Ongoing Failure to Burn DVDs Using VS8

[rapscallion]

Hi All,

Many thanks for taking the time to assist if able.

Firstly, I have read the user manual, read me file, knowledge base and scoured the VS forum to try and resolve my issue before posting BUT no joy as yet.

I am using VS8.01.0100 SE DVD to edit and output video to PAL DVD using a Panasonic DVR-109 burner and either: BenQ 8X DVD-R or Verbatim 16x DVD+R media

I used to use the 'Record to Disc' option but more often than not, received the following message:

Failed to record data to the disc.
Error: DVDR-INC-SPTI-2A-02-03-0C-00
[93006:1:0]

Having read various posts on this forum, I now:

• Edit/ render to MPG2 in one project;
• Create a disc image file from a new project (matching rendered video settings); and
• Do the final burn using the VCD DVD Disc Image Recorder application (using the lowest recording speed available on the drop-down list).

During the final burn stage, one of three things occurs, as follows:

• The burn successfully completes (rare outcome); or
• The burn gets to approx 80% then just hangs; or
• The burn commences and the application immediately - or very soon after attempting to write - hangs requiring me to reboot just so that I can get the 'now slightly burnt' DVD media out of the burner (most frequent outcome).

I am not exactly sure what else to tell you at this stage that may assist but here are a couple of possible considerations:

1. The Pioneer DVD burner entry in My Computer always changes from 'DVD-RW Drive' to 'CD Drive' when a blank DVD is inserted;
2. Recording settings for the DVD burner, are as follows:
   
   - 'Enable CD recording on this drive' = Yes
   - CD image storage is set to a drive that has 200GB of space
   - Write speed = 4X (at least whilst this dilemma continues)
3. Example project settings are as follows:

1. Source File, as follows:
   PAL (25 fps)
   Microsoft AVI files
   24 Bits, 720 x 576, 4:3, 25 fps
   Lower Field First
   DV Video Encoder -- type 2
   PCM, 48.000 kHz, 16 Bit, Stereo
2. Source File rendered, as follows:
   PAL (25 fps)
   MPEG files
   24 Bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
   Lower Field First
   (DVD-PAL), 4:3
   Video data rate: 8000 kbps
   Nil audio
3. DVD.iso project settings, as follows:
   PAL (25 fps)
   MPEG files
   24 Bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
   Lower Field First
   (DVD-PAL), 4:3
   Video data rate: 8000 kbps
   Audio data rate: 32 kbps
   MPEG audio layer 2, 48 KHz, Mono

*Note: Despite my best attempts to ensure that the dvd.iso project copied the settings from the rendered file, I was unable to locate the 'Video only' option located under Project Options > General > Data Track

Many thanks in advance for considering my plight...

Deano

[Ken Berry]

Thanks for that wealth of detail and for filling in your System button.

However, I think the problem lies in the burner error message you are getting. That indicates that it is purely a problem with the burner drive, and usually tends to indicate there is a problem with the media you are writing to i.e. the burner does not like the blank discs for whatever reason. That is a bit strange, since I have used a number of Pioneer DVD burners over the years (and indeed currently have 3 in operation), and they never seem to have any difficulty with the media I use. That being said, I tend to keep to much the same blanks all the time.

You might in any case want to try experimenting with different brands of blanks. You might also want to trying either burning straight to disc within Video Studio itself; or else burning your image file with third party software just to see if that works. Nero or the Roxio Easy Media Creator Suite would be a start. If the error message is correct, though, you might still have problems with those programs.

You might also want to have a look at http://www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters to see what brand or type of discs might work best with your burner.

[rapscallion]

Hi Ken,

Thank you for the prompt reply and I will follow your advice.

Keep well.

[rapscallion]

...try...burning your image file with third party software just to see if that works. Nero or the Roxio Easy Media Creator Suite would be a start. If the error message is correct, though, you might still have problems with those programs.

Hi Ken,

Once again, thanks for your previous advice. I have since used ImgBurn to write the dvd.iso to the above media. The attempts initially failed (as you predicted).

ImgBurn helped clarify that the media being used is DAXON008S (Benq) and RICOHJPN-R03-04 (Imation). A quick search online of the above media clearly shows that they are at the bottom of the reliability range but the good news is that through your prompting I have now successfully burnt my projects with said crap media by slowing the write speed to 2x (using ImgBurn).

Here is the thing then:

Why cannot I not select Write (or record) at 2x using VS8 or the VCD DVD Disc Image Recorder application? i.e. both programs seem to default to two choices only; being MAX or 8x.

Thoughts?

[Ken Berry]

Well, I'm glad you finally succeeded! The speed question is a difficult one. In my experience, not all that many burning programs give you all possible burning speed options, and the higher he rated speed, the higher the lowest rated speed will usually be. I think that is what is occurring with VS, and I confess it is one of the few reasons I don't use VS to burn my final DVDs... I usually use Nero, and it gives me the right choice of speeds with the discs I usually use.

Another problem is that some discs just don't give reliable burn speeds in their ratings, especially if the brand/type of disc is itself a little iffy in terms of quality. You can always check, though, if you have the Nero suite, by using the Nero DiscSpeed tool and the Disc Information tool, which will probably tell you more than you ever wanted to know about the discs you are using!

[sjj1805]

Try updating the burner firmware.
Please view: DVD Burning / Playback issues

You can also try a DVD cleaning disc - relatively cheap and obtainable at many of the larger supermarkets that now seem to sell everything from potatoes to petrol!

[rapscallion]

Try updating the burner firmware.

Thanks for the reminder sjj1805. My DVR-109s are updated with firmware v1.58 (latest I believe).

Also, thanks for the link - I will get my head around the advice to better educate myself.

[rapscallion]

Well, I'm glad you finally succeeded!...

As always Ken, many thanks for your support.