Is there a review that tests which burning software produces the best quality disks?

[MadScientist]

I've searched but have not found this type of review. There are plenty of reviews out there on the software itself, but none that I have found on the quality of the disks they produce, i.e., avi or DVD vob files. I realize that quality depends on the source material, the media you use, and what you play the recorded disk back on, and that visual quality is very subjective. What looks ok to one person looks grainy or pixelated to another.

 

[lxskllr]

I don't think it makes a difference. The visual quality is dependent on the encoding. For burning, it either works, or it doesn't. If it lines the 1s and 0s up right, it works.

 

[MadScientist]

For burning, it either works, or it doesn't. If it lines the 1s and 0s up right, it works.

Basically that's how it works, but does different burning software lay down the 1s and 0s the same way?

This is probably just a compatibilty issue, but Ashampoo Burning Studio 9 keeps giving me burn failures with my Verbatim DVD-RW disks, and will not erase them. Other burning programs, Nero 9, CloneDVD2, InfraRecorder, and ConvertXtoDVD 4 have no problems erasing or burning to them.

 

[Matan Eldan]

As you said - that's probably compatibility issue.
It doesn't matter which burning software you are using, it is more depends on the quality of your media.

 

[bruceb]

Media is the most important. As to burning programs, Nero, Roxio, Imgburn, UltraISO, PowerISO all do an excellent job. Comes down to which interface the user is more at ease with using. A lot of people, especially those that use DVDFAB say to not use VSO Burning Engine as it is not as good as ImgBurn

 

[MadScientist]

ConvertXtoDVD4 uses their VSO burning engine. I've never had any problems with it yet. I use only Verbatim media, and always burn at half their rated speed.

 

[0roo0roo]

you are talking about video encoding, not burning which depends on burner/disc quality.
most consumer encoders have very little tweakability. not that it mattesr all that much with mpeg2 and dvd, since theres only so much you can do. with mkv 264 theres far more you can do but it takes a lot longer for encoding. dvd is a low standard so good enough is good enough esp when they factor in encoding speed as important to the kind of end user that buys those software products.

 

[MadScientist]

I'm talking about the burning function of ConvertXtoDVD4, not the encoding function.

My question was that starting with an, i.e., avi or vob file, whether encoded or not, keeping everything else constant (same media, burner, etc.), has anyone ever tested whether one burning program does a better job, however you want to define quality, at burning that file to a disk.

If lxskllr is correct in that "For burning, it either works, or it doesn't. If it lines the 1s and 0s up right, it works.", then it should not matter what burning program you use, and boils down to what functions you like or want from the program.

 

[0roo0roo]

i'm pretty sure all the low level functions of quality are in the hands of the burner and media. if the software efs up it will be a corrupt disc.

 

[Miramonti]

I have different success rates with different burners...never run across software issues that I've noticed or recognized as such.

 

[Nothinman]

I'm pretty sure burning commands have been a standard part of ATAPI and SCSI for quite a while now and that each burning app does the same thing at that point. The only real difference would probably be the internal buffer that the app itself keeps and how well it keeps it filled.

 

[0roo0roo]

yea almost no one could get software burning working if they had to write routines dealing with the hardware from scratch. its all separated layers away.

 

[Modelworks]

Optical drives provide commands for the hardware interface and that interface is as far as the software has control. How strong the output of the laser, how bits are written , etc are not accessible by the software. A drive using Nero will produce the same level of quality as the same drive using another software.

Some of the commands are things like Seek track, write track, erase track, etc. Very high level stuff.

The only interface left on the pc for media that gives software direct control down to the bits on the media and how they are written and the quality of the write itself is floppy drives. The floppy interface is extremely low level, requiring the software do everything.
Commands like motor on, get motor status, increment head, decrement head, write bit, read bit, etc. The drive has no idea of where sectors are, what they do , it is just a mechanical device moving by commands. A dumb drive with next to no intelligence.

 

[pcgeek11]

Optical drives provide commands for the hardware interface and that interface is as far as the software has control. How strong the output of the laser, how bits are written , etc are not accessible by the software. A drive using Nero will produce the same level of quality as the same drive using another software.

Some of the commands are things like Seek track, write track, erase track, etc. Very high level stuff.

The only interface left on the pc for media that gives software direct control down to the bits on the media and how they are written and the quality of the write itself is floppy drives. The floppy interface is extremely low level, requiring the software do everything.
Commands like motor on, get motor status, increment head, decrement head, write bit, read bit, etc. The drive has no idea of where sectors are, what they do , it is just a mechanical device moving by commands. A dumb drive with next to no intelligence.

The burner hardware ( laser power etc and the media ) would be what you need to look at vice software.

 

[killster1]

i heard nero 9 doesnt burn as far into the disc as nero 8. hehehe nice to hear you only burn half the speed your discs are rated for thats prob your best bet. dvdrw are nice but slower than just using a flash drive. Have not tried nero 9 i never wanted to stop using nero 6.6 but now use nero 8 ;/

 

[Modelworks]

A big part of burning disc is the write strategy. That is in the firmware of the drive. When you put in a disc the drive reads the write strategy put on the blank by the manufacturer. It tells the drive what type of disc it is and who made it. The firmware compares it to a table to discover what parameters to use to write the media.


DVD info pro can show you the write strategy data.
http://www.dvdinfopro.com/



Sample from a DVDR disc I have:

Region information N/A not a DVD-VIDEO
Media code/Manufacturer ID RITEK S04
Media Product Revision Number 42h
Format Capacity Blank Disc
Free Blocks 4253024256
Free Capacity 7.96GB/8.55GB
Book Type DVD+R DL
Media Type DVD+R DL
Manufacturer Rated Speed 8.0x 11080KBps
Available Write Descriptor CLV 8.0x 11080KBps
Available Write Descriptor CLV 6.0x 8310KBps
Available Write Descriptor CLV 4.0x 5540KBps
Data area starting sector 30000h
Layer 0 end sector 22D7FFh
Linear Density 0.293um/bit
Track Density 0.74um/track
Number of Layers 2
Layer Track Path direction (OTP) Opposite track path

Complete Media Code
00000000 08 02 00 00 E1 0F 32 10 00 03 00 00 00 FC FF FF ......2.........
00000010 00 22 D7 FF 00 00 03 52 49 54 45 4B 00 00 00 53 .".....RITEK...S
00000020 30 34 42 40 25 25 37 10 00 2C 6C 00 2C 6C 20 1F 04B@%%7..,l.,l .
00000030 0C 0C 14 14 02 01 01 20 00 20 1F 0C 0C 14 14 02 ....... . ......

 

[MadScientist]

Thanks everyone for your input.

I think Modelworks summed it up. You can read more on write strategy here: https://www.ip.philips.com/licensing/services_and_ordering/Verification/dvdr_dvdrw/info_write_strategies_1098.html

DVD Identifier will give you almost the same info that DVDInfoPro does and it's freeware.
http://dvd.identifier.cdfreaks.com/