Thread: OT- Defective blank DVD's ?

Bought a stack of 25 DVD-R (16X, 120 min, 4.7GB) last night on sale ($10 off) for 5 bucks. Can't get any of them to "load" on my VCR to DVD recorder... get "disk error, please eject" everytime. It's definitely a "-R" type recorder and the disks are "-R" type.

Are cheap blanks flat out defective sometimes ? And/or is it a matter of the cheap ones being more "sensitive" and working in some DVD's and not working in others ? or ?

are they blank disks?? if not try them in your puter and see whats up with the format.

Fix....you figure I got 25 new porno disks by mistake ?

Yeah there's a huge quality difference.

This link will get you to quality ratings of various DVD manufacturers. http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm

But note that in order to identify the manufacturer you need to put the DVD into your PC and read the "Media ID." The Media ID is only readable with a software utility. The page has links to freebie software utilities that will enable you to do this.

Once you download the software, put the DVD blank into your PC, and get the media code, you can go back to the above link and see how they rate the quality of that code.

I dunno man, seems like a lot of trouble for a little knowledge.

Sea, I was curious so I downloaded that utility. Works great except naturally the DVD drive on my computer only reads the +R format, so the utility says "no DVD in drive" when I try to read the code ! Aaaaaargggh ! :mad:

I just Googled the brand and type (Dynex) and read some references to these as "coaster material" so guess I'll take 'em back and sucuub to Sony ones at $1.00 each

(and for those that didn't read carefully and are now confused, I'm trying to dubb a video to DVD on a Video/DVD recorder that is -R format...but can't download the utility on that because it's not a computer)

Careful, those Sony disks will install a root kit and take over your computer. Oh, wait. That's only the music disks. Never mind.

LOL ! (except they aren't being used in a computer so it won't matter anyway !)

All I know is the Sony DVD-R's worked in the contraption last time, so maybe they will work next time too....gawd, what a hassle...

I got a pack of 5 CD-RW that I never managed to make work. Tried it in 2 of my friends computers and they don't work in their either.

Don,

Go to Best Buy and buy a 25 or 50 pack of FUJI's. Some of the best and cost less than 30 per hundred, when on sale.

I don't know your problem, I have Dynex, traded them from a girl who bought -r when she needed +r.

My machines are all LiteOn, read-write both, but that should not be a problem to you with the right format.

AND, NO, I don't think you got a whole stack of bad discs.

Look for DVD InfoPro and load and read your discs.

What brand is your copy machine, and model? And, you DO know that most copy machines will not record any copyrighted movies, don't you? Law says the blocking software must be incorporated.

Cheers,

George

dvd r 's can be tricky . i bought a stack of TDK +R's
which are purported to work in my '2003 philips
computer dvd burner . they show up in a friend's
brand new burner , but mine won't see 'em.
they weren't cheap... ended up trading 'em for
a Cooper's sixpack ($11 in ga.)

if you want to copy dvds, dvds down to vcds, i heartily recommend tinysoft's dvd-ripper.
it doesn't see copyright info.

if your dvd player plays vcds(cd-r disks w/
mpeg video) you can compress a dvd to 700mb
and burn it to a .07 cent cd. sure, the quality
isn't as good, but for less than critcal viewing
it's fine for me.

it's only 900kb... i'll email it if anyone needs it.

What brand is your copy machine, and model? And, you DO know that most copy machines will not record any copyrighted movies, don't you? Law says the blocking software must be incorporated.

Sylvania DVR90VE. Re copyrighted material.....you guys never cease to amaze me at your strange assumptions....OF COURSE NOT....it's actually the video of Forrest at the scraping seminar !

(and fwiw, I've already made a DVD of the exact same tape once before using a Sony DVD-R and it worked perfectly)

HP brand DVD-R's, marked 8X. The Liteon 8X writer recognizes them but the finished discs could not reliably be read. Eventually figured out that writing at a lower speed, the discs are 100% good. Not the most user-friendly technology, yet.

