Im no stranger to AnyDVD and CloneDVD and have used them succesfully many times.
However, when i have transcoded a DVD and written it to a new disc, I like to know the new DVD is a perfect transcode and has no errors etc.
Maybe the orignial DVD had a scrach or smudge, maybe the blank media had an error.
Rather than watch the whole DVD (my copy) in full, i tend to put it in the DVD player and Fast Forward throughout the movie to make sure if doesnt freeze at anypoint etc. Then i am fairly satisfied everything has worked out.
Is there any need at all for me to do this? Am i being paranoid?
Is there an easyier way?
Is there some alternative DVD copy method/software that will somehow verify the data for me?
If you create an ISO file you can burn with DVD Decrypter, it includes an option to verify the backup after the burn. I believe that you can also use Imgburn ( updated burn tool by creator of DVD Decrypter).
If you have Nero you could use Nero CD-DVD Speed to check your disc for errors after burning. Under Extra you could run Scandisc to check for read errors and run the Disc Quality Test to check for PI errors.
If you don't have Nero CD-DVD Speed then you could download DVDINFOPro or K-probe.
To be honest I don't generally test my discs after burning. Once you find good discs for your burner and use safe burning techniques (use quality media, burn at slow speeds and don't multi-task while burning) you should be fine. The only time I usually test my burns is if I've installed a new burner.
Fastforwarding/skipping chapters is ok to check to see if your backups are ok. I like to keep an eye out at the end of my backups as well.
Make sure it is a reliable stand alone player. No high dollar player,just an avg el cheapo drive that you can rely on it's playback of your backups. As time goes by,the readability also diminishes.
The best verifying-without scanning, is by using the DVD-RW drive that produced that backup. Similar fast forward/skip chapters/backwards etc.This is the first device that needs verfied when you encounter playback issues.
I don't know if anyone will ever get an error free backup,but I try to keep those errors down to a minimum. I use dvdinfopro and the PI/PO test scan. I burn my media/per drive/to the scans that dvdinfopro shows me. Each burner is different,and most media have different MID codes. Burn according to how those scans show you on each different MID coded media.I was surprised when I found out my MCC-004 media,burned on my benq 1640 scanned way better at 12x than it did at 4x! So I burn 8x on just about everything.
Some drives are capable of scanning with different programs or utilities:
Lite-on drives can use Kprobe
Plextor drives use Plextools
Benq drives may use Qscan,but doesn't work for me.
Some drives can use Nero speedtest-but not all drives can use it.Same with dvdinfopro.
As long as you have a quality drive and quality media,you should be ok because you will have fewer errors. If you got an HP/Philips/I/O Magic 16x/khypermedia/of some other off brand name drives,then you may do a little sweating because those errors will increase! LOL
Here's a great test you can do,and you don't have to waste any discs:
Re-rip a few of your backups onto your hard drive using your normal process of CloneDVD. See if you can successfully get them onto your harddrive.Abort the burn if you wish.
Too many errors/or errors in the wrong places and you may get a crc error.
A more strenuous test,if you have dual drives:
Re-rip a few of those backup discs on the fly! Using nero/sonic/or roxio's copy disc feature. If you can do that on the fly,your backups are pretty safe!
On the fly or re-ripping my backups onto my hard drive is no problem using my benqs backups. Re-ripping on the fly with my HP 640c backups,no way. I can't even re-rip those backups onto my hard drive. The quality of drives shows up real good for that test!
damn i feel bad that i didn't come back to this thread, especially when saugmon put so much into the reply.
i have not been making any dvd backups since this thread, i am intending to soon when my new blank media arive.
I will look over all the info posted when i get round to it.
