Failed Power Calibration?

John O. · Post by **John O.** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 6:52 am

I am running VS 7.0 with available updates. Trying for the first time to burn a video project to a DVD-R, a specified format for my burner, it stopped far into the process with the following Ulead message:

"Failed in performing power calibration. Error: DVDR-DAO-SPTI-00-02-03-73-03"

It kicked out the DVD (Verbatim). I first used max speed setting, then lowest speed with same result.

Can anyone explain what this message means, and what I can do to overcome this problem? It would be greatly appreciated, as the manual offers no clues.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 7:50 am

It would also be greatly appreciated if you could tell us exactly how you got to the burning stage: what steps you took from capture, through editing, and presumably (hopefully) production of a DVD-compliant file before trying to burn that file to disc. It would also help to know what the properties of the captured file, the project and the burning properties were. And also an idea about your computer, your burner, and your operating system...

John O. · Post by **John O.** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 7:57 am

Thanks for responding, you are absolutely right in asking these questions, I have read through the stickies and realize I used the "wrong" method of going directly to "Share" and "Create Disc" with an edited AVI file I had previously recorded back to to tape in the camcorder. I will try to do it the recommended way hoping it will get me around this problem. If not, I will be back with my question and including all the tech info.

I posed the question anyway, because I am curious of what this error message indicates about the process of burning a DVD in purely technical terms. I noticed that others have been faced with the same message, but found no definitive answer.

John

maddrummer3301 · Post by **maddrummer3301** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:13 am

>>but found no definitive answer.
A dvd writer reads the information sector of the dvd that tells the writer
the specs to set the laser intensity and other technical information needed
to burn the dvd.

When the dvd writer cannot meet those specs you receive
a "Power Calibration Error".

Usually the cause is incompatible media for the dvd writer.
Try a different 4x dvd-r disk.

Hope this helps,

MD

John O. · Post by **John O.** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 6:44 am

Thanks for the info, drummer, that is what I was curious about. I got the error message using a Verbatim 16X DVD-R in a Sony burner set to 4X speed in Video Studio. I will try another brand of DVD, but this could become an expensive crabshoot!

I have not worked with DVDs before, is there anything I have to do before burning, i.e. formatting, etc.? My Sony burner is specified as follows: 2.4x2.4x8 DVD+RW / 4x2x8 DVD-R / 24x10x32 CD-RW Drive. Should it be up to the job?

John

maddrummer3301 · Post by **maddrummer3301** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:59 pm

I would check the Sony Support website for "Firmware" updates to
the drive. "Firmware" updates usually let the burner recognize the
newer media on the market.
It's best to post the model number of the burner.
I have a few sony burners.
I would think that the Verbatim disk should work.
Maybe the Firware needs to be updated.

The "Firmware" update link is at the bottom of the page after
you select the Model Number of the Sony burner.

http://sony.storagesupport.com/dvdrw/downloads.htm

Hope this helps,

MD

John O. · Post by **John O.** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:58 pm

Thanks MD, that is very useful info. I have gone over the Sony site looking for updates, but unfortunately my drive model ( DVD RW DW-U14A ) is not listed anywhere. It came with my 2-year old computer, so maybe that means it is already completely obsolete!

I have e-mailed their tech assistance for an explanation, so we will see.

Thanks again

John

Post by **lancecarr** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:48 am

If it is an old model try this link to the codeguys. You may find an updated and patched version of firmware for the burner.
http://codeguys.rpc1.org/

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:34 am

Hi John

Try this link to verbatim for a disc compatibility list in Pdf .

http://www.verbatim-europe.com/index/do ... cat_id=192

Looks as though it only supports 4 X verbatim Dvd-R.

Trevor

bobcwilson · Post by **bobcwilson** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:43 am

Hi

Have you used the same media with success on the DVD drive before? If yes, then it is not the media. Another reason for the Failed Power Calibration error is a dirty lens on the DVD drive. The DVD drive writes some test data on the disc and then tries to read it. If it can't read it due to the dirty lens, it returns the Failed Power Calibration error.

I had an old 4x DVD drive that was returning this error message. I ended up getting a new drive instead of trying to clean the lens on the old drive.

bob

John O. · Post by **John O.** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:13 pm

Thanks to all of you and Google for steering me in the right directions. I found that my Sony DWU14A is the OEM version of their retail DRU510A, and is not supported by Sony. I also found and downloaded some hacker firmware that will change it to think it is the 510A, for which upgrades are available. However, it is still limited to 2x burning speed for DVD-R, and warns that Verbatim 4x DVDs will not work and to use 2x DVDs, which I doubt are still available. Furthermore, I believe that VS 7.0 has 4x as its lowest speed, so I may still have problems.

It looks like I will be better off with a new burner (such is computer life!), after all they are not very expensive anymore.

Thanks again, John