Glitches on Backups (All of a Sudden)

[Blindmelonball]

Hi,

This is my first post...

I've got a Dell Dimension 4550 running WinXPHome, SP2. I've been making backups of my dvd movies with a Plextor 708A, using DVD Shrink (ver. 3.2.0.15) to decrypt and shrink to an ISO on my desktop, and DVD Decrypter (ver. 3.5.4.0) to burn. For months, I've been using Sony DVD+R 4x blank media. The resulting backups have been playing just fine on all my set top dvd players.

I run DVD Shrink in low priority in the background, and always do a deep analysis.

I put the source (original) DVD in my DVD-ROM.

DMA is properly set.

I started buying Sony DVD+R 8x media when it came to my store. Since using this media, the majority of my backups (not all) are defective. When playing, they will stop for a few seconds, the picture will freeze on the tv screen, and then jump forward a few seconds. Sometimes this will happen a few minutes into the movie, sometimes 45 minutes in. Sometimes the set top player will eventually turn itself off after a long freeze up.

Before I burn to any media, I check the dvd media code at:

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia

For both the 4x and the 8x Sony DVD+R, reliability is Good in all
categories.

I thought maybe burning at 8x was the problem, so changed the DVD Decrypter to burn at 4x, rather than Max. Still no joy.

By the way, I used to run other applications on my machine while decrypting/shrinking/burning, and all worked fine. However, I now do not run any other processes, but I still have problems.

Any ideas as to what may be happenning? Things used to work fine, and I can't correlate the problem with any event other than the use of the Sony 8x media (even though I've begun to burn at 4x with this media).

Sincerely,
BMB

[lgha]

Not all manufactures make all their branded disc. You might want to check the disc itself to see just "who" made the disc:

Disc Identifier

http://dvd.identifier.cdfreaks.com/

https://www.dvdinfopro.com

and while your checking things out you might want to have a look
at this too:

for writer compatibility search here:

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters

and for DVD player compatibility search here:

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers

to see if you burner and/or player are compatable with these new disc.

[Blindmelonball]

Thanks, Igha.

Unfortunately, I've already done compatibility checking. The media is compatible with my burner, and my set top players.

Sincerley,
BMB

[lgha]

Skipping, jumping, ect are signs of media problems. Either your burner/burning program and or player (in some combination) is having problems with this new 8x Sony disc. You may want to check the "firmware" on your burner or go back to using 4x Sony disc that you were happy with.

[setarip]

You may have checked for "compatibility" but, you really should heed the suggestion by "lgha" to check to see if the actual manufacturer (SONY stopped manufacturing their own burnable media more than a year ago) for your 8x SONYs is the same as for your previous 4x.

As "lgha" suggested, go to:

http://www.dvdinfopro.com/

and download DVDInfoPro...

[blutach]

Test your burn - to see how click on the link in my sig. Always verify your burns afterwards, too. See the golden rules of burning in my sig.

Regards

[Blindmelonball]

Igha, setarip, and blutach,

Thanks for the replies. I have DVDInfoPro, and it gives me the same information as http://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia:

Sony 4x ID RICHOJPN-R01-02
Sony 8X ID YUDEN000-T02-00

However, I see that I may have made a big mistake in interpreting this information. Since the RICHOJPN (4x) worked fine with my Plextor 708A, I assumed the YUDEN000 (8x) would, too, since it was also described as good compatibility in all use categories. This may not be true.

I also discovered that I am three firmware updates behind for my burner. I'm at 1.07, and there is 1.09 on the Plextor U.S. site, and 1.10 on their Belgium site. Each upgrade provides additional media recognition or tweaks.

I have Nero Burning ROM 5.5.10.56. I only use it to burn audio or data CDs. It has the tool kit with Nero CD Speed 1.02g. I used this tool on one of my 8x DVDs that has problems. I don't know if it works for DVDs, but if it does, here's what it showed.

From beginning to end of the 3.82 gb recorded DVD, the read speed was 2x, but the rotational speed declined from 2x to 1.5x at a constant slope.

Can you tell me, do I have to purchase the newest version of Nero to use the free Nero CD-DVD Speed Test? If not, will it cause problems with my current Nero Burning ROM if I were to try to install it, or is it a stand-alone program?

Thanks again, everyone,
BMB

[cynthia]

Hi and welcome to the forum, Blindmelonball!

It should work out as a stand alone program.

[lgha]

As you can see Sony did not make the 4x or 8x disc. This really is a big thing. As far as your firmware gos I would read up on each update to see if includes "YUDEN000-T02-00" 8x Sonys. A geat many people here are firm believers in keeping your firmware updated but please be careful as a great many updates come with a BIG CAUTION lable. Read carefully.

[Blindmelonball]

Originally posted by lgha
As you can see Sony did not make the 4x or 8x disc. This really is a big thing. As far as your firmware gos I would read up on each update to see if includes "YUDEN000-T02-00" 8x Sonys. A geat many people here are firm believers in keeping your firmware updated but please be careful as a great many updates come with a BIG CAUTION lable. Read carefully.

I know what you mean about being cautious when updating anything. My attitude has always been "if it's not broke..." as updates may include capabilities that one would never use, but at the same time be incompatible with one's current set up. It is risky. I resist updates unless I believe them to be necessary to my particular situation.

Back to the Plextor 708A firmware updates; I have looked all over and cannot find anything more specific about the nature of the updates other than general statements like they provide support for newer DVD+R media. I'll keep looking.

The Plextor updates are .exe files. I don't know if they are self extracting, which then gives me 1) another .exe for the firmware update executable, and 2) a readme.txt file, which may give more details about the update that I can read to determine if the update is what I want to do. On the other hand, the .exe that I download, and then click off, may simply update the firmware without any information other than "do you want to continue".

Previously, to get information and help on these particular topics, I had only participated in newsgroups dealing with cd, dvd, ripping/burning, and hardware topics. I'm finding this forum to be a very nice resource.

Thanks again, to all,
BMB

I'm not sure if this is the best way to provide additional thoughts/information to the above post of mine, but here goes:

I went to http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=134791

In this thread, drpino says (s)he's going to apply the 708A update and "burn a FUJI 8X DVD+R (YUDEN000 T02). i'll post a scan here once i do." Drpino has setups using a 708UF and a 716A. Drpino's later post states, " exaclty the same write quality with YUDEN000 T02 (Fuji 8X DVD+R).

I may join this forum, too.

BMB

[cynthia]

The version 1.09 can be run under Windows - it don't contain any .txt file - it just updates your firmware.

The version 1.10 is not a W32 program - so i think it must be run under pure DOS environment. This one alsy updates directly - no .txt file.