Compatibility issues. :(

I seem to be in the middle of another mild crisis. Master Crono has been exceptionally helpful but alas I require further input from the site as a whole. (I cannot continue to return brands through trial and error methods)

My DVD burner, which happens to be a Memorex DVD double layer 16x job, has reacted poorly to two brands of blanks recently.

The blanks in question are both DVD-R and Phillips and Imation respectively.

Both were and are very good blanks so I assume its some clashing with my hardware, which up till now has preformed admirably.

My question: What is the most compatible DVD burner available? I would like to purchase another burner to work in conjunction with my current one. In this way I hope to eliminate any more compatibility issues.

For the record, my burner will handle both DVD+R and DVD-R blanks. Apparently its a formatting issue. The burner claims "Illegal Disk" and... I bought the blanks so I know that it must be a generic warning message of some type.

My successful disk backing up blanks include "Maxell and Memorex" blanks.

---

The best things in life, aren't things.

I burned quite a lot of different types of DVDs on my old, standard Philips DVD burner and it always worked well.

I hate to recommend Philips, though. Both my CD-burner and a Philips TV set got broke a few days after the warranty ran out. I'd pick another brand if anyone gets recommended in the coming posts.

I have been attempting to do a bit of research but every damned page I look at is full of screens.

56k and screens = bad.

So far, it looks like Toshiba has a pretty reliable hardware but... I cannot really tell.

(insert frustration smiley here)

[edit]

This is my hardware if anyone can find a compatibility listing.

---

The best things in life, aren't things.

Every burner has the same set of instructions with varying differences which should not really effect burning. (but it does from time to time. And if you keep trying to do the exact same thing it will continue to fail)

There are always hardware issues. Perhaps, which is a more likely reason, the device controller on the DVD burner doesn't deal with the faked format that is on the DVD Rs you're buying. A lot of them don't follow burning techniques to a T, so that could be a reason. It could be the burning program (again) so on and so forth.

The point is, it could be anything. There is no "best burning", there's just too many differences for what you could possibly use.

I'll tell you right now though, I'm fairly certain a Memorex drive will be able to read/burn memorex DVDs with no problem. I would imagine those would have been the test drives too.

Perhaps it's the burner, perhaps not.

As far as it goes, about all people can do at this point is tell you what has worked with them.

I have a Pioneer DVD burner, it costs about $36 now (I bought it for $88 :sad: ) I use GQ discs. DVD5, -R. (They have a faked format, so they have problems in rare cases, otherwise they're great). The only program that can fail from time to time is Nero, and that seems to have changed since GQ changed their format problems. When I used the +R there were no problems ever ... for computer media. DVDs were unusable in normal DVD players (those were burnt with DVD Santa) ... Alcohol never failed me, but you can burn a compilation in that or use multisession. So, I was happy to be able to use Nero again.

It's a decent burner and the problems I'm talking about are steady. I have a friend with the same burner who uses the same DVDs: same problems. I can't say how some more common brands will work, but I imagine they have a more ... proper format than GQ. So, I imagine they'd work fine. I just don't buy them because they're ungodly expensive. I don't mind 1 in 200 failing if that 1 disk cost me like ten cents.

About all the info I can give. There aren't any software compatability problems. I know that for sure (for you). Stay away from Sony ... because just like everything else, they make bad drives too.

Also, you could do research for youself by turning images off, which would replace them with their alternate text.

---

Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

whispers

I tested.. at least 5 burning programs.. Each had some sort of a warning message associated with its failed attempt. It didn't even try to burn. I am nearly certain that its a hardware clash issue. My certainty factor is about 99% because, when I insert a compatible disk (after the failed attempt with the wrong disk) the movie burns fine. No re-encoding, nada. I just get the warning from one disk and it accepts the next disk of a brand I know for certainty works.

My problem is, I want to keep the disks that do not work because I know that they are fine disks. I just need a burner that will utilize them.

I couldn't pass up 100 disks for 24 bucks... Usually, disks run around 40 for 100.

[EDIT] so, so far its Sony=bad, Pioneer=satisfactory and Philips=OK.

Also, I prefer Memorex disks because I get nearly 100% success rate with them. Problem is, they stopped carrying Memorex 100 packs around here.

---

The best things in life, aren't things.

