Has anyone encountered a problem with a Sony burner that inflicts a dvd backup copy with digitalization errors during playback? The problem is most noticable on uncompressed copies and split 2 disc copies. I' ve done some serious troubleshooting and have concluded undeniably that Sony is putting
some sort of software on newer releases that poisons thier own burners. I've
a dru-530a and dru-510a that are now junk. They were dependable burners two months ago.

My theory is that the software is possibly triggered by the ripping process.
It does not surprise me that they are attacking thier own costumers like this,
seeing they are messing with the cds.

This is the lowest form of life that exists.

My old 500a died a couple months ago two. I don't blame Sony or there Software. It successfully ripped and burned around 600-800 disc's. My friend bought the DRU800A a couple months ago and he has ripped and burned probably 100 or more no problem. Sony retag's other drives and sell under Sony name. The DRU800A is a Liteon drive.
I think you have computer, hardware or media problems. Or like my old 500a there bmtf has arrived.

I tested the theory by using a seperate pc. I used a ghost image backup for the system. I used my old memoex burner and had no trouble. Then tried the Sony burners. I again had problems.

The frosting on the cake is that I happened to just purchase two new dru-530a burners that were a good deal, seeing they were dependable for me.
Then after ordering them, I discovered this stuff. They did the same damn thing.

phr111
Before you conclude "undeniably" the cause of your problem, there is a possible consortium of combinations of other reasons for bad playback. Your posted problem/conclusion is certainly the first of it's kind I have ever seen. It's good that you have done "serious troubleshooting", that may help find a solution, but you have actually given us very little real information for diagnosis.

For starters:

1. What backup software and version are you using?

2. What decryptor (AnyDVD?) and version are you using?

3. What brand name, type (+/-R) and speed of blank media are you using?

4. What are the firmware versions on the both the sony dru-530a and the dru-510a burner?

5. What speed are you burning at?

6. What brand and model DVD Player are you playing the backups on?

7. Could you describe in more detail what you mean by "digitalization errors during playback" please?

Best regards,
Whisperer

What I mean by digitalization errors is momentary checkerboarding as I call it and distorted images. I'm aware of the idea that many things can cause this outcome. It's like being in a room full of people who all look the same, have the same finger prints, and you need to find the bad boy.

Software is not an issue. Firmware is fine. I've a system that works fine with the Memorex burner. When I use the Sony burners it doesn't. I don't mean to sound cocky, but I've been at this for awhile and know my equipment. The issue is Sony.

This is more of a notice of caution to those who value there fair use rights and enjoy backing up thier dvds. I'm done troubleshooting for now, shopping for a new burner, and it won't be a Sony. The two new dru-530a's are going back for a complete refund.

Sony is out for blood and they will stop at nothing to serve there ideals. So, it only makes sence that they would try such a covert stratgy.

Respectfully, please answer the questions posed to you.

If nothing else, and only for starters:

3. What brand name, type (+/-R) and speed of blank media are you using?

5. What speed are you burning at?

Best regards,
Whisperer

Oh yah. One other item. I have a high end Denon dvm 4800 5 disc changer that picks it up. Lower end players my buffer the errors enough to make them not noticable. Compression software may remove them.

High end Dennon and Marrantz players are notorious for not recognizing recordable media well, regardless of what their specs say.

I use Memorex DVD+RW 4X. I burn at 4X speed. Had great success with
this media until about the beginning of November. The Sony burners still burn files and all, erase ok, and seem unaffected overall. This litte intermittent problem has developed resently. Maybe it is not Sony. It may be some other
movie label. If not sony then who.

How do you explain the ok outcome on a seperate identical system. All hardware software the same. Both affected when using Sony burners. Both have the same results. Remove the Sonys and put in the Memorex and everything is back to normal.

I use two systems for this exact reason, to troubleshoot and compare.

phr111,
Well, I've got to go to work now, so I can't stay and help you anymore.
Thank you for advising forum members of this Sony malware problem. My conclusive advice based on the information you have provided, thus far, is ... avoid the malls when you got out to buy another burner ... traffic is horrible on Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas to all,
Whisperer

PS: I hate Sony too.

