Problem with burning movies on CD!

[Sly6]

Hello.
I've burned a 735 MB SVCD movie together with some softwares (totally 750 MB) as ordinary data files on a 900 MB CD. Everything went well and even in the end I got the message "burned successfully"! The problem is that now when I want to read from the CD, it doesn't work. The computer gets very very slow to the extent that it takes minutes for me to even mark the file in "windows explorer" while the CD-burner itself seems to work.

I've also tried to copy the file over to the HDD but it doesn't work. It takes ages.

When I check my CD-burner in Nero (version 6), it says that "overburn" is supported. Also when I check a blank 900 MB CD in Nero, it shows that the CD has 800 MB of free space (don't know why). But it still shouldn't be any problem as I burned 750 MB of data.

I should also mention that all the files that I burned (including the movie) work fine in the HDD so there are no problems there.

I've tried to overburn 2 different SVCD files on 2 CD's but got the same result.

Any ideas? I'd be very thankful if you could help me. Regards.

[gooki]

Don't use 900mb cd's.

Proper SVC format will support 800mb (from memory) on a standard 700mb CDR.

[Sly6]

Thanks for your reply gooki! The files are bigger than 700 MB. I have tried to burn them on ordinary 700 MB CDs but in Nero, you see that the size exceeds the limit and I can't burn them. I get a message that the size of the file is too big and I have to use a bigger CD! :rolleyes:

[Kedirekin]

Did you burn mixed mode? Normally on an SVCD, the non-video portion of the disk is burned mode 2 form 1 and the video is burned mode 2 form 2. Mode 2 form 2 uses less error correction (which is safe enough for MPG) and thereby frees up space for larger file sizes. That's how an SVCD fits 697 MB on a 74 minute CD, or 734 MB on an 80 minute CD (which is more than their typical capacities).

Unfortunately some PCs (or is it some CD drives?) have problems reading mode 2 form 2. It's been a while since I tried to read an SVCD on a PC, but my older PC would take forever to even register the disk, and would have taken forever to read a file off the disk if I'd ever let it.

A nice work-around is to make an image of the disk, then use IsoBuster or CDMage to extract the files from the image. For reasons that I don't really understand, making an image of an SVCD doesn't suffer the slow-read issue. The few times that I did it, I just used Nero to make the image.

PS. you say you have trouble reading the 900 MB disk on your CD drive but not your burner. It may be that the 900 MB CDs are not compatible with your CD drive. I don't know how they manage to fit 900 MB on a 5¼ inch CD, but I suspect they must be using a non-standard (i.e. out of spec) track pitch. There are probably plenty of drives that have problems reading 900 MB CDs

[Sly6]

Kedirekin: Thanks very much for your reply! I must say that the CD-burner burns the files on the 900 MB CD correctly but it still can't read from the CD it has burned itself. The problem lies in reading (with CD-burner and CD-ROM both)!

Anyways, I'm pretty new in burning CDs and Nero so I don't really understand much about that mode 2 form 2 thing. However, I just checked the format in Nero (version 6) and it has 2 options. Mode 1 and Mode 2/XA. The format is on Mode 1. I think that's how I burned the CD (with mode 1)!

Can you please tell me what to do, step by step? You're saying I should use a 700 MB CD instead and burn the file as an image?? Will the file fit the CD then? Wont the movie lose quality?

Thanks in advance.

[avih]

700M cd can actually hold about 800M of data. it's just that in 'normal' modes (mode 2 form 1, or mode 1) 700M are used for data and the rest 100M are used for error corrections.

735M svcd video + 'some other apps' should fit on a normal 700M cd (80 mins) without overburning. the video part is written without error correction (that's how svcd works) and therefore takes exactly (more or less) 735M on the cd). make sure you've compiled an svcd, and didn't just put the files on the cd, which will put them all as mode 2 form 1 files, which is NOT an svcd.

if you've compiled your cd correctly, and want to play the file, you MUST have a dshow filter to parse the file (regardless of mpeg2 decoder). dvd playback software might install these filters. another option is to use the xcd filter (test6b) that can parse svcd files. to complete the playback 'package' you still need to install mpeg2 decoding filters. the 'free dvd' download from doom9's download page will do the trick. together with the xcd test6b filter you SHOULD be able to play any normal svcd.


if you're not sure whether you're compiling the cd properly or not, you can make a cd image instead of actually burning a cd, and then use daemon tools to mount the image. you can then test the playback, and if everything works ok, just burn the image to a real cd.

[gooki]

"You're saying I should use a 700 MB CD instead and burn the file as an image?? Will the file fit the CD then? Wont the movie lose quality?"

Yes - thats exactly it, you will not loose quality as no re-encoding is occuring. If you're still stuck try google.com and search for "nero svcd burning guide"

[Sly6]

well guys thanks a lot for all your replies but I tried making an image and also the "mode 2, form 2" thing and none of them worked.

In both cases I got a message from Nero that the file is too big and I need a bigger CD! :( Maybe it's because the damn red line (the limit line) in nero is exactly on 700 MB?

I don't know, I just don't understand why it doesn't work!!! :angry:

By the way, I have to say that I can't see the movies in my computer with any other software than PowerDVD! That's the only software I can see the movies with. They don't work with Windows Media Player or Winamp. Maybe the files were only made for DVD originally??

But heck, I still should be able to burn the damn file as data on the CD, shouldn't I??? :angry:

[Kedirekin]

I must admit, I don't know how to help. It would be so much easier if I could look over your shoulder at what you're doing.