You get 100% success rate because you have a Memorex burner. It's as simple as that. In my old burner Memorex discs failed all the time (It was some funky company, I can't remember, but the burner was pretty solid, it also happened in a different burner too. I had to throw away spindels of disks because of it). I stopped buying them because of that.

I'm telling you, the most likely problem is the disks themselves.

But if you're 99% sure you know the answer why are you asking? No one knows the answer to your question. And it isn't dependant on BRAND but rather model. Most different model burners react completely differently to different disks because of the device controller's software (a.k.a. firmware) which is inside the burner it self.

You could always see if there's a firmware update because of some format issue.

By the way, what's the warning message? You can always look that up for the program and find out what causes it in the most common cases.

---

Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

OK, so no one can say they have a successful burner using the two brands I mention FAILED for me.. I have to accept your answer, because I have no choice.

Perhaps someone can find a listing for "more probable success rates for disks"

shrugs



this is one of the messages. Nero says "Illegal Disk"

As I said, the memorex disks are no longer sold in 100 count bundles here. I need an alternative brandname is all. :sad:

---

The best things in life, aren't things.

Well. Have you tried updating the firmware? (click on "support", and they're under the downloads area)

Try that before you go further, there seem to have been a few updates.

The only thing I can think of, that would pertain to the burner, would be if DMA is turned off or something.

---

Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Crono</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Well. Have you tried updating the firmware? (click on "support", and they're under the downloads area)

Try that before you go further, there seem to have been a few updates.

The only thing I can think of, that would pertain to the burner, would be if DMA is turned off or something.</DIV></DIV>

Why does that look familiar? I recall something about a year ago....

drifts off mumbling to self

[EDIT] I cannot seem to identify the exact part number and most of the firmwares are specifically designed. I will look at the burner closer and try again.

[EDIT2] Found it.

/me is hopeful.

[EDIT3] Not firmware related. Tis up-to-date now and error precists. Also, DMA is on.

---

The best things in life, aren't things.

There are a couple types of dvd's.

There's +
There's the "normal"
And there's -

If you have the kind of disks that your drive doesn't support, nothing you do will fix that.

---

Dark_Kilauea
DVS Administration
http://www.dvstudio-production.com/

TBH, Orph, I've never really gotten ANY DVD's of any kind to burn properly. Every time I try, it gives a new error. I've given up on trying.

---

I tried sniffing coke, but the ice cubes kept getting stuck in my nose.
http://www.dimebowl.com

NEC are supposed to be quite good drives.

Nickel, if you'd kiss my butt a bit, I'd show you the trade secrets of the profession. :biggrin:

OK, can anyone point me to a site where I can ascertain for myself which burners do what?

After searching to no avail yesterday (yeah due to the images) I would really appreciate the advice.

Whats sad is, my success rate is still around 95-99%, I just cannot use the disc's I currently bought. I fear that Van Buren will only have these brands.

If I were smart, I'd buy my disc's someplace else and save myself the woes.

---

The best things in life, aren't things.

Orpee, here's a cheap selection. It's where I get all my puter parts.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ThirdCategoryList.jsp?SecondCategoryCode=0125

---

I tried sniffing coke, but the ice cubes kept getting stuck in my nose.
http://www.dimebowl.com

I am poor but in this case its not a question of price. I need compatibility with "Imation" and "Phillips" Disc's.

I dunno how to even go about finding this info out.

I figure that with my Memorex burner and one other that I will cover a large portion of disc brands.

Imation is a very common disc. Has no one used them here?

I looked at your link. Wal-Mart has cheaper DVD Maxell 50 count spools.

---

The best things in life, aren't things.

Jesus, Nickel. Those are some outragous prices. I never spend more than $10 for a 50 pack of DVD-R. I'll even buy packs of 25 if they're cheaper (which they are here.)

As far as I can tell, no one except people who buy computer parts at walmart even have a Memorex made burner.

Keep trying to burn the discs, I guess.

---

Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

That's about the average price of things in my area

i thought that WAS cheap!

---

I tried sniffing coke, but the ice cubes kept getting stuck in my nose.
http://www.dimebowl.com

grumbles

Crono, you know I built my PC. The parts came from northern Indiana. :razz:

---

The best things in life, aren't things.