Playback trouble with Imation 8x

[JoeyButtta]

I am using Windows 2000 O.S. with a HP 300i DVD burner. I have burned over 400 DVDs using DVD Shrink to rip from the original DVD, then used DVD Decrypter to burn to a blank Imation DVD.

I recently purchased 200 new Imation 8x DVDs and now I am having problems playing back the movies on my stand alone DVD players....both of which are a few years old. My Sony DVD player says "Cannot Read Disc". The Sony combo TV & DVD player says "Check Disc for stains or scratches". Neither player will play the DVD, although it still plays on the PC's DVD players.

Is there an issue with Imation 8x DVDs on a HP 300i DVD burner?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Joe C.

[setarip_old]

Hi!

1) Despite your past success with Imation media, you might want to try using higher quality media

2) Try burning at a lower speed

3) Try running a DVD/CD cleaning disc on your SONY players. Maxell makes one that sells for approximately $10US...

[JoeyButtta]

Thanks for the advice. I'll try your suggestions.

What media is considered the best? or what is the best for the money?

[CWR03]

It's really more important to use the media that works best with your burner. I buy some super cheap stuff at Fry's Electronics (about 20 cents a disk) and have had NO failed burned in the last 600 disks burned on a Pacific Digital drive.

You might find some useful information in these two sites:

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia
http://www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters

edit: I should add that I purchased and tried their DL media, which has failed every time.

[voo_doo99]

edit: I should add that I purchased and tried their DL media, which has failed every time.
Can I ask how it usually failed? at the LB? and if you tried it on a different burner?. Thanks.
Fry's cheap GC single-layer blanks worked well for me too, and I was planning to try the double-layer blanks.

[CWR03]

I can only assume they failed at the layer transition - so far I've only used DVD Decrypter, but each time it simply stopped burning at the approximate point where the layer break would be. DVD Decrypter failed to shut down, even with Task Manager, and I was forced to turn off my computer to stop it, so there's no log. I should add that I was testing on a processed .ISO, but I'll try again on one that can be successfully ripped and burned with DVD Decrypter with no intermediate processing.

Edit: My only other burner doesn't support DL.

[frank]

Imation 8x is a Single Layer DVD (4.7 GB) from Moser Baer India Limited.

It's a good media.
I think you need a new burner!

[voo_doo99]

I can only assume they failed at the layer transition - so far I've only used DVD Decrypter, but each time it simply stopped burning at the approximate point where the layer break would be. DVD Decrypter failed to shut down, even with Task Manager, and I was forced to turn off my computer to stop it, so there's no log.
So burning stopped midway. That seemed strange, was the blank recognized in DVD Decrypter as DVD+R DL media? have you tried burning with the latest ImgBurn?

[JoeyButtta]

Imation 8x is a Single Layer DVD (4.7 GB) from Moser Baer India Limited.

It's a good media.
I think you need a new burner!

I have since purchased Verbatim discs which seem to work fine (5 burns from a 50 disc spindle). The Imation 8x discs came on a 100 disc spindle. Could I just have a batch of bad Imation discs?

How do I test whether the burner or the blank discs are bad?

Thanks,
Joe C.

[setarip_old]

I have since purchased Verbatim discs which seem to work fine (5 burns from a 50 disc spindle)... Could I just have a batch of bad Imation discs?
How do I test whether the burner or the blank discs are bad?1) The fact that you've successfully burned 5 consecutive Verbatim discs would indicate that the burner is not "bad"

2) The fact that you initially stated that the burned Imationn discs play properly on your PC also indicates that your burner is not "bad'

Your standalone players may not "like" the new spindle of Imation media. Did you check out the links regarding compatability provided by "CWR03"?


As I previously mentioned, your standalone players might benefit from cleaning with a DVD/CD cleaning disc...

[voo_doo99]

I have since purchased Verbatim discs which seem to work fine (5 burns from a 50 disc spindle). The Imation 8x discs came on a 100 disc spindle. Could I just have a batch of bad Imation discs?
How do I test whether the burner or the blank discs are bad?

I think the keyword here is "compatibility". As CWR03 pointed out "It's really more important to use the media that works best with your burner". My Pioneer burner loves Memorex, but my SONY would have none of it. Imation is as good as other brand, DVD+R is a good format, just that your HP burner did not like it. Keep this in mind when you trying out new blank. Anyhow, with your current 200 Imation blanks, it may be worthwhile to get a up-to-date burner with multi-format, dual-layer capability for even more flexibility. I know my Imation DVD+R blanks worked well with my NEC 3550a burner. Hope this helps.