CDRW writing mpeg video 2

[poluser]

I have been using a Creative Labs CDRW to write video mpeg (VCD) disks for over a year. I wrote hundreds of them without a problem. The drive is a 4x in CDRW mode. Recently, it got more and more difficult to find compatible disks. New ones are for faster writers, and it seems my drive is not compatible with them, most probably due to a slightly different coating material to make the disks.

I then bought a new faster drive and started to write with it. The problem I have is that the disk doesn't play well on my DVD, a problem I never encountered with my hundreds previous disks.

I tought the new disks were not readable by my DVD, but I tried with my new drive to write to an older disk (4x) that worked perfectly on the old drive, and the same problem happened upon reding it on my DVD.

The video plays, but it looks as if there were too many errors, creating a lot of pixelizing. The disks play without problem on both of my CD players on the PC.

New drive is LG GCE-8240B (24x-10x-40x), using NERO.

Any idea?

Thanks

 

[braddds]

When you burned to the older medium did you slow the burn speed to fit the disc's max burn speed?

Although I've never burned VCD's (sorry can't help in this area) but have been using CDR/CDRW for years. The problem maybe with the new drive, it maybe burning too fast. I've seen many problems reduced and completely eliminated by slowing down the max burn speed. If your old cdrw burned at 4X then use that as a bench mark and set your max to this number (in the NERO software).


If the problem continues then it is either the calibration of the unit or some minor software/hardware conflict. In which case, either exchange the drive for a new unit or for a different model and/or make.

Even changing the burning software can sometimes make a difference!

hope this helps

 

[lilbpaw]

A couple of words of advice when burning VCD's.
First braddds is correct about adjusting the maximum speed.
Second.. make sure you are using a good quality cd not one of those 100 cds for $4.99 spools.
Second, i noticed that when i had issues like that it was more due to the fact that the dvd player was playing them in the wrong speed.
I have an apex and I can adjust the play to normal 1x, 2x and so forth.
Anything other than regular speed would distort or make big splotches on the screen.
The new cds that you are buying now for you burner. Are you sure they are compatible with your dvd player?
I find that not all cd's are compatible with every dvd player.

For instance my dvd player will not play the gold cds (by maxell I think)

Even though it is not why you bought a new burner other times with certain cds i had to burn at 4x to get them to display right on my dvd player.

Hope this helps

Good Luck
Lilbpaw

 

[cdogg]

poluser,
Are you using CD-RW discs or CD-R's? I'm assuming CD-RW. Since you mentioned that you tried the old brand of CD-RW that worked in the DVD player before, then it sounds like it may be a software issue. Did you always use Nero in the past, or was it something else?

You want to make sure you're burning in VCD 2.0 (unless you have a 1st-generation DVD player which requires VCD 1.1.). I recommend ditching proprietary software and using VCDEasy instead. You'll find a wider range of options with this freeware utility and I have yet to make a VCD that didn't play on my DVD player. Go here to learn more:

http://www.vcdhelp.com/tools.htm

Also remember to use CD-RW discs to ensure better compatibility and burn at the media's required speed (4x for the old brand you used before).

ck_blk@yahoo.com

 

[braddds]

thx all

I've learned alot...maybe I'll try some video burning now!!!

 

[lilbpaw]

There is a lot of good advice here, but I would like to add
that I NEVER burn on cd-rw as I find more isses with that then with cd-r's.

Good Luck,

Lilbpaw

 

[cdogg]

lilbpaw,

Perhaps "your" DVD player accepts CD-R, and that's why you prefer them. I agree that CD-R discs work better in DVD-compatible players because data is only written to them once. I've found that on CD-RW discs, you must do "full" erases to guarantee a good result.

HOWEVER, it's important to note that CD-RW discs work better across a wide selection of DVD players. For instance, my Sony DVP-S330 will only play CD-RW discs because it cannot pick up CD-R's. This is because CD-RW discs tend to have a more silver reflection close to that of a DVD. It's more "laser-friendly" is another way to put it!


Don't just take my work for it. Check out the forums and see what hundreds of others are saying about compatibility:

http://forum.vcdhelp.com/index.php

ck_blk@yahoo.com

 

[lilbpaw]

cdogg,

Very good point, now I have seen 2 instances where on panasonic dvd players, although they claim to play cd-rw's and cd-r's, when attempting to play cd-rw's the movie comes out like it was a black and white film verses the color it should be. Do you know if this is just an issue with Panasonic as I have never heard of it before?

Since I have 2 apex's and they do play the cd-r's I tend to stick to them because they are cheaper. I have found that the rw's take longer to erase and burn, although I am tempted to try the TDK ones they sent me when I bought my 40X TDK.

I have experiemented with the Black cds, although they work great in dvd player and my computer dvd player I know that not many peopel can use them in their stand alone dvd players.

here is a good site to check the compatability of cd-r's/cd-rw's with your dvd player:

http://www.vcdhelp.com/dvdplayers.php

 

[cdogg]

Yeah, I can't say I've ever had a color problem, so it might the Panasonic - who knows?

I've been to vcdhelp quite a bit and see numerous posts about the apex. Great player and relatively cheap too!

Now if I can only get my hands on one!!


ck_blk@yahoo.com

 

[lilbpaw]

cdogg,
Best Buy, on sale $49! regular $69....
BTW, speaking of burners.. TDK is coming out with their 48X
for $109

 

[lilbpaw]

cdogg,
Best Buy, on sale $49! regular $69....
BTW, speaking of burners.. TDK is coming out with their 48X
for $109

Lilbpaw

 

[poluser]

Well as my first post here compared to other forums I've been, I just learned that you cannot stay away for too long or you guys will have built me a whole new computer in no time!!!

Ok jokes apart. Thanks all for the help and tips. As a summary of all questions and comments, let me say this;

- my DVD player will NOT accept CD-R in any type (audio or video)
- It does play however ANY brand of CR-RW (4 or 5 if I remember the ones I used) no matter the price I paid for them
- I order to make sure I kept the variables to a minimum, the only thing that changed in my test was the CD burner itself; same brand and actually SAME PHYSICAL DISC, same burning software, same configuration setup, same speed, same movie (and file). Just the burner.
- I never, never had any failure or pixelizing, or any difficulty whatsoever in playing my VCD prior to trying the new burner. NEVER!

So; based on the above statement and IMHO, it has definitively nothing to do with the VCD standard, the type or brand of disk, my DVD's capacity to read the disks. Remain the burner itself (either defective, or not burning/recording properly) or incompatibility between the software and the burner or the PC and the burner. "braddds" had an excellent point about the speed. I noticed that although LG advertise recording speed of 2x-4x-6x-8x and 10x for CDRW, when I insert the old CDRW rated at 4x max, NERO only gives me the option of 4X, nothing less. Could this be an incompatibility between the PC (Win2K) and the burner, something related to the ATAPI interface, and NERO cannot properly read the capabilities of the drive? I remember that with the older drive, I could select any speed up to the maximum allowed by the disk/drive.

???