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Which dvd writer to get
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AIDEN
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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7. March 2003 @ 08:44 |
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ok guys,
its time i bought a new dvd writer, thinking of getin one tomoz
which one do you recommend i get, givin me details of why i should get it
adi
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mhatip
Junior Member
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8. March 2003 @ 16:27 |
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Pioneer A05, thats what i use, and so far so good. Also A05/105 and Sony 500xxx are the most common DVD burners. Sony 500xxx can do both +R/-R +RW/-RW, where as A05 can do only -R. But seems like -R have little more popularity, do to compatibility with stand alones, and media is abit cheaper.
So it depends also how much u want to spend. A05 was cheaper for me, and i bough it.
My two cents.
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l0ckmdwn
Newbie
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9. March 2003 @ 14:26 |
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get an HP. they will back-up your movies and games with no problems. dvd-r drives r cheapers than +r drives for a reason.
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Nuke
Junior Member
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10. March 2003 @ 03:30 |
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I have sony drx500ul usb2/firewire. supports all formats so you can use whatever you can find cheaper. from what I've read from other posts on this site, some people like it some hate it. For me, I have had no problems whatsoever. I have backed up lots of dvd's and have also burned home movies from sony camcorder and have yet to make a coaster. I've used fuji, verbatim, imation and sony media in dvd+r, dvd-r and dvd+rw formats so far without a hitch (there is cheaper media but my local microcenter always has sales so I get quality disks with jewel cases for little $). Also, burn times for me with dvd backups or home video have never been more 20-25minutes and my drive came with 4x burning of dvd-r right out of the box, 2.4 for dvd+r but there is a firmware update available at sony's website. And lastly, I got the external because my computer has a 16x dvd-rom(faster rip speed than sony) and cd-rw installed so I can read/copy on the fly.
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AIDEN
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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10. March 2003 @ 11:04 |
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I bought the sony dru500a. burnt 2 dvd- no problems,
doesnt seem to like the cheap and cheerfull disks though,
yet to try the dvd+ format
thanks guys for ya help
adi
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firewire
Junior Member
1 product review
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10. March 2003 @ 22:46 |
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I've bought a pioneer AO4. I use it with DVD xcopy. Not had any problems at all. Although the write speeds a lower than the AO5 and Latest Sony drive the AO4 is cheap and reliable.
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pmaizitis
Newbie
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21. April 2003 @ 04:42 |
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Hi!
This is all new territory. I bought the Sony DRX500ULX from CompUSA (support there was poor by the way ... they want to charge to verify problems so I passed on their service). I tried some Hypermedia DVD-Rs using CopyDVDPro package and Nero with DVD plugin. First six burned fine then the writer would only burn the DVD-Rs only halfway and get a write error. Did the firmware upgrade. I tried Veritas Record Now DX which came with the burner and still had write errors. Returned the discs to Officemax with much hastle (they are now on our disapproved list corporate wide). Researched Sony site and found only a few DVD+Rs they certified. Tried Best Buy for the Veratim 2.4X and great success! No more expensive coasters. Will try the Fuji 2.4 DVD+Rs next based on feedback on Afterdawn. Wish Sony would update their site as I know there are more compatible DVD+Rs out there.
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ken0042
Senior Member
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22. April 2003 @ 13:58 |
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Two of my friends bought burners, one Sony and one HP. I have a real old and crappy DVD player (won't say the brand, but it rhymes with R,C,eh.) Movies that they burned on their DVD burners won't play on my DVD player. I bought the LG burner and everything I've burned so far playes on my home DVD player.
Just my 2 cents.
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pmaizitis
Newbie
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23. April 2003 @ 03:45 |
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Confirmed ... the Sony DRX500ULX burns Fuji 2.4 DVD+Rs with no problems and is compatible on several standalone players including the Panasonic LV-70 portable player. Used Record Now DX included with burner and made a data disc and just added the whole Video_TS folder for burning.
(Made two early coasters because I was not able to convert the files from PAL to NTSC for the LV-70. CopyDVDPro offers no support with that regard ... otherwise is a good program.)
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Senior Member
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23. April 2003 @ 15:58 |
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Most of you are advanced users, so I need your advice. I have never burned a dvd but want to start. I have a Sony VAIO laptop, 1.6 Pent 4, XP home with DVD-r/CD-RW. I've thought about buying a Sony DRX-ULX external drive for my Sony Laptop. I have downloaded DVD decrypter (latest version) and thought about buying Pinnacle Instant Copy to shrink DVDs. Would appreciate your advice if this is a good writer and okay software for a beginner..
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Moderator
3 product reviews
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23. April 2003 @ 23:19 |
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DVD2One or DVD Shrink [which is free] are ease-of-use compression tools.
I prefer Nero to burn [other burning progs...RecordNow,InstantCopy etc]
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pmaizitis
Newbie
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24. April 2003 @ 05:12 |
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Hi LABOY:
I would get the Sony DRX500ULX, sounds like you have the same computer like me (PCG-GRX550) so the external firewire will be an issue as you will be going from 6 pin to 4 pin. Odd Lots has some of those type cables for about $7.99. Otherwise I bit the bullet and got the Belkin Firewire Notebook Adapter (P44774) from Best Buy for $49.99. The Sony appeared to have some problems with the USB 2.0 Belkin adpater ... I suspect that either the internal bus speeds could only accomodate the firewire which is slower or the card still needed a powered USB for the device. Anyway the firewire works great and I am also daisy chaining a Western Digital 80 Gig HD thru the back of the Sony DRX500ULX. Thus the HD gets power and gives me more room for big files.
I would suggest Copy DVD Pro for $37 as it comes with a great tutorial and if you talk with Greg (tell him I sent you) he may send you most of the files on disc although there will be a few that you will still need to download yourself for legal reasons. I have had great success with their package and keep the tutorial open on the right side of the screen as I do my processing. The nice thing is that the package removes all macro, RCE and you can also do region-free. They don't have anything written yet for PAL to NTSC but this probably something that can be worked out in TMPGENC which is the route I suggest you take for any encoding.
You may have to purchase NERO and TMPGENC but check first to see if the free copies that Copy DVD Pro includes work with their package. Also for burning simple VIDEO_TS files you could even use the Sony included Veritas Record Now DX and make a data disc ... have not tried an image file yet (for direct copies).
Stay away from Hypermedia DVD-Rs as they are junk! Stay with the Sony certified DVD+/-Rs RWs and you will have no problems. The Verbatim DVD+Rs available at Best BUt are certified to 2.4X by Sony and work great. I tried the Fuji DVD+Rs 2.4X and they burn but some playability issues especially when "hot off the press" for the Panasonic LV-70!
Enjoy!
PS: There may be some issues with the Panasonic burner so look at the Sony site first before buying!
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Senior Member
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24. April 2003 @ 06:02 |
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For PMAIZITIS:
Thanks for the helpful info; and, yes I do have a Sony GRX550. Always good to hear from people who share same hardware..Have you experienced any problems, like quality degradation, by going from 4 pin to six pin???
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pmaizitis
Newbie
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24. April 2003 @ 06:38 |
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Hi:
No ... only it seemed as though the 4 to 6 pin appeared to effect the plug and play properties as I had to start the unit and reboot the laptop to get it to recognize. Oh, correction too sorry ... the Sony goes thru the back of the Western Digital and that goes 6 pin to 6 pin to the Belkin firewire card. Fire wire is a little slower than the USB 2.0 and that may be one reason why my Sony likes the firewire better.
Once I went with 6 pin to 6 pin I could turn the Sony 500 on and off and it would be recogized.
Hope it helps.
Pete
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Senior Member
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25. April 2003 @ 03:24 |
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When it comes to dvd writers and burning, is it necessary to have Windows service pack 1 to XP Home edition. I'm not sure if my laptop has the service pack, how do i check?
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Moderator
3 product reviews
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25. April 2003 @ 03:36 |
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You do not need SP1 for WinXP Pro so I do not really see why it would be needed for XP Home.
SP1 Pack for O/S has nothing to do with your burner , it is a security patch.
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pmaizitis
Newbie
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25. April 2003 @ 07:17 |
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The Sony site suggests getting the service pack 1 as part of the DRX500ULX software support for Windows XP. You can go to the Windows site (also look at your menu on the GRX550 start button and you should see the Windows Update button). I have been keeping up with the updates automatically. Otherwise Windows offers the service pack on CDR. Also you may be able to get a disc from your service center at where you bought the laptop ... I believe that Best Buy has such discs but charges for the installation. Otherwise it is a lengthy download over slow modem speeds.
