What Burner to Burn DVDs for Home Theater - Club CDFreaks

CheckM8 · 05-06-2004

EXTREME NEWB HERE. I APOLOGIZE IF THIS QUESTION HAS BEEN POSTED PREVIOUSLY...

I rushed out and bought a Pacific Digital 4X burner over Thanksgiving weekend, and I'm just now getting around to burning DVDs with it. The premature birth of my baby daughter and subsequent constant care of newborn baby kind of superceded the desire to learn how to edit and burn movies to DVD. Now people are screaming for DVD movies of my daughter (since I boasted about having a DVD burner).

The burner package said +R, +RW, -R, -RW (all the formats at the time), so it sounded like a good deal. I bought some +R, -R and +RW disks. The first two attempts (+R and -R) produced errors (related to formatting) from the MyDVD burning software. Pacific Digital's tech support said there's a known issue with their burner and Memorex DVDs - download a patch.

The patch allowed me to BURN +RWs and -Rs, but I still get an error on +Rs. NONE of the successfully burned disks will play in my home theater DVD player! That's the main reason for my wanting to burn DVDs - to share my videos with other people so they can play them on their TVs.

So, what burner should I get that is most compatible with various media formats and players?

*Ssseth* · 06-06-2004

If memory serves me correctly Pacific Digital drives are just 'rebadged' NEC or LiteOn drives, which just happen to be two of the best drives on the market right now.

Lets start with what burner you really have. Download DVDInfoPro and let us know all the what info it says under drive information as seen in the right hand side of this screenshot.

Next let's get the media codes from the media you are using so we know what you are really dealing with (if you don't feel like downloading DVD Identifier you can use DVDInfoPro to get media codes as well).

Get back to us with that information.

CheckM8 · 06-06-2004

Device Manager shows it as "GENERIC DVD DUAL 4XMax".

Do you have a serial number to go with that DVDInfoPro? I'm less than enthusiastic about installing adware on my computer

*Ssseth* · 06-06-2004

Do not request serials. It is HIGHLY against our forum rules (not to mention illegal). Consider this your only warning.

Let's do this then, you should be able to get some detailed information from CD Speed instead (the Drive tab).

CheckM8 · 06-06-2004

Here are the results from a DVD +R:

CheckM8 · 06-06-2004

I think it's the model U-30166. The box looks the same and the model number sounds familiar.

*Ssseth* · 06-06-2004

I have a feeling it's a LiteOn drive but I'm not certain yet.

Regardless, from that CD Speed scan is appears that DMA is not enabled. Try enabling it and see if that does the trick.

BTW, what I wanted (and would still like) is the drive information from Nero InfoTool. I said CD Speed by mistake, but in the long run if may have been a good thing if the above sugestion is your problem. If you drive is a LiteOn you've got many neat tools you will be able to play with (see my signature), plus you should be able to upgrade to LiteOn firmware.

If that doesn't work try everything found below (obviously you will have already tried #3):

Quote:

Originally Posted by wes

1. Manually set the jumper pin on your DVD writer. (Do NOT use cable select, master is recommended)

2. Make sure your BIOS has DMA enabled.

3. Make sure DMA is enabled on your IDE channels in Windows Device manager. Windows XP guide HERE. Windows 9X guide HERE

4. Check your IDE ribbon cable(s). It is recommended that you use an 80 wire UDMA IDE cable with a DVD writer. Replacing an old IDE cable has been known to solve DVD writing issues for many people.

5. Uninstall Intel Application Accelerator. (if applicable)

6. Using Nforce Nvidia IDE drivers and having problems? Uninstall them and reboot so that Windows loads the default Micrsoft IDE drivers.

7. Uninstall ANY packet writing software. Many people have had issues with packet writing software(s). Examples include Aheads’ InCD, Roxios’ DirectCD, and Sonics’ DLA.

8. Having issues with reading/writing a certain media type? Update to the latest firmware. PRINCO media is very poor quality and has been known to cause issues with all DVD writers. Many users have reported problems with RitekG04 media and the ND-2500A, search the forum for threads on this topic.

9. Defragment your harddrive! Obviously, DVD video files are very large and can quickly fill your harddrive to capacity. A fragmented harddrive can cause problems during DVD burning. Make sure to defragment your drive(s) regularly.

10. Problems with Nero? Make sure to update to the latest version! Many people prefer using RecordNow (including myself!) as their burning application. Ssseths’ RecordNow guide is an excellent reference!

11. What else can I try? Put your writer in a completely different PC and see if the same behaviour occurs. If there are no problems in another system, there is nothing wrong with the drive.

