everything you did is correct. It didn't work for reasons that are beyond your control, but you are a genius' "

Wrong. I spend hours scouring the Web for info before posting in a forum. It has always been a last resort when I can't figure out a technical question. Honestly, forums are my favorite part of the internet.

"Your discs suck and either you can accept the reality of this or you can continue to burn them..."

I wasn't planning on buying more Memorex discs, I was just trying to find out why they didn't work. I needed to know if I buy a different brand online with an 8x rating, will they work with my older drive which writes at 2.4x. I now know the disc speed rating has nothing to do with compatibility, which was my main question.

"...stop wasting our time if you're not going to listen to what you are told when you ask for advice."

I'm not trying to waste your time. And by the way, I've already decided to get the DataLifePlus discs, which happens to be your suggestion. As far as wasting people's time, you've wasted mine by insulting me and upsetting me to the point I feel I need to defend myself with a lengthy reply.

I'm not sure that you are really understanding that you are a jerk.

[usually_quiet]

Brick-and-mortar stores get away with junk media because some of their customers don't realize that there are better quality products available, and the remainder don't care about quality and just want the cheapest price they can find.

[[_chef_]]

Good advice all the way/posts here.

Some burner info:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&dlc=en&docname=c00282544&lc=en#N156

@ dave in or,

the reason for good and bad DVD±DL media is mainly due to 2 different manufacturing processes!
Verbatim/MKM does use the more expensive variant, mainly all other manufacturers use the "cheap" variant and so is their product output.... They use the Inverted Stack manufacturing for DVD+R DL media.

You could use the memowrecks for experiments still, not for good and important media.

[OllieTSB]

Kerry's the man. He and a Dean compatriot turned us onto Falcons, and those are doing a splendid job.

[[_chef_]]

Falcons are not available everywhere, Verbatims are.
You should always remember that!!