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jayo  All-Star Member  2117 Posts 7/04 |  Posted - Nov 15 2009 : 10:30PMNero 6 just ruined two more blank DVDs and I'm pissed. I've been trying to convert old home movies onto DVDs that my folks can play on their TV (nobody wants to watch in on the computer). I got the movies digitized, but trying to make the DVDs has been a clusterfuck. I can set things up, chapters, titles, menus, the quality and so on, but when the final burn is done, it barfs at the end and I have another drink coaster to show for it. Any suggestions on a decent DVD authorizing software package? I don't need fancy, just enough to make a decent package and actually BURN the damn thing. [Link] |
| Leyden Senior Member The people have spoken. I'm a nitpicking dick. Woo! 8751 Posts 1/04 | Posted - Nov 15 2009 : 11:38PM [Link] |
| Harri Patel Senior Member #SDNY he's all yours. -- Michael Steele 5110 Posts 3/03 | Posted - Nov 15 2009 : 11:54PM [Link] |
| jayo All-Star Member 2117 Posts 7/04 | Posted - Nov 16 2009 : 12:24AM Harri: I've got ImgBurn and I've successfully burned other things with it; I tend to think the problem is Nero Express. I'll try the Image recorder. I hadn't thought of that. [Link] |
| BigBobxxx Senior Member 2681 Posts 5/04 | Posted - Nov 16 2009 : 1:11PM I've had nothing but great success with Nero 6. And, I do mean Nero 6. I "upgraded" to Nero 7, but, it sucks and doesn't work. So, I've stayed with 6. One problem with 6 I will warn you about is that, the extra templates package you can download and install fucks the whole thing up. Also, if you try to burn your DVD at a higher quality-level than the original source files, it will often create problems. BTW, Nero and Roxio programs do NOT like being on the same computer! If you have Roxio, and many PCs came with a lite-version as part of the OEM bundled software, uninstall it. Finally, although it takes more time, copying your files to your hard-drive, or other internal local drive (not external USB or Firewire drive) helps take a lot of stress off the processor, and always seems to help achieve better results (especially when your having problems). I'm using version 2.1.2.18 of NeroVision Express, and 2.1.1.18 of Nero Recode that came bundled as part of Nero 6 Ultra Edition (around 2004?). [Link] |
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| jayo All-Star Member 2117 Posts 7/04 | Posted - Nov 16 2009 : 9:03PM I got the Nero 6 package several years ago and blew out all the Roxio at that time, so no conflicts there (of which I'm aware). I generally don't have much trouble with Nero if I'm burning files using the Burning ROM, but trying to author a DVD has been very flakey. I'll go through periods where it works fine, and then it blows up, and I can't figure out what is other than the alignment of the stars. I'm using Nero Vision Express 3 v3.1.0.25. Last night I was looking for a later version but haven't been able to find anything. As I'd mentioned, I'd suspect the burner, except that ImgBurn doesn't seem to have any problems with it. [Link] |
| Robert Member My past is a foreign country. Most things are different there, including word usage. 503 Posts 12/06 | Posted - Nov 17 2009 : 11:27AM The very BEST DVD image creator I have ever used (and I've tried about 10, at least) is the first version of Intervideo WinDVD Creator II (Version 2.0B014.530C14). It's better (more user friendly and flexible) than even WinDVD Creator III. Copyrighted in 2002! I found Nero to be worthless. I have both Nero 7 and Nero 8. You can have either one. I'll mail it to you. I will admit I've found the Nero DVD Speed program handy on occasion to determine DVDR quality. Intervideo WinDVD II opens and processes ALL files including xxx.VOB. I use it to create a complete DVD image (VIDEO_TS) and write it to one of my hard drives. There I can test it with a DVD player program before doing the burn. Then I use ImgBurn to burn the image file to the blank DVDR. Intervideo WinVD creates BUP, IFO and VOB files, so you have to use ImgBurn in the Build Mode. The only time I've produced a coaster using this method is 1. Faulty DVDR or 2. burner failure (which occurred last month and I had to replace the burner). I have two systems (A & B) that are essentially identical. Had them custom built especially as burners. Both are barn burners. I can burn AND verify a 4.9 Gb DVDR in about 15 minutes. BTW, don't set your burner at the DVD (drive or blank) speed. I use 16X blanks and my burners can run at 24X. I burn at 8X maximum for best results. [Link] |