12. Other issue? Don’t forget the SEARCH button located at the top of every page! Dee-ehn also has a nice FAQ here.

CheckM8 · 06-06-2004

I just realized something. I used a +R for the CD Speed test yesterday, and it wrote to the DVD - a DVD that I used previously with Sonic's MyDVD and had a problem.

The problem that I have with +Rs and MyDVD is that MyDVD does all of its project processing, coding, transferring, etc. which takes a good 45 minutes to an hour, and then when it starts writing to the DVD, the status indicator says "cancelling". At that point, the application appears to be frozen except that I can press the Cancel button in the GUI.

If I press the DVD burner's eject button, nothing happens. If I press the GUI's cancel button, the status indicator says, "please wait - canceling..." and then the entire computer gets weird - I have to use Task Manager to close the MyDVD program and to shut down the computer, and it takes the computer literally about 2 or 3 minutes to properly shut down.

And that's just the +R DVDs. -R and +RW DVDs burn okay, but again I can't play them on my TV.

I may be wrong about the model number, but I'm 99% certain this thing is not a LiteOn. I've never seen anything about "LiteOn" on the manuals, labels, drivers, disks, operating system or anywhere else.

I made a few suggested changes:
Disconnected Primary CD Burner and made DVD burner Single/Master
Replaced 40-pin cable with 80-pin
Changed PIO mode to DMA in the device manager

Since making those changes, I tried the +R with the same results.

I'm gonna pull the drive out and get all the specifics that I can for you.

...and I truly appreciate all the help that you're giving me on this!

CheckM8 · 06-06-2004

Accesstek model DD0201

CheckM8 · 06-06-2004

Well I'll be...

It was a freakin' setting in the MyDVD program!!!

In the application preferences under "Disc Recording", you can choose between "Faster disc finishing" (default) or "Enhanced player compatibility".

Silly me! When I installed the program, I wanted my DVDs to have maximum compatibility, so I had changed it Enhanced player compatibility!

When I realized that the CD Speed test wrote to a disk that I was having problems with in the MyDVD program, I got to lookin' at the preferences (and there aren't that many). The only preference that could've possibly been an issue was the one I changed. So I changed it back, and now my burner is recording +R DVDs that are playing on my TV right now!!!

So, I am very happy that this issue is resolved!!!

Thanks again Ssseth for your help and attention in dealing with this matter! You led me down the path that helped me realize that it had to be a software issue.

*Ssseth* · 06-06-2004

Glad to hear you got is solved.

05-06-2004	#1 (permalink)
CheckM8 New on Forum Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 7	What Burner to Burn DVDs for Home Theater <a href='http://adstats.cdfreaks.com/www/delivery/ck.php?n=a13febf7&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE' target='_blank'><img src='http://adstats.cdfreaks.com/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=30&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE&n=a13febf7' border='0' alt='' /></a> EXTREME NEWB HERE. I APOLOGIZE IF THIS QUESTION HAS BEEN POSTED PREVIOUSLY... I rushed out and bought a Pacific Digital 4X burner over Thanksgiving weekend, and I'm just now getting around to burning DVDs with it. The premature birth of my baby daughter and subsequent constant care of newborn baby kind of superceded the desire to learn how to edit and burn movies to DVD. Now people are screaming for DVD movies of my daughter (since I boasted about having a DVD burner). The burner package said +R, +RW, -R, -RW (all the formats at the time), so it sounded like a good deal. I bought some +R, -R and +RW disks. The first two attempts (+R and -R) produced errors (related to formatting) from the MyDVD burning software. Pacific Digital's tech support said there's a known issue with their burner and Memorex DVDs - download a patch. The patch allowed me to BURN +RWs and -Rs, but I still get an error on +Rs. NONE of the successfully burned disks will play in my home theater DVD player! That's the main reason for my wanting to burn DVDs - to share my videos with other people so they can play them on their TVs. So, what burner should I get that is most compatible with various media formats and players?

06-06-2004	#2 (permalink)
Ssseth Retired Senior Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Canada - Hockey Capital of the World! Posts: 4,080	Re: What Burner to Burn DVDs for Home Theater If memory serves me correctly Pacific Digital drives are just 'rebadged' NEC or LiteOn drives, which just happen to be two of the best drives on the market right now. Lets start with what burner you really have. Download DVDInfoPro and let us know all the what info it says under drive information as seen in the right hand side of this screenshot. Next let's get the media codes from the media you are using so we know what you are really dealing with (if you don't feel like downloading DVD Identifier you can use DVDInfoPro to get media codes as well). Get back to us with that information. __________________ I survived 30,000 posts in the Quest for the Longest Thread on CD Freaks! and all I got was a lousy T-shirt! I burnt my 20,000 post T-shirt... it smelled nasty after wearing it for 10,000 posts as you can imagine! Ssseth likes pickles and loves wallpaper.