You are aware that your 2 'Sony' drives are made by different companies? Your 510a is indeed a Sony drive while your 530a is a rebadged Optorite DD0401.

I really can't guess at what is going on with your bad burns, but it does sound like the classic bad media. It would be interesting to see some CDSpeed disc quality scans to see how the discs are burning. What media are you using? It could also be that the memorex drive (also not manufactured by memorex) just happens to like that media.

I just fail to see what Sony would gain by doing something like this.

phr111,
I posted just seconds after you!!!! And didn't know you had acutally given us some information to go on. So sorry for my above somewhat cynical posting. I'm acutally a very amiable member.

There is your problem. Memorex is the worst media possible to buy. It varies from batch to batch depending on who they farm their manufacuting out to.

Although I also am quite critical of Sony/Columbia/BMG these days for their antics with music cd releases, I seriously doubt that anything like you are describing is being caused by something Sony has managed to do to your DVD burner.
What you are describing sounds more like a compatibility problem within the combination of burner, media and burn speed. I used to use a Sony 510a dvd burner, but had to retire it because Sony can't be bothered to offer firmware updates for it - so it is horribly unreliable with 8x and faster media. Maybe Sony is too busy shoving malware and rookits on their music cd's to support their dvd burners. And the 510A is not rated to handle any RW media at 4x.
I suggest you try using some media specifically indicated as supported by your Sony dvd burners - and burn at a slower speed than the maximum indicated as possible. For example, try burning at 2x with a burner and media rated for 4x. You might peruse videohelp.com to find a listing of users experiences with particular media in your particular dvd burners.
Specifically for your 510a - make sure it has the last Sony firmware made available in it - 1.1a, I believe.
http://sony.storagesupport.com/dvdrw/dru510adwn.htm
The 510a is a maximum 4x burner. It's burn speed is more controlled by its firmware than anything you tell it via the burning engine program. Try downloading and installing the "speed control" module available on the Sony website. Set it to "silent". This will slow down the burn speeds, but I found it to increase quality dramatically. Try using Ritek 4x DVD-R media (G04) in it. That media was always VERY reliable in my 510a, with the "speed control" module set for silent. You can still get it at meritline.com, I believe.
http://meritline.com/ritek-ridata-4x...dia-discs.html

The other alternative is to move to a different product line - like I did - I am very happy with my Benq 1620 drive, and if I was in the market for a new burner today, I'd be looking carefully at the Benq 1640 and 1650 drives.

So - in summary - for your Sony 510a:
. firmware 1.1a
. speed control module installed and set to silent
. burn some Ritek 4x G04 media at 2x
. see if the quality of your burns isn't significantly better

If you do a bit of reading on this site, you will find people consistantly have problems with Memorex - also people have a lot of problems when backing up onto RW media. Are these new RW discs or have they been used a few times? If you have the time you should do a scan with CDSpeed to see if the burn has a high error rate on it.

Suggest a different media seeing Memorex is the worst. To add before we target media which I thought about as well or even the player. The toubleshooting I did envovled using a ghost image backup, a zeroed harddrive, and reinstalled software to have a clean start point. This is my bass start point. I add my files and then burn my copy. With the old Memorex burner the outcome is good. Not so with the two Sony burners that i've been using for the past year and longer. I've isolated, developed constants, such as in experimentation, and what other conclusion can be drawn from this. Chasing nothing is pointless.

but are you using the same media in all your tests, memorex is crap, change your media.

Not so with the two Sony burners that i've been using for the past year and longer. I've isolated, developed constants, such as in experimentation, and what other conclusion can be drawn from this. Chasing nothing is pointless.

Who could argue with that! I would remove said spyware burners from my residence. Who knows what info they have been sending back to Sony for " the past year and longer"

Yes I am. I will try this Nero cd speed tool and get back on the results. It will take some time. I have also used some Maxell DVD+RW 4X as well, but don't find them dependable. I can admit if I'm wrong about this. I'm not ready to do that yet. And our battle for fair use is going to get tougher and tougher, etc. It sucks. MPAA and RIAA are unbelievable events we face.

