What media are you using?

[hardsoftware Profile Private message]

I use any thing, I don't care if its -R +R. Mosty use Verbatim. If I have it it will get used. Now you must remember that most everything I burn is for personal use and I know that all these formats work in my DVD player so I use em. By the same token I cannot speak for anyone that has real paying customers all having different brands of players either.

Ben

[Valboo Profile Private message]

I'm using DVD-R.

Val

[DickK Profile Private messageWebsite]

Poll is misleading since I can't mark--any of the above or whatever works this time.

Despite the claim that booksetting a DVD+R to emulate a DVD-ROM gives the greatest multi-player compatibility, it would seem that a good majority of users here don't use that. Any reasons why not?

Don't think its supported by the hardware & software combo I use.

Now, of those of you who've participated in the voting, are many of you making multiple (say more than 6) copies of your shows for distribution to others who will play them on who-knows-what kind of player?

Rarely. Most I've done is 3-4 of one show. And absolutely nothing I've done has given 100% compatibility nor can I find any pattern to it whatsoever--frustrating but true.

It's one thing to find a brand/type of disc that will work reliably on your own DVD player.... quite another to find that "magic formula" that will product a disc playable on 99.9% of the machines out there. I continue to seek that elusive recipe that will "just work" almost all of the time.

If you find it, you'll have accomplished a miracle in my book. But I'm not holding my breath while you seek this particular grail!

Dick

[stickgirl Profile Private message]

Now, of those of you who've participated in the voting, are many of you making multiple (say more than 6) copies of your shows for distribution to others who will play them on who-knows-what kind of player?

I use premium TY DVD-R. My daughter went to the UK for 3 weeks with 35 other teens. I sold 25 DVDs to the parents and had no complaints.

I also use HP Lightscribe DVD-R, but I don't care for them. I haven't had any bad burns or complaints, but whatever is lightscribed on it, isn't dark enough. I don't know if it is my burner or the DVDs themselves.

Kathy

[hardsoftware Profile Private message]

whatever is lightscribed on it, isn't dark enough.

Hi Kathy,

If your label burn software is set to the higest quality then that is as dark as it will get. By the same token that setting usualy takes the longest time to burn the label.

Be that as it may, I still prefer lightescribe much better than writing on the the disk or the taboo peeloff labels that cause problems. The only othe alternative is to use one of those ink printers that print on the DVD itself http://www.discmakers.com/duplicators/p ... inters.asp
These are just some examples, I am sure there are other brands that do the same.

Ben

[gpsmikey Profile Private message]

I use an Epson R340 for printing on the inkjet printable media. Works quite well
actually (one quirk with the Epson printers - the tray they use for carrying the
CD/DVD for printing will extend out the back almost a foot when it loads the media.
If it does not have the clearance and runs into something you will get a strange
error message and it is NOT obvious that is the problem. I know two people
that got bitten with that one (a friend was all set to go get a new printer until I
had her check that )).

As Ben mentioned - do NOT use the stick on labels for DVD's -- there have been
too many reports of problems with reading/playing the DVD's later when they
have those labels on them.

mikey

[stickgirl Profile Private message]

[If your label burn software is set to the higest quality then that is as dark as it will get.

Hi Ben,

I use HP's lightscribe labeler and in looking at the download page, it seems I need to activate the enhanced contrast settings. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Mikey - I also use the Epson to do my labels. For a inexpensive printer, it does a nice job.

Kathy

[pwholmes Profile Private message]

I use TDK DVD+R with booksetting DVD ROM. For Dual Layer I use Verbatim DVD+R disks with a program called ImgBurn.

My extended family DVDs go out to about 7 different players, some as old as 5 years and they all play perfectly. The only goof was the time I overburned one DVD, which played fine in my player but not on the older players. My bad. DVD Architect warned me I was putting too much data on the disk but I was bullheaded and went ahead.

The one dual layer disk I burned, 2 hours of high-quality video from my nieces year in Europe got distributed to at least 15 friends and family and not one complaint has reached my ears, just glowing reviews of her videography on facebook.

So, from my perspective, I trust TDK for DVD+R single layer and Verbatim DVD+R for dual layer.

[hardsoftware Profile Private message]

What would be interesting would be to see which BRAND of players have the most problems with which format. My cheap SONY plays my burned +R's -R's R/W's DL+-R's. I mostly use Verbatim but have used Maxell, TDK, SONY, IMATION, HP, and Memorex. They have all worked and still work. But there is still the question of which BRAND of blanks work with which BRAND of player.

Basically, what you use comes down to a personal choice as to what works best for you.

Ben

[Scotty Profile Private message]

Hi Truelight,

I would think that a majority of users don't use DVD+R "bitsetting" because:

They don't have a DVD burner capable of this procedure.
They are unaware of or have not learned about this method.
Most probably are satisfied with their present methods.

I use TDK DVD+R disks, Lite-On DVD burner and NERO to burn ISOs and make DVD-ROMs.
I usually make about 10 - 12 copies of my shows for playing on various DVD players.
Diska are played in North America, U.K. and Australia (NTSC and PAL formats).
I have used this procedure for about two years and have had virtually zero complaints.
It is essential that disks be verified after burning to weed out any bad burns or defective disks.
This is extremely rare in my experience but can and does happen.

I think that the people on this forum that use "bitsetting" would endorse this method as the most reliable.

Best of luck
Scotty

[Barbara_K Profile Private message]

I think that the people on this forum that use "bitsetting" would endorse this method as the most reliable.

I agree completely. I have also been using 'bitsetting' for about two years and haven't had a single disc that couldn't be played yet. Before that I tried DVD-R and DVD+R and neither would play in all DVD players. My son's Sony player was the worst--it wouldn't play either one. With the DVD+R booktype changed to DVD-ROM his player now plays every DVD I make. I usually use Taiyo-Yuden, Ridata or Verbatim. Media brand hasn't seemed to be a factor for me--as long as it's burned as DVD-ROM it plays even after a couple of years. Unfortunately I think many people are confused or intimidated by 'bitsetting'.

Barbara

[hardsoftware Profile Private message]

What would be interesting would be to see which BRAND of players have the most problems with which format

Responding to my own quote, someone posted the following link in another topic which is sort of what I was refering too.
http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers?&ne ... =Date#next

Its kind of an on going thing I guess but if you scroll down a little ways it supposedly shows which players play which formats depending on the criteria you enter. I haven't played with it yet so I am not sure how the list works. Whether it tells you which format the brands do not like well, again I don't know At least it is worth looking at.

Ben

[BarbaraC Profile Private messageWebsite]

I just did a quick check on some of the better-known brands at that site, and what I noticed is that they're more likely to not play +R than -R. I will buy -R from now on since I've yet to figure out this bitsetting thing. I have directions for Nero Express but they must be for an older version because they don't match what's on my screen at all. I've yet to find anything for Easy CD & DVD Creator.

Barbara

[hardsoftware Profile Private message]

I've yet to find anything for Easy CD & DVD Creator.

That name sounds like it is a Roxio product. It used to be Adaptec some years back.

Ben

[BarbaraC Profile Private messageWebsite]

That name sounds like it is a Roxio product.

Yes, Roxio.

I'm thinking, though, that it's probably best to just buy top-quality DVD-R's from the outset rather than bother with book type, right?

Barbara