Burn Quality... What's The Best Test? PIE/PIF or File Readability?

[ulTRAX]

For the past 2 years I've been doing Nero PIE/PIF tests on all my burns. I seem to recall someone saying that if a PIF exceeds 4 then it's unlikely that a good copy can be made from that disk.

Yet Nero has another test to see if files can be read called Scan Disk. I assume it's similar to the file integrity test Nero does when it tests archived files.

If the files can all be read... isn't that good enough quality? If not why is video different from other files?

The reason I'm rechecking what I know is because I just bought a DVD recorder and I'm embarking on a massive project to convert 20 years worth of VHS, 8mm, Hi8, and DV tapes to DVD. The thought having to test each burn is frightening.

Thanks

[NightTran]

that is why you by good burner and good media so you dont have to test at all, I used to test alot but since TY I only test first, mid and last in the spindle

[RFBurns]

With good media and running a cleaning disc and letting the recorder rest after 5 or 10 burns for a bit you shouldnt have any problems getting those tapes transfered. Might I recommend getting one of the video stabalizers to correct any potential problems that might be present in some of the older tapes that have been sitting.

[ulTRAX]

With good media and running a cleaning disc and letting the recorder rest after 5 or 10 burns for a bit you shouldnt have any problems getting those tapes transfered. Might I recommend getting one of the video stabalizers to correct any potential problems that might be present in some of the older tapes that have been sitting.

I bought a Panasonic EMS15... and it has TBC and DNR built into the inputs just for making such transfers. I have an old Hi8 editing deck that has TBC but I can't trust it. If worst comes to worst I'll get it repaired. Then once the tapes are transferred I can finally sell it LOL. Right now I'm transferring from an old Hi8 camcorder which I haven't used for 10 years and thought was dead. But it's working fine and once again I'm wondering about senility.

As for giving burners a rest. A few months ago I was having terrible problems with my PC burner. But they were inconsistant. For a while I thought that heat was a problem. But since I switched to another brand of disk.... all the problems went away and they test consistantly well regardless if I burn several disks in a row. I don't have much experience with the EMS15 yet. I'm still testing brands of disks. So far it likes Sony but not Memorex. LOL

[ulTRAX]

that is why you by good burner and good media so you dont have to test at all, I used to test alot but since TY I only test first, mid and last in the spindle

Bu this gets back to my original question... which test is best? I've religiously used PIF testing and tossed any disks with a PIF higher than 4. But those disks do fine in the Scan Disk test.

[Chewy]

don't be that picky, as long as you are in the 90's or close, it's a good burn

use good media and see the quick scan option of cdspeed

http://forum.digital-digest.com/showthread.php?postid=396685#post396685

someone needs to bump that thread, hint

[ulTRAX]

don't be that picky, as long as you are in the 90's or close, it's a good burn

use good media and see the quick scan option of cdspeed

I'ver tried the same disks at different speeds and noticed that 1 X seemed to get more errors than 2-4X.. and higher than that the error rate went way up. I assume it was a tracking issue.

So if Nero Speed gets a 4 PIF spike the disk quality rating goes down to 90. What do YOU do with a disk with a PIF of 5? Wasn't there an issue that such disks might be playable but not fully copyable without errors?

As for media I'm trying Fuji +R for the first time and have been very happy with my first spindle. Watch the spindle of 100 I just bought be total crap. (where's the smilie for banging my head on the wall! LOL)

[blutach]

It might be playable but out of spec that's all. It's your backup copy. If it stuffs up, make another.

Regards

[Chewy]

convert 20 years worth of VHS, 8mm, Hi8, and DV tapes to DVD.

I would be real picky with that project, the tape is dying

[ulTRAX]

It might be playable but out of spec that's all. It's your backup copy. If it stuffs up, make another.

When it comes to backing up my home videos... these disks won't become my backup copies... they will become my ONLY copies. From them I may make make backups and edit them to provide copies to my friends. So it's not like making a backup of a DVD so the kids don't ruin the original. That's why I want to make sure these disks are tested and won't become unreadabe in 5-10 years.

[ulTRAX]

I would be real picky with that project, the tape is dying

LOL... probably a lot faster than my dad's old 8mm home movies he shot in the 50's. For color Kodachrome was remarkably stable which is why I always used it for my 35mm SLR. I worry less that the color on those old movies will shift than the old projector will die.

[Chewy]

vhs lifetime is 20 years and by then you have already lost a lot of quality

[ulTRAX]

Thanks to all for responding but I'm not sure my questions have been answered. So let me reframe the question. What's the relationship between PIF failures and say Nero Speed's Scandisk test which determines whether files can be read? Is there a point where PIF failures are so high that Scandisk will show a file is damaged or unreadable? If a file is readable, is that the same as saying the error correction is sufficient to make a perfect copy? Or is that a function of PIF failures? Again... once I make DVD backups of my old 8mm and Hi8 home videos... I intend to get rid of these old tapes. I have to know I can make copies of these disks for friends and family.

Thanks again!

[Chewy]

nero scandisk or even imgburn verify only guarantee a certain minimal level of quality, they do not give you a measure of the margin of error

I would make one master backup on premium media burned at slow speed and treat them very well.

Make 1 or 2 extras on good media for disks that you intend to share or loan

[ulTRAX]

nero scandisk or even imgburn verify only guarantee a certain minimal level of quality, they do not give you a measure of the margin of error

So how much of a margin of error do we need? I just burned a disk that tested terribly... test included. It has a big bulge of PIFs up to 5 with some spiking towards 7. Yet it tested fine in DVD InfoPro's disk quality test.

So at what point are PIFs so great that they actually affect a file read test? I've noticed that when they get above 10, they go into a red zone on Nero Speed. And as long as files can be read... does that mean error correction is correcting ALL the errors so that a perfect copy could be made?

Thanks again!