(safe) GB size limit for DVD-R

[wakebrder]

Hello-

I'm pretty new to this, but have managed to burn a few sucessfull DVD backups on DVD-Rs. The only two I've had problems with are:

Don't Say A Word 3.97 GB
The Fast And The Furious 4.17 GB

These 2 discs play fine in PowerDVD 4.0, but suffer audio/video breakups in the last few minutes on my standalone (Pioneer 525). The first 95% of these movies play fine. Am I getting too close to the capacity of the DVD-R? I thought I read somewhere the capacity was not actually 4.7 GB? The shorter movies I've ripped have no problems. Is there a safe limit I should stay under to avoid this problem? BTW, I'm just ripping the main movie with 1 soundtrack. Sorry if I posted this in the wrong place. Thanks

[Coop920]

the actual size of a 4.7 gb dvdr is 4.37 gb's...i don't see why those movies aren't working well in your dvd player...could be the player, cause they work fine for me

[troyb]

What media are you using? I have had the same problem on a few movies when using cheaper dvds.Maybe that's your problem.

[wakebrder]

Hey guys, using meritline DVD-Rs. Thought that might be the problem too, but the shorter movies seem to work. Maybe just coincidence? I don't know. If I get a few more coasters under my belt, maybe I'll discover the problem. :D Probably something stupid that I just happened to do on those 2 movies.

troyb - what type of media would you suggest that isn't too pricey?
Thanks for the replies!

[troyb]

I've used the version 1 general purpose disks from Meritline without any problems.Now they have the version 2 disks which look the same (purple on top and the bottom).I ordered 50 a few weeks ago and backed up 5 movies on them.All 5 played fine through the first hour or so then they started having drop outs and all ended up locking up on both my pioneer and my sanyo dvd players.Needless to say all 50 dvds have been sent back for a refund.I've used the Meritline brand disks which are gold on top and purple on the bottom and have gotten perfect results everytime.I guess it's hit and miss on which dvd-rs will play in which player.I cant be sure but it sounds like the media to me if it plays ok through the first of the movie,then starts messing up. Hop this helps!

[wakebrder]

troyb- That was it. Mine are version 2.0. Burned The Crow on a meritline = dropouts. Generic gold top DVD-R = Perfect. Did you have any trouble returning them to Meritline? Glad it wasn't ME screwing up :rolleyes: Thanks for your help.

[troyb]

No, I didnt have any trouble returning them at all.Just called the 800 number and told them what the problem was and they issued me a rem number.I'm glad you got your problem solved.

[wakebrder]

Called them today as well. They're even giving me credit for the ones I used (and didn't throw away) Thanks again!

[dmwalls]

I am also using DVDr from Meritline that are purple and am having the same problems that the movie will play fine for the first hour or so and then it starts locking up and skipping and stopping and finally won't play on my stand alone player and will skip some on my Pioneer dvr-ao3. I also have several coasters haha. I have already ordered some more dvdr from someone else to try them. I am glad that I am not the only one having problems with the disk from meritline, I also am new to this and thought that it was something that I was doing, I have successfully done some but not others I am only averaging about 50% good.

Thanks for the help. Please post more on good disk and where to buy I will spend more if that is what I need to do.

[Mysta187]

I have experienced the same problems that you are indicating above with some of the cheaper DVD-R media (Memorex, TDK, Samsung included). So recently I decided to buy some of the Apple boxed media(5 pcs per box, $24.95 per box). The thought being since they have a list of players compatible with their media/drive, it would perform better (since my player is on the list). And also they probably were less likely to change something in the media "dye" like some of the others. Pioneer is also and option but they are much more expensive ($9 is the cheapest I have found them) and I think they make the Apple media. So far I have had excellent results, no skipping, locking, or media errors. Just wanted to share.

[Grollbringer]

Hi,
i have used also these DVD-R from Meritline and i have the same probs.
Also with the Princo DVD-R.Now i use them for Data Storage (this works fine, dont't aks me why...)

I've tried out now the DVD-R from cd-recordable.com
These works fine.
I've make a film with 4.32 GB to test if it works also if the DVD-R is full.Works fine.
Standalone was a Pioneer DV-444 and a Cyberhome.

If you need DVD-R from well known Company's try out Verbatim.Works great.I have burned 30 DVD-R and got only one coaster (was my failure).
I want to buy Apple DVD-R, but no one sell them here in my country :(

[GlenC]

Why does everyone scrimp and scrape with dvdr's. This kind of 'saving' is probably costing you more money in the long run.

If you where to put yourself on a wage, even a really cheap minimum wage, how much would it be costing you per hour for messing around trying to get the media to work.

Even burning at 1x speed will be costing valuable time.

Go buy some apple media, wonderful stuff, priced cheap to promote apple. You can burn at 2x with no problems, no skipping, never had one fail yet.

ok, it may cost twice as much as the bargain brand, but you are not going to be disapointed.

Glen.

[Grollbringer]

Believe me...
i WANT to buy those Apple DVD-R, but in my country (Germany) i can't buy this.I must pay more for a Apple DVD-R than for my favourite Verbatim.
Here in Germaany have 1 of 10000 a Apple Computer, so no shops existed.
And in the other european countries is the same.So the only way is to import the things from the states.But the cost are too high, because you pay horrible taxes.
If someone knows a cheap store around in europe let me know.

[GlenC]

Well, it took me all of 4 seconds to find a store in Germany!

Go here

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore

Hit the worldwide button in the menu bar at the top, select any european country of your choice. Select video from the column on the left.

The first item listed will then be apple dvdr's 33.64 euros for 5.

I cant read german, but it adds 20 euros in total I think for taxes and postage, so it's probably worthwhile ordering a few.

Hope this helps

Glen.

[Grollbringer]

That's what i mean...
Why should i pay so much for a Apple DVD-R here in Germany ?
This Price is too high.
Look at the US Stores...
They sell the same DVD-R much cheaper...

And this is the price directly from the Main Apple Store.
If you are buying from a reseller you pay much more.

That's the reason why i must buy the DVD-R from cd-recordable.com
With taxes i pay 4€ per DVD.But this DVD are not the same quality as the Apple DVD.The problem is, that the Apple Stores in the States doesn't ship to Europe.

So all american's are lucky, that they can buy dvd-r for this cheap prices.Germany sux in this case.

I hope that the rumours are right, that Apple want to drop the prices for the DVD-R to 3.99$.This shall be done a few weeks after the CeBit.
I hope it's true.

[hortar]

Hello,

I'm from Portugal and I buy in a Portuguese Apple Store DVD-R media for 34 € each pack off 5 so about 6.80 € each. So I think that's a great price.
I don't have, the media, because Apple are stocking, but I will have it in this week.
Just to say that is possible buy Apple media in Europe.
There are a Apple store in Germany, using the link provide, don't forget the prices are for pack off 5 units, maybe in Germany you can buy cheeper.

[Grollbringer]

I know that Apple is running a own store in Germany.
But what you say is exactly the problem...
6.80€ is a joke... a bad joke

I pay for Verbatim 6.50€...
But why can't Apple supply their prices in the states not here in europe too ?
The prices in the states are more than 2€ lower.

The answer is probably, that Apple have never and would never play a role in europe.So they don't see the potential they could have, if they sell their DVD-R for lower prices to the hole pc community in europe.
Apple sells most of their products to a small high paid community, so they maybe think that the prices must be high...

But anyway, we move aside from the thread :)