Burning DVD images

[just_laze]

Hello,

I'm burning a dvd-image using ImgBurn. I've burnt the same image several times at varying speeds (1x - 4x) and although it's not failing during the burning process each dvd produced has its own problems. Some won't play at all, while others will play and then freeze at a random point while watching.

I don't believe the image is corrupt, as it is not the first image I've encountered this problem with. I'm wondering if the image has some form of protection that ImgBurn cannot interpret? I confess I haven't tried an alternative burning utility as ImgBurn is the only free one I'm aware of?

I've taken two photos of dvds created using ImgBurn and the suspect image:



As you can see, they've not burnt evenly... I've burnt dvd-images using this machine and ImgBurn successfully in the past, in fact, today so I'd imagine that rules out a problem with the computer (dodgy memory for example).

Any ideas guys?

Thanks.

laze.

[Agent]

Those bands are caused by the DVD changing the writing speed.
You should have different bands like that, but they should all be together and not 'stop start stop start'.

Thats caused by either:
Low quality media
Media being unknown to the drive and it not having the correct writing strategy for the disk
The HD not being able to supply the drive with the data quick enough, thus the drive lowers the speed.

Protection in the image shouldn't cause that AFAIK.

Try opening imgburn, going into the settings and setting the buffer to the highest you can (some insane value) and see if you still get it.

What drive and media is it? (for the media, copy the exact code out of imgburn)

[jon bda]

Try updating the firmware of the drive as well?.

[just_laze]

Hello,

I must be honest... I know, I should have been from the start but you know what it's like, people latch on to something and rather than solve the problem you end up going round in circles... Still, so you know, I did recently change the computer's memory but I ran Memtest86 and it completed a pass without errors. The memory is also running massively below it's manufacturers specification and since installing it I've experienced no instabilities at all. I realise I should run Memtest86 for 23 passes to ensure 100% that the memory is fault free but one must find a balance between testing the machine works and using the machine. From experience, if memory is dodgy, it won't manage a single pass without faulting.

Anyway, the drive is a NEC 2510A, it's running the latest firmware version (v2.18). Media is 'Woolworths' Worth(sh?)it!', a present for Christmas. ImgBurn identifies the media manufacturer as: CMC MAG. AE1.

Within ImgBurn I've found a setting where you can set automatic write speeds for the media in use. I assume it's simply so when you place the DVD in, it'll set the speed for you and likely won't help addressing my problem, still, a nice convenience I've uncovered :-p. I have increased the buffer to 100MB and I'm currently burning the image again.

I will respond with the outcome when it's done.

laze.

[just_laze]

No luck, still seems patchy and my dvd player will not read it.

When I burn a disc that works there are no noticeable changes in the colour of the surface of the dvd. It's consistent right up to the edge of the disc.

I've tried another kind of media, reported as MCC 03RG20 which I believe is Verbatim 16x, although it is not branded so. This time I increased the buffer to 150MB, burnt fine. Although this media has replicated the problem previously on one occasion.

Burning another copy, again using 150MB buffer but with the Woolworths' media. If it comes out patchy again, we can conclude that the NEC 2510A does not get along with it.

laze.

[Funkstar]

Your RAM will have absolutly nothing to do with this, i would suspect the media.

Unless i'm desperate (and to be honest that never really happens, i can't remember the last time i needed to burn a CD or DVD) I use Verbatim all the time. Yes they are a little more pricey, but I haven't had a single problem with their media.

[just_laze]

The problem is still occurring.

I did get several successful burns since increasing the buffer size, but I've since had several failures too.

The machine is a shuttle and I've increased the memory from 512MB to 1GB. I know it's a long shot, but perhaps the additional memory is drawing more power and therefore, the laser cannot get enough?

I've also installed Steam and Winamp prior to this problem.

laze.

[Funkstar]

If the memory was drawing just enough additional power to cause this, you would also be getting general instability and crashing of the whole system. memory doesn't really draw much power either, especailly compaired to things like processors, graphics cards, hard drives and opticals.

Do you know anyone you can swap DVD-Rs with temporarily? you could try and eliminate the actual drive being dodgy. That would be one of my first suspects with this problem.

[just_laze]

Unfortunately not, no. I've never had any problems in the past.

We'll have to put the trouble shooting on hold for now as it's girlfriend's parent's computer that has the problem described and we've finished our Christmas visit, heh.

I'll be back there sometime in January at which point I'll likely revive this thread.

Thanks to those who've offered up suggestions to date.

laze :-)

[Agent]

I would put my money being on either

1) Media
2) The drive

Its just too weird of an issue to be software (I'm assuming you've tried different burning tools?) provided you don't have any DVD interfering software loaded (like AnyDVD)

[Lourdes]

Doubt it's software, don't worry about playing about with buffers and the like - if there was a problem there than you'd see it in the ImgBurn log and you'd notice the buffer bar being erratic when burning. Although I would still install DVDInfoPro and after burning go to File > Display Graph data in DVDInfoPro to see what's going on and if CPU/memory use is a factor.

I'm not exactly sure what the problem even is. Are you letting ImgBurn (latest version?) verify the written data? And were all but one of the MCC 03RG20 discs okay? If that's the case then it's media. Are you just testing these discs on a standalone player or trying them on your PC?

Anyway, that drive is getting on a bit and you are using crap media (Woolworths or unbranded MCC 03RG20 which is NOT Verbatim unless branded as such).