Can't get DVD to play

[Happygolucky]

I've been making SVCDs for a long time and am pretty good at it, but I've just bought a new DVD burner (TDK 440n external firewire model) and am trying to learn the art of making DVDs, now.

My first go at it worked beautifully. I used DVD2SVCD (latest version) to do the conversions from AVI to the DVD-ready files, then put them into TMPG DVD Author and created the menu and DVD and used that program to burn to a DVD+RW disc. It plays wonderfully on my Pioneer 353 standalone.

Now, however, I have 5 other AVI files that I've been working on for over a week and still have no luck making a disc that will play in my standalone machine. I've done them the exact same way as the first file, I've tried using CCE (2.67) as the encoder, TMPGEnc Plus, ProCoder... I've tried using DVD2SVCD as well as doing everything manually, I've tried using Nero 6, TMPG DVD Author... nothing works, I cannot get any of the discs made to play. They do play on my computer, however. I'm about to go crazy now!

Any ideas on why the first disc worked but nothing else will? The AVI files are very similar... I've tried nearly every variation I can think of to no avail.

[Happygolucky]

I discovered what is probably the solution, or problem. I just knew the authored files couldn't be the problem, they were simply too good and played too well on my computer, so I burned them to a DVD-R disc and guess what? They play on the Pioneer 353 standalone. The same files burned to DVD-RW would not play. This is quite odd since the first conversion I did was also burned to DVD-RW disc (in fact, the exact same brand and type) and it plays perfectly on the Pioneer. So, it looks like for DVD-RW discs, the Pioneer 353 will play 1 out of 6, even though they are all the same brand and type. Perhaps I'll get some DVD+RW discs and see how they do. Any recommended brands?

[influenza]

Anything but Princo.

I like Ritek and lead data best, since they neve cause me any problems.

SOme players are really picky when it comes to certain brands, so you have to figure out yourself.

[coona]

To +R brand - I recommend you Verbatim DataLifePLus discs from Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation(MCC). Actually there are only 2 manufacturers of +R media RICOH and MITSUBISHI and RICOH seems to be wasting money :(. With RICOH media there can be crappy playback on some players...

[Happygolucky]

At least with the TDK branded media I have tried so far, my Pioneer 353 player will play 1 out of 6 of the DVD+RW discs I've burned. Not sure why it plays the one and not the others. It will not play any DVD+R disc I've tried, but it will play DVD-R. I'm going to get some DVD-RW discs and see how that works. I'm glad I bought a burner that supports all of them!!! I'd be really pissed if I'd bought a burner that turned out to be incompatible with my player.

In my earlier post I mistook the + and - (it gets so confusing). This post has the correct notations for what does and doesn't play.

[coona]

You are right - I forgot TDK and Maxell brand :(. But these two are to expensive here. Verbatim can be purchased for 2€ but TDK or Maxell cost about 4€.

[influenza]

I would say your burner is not incompatible with your player, but your player is incompatible with either DVD-R/DVD+R.

Most players play dvd+/-R perfectly, but sometimes your just not that lucky and have an incompatible player. Also the brand can be important.

At www.dvdrhelp.com you can find a list of most players by brand and there you can check out your players compatibility.