+R's are from Mars, -R's are from Venus [img]smile.gif[/img]

It annoys the hell outta me that computer and DVD manufacturers can't come up with a standardized format.
This one works, that one doesn't, ERROR, etc. etc.
GGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
Sometimes I hate technology.
Just think..... in 5 years DVD's, CD's, and computers will be outdated and replaced with the "NEW" gizmos.
Anyone remember 8 Tracks Tapes, Vinyl Records, VHS Tapes, Cassettes, or Rotary Telephones?

Especially when you know thgat the only reason the formats aren't standardized is an effort to grab market share and increase their profits, and NOT because the technology is any better.

Of course, manufacturers of tools, machines, cars and trucks have been doing the same thing for decades. Any reason why fasteners that perform similar functions in similar machines from different name brands can't be uniform? Or vehicle air filters, windshield wipers, etc.

"Anyone remember 8 Tracks Tapes, Vinyl Records, VHS Tapes, Cassettes, or Rotary Telephones?"

Hell yes. I even remember phones without a dial, you picked up and a sweet operators voice said "number please?" you gave it to her and she connected you!
I also remember reel to reel tape recorders, 18 cent a gallon gas, 17 cent cigarettes and 5 cent candy bars!

Paul in NE Ohio

Thanks for the thread Dave.
I have a DVD recorder that I was just about to throw out the window. It would start to record and then it would lock up or sometimes not start at all. I had the right format but I only tried 2 different brands of disks. I will have to try some of the brands mentions. Household electronics are infuriating. They cost just enough to be expensive but not enough most of the time to be fixed.

Hey, it was $5. You got 25 frisbees, be happy!

Toolbert,

For your LiteOn, go to www.liteonit.com and update the firmware, first, then download their "Booktype" utility. With the Booktype, you are able to change the, you guessed it, booktype of your discs to DVD-ROM.

All DVD burners are DVD-ROMs, ie players, with burning capabilities. When you change the booktype to DVD-ROM, they are almost always playable in any standalone player. I won't say all because my own daughter's Samsung will not play the ones I burn as ROM. The machine just flatout sucks.

I have used just about every brand of media there is and have had no problem with any of them, other than some won't record at their rated speed. They will successfully record, but at say 2X for an 8X advertised rating.

As far as burning at a slower speed, to burn at say 16X, the laser will calibrate to make just SO of a spot, that area is under the beam for a nano second. To slow down to 2X, as you say, to make it work better, it will re-calibrate the laser's intensity so that area is under a much less intense beam for a period 8 times as long. Consider, if it didn't, you would vaporize the reflective layer at full beam strength.

Oh, BTW, the reason to update your LiteOn's firmware is, in their words, "Recognize more media". The burning protocol for new disks is written into the firmware update.

Don,

Heaven forbid I would ever think you were trying to make a copy of one of your own bought movies for the grandkids to insert into the DVD player attached to the TV so they don't get pb&j all over the 20 buck original. It IS legal to make a copy of your own DVDs for your own use. Whether you can get around the encryption legally is still kind of a grey area.

If you like, go here http://www.sylvaniaelectronics.ca/in...l_ID/1986.html

and go to the bottom of the page. There, you will find a firmware update for all the DVR900E products. DL it and read the text file that comes with it. That should corrproblems, and allow it to recognize more media.

BTW, your machine DOES R/W both -R and +R media.

Cheers,

George

TNMGCarbide,

If you want an even better, in my opinion, program, DL DVDShrink for DVDs, DVDX2 for VCDs and SVCDs.The author of DVDShrink has been hired by Nero to write their incorporated DVD copy program, so I think no further updates. It works seamlessly if you have Nero on your machine, will only write to file if you use another burning program.

If you have Nero, it will rip and burn to a blank when it asks for the blank.

[QUOTE]it's actually the video of Forrest at the scraping seminar !

Don, you had better make sure Forrest is not a member of the Screen Actor's Guild...