glass master won't play on computer

[tizank tha bizank]

I authored a project (using Scenarist) and the check disc came out great. played on DVD players, played on a laptop, played on a computer.

We sent it to the replicator and the glass master check disc is not playing on a computer. The replication house said there seems to be an issue with the authroing and the decoder used, but i did nothing different than the hundreds of projects i have done, so it seems odd that this would be a problem on the authoring end, especially considering the check disc worked fine.

The only thibng i could say, is that after making the check disc, i had to re-output to DLT with CSS, which means a full re-output. CSS flagged, sector size to 2054, scramble to partial.

Any suggestions as to what would be causing this to not play on computer DVD players???
===

The director of this project also posted on the Creative Cow forum:

1) the project was created as a dual layer DVD, on Scenarist

2) Our DVD author's check disk (which he output from Scenarist WITHOUT
CSS) plays fine on both computers and stand-alone DVD players.

3) He then output to DLTs (and the only thing that was changed was that
the "CSS" checkbox was checked, and the sector size was changed from
2048 to 2052)

4) When we took the DLTs to the replicator, they sent the DLTs to a
"Stamper House" who made a glass master.

5) The Replicator received the glass master, and then tried to make a
check desk, but they were having issues with their DVD-9 pressing
machine, and they brought in an engineer and fixed the issue after 2 days.

6) Here's what is strange: when they made their check disks from the
glass master, and we tested the check disks, the check disks play fine
on a stand-alone DVD player, but would NOT play on 3 different computers
(including one Mac G5).

So, my question is, what could have caused DVD Author's check disk to
play fine on computers, but the Replicator's check disk NOT to play on
computers?

The Replicator's glass master "Stamper" reports back is a DLT fails for
some reason, but they were able to play the DLTs on their system.

Does anyone have any idea what could have changed from the time that DVD
Author's check disk played successfully on computers and DVD players,
and the time that the Replicator's check disks play successfully on DVD
players but NOT on computers?

I appreciate your help and thoughts very much, since I do not want to go
through the expense of outputting another DLT, having a new glass master
made, and having new replicator check disks made.


I'm really stumped on this one.

[setarip_old]

Hi!i had to re-output to DLT with CSS, which means a full re-output. CSS flagged, sector size to 2054the sector size was changed from 2048 to 2052is there a conflict in these two statements?

[tizank tha bizank]

my mistake, it should read 2054 in both of those...

To add to the complexity of my issue. The director brought the 2 check discs that weren't working, and they played ona bunch of the computers I have, but not on a Mac G5, which was the same type of computer as when he was having the problem.

So, why won't this play on some of these computers.

It has been checked on multiple stand alone players, a PS3, a HD-DVD player, and at least 5 computers that worked, but it has NOT worked on:

2 Mac G5's
3 HP laptops

[setarip_old]

Sounds like either media brand sensitivity or burn speed sensitivity...

[tizank tha bizank]

thanks for your input. It can't really be burn speed issues because it is a glass master stamped disc from the replicator... no burn :(

It's weird, because like i say works on some not on others. The director had it fail on 4 computers. Then he came here and it worked on 5, before failing on a G5.

The other thing is, i noticed on the disc, the data side seems to have a SLIGHT crescent moon shaped discoloration similar to what I would call a water stain. it's not a water stain, but that's the best way to describe it. This discolored look is evident on both of the discs the replicator provided us.

THANKS!

[setarip_old]

It can't really be burn speed issues because it is a glass master stamped disc from the replicator... no burnAre the two "check disks" that you used also glass masters?

If so, it now sounds like physically flawed media that only some players (not unusual) have a problem playing...

[Ghitulescu]

Bad check disks. Tell them to recalibrate their duplication machine. It's a must after being repaired.
The drives in standalones are better than their counterparts in PCs. Especially if the latter are of laptop-type.

You can instruct Scenarist to output a DVD project (no CSS!) ready to be burned, you can use it as a test. The glass master check disks should behave the same way.

@setarip_old
You can't have glass masters checked up in DVD-ROMs as they are the "negatives" like in analogue photography. You need a special machine to read them.

[Corion]

Tizank,

It must be either a problem with the replicator or a Scenarist muxing issue. My guess would be the former but there is a way to be sure.

Do you still have the 2054 mux? If so, use ImageBurn in build mode to make a 2048 image (from the mux) and burn on the fly. If the resultant disc plays okay in your G5 then the problem almost certainly lies with the replicator.

[Corion]

Also...it strikes me as odd in this day and age that a replicator would outsource glass mastering. The practice was largely abandoned (at least in the UK) some years ago, partly due to the falling cost of mastering equipment but also because stampers had a tendancy to get damaged during transit. I wander if that is what happened here...