Yes I am. I will try this Nero cd speed tool and get back on the results. It will take some time. I have also used some Maxell DVD+RW 4X as well, but don't find them dependable. I can admit if I'm wrong about this. I'm not ready to do that yet. And our battle for fair use is going to get tougher and tougher, etc. It sucks. MPAA and RIAA are unbelievable events we face.

As for RW media I like using it. Saves me money in the long run. The stuff I have is Tiawan made for the Memorex.

phr111
Very Frustrating post-backs from you. You resist ... what is obvious to all of us from our experience. You don't ... persuade.

Memorex and Maxell are unreliable media. Buy TY or Verbatim. Avoid store shelf brands. You don't need to test the media for errors. The error is in buying those known bad brands.

RW media is unreliabale.

Your Dennon player doesn't like -/+R and hates RW even if it is burning reliably. And testing in the same drive you made the backup (if you are) is also an unreliable test.

Finally, I predict that there is nothing wrong with your sony burners even though I despise Sony too!

Best regards,
Whisperer

phr111

i am pretty new to this forum but have been around others for a long time.

listen to what these guys are saying. over on my regular forum there have been a lot of users having problems with memorex. once they switch to TY or Verbs their problems go away. also burning your media at the highest rating for that media does not always work. try slowing your 4x down a bit.

trust me on this. i had exactly the same problem when i started buring with the checkerboard and changed media/burn speed and

@ phr111 - As others are saying, your problem is most likely media related. Buy some TY or Verbatim, and try again.

phr11
A bastion of paranoia
There is nothing wrong with Sony DVD hardware
A shot of haldol will end all your buning problems

zaq,
What is haldol?

To all,
There may come a day when Sony tries to install an autoplay corruption or (more likely) pulls firmware upgrade B*ll Sh*t, that causes a conflict with backing up our legally purchased Sony movie DVDs, similar to phr111's first posted conclusion-assumption. But not yet. The experts would find out about it as fast as the Sony CD rootkit virus was discovered. It would be splashed all over the tech news forums an hour after discovery. And it would make the regurlar newspapers and TV news in a day. But I SURE do understand phr111's misplaced diagnosis of his problem. I despise Sony and personally boycot all Sony products.

I always wondered why Sony closed developement and manufacturing of it's own burner division and started re-bagging other brands under the Sony name. Japanese manufacturing companies align themselves in lateral alliances of cross-ownership and share holding in much the same way that ancient Samuai clans aligned themselves for power, control, wealth and dominance. Without knowlege of the Japanese business world, it is hard to tell who owns who or who influences the boards of directors of all these corporations. With all of Sony's money and influence, there may come a day when phr111's fears are indeed manifested. They could "recommend" that their lateral electronics partners (and pay-off their competitors) to include copy protection in the firmware upgrades rendering DVD burning usable for only non-Sony DVD's or file & backup based computer data. Then they could license and sell the technology to the other movie studios. Then, of course, they would try to payoff (this is called lobbying) American legislators to pass a law that requires such capabilities in all DVD burners sold in the USA, just like DVD and VHS players have such restrictions built in. Afterall, what is more profitable for Sony(?): Movie production interests or DVD burner sales?

One thing I don't understand is why a foriegn company is allowed to own or have interest in American Media? I thought we had laws against that to protect citizens and the American nation's "interests" and "values" from foreign propaganda slants? Just which senators or congressmen got the $graft$ that allowed our pal Sony to own a Hollywood movie business or to own interests in TV production or interest in American music in the USA? I've got no problem with Sony hawking TV's and electronics, etc (although I won't buy their stuff). But there are laws against foriegn ownership of American media. Can anyone explain that one to me?

Best regards,
Whisperer

Sorry about the frustration thing. I've had plenty myself.

I'll try different media and be a good listener. I haven't been all that unhappy with the media I'm using.

The goofy thing that doesn't add up is why all of a sudden all this trouble.

The pc equipment is very clean, does not see the internet, and only used for burning. Temp files are all kept clean and software has no conflicts. Virgin territory for the most part.

Maybe Memorex is bad news, but that does not convince me at this point.

Thanks for the help. If the trouble continues I'll be back.

Best to all of us and happy holidays.

P.S.
Not giving up on my idea, though.