DVD-R playback issues on settop boxes

[miketyler]

Ok, thought I would start a new thread on a more advanced subject like DVD-R playback. I have made DVD-R backups from Imation media that play well from start to finish on the PC. These same backups play very well in both my settop boxes, (Toshiba 5 DVD carousel SD-4205 and Panasonic DVD-RV30) EXCEPT during the last few chapters of the movie. They begin pixellating then will eventually lockup the player.

My backups are ripped with DVDDecryptor, movie titles stripped and recompressed using DVD2ONE, DVD image created with IMG Tools Classic, then burned with DVDDecryptor. Again, the video and audio streams (both DTS and 5.1) are pristene until the end of the movie. So my question is this: If a given media is known to be compatible with a settop box, what is the difference in settop playability of this same media during the final chapters in the movie?

[MoonDog]

Have you tried any other type of media besides Imation? I had one that I tried, dont remember what kind it was, it may have been Verbatim, it was good through the first hour of the movie then the last 20 minutes I lost all sound.

[miketyler]

I have used Princo another cheapie brand and got similar to worse results.

I got to thinking about it and I have a theory now. Most of my problem backups only have issues well into the movie. When a DVD is being read it starts from the middle of the disk and moves slowly towards the outside edge. The speed of the media at the point where the laser is reading it then is steadily increasing (also known as angular speed). As the laser moves toward the outside edge of the DVD, there exists a larger margin for read error. It is my thinking then that with increasing angular speed, the quality of the media (ie, readability) can become critical.

So why are the problem portions of the backup clear and easily read on a PC type DVD drive? Not sure on that one unless it has to do with the differences in architecture of the DVDROM drive and the dedicated set top DVD player. It would appear that the DVDROM drive is more error tolerant than the set top player or perhaps, a better quality drive. I have not yet had one backup that the set top could read that the PC could not.

Anyhow, its just a theory. I have heard that TDK and Ritek are good brands. Doubt if I will rush out and get a 100 spindle. Will buy a few singles and see how it goes. As a test, I may take a couple of my backups to Frys and try playing them in some of their later model players.

[miketyler]

just a follow-up; I went and bought TDK branded DVD-R media. The manufacturer code ID's the media as MXL-RG01 (Maxell?)

Anyhow, I burned my backup at 1X (as I usually do) and it plays back great on both my settop boxes. DTS and 5.1 streams both intact start to finish and no pixellation. After reading up on this, I think the next test will be readability of this backup DVD over time.

Anyone with older DVD players should stay away from the cheapie brand media. Buy a few singles of the premium quality stuff to test with starting out and once you find the media that works, then hunt down your best spindle deal.

Mike :eek: :D :eek: