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After learning the basics of capturing, encoding and mastering (for use on my old videos), I turned to the task of backing up my DVDs, only to find burning to be the apparent Achilles' heel of the process. Every burning program I have tried has either crashed itself (DVD Decrypter); crashed the entire system (RecordNow--the first time it gave me the "blue screen of death;" the second time, it spontaneously rebooted the computer); or, at best, produced error-ridden discs (PrimoDVD and Gear PRO). Nero came up with the best results (I'm up to about 10 coasters so far), but even those discs have errors scattered throughout the VOB files--they are readable, and might be, say, 99.8% correct, but there is still momentary blockiness, freezing, etc., maybe once every one or two mintues throughout.
Are DVDs that are "not quite perfect" just something I have to accept, or is there something preventing a perfect burn? I do suspect that buffer underruns might be causing the problem, but I've done everything I know from CD burning to prevent them: defragging all partitions, shutting down all other programs--I even went into the Run section of the registry and temporarily edited out all the tasks that get called at boot time. In short, I've disabled everything that could interfere that I could think of and get my hands on. Also, I've tried both the "cheap" Meritline DVD-Rs, and the vastly more expensive name-brands, without any noticable difference.
I'm using an approx. 18-month-old machine with a Celeron 766, 128MB, Windows ME (yes, I know what has been said about ME, but it's what came with the computer, and I'm not shelling out to go to Win2K--at least, not today--unless someone can positively point to that as a solution), and a Pioneer A04 DVD-RW.
P.S.: Can someone confirm how to spot a buffer underrun, particularly using Nero? If, as with CDs, the burn has to be continuous, then it's definitely happening--in every instance with every program, the activity light has always gone off at some point(s). With PrimoDVD, it went on and off regularly. Anyway, in Nero, I'm not sure which buffer indicator is important. Several times the top Used Lead Buffer dropped to 0% and the burner's activity light went out; but the bottom Recorder Buffer never dropped below about 50%, and the state light stayed green throughout.
P.P.S: Sorry if I've bundled too much together here--I do tend to ramble...
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