It is a mystery why you have trouble reading back your 900 MB CDR. If you just burned it as data (probably mode 2 form 1, or maybe mode 1), and your burner actually burned it successfully, it should be able to read it back. The other drive - maybe not, but the burner should definately be able to read it. I can't even guess why it doesn't.

To be honest, I gave up trying to burn SVCDs with Nero after about 3 attempts. I know there are a lot of people who love Nero, but I don't like it for burning SVCDs. It tries to out-guess you, and the smarts just get in the way.

I got in the habit early on of making bin/cue images for SVCD, then using CDRdao and TSCV (just the burning tab) to burn them. It's a hassle to get CDRdao set up, and it's a hassle learning how to use TSCV to burn, but in my experience nothing does a better job of burning compliant SVCDs (actually CDRdao is responsible for the compliance; TSCV just puts a GUI on it to make it easier).

[avih]

you MUST select the svcd wizard with nero, or else you will NOT get an svcd. also, after you install the xcd test6b filter and the "free dvd" filters you SHOULD be able to play your svcd back. otherwise, as i said, some dvd players might play it, and others not.

[Sly6]

Kedirekin, yeah that's a big mystery. I don't get it either! If not with anything, it should at least work with the burner! :rolleyes:

BTW, how do you convert your files (SVCD files) to bin/cue images? I tried using Nero's image recorder and got a whole other format. n..something.

BTW, also please read what I wrote to avih down here:

Originally posted by avih
you MUST select the svcd wizard with nero, or else you will NOT get an svcd. also, after you install the xcd test6b filter and the "free dvd" filters you SHOULD be able to play your svcd back. otherwise, as i said, some dvd players might play it, and others not.

Avih: my files are already SVCD! at least I think they are. Well, in nero, in the name of the file it says SVCD but after the dot it says mpg? Like: if the name of the movie is flower, the file's name is: flower.SVCD.1.oF.4.mpg

Like I said, I can only see the movie with PowerDVD. It doesn't work with Windows media player or winamp at all.

[avih]

did u use the svcd wizard or did u not?

[Kedirekin]

Originally posted by Sly6
BTW, how do you convert your files (SVCD files) to bin/cue images? I tried using Nero's image recorder and got a whole other format. n..something.


No single answer to that.

Mostly I've used DVD2SVCD, which uses VCDImager to author the SVCDs - VCDImager outputs bin/cue disk images.

I've used TSCV to author some SVCDs, and it also uses VCDImager, so it outputs bin/cue.

I've also used IAuthor, which outputs EZCDCreator images, which I converted to bin/cue using CDMage.

Originally posted by Sly6
Avih: my files are already SVCD!


Exactly why I didn't like using Nero to burn SVCDs. It forces you to do it Nero's way, which takes away all control. IIRC, you don't actually put your SVCD files into the Nero SVCD wizard - you just point it at the MPG file(s). If Nero thinks the files are SVCD compliant, it should just go, but I have to say - the best of luck.

[avih]

well, this guy has NEVER succedded in compiling an svcd. i say, start with the wizard, make sure everything is playable, and only THEN start playing around with more advanced compiling.

i seriously find it hard to believe that nero will err of normal files and count them as video files, and vice versa (treat video files as normal files).

again, i urge u, 1st use the wizard to compile a simple svcd. u don't have to burn it, just make an image and use daemon tools to test it. if all is well, go on with more advanced methods.

[Kedirekin]

Starting simple is good advice. Perhaps you could give Sly6 a few pointers on how to use the Wizard or point him to the correct documentation. It's been a couple/three years since I even attempted to use the wizard, and I have only vague recollections.

I can only see the movie with PowerDVD. It doesn't work with Windows media player or winamp at all.

This is actually pretty typical. In my experience, Media Player will not play simple MPGs, though I think it can play DVDs, and I'm not surprised WinAmp doesn't know how to either. Playing SVCDs is even more problematic. Personally I use WinDVD.

[Sly6]

Avih and Kedirekin thank you both for your replies. I really appreciate it.

Dear avih, by the SVCD wizard, if you mean the SVCD option in Nero which will convert your file to an SVCD format and at the same time it will fit it for a 700 MB CD, I've already tried it several times! Although I needed to install "Nero mpeg2 encoder" first, for the option to work.

However, the quality of the movie got very bad! For example the sound started to go slower so after a while it didn't match the picture at all. In some cases, the picture was even jumping all the time.

But then again...I'm not sure if that's what you meant?

[avih]

Sly6, you're close. i also didn't compile an svcd for quite some time now.

if your file is already a proper moeg2 file, then nero should not re-encode your file. when i made svcd i used tmpegenc to make the actual mpeg2 file, and then i (somehow) started the nero wizard, and it told me to drag video (mpeg2) files onto the app. i definately didn't have the encoder and the file was not re-encoded. it scanned the file, corrected some bits (trying to make it more standard compliant), and that's it. then the 'burn' button, and you should be ok.

regardless, when it re-encoded your video file, did it play correctly with the dshow filters that i suggested? or is it still only playable with your dvd player?

if it's the former, then you're on the right track. all you need now is find the way to prevent it from re-encoding your file.

good luck
avih

[Sly6]

avih, well actually I downloaded and installed "tmpegenc" as you said now and tried to compile the file to mpeg2 that way instead. The problem is that everytime I even try to browse and choose the file in tmpegenc, I get a message from windows that "TMPGEnc.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close".

I know there's nothing wrong with the file because it works perfectly fine when played from the harddisk.

Anyways, about the file I burned in the way I described..... I still can't see the movie in any other media player (windows media player, winamp) other than "PowerDVD"! Although I didn't use dshow filter back then. Do you have a direct link to where I can get it? and what do you do after you download it? You just install it or is there anything else that you must do?

Regards.