I'm using DVD Decrypter and AnyDVD to copy movies, using my Plextor PX716SA. This setup usually works fine, but I've been copying some movies loaned to me that are quite scuffed up, and have only started watching them.

When I watch them, the video will halt, then continue after a jump - the audio has no problems. Also, I see large green blocks pop up every so often, and sometimes regions of the screen pixellate.

Are these things likely to be caused by bad copies, or by the scratches on the disk? I don't have the originals anymore, so I can't go back and check if they have the same problems. Also, the DVD ripper might not translate errors it reads on the discs (from the scratches) as well as my player does, so it could be the process itself introduces these effects.

Anyway, is there a generally suspected cause for these particular artefacts?

- Tim

If the originals were loaned to you, then

Anyway, you answered your own question: the originals are bad.

When you encounter the problem you described, you can count on the problem being one (or any combination) of the following: 1) the original is bad (or needs to be cleaned); 2)the blank media you're using is terrible; 3)your reader is dying (or needs to be cleaned); 4) your standalone dvd player is dying (or needs to be cleaned).

This is not an Anydvd issue.

Oh, Officer Webslinger! Don't arrest me! :-)

Thanks for your comments - yeah, I didn't think it was an Anydvd issue, but *was* wondering if anything in the software path could cause these effects, or if it was most likely hardware.

I'm using Vermatim DL media, so that's probably not an issue.
Looks like cleaning and/or replacing time.

- Tim

The problem, in this case, is that the originals were damaged. This is not a software issue.

I would be remiss not to mention that you should also ensure you are using the latest firmware for your burner. Check plextor.com for the latest update.

Thanks again. What's weird for me, though, is that I have seen some cases where the originals play fine in both my ripper and my player, but when I make a copy, THAT'S when these artefacts start showing up.

I wonder if error handling in the ripper is handled differently at playing speed versus ripping speed.

- Tim

if you get artifacts on a backup up copy that could mean a few things

1) poor quality media
2) burning too fast for your media
3) your firmware needs to be updated to correctly burn the media you're using.

always make sure you have up to date firmware and are using quality media. burn at the rated speed of the media (never higher and don't set to "max"). burn no more than a step or two lower if you're skeptical about your media quality. Slowing down is a good way to compensate for junk media, but too slow can cause as many problems as too fast.

So ripping at max speed is less likely to cause errors (assuming the source media is allright) than burning at max speed?

- Tim

This is not an Anydvd issue. The issue you're having has nothing to do with Anydvd. And you can take that to the bank.

1) Ensure you're using the latest firmware for your burner (the latest is currently 1.09). Visit Plextor.com
2) In Plextools, under drive settings-->advanced (tab), ensure "Change booktype for DVD+R DL is selected (and for dvd+r as well).
3) Ensure you are burning at the proper rated speed for your media.

By the way, a scuffed up original may play back fine on a standalone dvd player and on a computer--but may rip poorly and introduce errors in the backup. I've seen artifacts produced before in this manner on rewritable media. At first I thought the blank I was using had gone bad. But after cleaning the original disc and retrying, the backup worked perfectly (without any artifacts). It seems plausible to me that the state of the original discs are the problem.

If you're using decrypter to force a rip through read errors produced by scratches, then the problem again is the original is bad (and you're also causing undue strain on your reader, when the simple solution is to get a good working original) . . .

Hi...it will also help if your hard drive is routinely defragmented to enable it to efficiently process (ripping/burning) large video files to your blank media, check that your burner is in correct DMA mode,and burn maybe @ 4x speed for a 'hotter' write...

then again it could be a software issue as you ask, but likely guess is to the original copy's condition at time of copying (scuffing, poor media quality,degredation, etc)...

Right, Webslinger, I *got* that. Did I say it did, after your initial response? Where would be the appropriate forum for general DVD Backup discussions like this, then? I only posted here because that was the particular setup I was using.

Will check the booktype and speed (I believe they are set correctly). I'm using the latest firmware, of course.


I'm guessing it is, since these were pretty terribly scuffed up discs. I may do some experiments with intentionally scuffed-up discs to see what kinds of results I get in this ripping and player setup.

Thanks for all your suggestions!

- Tim

A simple way to check if you're doing something wrong is to see if you're experiencing the same issue when using an unscratched, perfectly fine original. Do all of your backups produce artifacts? If the answer is no, then the problem seems obvious.

Sorry, I was under the impression you were blaming Anydvd for your problems.

It *seems* like ones from brand new discs are fine.
I'll give that a try tonight, just to make sure.

No no, just posting here since that's what I'm using, and wanted to talk to people who were using a similar set up... eliminating any extraneous factors, you know. :-)

- Tim

Hey Tim,

Use AnyDVD Ripper instead of DVDDecrypter for scratched or scuffed originals. That's what it's for, like FixVTS.

no, that's not what it's for. the anydvd ripper and fixvts are for discs with structural errors. dvd decrypter is the best I've come across for ripping discs with physical blemishes, but no software program can "fix" a scratched disc.