Dual Layer Media Question

[SackOHammers]

Hello,

I have some high quality movies that I would like to burn to DVD. The problem I have now is that I need to break them up and copy them to two disks or I have to compress them using DVD Shrink to get them to fit on a DVD.

I would like to start using Dual Layer disks but I am not sure which to get. My drive will support burning Dual Layer. I have seen on some forums that Verbatim disks are probably the best. The thing that concerns me is I do not see much for sale out there. Almost all of them are DVD +R DL. My experience with regular DVDs is that the +R do not play on all commercial set top players. To get the best compatibility I have been using DVD -R. Does this hold true with DVD DL as well? What are your experiences?
Can you safely say that DVD+R DL is "the way to go" for Dual Layer DVDs if I want to make sure I have good compatibility with set top DVD players?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

My drive will support burning Dual Layer.

support and actual successful playable results are 2 different things

I have seen on some forums that Verbatim disks are *snip* the best.

fixed

The thing that concerns me is I do not see much for sale out there. Almost all of them are DVD +R DL.

buy a 10pk or so of Verbatim dl+r to test your burner/setup(some burners rated to do dl have issues making the transition to the second layer) and the setting you're looking for is booktype "DVD-Rom" on the final resulting disc ..gl

 

[SackOHammers]

Thank you kindly for your quick reply.

I have an NEC from about a year ago. I believe it is the NEC 3550A if memory serves me correctly.

Ok, another champion for Verbatim DL. I will definitely try it. Currently I have been using Verbatim DVD -R for over a year (100+ burns) and I have had wonderful results.

I am not exactly sure what you mean by booktype "DVD-Rom". Typically I let DVD Decrypter handle my burning for me. I've had better luck with it than Nero for my particular application. I think I still use the DVD Decrypter install defaults for burning.

Do you feel that DVD DL +R will have a wide range of compatability on set top players?
I can easily test it in my current Pioneer set top, but I want to make sure that these will be good for years down the line.

Again, thank you for your time.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

Originally posted by: SackOHammers
Thank you kindly for your quick reply.

I have an NEC from about a year ago. I believe it is the NEC 3550A if memory serves me correctly.

Ok, another champion for Verbatim DL. I will definitely try it. Currently I have been using Verbatim DVD -R for over a year (100+ burns) and I have had wonderful results.

I am not exactly sure what you mean by booktype "DVD-Rom".

booktype pretty much applies to +r media as DVD-Rom is the actual format most commercially made discs are ..booktyping is a twist to make a settop player believe a +r is actually a dvd-rom ..for an nec firmware upgrade ..go liggy and dee

Typically I let DVD Decrypter handle my burning for me. I've had better luck with it than Nero for my particular application. I think I still use the DVD Decrypter install defaults for burning.

Do you feel that DVD DL +R will have a wide range of compatability on set top players?
I can easily test it in my current Pioneer set top, but I want to make sure that these will be good for years down the line.

Again, thank you for your time.

 

[SackOHammers]

Ok, this is a realm I have not yet explored.

I looked at their glossery to find out what Bitsetting/Booktyping is.

So basically I change my firmware and enable Bitsetting of my +R DL Disks to -R DL Disks.

There are so many firmware options I'm not exactly sure which one to use. Some are newer than others. There is a detailed matrix outlining what "strategy" is used in the Firmware but I'm not sure what that means. Also not sure what RPC1 is.

Also, with the bitsetting firmware in place on the drive, what do I need to do to specify it to -R? Does it happen automatically? Do I set it in the firmware? Do I somehow set it at burntime with the burning software?

 

[ScrapSilicon]

Originally posted by: SackOHammers
Ok, this is a realm I have not yet explored.

I looked at their glossery to find out what Bitsetting/Booktyping is.

So basically I change my firmware and enable Bitsetting of my +R DL Disks to -R DL Disks.

There are so many firmware options I'm not exactly sure which one to use. Some are newer than others. There is a detailed matrix outlining what "strategy" is used in the Firmware but I'm not sure what that means. Also not sure what RPC1 is.

Also, with the bitsetting firmware in place on the drive, what do I need to do to specify it to -R? Does it happen automatically? Do I set it in the firmware? Do I somehow set it at burntime with the burning software?

on the 2 3550s I've dealt with ..installed ..this one ..rpc1 ....booktype should be enabled automatically by the fw..

 

[SackOHammers]

Brilliant. Thank you very much.

 

[SackOHammers]

This seems to have worked.
I flashed my drive with the 1Y6 RPC1 Firmware version and I used CDSpeed to change the booktype.
I burned my first DL disk and successfully played it on my set top DVD Player.

The problem is with my drive now. I cannot play DVDs. When I put one in and try to play... the application freezes and doesn't respond... pegging my CPU at 100. Eventually I can end task. I've tried several players that worked before and several disks that I know worked before the Firmware change.

Any ideas? Besides the ovious of switching back to the old firmware.

 

[SackOHammers]

Bump. Anyone?

 

[ScrapSilicon]

Originally posted by: SackOHammers
This seems to have worked.
I flashed my drive with the 1Y6 RPC1 Firmware version and I used CDSpeed to change the booktype.
I burned my first DL disk and successfully played it on my set top DVD Player.

The problem is with my drive now. I cannot play DVDs. When I put one in and try to play... the application freezes and doesn't respond... pegging my CPU at 100. Eventually I can end task. I've tried several players that worked before and several disks that I know worked before the Firmware change.

Any ideas? Besides the ovious of switching back to the old firmware.

if you've tried other drives that worked before ..the firmware upgrade on one drive doesn't apply to the other drives(if you've swapped other drives into the computer) ..you most likely need to reinstall your dvd watching software...

 

[SackOHammers]

No, have not swapped any hardware. Sorry if I gave that impression. I've only used the same hardware.

What I'm saying is that I've used the same player "software" applications as before and same movies.
With this firmware they just lock up when trying to read the disk.

The writing part is fine, I'm getting the extra functionality with the firmware... its just that I cannot play movies anymore.

 

[SackOHammers]

Anyone? ScrapSilicon?

I tried installing manufacturer firmware back but now I get a message that its not the right drive. I was able to get a few other custom firmwares installed and they seem to have this same reading problem. I cannot play movies... it writes just fine though.

Any ideas?

 

[SackOHammers]

Bump. Please?