Burning to disk

[Rollason]

I have a Dell Video PP31L laptop on which I am using VS 9.5. This laptop has no built in DVD player/burner and I usually use a Liteon eTAU108-02 2 USB plug in DVD reader/writer which works very well, normally. In attempting to burn the video I get the message that the DVD burner is empty. I have tried three different types of DVD disc without success. Is there some connection that I have to make to get this burner to recognise VS 9.5 or is there some way in which I can get the programme to recognise the burner! Some help would be appreciated. Regards, rolly.

[John-T-Smith]

I have a built-in burner that works, so don't have to do this... but are you able to create an ISO and then use different software to write the disc?

[Rollason]

Thanks, John, for your quick reply
What is an ISO and how do I create one? rolly

[Ken Berry]

An ISO is an exact copy of what you eventually have on a DVD, only it remains a software version on your computer with the extension .iso. On the final page of the Video Studio burning module you untick the Create Disc box and instead choose ISO. If you can't see that option then over on the extreme right hand side of the burning page is a double downward pointing arrow. Click on that and the ISO option (plus DVD Folder option) should appear. Give the file a name and note where it will be created.

Once the ISO is created you can play it in a software player like the freeware VLC player. And there is a variety of programs which can burn ISOs to disc. These include Nero, Roxio and the freeware ImgBurn.

[Rollason]

Many thanks, Ken. Much appreciated. Rolly.