Half of DVD?

[shoobee]

Is there a way to split half of a DVD that is, say over one Gig long? I can only play Vcd's on my laptop. Thx

[echooff]

A vcd is not a dvd. A vcd is in mpg 1 format while a dvd is mpg 2 format. Tutorials for coverting a dvd to a vcd can be found on the main site.

[shoobee]

Thanks for responding..I'm new to all of this. How could I start the process of finding out why My Latitude Laptop will not play the DVD's that I burn on my HP Computer. Is it the + - thing and if so, how can I tell which has which? The DVD's play on a stand alone.

[CWR03]

Assuming your laptop has a DVD-ROM, it should be even more compatible than a standalone player. What error(s) do you get when you try to play a DVD that you burn?

[shoobee]

If I try to use Media Player Classic, I get Can't find DVD Directory.
If I click on My Computer and click on DVD , it says to load something even though I have the burnt DVD in it.
VLC Media Player doe nothing.
My HP burns DVD+R
The Latitude says..DVD/CD-RW
Thx

[CWR03]

Do you have a DVD player software on your Latitude, such as PowerDVD or WinDVD? Don't count on Interplay (I think that's the one some discs such as Disney install, as it doesn't load the MPEG-2 codecs).

Please be more clear if possible - "it says to load something" is not much information to work with.

[jggimi]

What is the model number of your Dell DVD/CD-RW? That will give us helpful information, too.

[shoobee]

Under DVD/CD-RW Properties it has Samsung CDRW/DVD SN-308B
When I put a DVD in the drive and then click on My Computer/Devices with removable Storage...it says "Please insert a disk"
I called a Tech rep at Sonic MyDVD and he told me that the problem was my computer Creates DVD+ and my laptop only reads DVD-..does that seem correct?
the software I use to play is VLC media player or Media Player Classic.
Thx

[jggimi]

The Samsung 308B is a "combo" drive that reads and burns CDs, and can also read DVDs. But ... according to the manual for it I found at www.samsung.com it supports "DVD-ROM" -- it doesn't state DVD-R or DVD+R.

Now, there are lots of different burnable DVD media, and, even if you're using a compatible media type, there is no guarantee that any particular media will work in a device. In addition, the same "manufacturer" may sell different media, manufactured for them by different companies, with the same packaging and product names.

www.videohelp.com keeps several databases where you can look up stuff like this. They keep a database of standalone DVD players, DVD media, DVD burners, and DVD "recorders" which are standalone capture/burn devices. But they don't keep a database of DVD-ROM drives.

Since your drive is "DVD-ROM" capable, why not place a commercial DVD into the drive, and see what happens? Since commercial DVDs are manufactured, and not burned, they aren't DVD+R or DVD-R media. If a commercial DVD works, then you know that media is a problem.

Incidentally, Samsung has produced a firmware upgrade, and it is available from Dell's support website. It mentions, among other things, that it "fixes DVD-R problems" -- which leads me to think that the device is capable of reading some forms of burnable DVD media.

[shoobee]

Thank you for all that help..I was unable to find the Samsung download at the Dell site. Manufactured DVD do play in the computer

[ammck55]

Did you make a typo on your combo's model number? Could it possibly be an "SM-308B"? If so, pay close attention to the first of these links.

http://www.samsungodd.com/eng/Information/Manual/Manual.asp?cdSubType=COMBO&languageCode=EN
http://erms.samsungusa.com/customer/sea/jsp/faqs/faqs_view.jsp?PG_ID=1&AT_ID=17757&PROD_SUB_ID=27&PROD_ID=-1
http://erms.samsungusa.com/customer/sea/jsp/faqs/faqs_ars_input.jsp

If not, poke around the Samsung site more carefully; the links above will pipe you into user's manuals and a FAQ sheet. As jggimi has already stated, this has the earmarks of a media compatibility problem, but as long as you keep supplying concise, detailed input, we'll hang in there with you. Get your facts together, study them carefully, and come on back.

ammck55

[shoobee]

I checked..it is a SN-308B

[jggimi]

As I'd stated, if a manufactured DVD works, but a burned DVD does not, then you likely have a media problem. I use the term "likely" because there could be other problems. We don't know what tools or methods you used to burn your DVD+R that can't be played in the laptop. Does that DVD+R play in another PC, or in a standalone DVD player? If the answer is "yes" -- then I would say media compatibility is definitely the problem. But if the DVD+R won't play in anything, you may have just burned a coaster.

I found reference to a firmware update at Samsung's website when I found the user manual:http://samsung.com/search/search.asp?qt=308b&la=en&col=wu+ws+download&tabpage=1&radio=1&select=0&x=0&y=0#

I found reference to a Dell supplied firmware update from 2003, applicable to W95, when I first googled the drive:
http://www.cdrom-drivers.com/drivers/87/87236.htm

Looking at Dell's websites, I found: http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?s=dhs&cat=sup&c=us&l=en&cs=19&k=sn-308b&x=0&y=0