What is the best way to back up a DVD???

[ssteeves]

Hi y'all. I have tried several ways to back up a DVD, but I have come across some problems that I have noticed. I have a Sony DW18A Burner. I know my system is not the best which is a 1008mhz Duron with 384 megs of ram, Windows XP SP2.

I do not like special features and previews so I have been using DVD shrink in Re-author mode. Does anyone have problems playing a re-authored DVD and is Nero Actually the way to go?

When I reauthor the dvd all I do is drag just the movie over and nothing else. If the percentage is lower than 80%, I usually will use Deep Analysis and Compress video with high quality adaptive error compensation.

Somtimes when I do it this way the backup will play fine in the computer but will not play fine in several DVD players for the TV. I have a Panasonic DVD player which is about 3-4 years old and I know I have another Hitachi DVD player which will play them as well but they are very picky.

What is the best speed to burn a DVD at? I hear 4x is the best speed to back them up at. I have also burnt them at 2x but some dvd players will not read the disc yet my dvd burner will play them fine. It is very frustrating especially when I was using Kodak media and the movie would skip alot. If anyone can help I would appreciate it. I'm making back up of my copies because the kids tend to scratch the original movies that I buy.

Any help would be great. I would like to know the best way to back up my originals. I use Maxells, Kodaks, Memorex as well TDK and Sony media. Also is Nero the way to go. I know i'm running 6.0xxx do not know the version number at this time and was thinking about upgrading to the latest version.

[The Geek]

I do not like special features and previews so I have been using DVD shrink in Re-author mode. Does anyone have problems playing a re-authored DVD and is Nero Actually the way to go?

I also use the re-author mode, and so far I've had no problems with DVD players.
But don't use Nero. Use DVD Decrypter. You can set it up that way in DVD Shrink.

Somtimes when I do it this way the backup will play fine in the computer but will not play fine in several DVD players for the TV. I have a Panasonic DVD player which is about 3-4 years old and I know I have another Hitachi DVD player which will play them as well but they are very picky.

If you're using DVD+R, use the DVD-ROM booktype if you can. If you can't, you just have to accept that some players won't play your DVD, or try with a DVD-R, or get a new burner.

What is the best speed to burn a DVD at? I hear 4x is the best speed to back them up at. I have also burnt them at 2x but some dvd players will not read the disc yet my dvd burner will play them fine.

There is no best speed to burn at. From what I've read so far, up to 4x will be fine. There are apparently still issues with 8x and faster burning.
I burn at 2.4x, and my Ricoh DVD+Rs with DVD-ROM booktype play everywhere :)

It is very frustrating especially when I was using Kodak media and the movie would skip alot.

Get DVD Identifier and check who made the discs. For best results you need quality media, and the burner needs to handle the media well. With Ricoh or MCC based DVDs you shouldn't have any problems.

Also is Nero the way to go.

Nope.

The Geek

[ssteeves]

Hey man, thanks for replying. So I should still use DVD shrink but set the option to burn using DVD Decryptor instead of Nero? Will it have that option to do that?

[The Geek]

Sure, stay with DVD Shrink. It's an excellent program. Yes, use DVD Decrypter for burning.
First off, use DVD Shrink the way you're used to. Then, when you click on "Backup" and the window pops up:

Under "Select backup target:", select "ISO Image File and burn with DVD Decrypter".

The Geek

[Guest]

Originally posted by ssteeves
What is the best way to back up a DVD??? Please observe forum rule 12: Do not ask what's best. Thank you.

[atreides93]

It sounds like either your media isn't very good, or your panasonic dvd player isn't too good. I have little faith in "name brand" media anymore, since they usually just rebadge some oem's disk anyway.
I've settled on using Taiyo Yuden's from places like rima.com. I have had no problems playing those back on my standalone players.

[ssteeves]

Well I was backing them up at 2x. I previously was doing them at 4x but then the media I was using was Kodak which was working fine until I started to reauthor the dvd's. I didn't want any of the special features or previews. I'm just curious if anyone else has the same problem when re-authoring the disc with just the movie.