You can try burning without the service pack 1 update but I would st least do the firmware upgrade to 2.0e. You will need to disable the DLA (if you disable DMA as per their instructions the upgrade will not occurr). Now on the positive side ... one sales guy over Best Buy said he was able to burn DVD+Rs without the firmware upgrade but later did the upgrade to be on the safe side.
Hope this helps.
Pete
(Newbie on this site but over 1.5 years ripping experience and over 20 years corporate videologist including Martin Marietta Missile Systems).
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Senior Member
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25. April 2003 @ 09:43 |
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Pete,
Thanks again, I'll get the SP1 and firmware before I get Sony burner. I got the 4 to 6 pin firewire at Big Lots for 8 bucks, Office depot next door wanted 40 bucks...
(P.S.) I am not a newbie either. My 26 years in Air Force taught me to "crash and burn" now in the computer arena, I won't to avoid learning how to "burn and crash"....
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Moderator
3 product reviews
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25. April 2003 @ 14:33 |
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Only 3 years on PC but 12 months burning DVD successfully ('crash & burn' period incl. which must have been just under 10 DVD-R's)
I later found out that it was Bulkpaq cheapy media that was the problem.
Although it was a nightmare to compress DVD-9 up until a little while ago.
Anyway I digress...the reason I stated that SP1 was not needed to burn under WinXP is because I've not had a problem with this.
But obviously you are better off with it.
It actually is not necessary to have that update to burn successfully but... I use a Pioneer 104 , maybe a Sony500 would play up ??
Peace-
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pmaizitis
Newbie
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25. April 2003 @ 23:42 |
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Hi Guys:
One thing I would suggest is to set a system restore point before installing SP1. I am not sure if it was because of some of the automatic Windows updates or a "free" DVD software player I downloaded that caused my Windows Media player and WinDVD that came with the Sony GRX550 to cease playing DVDs but it required me to buy the WinDVD Xpack MiniDVD player to restore some of these capabilities. Copy DVD Pro comes with a copy of WinDVD 4.0 which is used to test your video files in VIDEO_TS before burning. The only drawback with the WinDVD copy provided and the Xpack version is that you can't use the timeline slider without upgrading. I had only one case so far where WinDVD played the video fine but would not burn. Apparently I had not allowed all the files to record over and one hidden file caused all the issues. I used Record Now DX to make a data disc and made 2 coasters. Had I used Nero it would have shown a data read issue. As it turns out I had to re-author the DVD and it burned fine then.
I will be curious if you run into the same plug and play issues I had when I first tried the 4 to 6 pin.
Glad to see we have some DVD experts out there to help me with glitches I mught run into.
PS: Always admired the work that the Air Force has done in defense of this country and enjoyed working on many major components and test equipment for the LANTIRN program.
Laid off for almost an year now and can't seem to be able to get back into Aerospace quality engineering work.
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Senior Member
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26. April 2003 @ 02:16 |
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Hi Guys,
That is exactly why I laid off the SP1 update. The Sony site has many patches to fix what SP1 undoes. (If it ain't broke, don't fix it.).
Pete, since we have same hardware summarize for me from cradle to grave your process for burning a commercial dvd i.e. what programs do you use to decrypt, encode, compress, burn etc.
If it works for you, being that we have same computer and external writer, then it should work for me, barring operator error.
(PS--fyi--worked 3 years with ASD at Wright-Patt in financial management arena with many defense contractors on many projects, including LANTIRN--fine people!)
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pmaizitis
Newbie
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26. April 2003 @ 08:32 |
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Hi Laboy:
I use Copy DVD Pro (http://www.copydvdpro.com/) for $37 a great investment as they are very patient with questions and responses. Gegory should be able to send you out a disc to save on downloading ... the wait is worth it ... the whole process is very involved and their tutorial desrves an award. I am supporting them with the #37 donation.
The package should bring you through DVD decrypter, DVD2AVI, IfoEdit, DVDx and TMPGENC and Nero (they use IMG tool or DVD Decrypter which may or may not support the DRX500ULX ... Nero and Record Now DX support the Sony). I use TMPGENC over DVDx for encoding due to stability. I also support TMPGENC but there is a free copy with Copy DVD Pro ... also probably some free copies out there at lower encoding speeds. I also support Nero but you may be able to get by with DVD Decrypter.
