making coasters

[redeyes]

This is my first post. I think I just about wore out the search feature on this forum, but to no avail I haven't found the answer to my troubles.

About 25% of the disk I make go bad at the end. The movie will start to get blocks that are all jumbled up. Along with chirping sounds. Sometimes the 1st disk is fine and the 2nd goes bad at the end, and other times it will be just the opposite

I can mount the movie from my hard drive with Daemon and play them fine on my computer. After I burn them is when they go bad.

I use Nero 5.5 to do the burning at 4x speed, slowing down the recoding speed doesn't make a difference, and I've used different brands of disk all with the same out come.

As far as how DVD2SVCD is set up I use TMPGEnc for encoding with the rate control mode set at CBR using normal search precision.

As far as bitrate I leave that set at default and change all the cd sizes to 740.

Everything else is left at default.

[r6d2]

Hi, @redeyes, and welcome to the forum.

I assume you have read throughly the following thread (and links) before posting:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=63406

If you did not, please do, and I suggest a change of your thread name to get more useful attention. Some other tips on the Q&A thread will lead you to use VBR instead of CBR, and if you're really using 74 min CDs, either you still have a whole bunch of them or you are wasting about 8% of your CD capacity (and thus bitrate).

It is difficult to spot the problem you describe by the information you are giving us, but at first sight, it seems your burner is having a bad day.

If you can indeed mount and play the images without any trouble on your PC, it may be a hardware error.

You might try a different burner, if possible, or a different software to check. You may use CloneCD, or VCDEasy. I recommend to use CD-RW for testing purposes.

Tell us if that changed anything on the outcome.

[DDogg]

I use Nero 5.5 to do the burning at 4x speed How? Do you burn the cue/bin, or do you do a straight diskcopy from the Daemon virtual disk? If you have not done the second, please try it. DOes you cd burner have burnproof, justlink, etc.? Or is it an older burner? What is the top speed of the burner?

[redeyes]

It's an older burner 8x4x32. (3-4yrs)

I've been thinking that was the problem. I thought that even if one person said it could be the burner, I'd be convinced that's what it was.

Other than that though I don't have problems burning other types of media.

Is there any tools that can test a burners performance.

The only reason I set the cd size to 740 is every once in awhile I'll get an image that's to big to burn to 800 min cd. I would just a soon waste a little bit of cd than to have to go through the whole process twice.

I do a direct copy from Daemon.

I've read most of the guides and some parts of them go right over my head. There's allot to learn. I'm been doing this about 6 months now and allot of the stuff I learn has been trail and error.

I've even wasted a 40gig IBM hard drive working with such large files. (According to IBM tech once you go past 75% capacity there Deskstar drives get errors and corrupt sectors, which mine did.)I now have a Maxtor 120 gig, and extra fans in my case to keep the whole operation cool.

Thanks

[telemike]

I would reccomend using VCDEasy to either burn the bin/cue files or for authoring a VCD.

I have had chirps at times too and I tended to see those as discs that had scratches or dirt on them.

[Nick]

A couple of points:

You don't have to use the presets for disc size. If your image files are only slightly too big, just highlight the contents of the disc size box(es) with a left click and overtype with, say, 790 or 795. That way you get better disc space usage.

Also, is there a good reason why you are using CBR? 2 pass VBR will get much nicer quality but will be slower. However on a modern(ish) system should not be unreasonable. Only use CBR if the rest of your system is as old as that CD burner!

Also, quick recommendation on new drives - I would go for a Lite-ON. Cheap as chips but with a good reputation. In the UK you can pick one up for £25 (roughly $40) with 2-year onsite warranty!

[r6d2]

Originally posted by redeyes
[B]It's an older burner 8x4x32. (3-4yrs)
I'm susprised it still works. Mines only last 18 months, and with lots of luck.

I've been thinking that was the problem. I thought that even if one person said it could be the burner, I'd be convinced that's what it was.
Try other software, or borrow another burner just to be sure. Remember: millions of flies have s**t for breakast, and still they're terribly wrong ;)

Other than that though I don't have problems burning other types of media.
"Normally-written" CDs have error correction built in. Mode 2 written CDs do not.

Is there any tools that can test a burners performance.
Nero has a speed meter, Feurio does some diagnostics. You can try them both to see if they have what you need.

The only reason I set the cd size to 740 is every once in awhile I'll get an image that's to big to burn to 800 min cd.
This rarely happens. DVD2SVCD BR calculation is very precise, though it usually falls short (never seen it oversize). Besides, CBR has practically no error since it is totally deterministic.

There must be something else wrong if you get oversized images often.
(According to IBM tech once you go past 75% capacity there Deskstar drives get errors and corrupt sectors, which mine did.)
Interesting. Did they say that on writing? If they did, you can prove they are marketing drives with a capacity far beyond than the really delivered. You should have that drive changed for another one that works to its full capacity, for free.

[jsoto]

Other point you have to check is your settop player.
I own two, one needs "quasi-perfect" CDs, I've to follow all the recommendations, that means, reduced burn speed and good brands (in the past only Verbatim), but the other one plays everything, any brand, any burn speed, etc.
jsoto

[redeyes]

I'm always about a year or 2 behind the curve with my computer. What's $300 today is $100 next year. My computer started it's life out as a 486 from Wal-Mart 13 years ago.

I'm using a P4 board with an Intel 1.6 chip. 320 megs ram and a Siluro MX400 card just to name a few things. I still use the floppy from the original.

I guess it's time for a new burner. I have been looking at HP's 300i DVD+R burner for $139 at Wally World.

As far as me using CBR instead of VBR 2 pass is that in my search of this forum for what ever question I had at the time, someone said it does just as good and it's faster. I tried it, and the out come looked good.

The IBM hard drive thing, what a HEADACHE.
They wont send out a replacement hard drive until they get my old one back. They said they would send me the box and material to send it back about 2 weeks ago. I called them tonight asking where the stuff was. Get this their boxes are on back order and they don't know when they will get them in. They emailed me a web site where I can buy the stuff to send it back. What a JOKE.

Thanks to everyone's input. I'm printing this out so if after my new burner I still have the problem I'll have something to refer to.

[r6d2]

Originally posted by redeyes
As far as me using CBR instead of VBR 2 pass is that in my search of this forum for what ever question I had at the time, someone said it does just as good and it's faster.

Of course, but you can save up to 40%-50% of space using VBR, and using RoBa this does not mean always 2 pass. Even 1 may be enough.