Not sure if I'm doing something wrong...Can't even watch burned DVD-RAM on computer

[4kaz]

I have a new DVD burner (LG GSA-4040B with firmware update), my first ever, running on a new computer under Win XP Pro. I bought it to archive my kids movies (sick of replacing them when little fingers total the originals).

Right out of the gate, I archived Finding Nemo onto a DVD-RW using an DVDcCopy (incidentally, that was before I knew to remove drag-to-disk software from my computer, turn everything not necessary off, stop screensaver, disable anti-virus, etc...and it worked...and played in my home theatre DVD player)...it was a no-brainer...I thought to myself 'this program is awesome', it was so simple, my kids could have done it...DVD in DVD-ROM drive, blank DVD-RAM in burner, click start and walk away!!!

Now I'm trying to archive 'Happy Gilmore'...been trying for 4 days...writing error every single time. I full-erase the disk (which, in itself, takes quite a while) and try again. I have also tried to re-burn 'Nemo' with DVDxCopy, to see if it is the DVD I'm attempting to copy that is the problem, but Nemo won't burn now either (even when I full-erased the disk it was first burned to and tried to burn it on there again).

I have tried DVD Decrytor-->DVDshrink-->Nero to burn, as well as DVDfab, and with these, they do burn, but I must be missing something, as it will not play on my computer or on my home DVD player...there are the audio and video folders (with contents) on the disk, but it will not play as a DVD. If I cannot get this thing working, it is coming out and my CD burner is going back in. I am just about ready to through in the towel!!! Please help me!!!

[rsquirell]

"with a DVD-RAM in the burner"...will it work with a DVD-or +R?

[Mig$y]

Is your home theatre DVD player DVD-Ram compatible..?

[4kaz]

It won't play on my computer either.

[Crash Override]

Are you really using DVD-RAM discs? I would recommend only using DVD-R or +R. And not DVD-RW either, as they often have issues in home players.

When you say it 'won't play on your computer either', have you tried opening up WinDVD and doing 'Play From Folder' and pointing it to the VIDEO_TS folder on your disc? If this works, but the disc won't mount in your stand alone player, it's probably burned as pure UDF, and it needs to be ISO/UDF hybrid.

The AUDIO_TS folder should always be empty. And if the VIDEO_TS folder contains valid files, you should be able to manually point WinDVD at it and have it play. Try this and tell us if it works.

[Mig$y]

you may also want to have a look at this link and check what media your DVD player supports.

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdplayers.php

[rsquirell]

I've never tried RAM...but a user said the beauty of DVD-RAM is you don't "burn" to it...you drag and drop copy to it. It doesn't play on stand-aloens...if fact it can destroy them if you try. It's ONLY used for backup storage for the PC.

[sfheath]

Originally posted by rsquirell
I've never tried RAM...but a user said the beauty of DVD-RAM is you don't "burn" to it...you drag and drop copy to it. It doesn't play on stand-aloens...if fact it can destroy them if you try. It's ONLY used for backup storage for the PC.

FYI ... http://www.panasonic.co.uk/dvd-recor...hebs/index.htm

I spend far too much time in Dixons!

[Crash Override]

Whether or not you drag the mouse across the screen or click a button that says "burn", you still burn to DVD-RAM. The GUI doesn't have anything to do with the physical media, and the DVD-RAM media doesn't pre-suppose a particular software interface. You can "drag and drop" copy to DVD-R as well, using programs such as Click 'N Burn, and sometimes with Explorer.

And some stand-alone machines are actually DVD-RAM compatible -- certain Panasonic machines in particular because their DVD Recorder unit will write to DVD-RAM. My stand-alone Panasonic machine specifically mentions DVD-RAM in its support formats.

[setarip]

To 4kaz

Simply stated, for burning duplicates and/or compressed versions of video DVDs, use ONLY DVD-R or -R/W, or DVD+R or -R/W - with the determining factor being which of these formats will playback on your standalone (or theatre) DVD player...

[4kaz]

Thanks...that's how new I was! I had no clue. Having great success with Maxell DVD-R's and DVD-RW's.

[sfheath]

Thanks for the feedback - glad you're succeeding