You will have three options depending on DVD size:
1. direct copy,
2. compress/remove extras
3. split DVD
I am doing DVD resoration and also research into encoding and authoring to start work on upgrading a documentary of Riga 800 I did back in 2001 on VCD ... unfortuantely I was a newbie at that time and thus I used the TMPGENC sound processing/conversion for VCD which since then they told me of a better plugin.
I would really invest in the package ... sure some of the programs are free or some cost extra but I have support and a fantastic tutorial ... its much more complex than VCDs and SVCDs.
Have a fantastic weekend.
(Wow Wright Patt ... one of the greatest Air Force museums I have seen in a long time! I am up in NorthEast Oh)
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Senior Member
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26. April 2003 @ 12:29 |
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Many, many thanks to pmaizitis and herbsman. You have given me much information, and I've downloaded all the guides and searched the forum here extensively. Will be out of pocket for quite a while but will eventually let you know how things go....Bye for now...
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pmaizitis
Newbie
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5. May 2003 @ 07:31 |
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Hi Laboy:
Related to our discussion on the Sony DRX500ULX:
Thought you might be interested in this freeware. Really a well put together DVD decrypter and encoder and automatically shows and calculates many functions of the DVD decryption process and is all included in one free and compact software package. http://www.dvdshrink.org/what.html Add DVDDecrypter and you can decrypt and burn DVDs in a very short time for free.
Cheers!!!!
Pete
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pmaizitis
Newbie
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7. May 2003 @ 13:15 |
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Incidentally here is a follow-up to the discussion on recent problems with Copy DVD Pro .... also apparently they are refusing a refund:
"The fact that another shareware tool comes along which is easier or faster to use cannot be a reason for us to refund your money. We still believe you have the best tools to copy a DVD, excluding of course maybe DVDXCopy which does do a fine job of splitting, but falls short in other areas that are principally where we focus our marketing efforts. We also cannot guarantee that every DVD you copy will be a success, as there are too many variables including Hollywood's efforts to insert gaps on the DVD which are not easily detected by today's current crop of decrypters, and will cause audio sync problems if they are not corrected. We are not alone in this respect, DVDXCopy has a forum full of examples of DVDs they can't copy correctly. This is not an exact science and can't be regarded as such. We also mention in our disclaimer that we can't be responsible for the effectiveness of the tools we utilize.
I can provide you numerous examples of cases in which DVD Shrink will not work correctly and it's too early to tell if the author will address these issues. I've personally backed up up over 400 DVDs using the methods outlined in our tutorials and I can assure you that as you mentioned already, much of this information is similar to that already available if you are willing to search for it and parse through the good advice versus the flawed and untested. These are well know tools and those who are familiar with them know they work, most of the time.
We don't hide the fact that our packages include freeware, in fact we say so in several places, most notably on our product comparison page: http://www.copydvdpro.com/compare.htm (refer to the second row of the table,
as well as the link that follows1) I think we are alone in this regard, as all the other competitors hide this
fact from you. We don't charge any money for the freeware, however the package price is reflected in the convenience of getting all the freeware from our server instead of having to scour the internet looking for the
appropriate versions. We also mention that you need to go elsewhere for the decrypters. In addition, you get two well written and rock solid tutorials, that have been tested extensively. As well, in the case of the Copy DVD
Pro - DVD tutorial, you get video demos for each step of the copying process. Lastly, we provide support after the sale.
I'm well aware of all the "Free" advice and "Guides" on the internet, they are very often confusing, inconsistent and simply don't work for every case. Sure, if you spend enough time weeding through them, you'll stumble on
something that works. We don't expect our customers to spend a couple of months getting acquainted with and joining all the forums to figure out how to copy a DVD. They want simple steps to follow and that's what we provide.
There is nothing unethical about us writing a guide that tells you how to use free software, it's not like we sell the software, we only distribute it in it's original form, we don't disseminate it in any way and this is consistent with the rights under the GNU. In the case of the decrypters, we don't even include them, we refer you to websites that host them.
We do offer refunds to customers that can demonstrate that because of a hardware issue they are not able to copy a DVD with the software we utilize. In your case this does not appear to be true. We also have no verifiable
way of removing the tutorials once they are registered on your computer. Unless you already knew everything contained within both tutorials, it's quite likely you'll find reasonable value in your purchase and the support
you'll get. Although this package may not have met your expectations for a one click program, we never advertised such program on our website."
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