06-06-2004	#3 (permalink)
CheckM8 New on Forum Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 7	Re: What Burner to Burn DVDs for Home Theater Device Manager shows it as "GENERIC DVD DUAL 4XMax". Do you have a serial number to go with that DVDInfoPro? I'm less than enthusiastic about installing adware on my computer

06-06-2004	#4 (permalink)
Ssseth Retired Senior Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Canada - Hockey Capital of the World! Posts: 4,080	Re: What Burner to Burn DVDs for Home Theater Do not request serials. It is HIGHLY against our forum rules (not to mention illegal). Consider this your only warning. Let's do this then, you should be able to get some detailed information from CD Speed instead (the Drive tab). __________________ I survived 30,000 posts in the Quest for the Longest Thread on CD Freaks! and all I got was a lousy T-shirt! I burnt my 20,000 post T-shirt... it smelled nasty after wearing it for 10,000 posts as you can imagine! Ssseth likes pickles and loves wallpaper.

06-06-2004	#6 (permalink)
CheckM8 New on Forum Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 7	Re: What Burner to Burn DVDs for Home Theater I think it's the model U-30166. The box looks the same and the model number sounds familiar.

06-06-2004	#8 (permalink)
CheckM8 New on Forum Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 7	Re: What Burner to Burn DVDs for Home Theater I just realized something. I used a +R for the CD Speed test yesterday, and it wrote to the DVD - a DVD that I used previously with Sonic's MyDVD and had a problem. The problem that I have with +Rs and MyDVD is that MyDVD does all of its project processing, coding, transferring, etc. which takes a good 45 minutes to an hour, and then when it starts writing to the DVD, the status indicator says "cancelling". At that point, the application appears to be frozen except that I can press the Cancel button in the GUI. If I press the DVD burner's eject button, nothing happens. If I press the GUI's cancel button, the status indicator says, "please wait - canceling..." and then the entire computer gets weird - I have to use Task Manager to close the MyDVD program and to shut down the computer, and it takes the computer literally about 2 or 3 minutes to properly shut down. And that's just the +R DVDs. -R and +RW DVDs burn okay, but again I can't play them on my TV. I may be wrong about the model number, but I'm 99% certain this thing is not a LiteOn. I've never seen anything about "LiteOn" on the manuals, labels, drivers, disks, operating system or anywhere else. I made a few suggested changes: Disconnected Primary CD Burner and made DVD burner Single/Master Replaced 40-pin cable with 80-pin Changed PIO mode to DMA in the device manager Since making those changes, I tried the +R with the same results. I'm gonna pull the drive out and get all the specifics that I can for you. ...and I truly appreciate all the help that you're giving me on this!

06-06-2004	#9 (permalink)
CheckM8 New on Forum Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 7	Re: What Burner to Burn DVDs for Home Theater Accesstek model DD0201

06-06-2004	#10 (permalink)
CheckM8 New on Forum Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 7	Re: What Burner to Burn DVDs for Home Theater Well I'll be... It was a freakin' setting in the MyDVD program!!! In the application preferences under "Disc Recording", you can choose between "Faster disc finishing" (default) or "Enhanced player compatibility". Silly me! When I installed the program, I wanted my DVDs to have maximum compatibility, so I had changed it Enhanced player compatibility! When I realized that the CD Speed test wrote to a disk that I was having problems with in the MyDVD program, I got to lookin' at the preferences (and there aren't that many). The only preference that could've possibly been an issue was the one I changed. So I changed it back, and now my burner is recording +R DVDs that are playing on my TV right now!!! So, I am very happy that this issue is resolved!!! Thanks again Ssseth for your help and attention in dealing with this matter! You led me down the path that helped me realize that it had to be a software issue.

06-06-2004	#11 (permalink)
Ssseth Retired Senior Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Canada - Hockey Capital of the World! Posts: 4,080	Re: What Burner to Burn DVDs for Home Theater Glad to hear you got is solved. __________________ I survived 30,000 posts in the Quest for the Longest Thread on CD Freaks! and all I got was a lousy T-shirt! I burnt my 20,000 post T-shirt... it smelled nasty after wearing it for 10,000 posts as you can imagine! Ssseth likes pickles and loves wallpaper.

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