| LubeNLuv Senior Member 1854 Posts 3/06 | Posted - Nov 17 2009 : 11:49AM But since going to the Mac....it's really hard to beat the apps that you get bundled for free with the Mac OS. iMovie and iDVD are great little authoring tools for the average home user. Even my wife can make them now. [Link] |
| BigBobxxx Senior Member 2681 Posts 5/04 | Posted - Nov 17 2009 : 12:44PM [Link] |
| jayo All-Star Member 2117 Posts 7/04 | Posted - Nov 18 2009 : 8:49AM I still have Nero Express 2's original files, so I re-installed that one. At least as a short-term fix, that's something I can do right now. I'm trying to get this stuff done by Xmas and I'm running out of time. So far, using Nero Express (either one) to make the Image and using IMGBurn to do the writing seems to work great. Thanks again, everyone! [Link] |
| Bill All-Star Member 5334 Posts 6/00 | Posted - Nov 18 2009 : 8:06PM Taiyo Yuden is the manufacturer of discs for many of the major "brand" labels. The problem is that the major brands use other manufacturers as well. So you can't be guaranteed that you're getting Taiyo Yuden when you buy branded discs. By buying the "generic" Taiyo Yuden discs, not only do I know exactly what I'm getting. I also get the discs cheaper than if I bought the branded version of the same discs. [Link] |
| BigBobxxx Senior Member 2681 Posts 5/04 | Posted - Nov 19 2009 : 11:45AM The problems I had with Nero 7 were entirely issues with the program, not the disks. In fact, I don't think NeroVision Express 3.x, in Nero 7, ever got me as far as to even attempt the actual burning  [Link] |
| Bill All-Star Member 5334 Posts 6/00 | Posted - Nov 19 2009 : 8:25PM When using quality discs, I've never had any burning problems with Nero 6 or 7 on my old XP machine or my current Vista 64-bit machine. I tried going with cheap discs one time and ended up with a bunch of discs that wouldn't play properly on any of my stand alone players. I have had some problems with Nero Vision (their up to version 4 now) while inserting chapters on discs that I was converting from video tape. But I've never had a "coaster" problems with either version of Nero. [Link] |
| Robert Member My past is a foreign country. Most things are different there, including word usage. 503 Posts 12/06 | Posted - Nov 19 2009 : 9:32PM It's been my experience that for the last couple of years most manufacturers have solved their quality control problems and it's rare to get blank disc that has dye layer problems and produces a coaster. Double layer (DL) blanks are a completely different story. I've probably burned over 1,000 DVDRs (4.7 Gb) in the past 18 months and have had less than 50 coasters. Most were disk quality failures and the remainder happened when one of my burners decided to go south. I mostly use TDK (manufactured by Ritek). They are not considered high quality and they retail for about $0.37/each. I always wait until they go on sale and get them for about $0.20/each (at Office Depot). I tried to use Nero 7 (came free with the burner drive) and found it to be to complicated and difficult to use. I had been using Sonic. ImgBurn is a piece of cake and it warns you if you try to burn an image that is 'defective' or invalid. I have five DVD players, two that will play almost any format and I've never burned a DVDR with ImgBurn that would not load and play on any of my DVD players. That is more than I can say for some of the commercially produced DVDs I've rented from time to time.  My new burners came with Nero 8. Haven't even bothered to install it. One of the 'problems' with Nero, unrelated to it's burning function, is that it is always trying to call home to check for up-dates, new releases etc. [Link] |
| BigBobxxx Senior Member 2681 Posts 5/04 | Posted - Nov 19 2009 : 10:03PM Instead, launch the individual programs directly (without going through the Nero Smart Start interface). Start >> All Programs >> Nero >> use drop downs to find program I primarily use NeroVision Express, Nero Recode and Nero Express, and have pinned them to my Start Menu (so I don't have to go through the Nero Smart Start, or navigate to them as detailed above). Just navigate as I described, then right-click on the program you want and select "Pin to Start Menu." [Link] |
| Robert Member My past is a foreign country. Most things are different there, including word usage. 503 Posts 12/06 | Posted - Nov 20 2009 : 11:21AM I don't even use the Nero 7 I have on my A machine, except DVD Speed, which I use occasionally. I have a desk-top shortcut to initiate that program. Yet every once in a while, my firewall (PC Tools - free)alerts me to Nero trying to call home. I tell it to block it, although I have a dial-up connection and I'm usually not on-line anyway. It's not the only self-centered program I have on my machine. I had to rid myself of Acrobat (use Foxit), Microsoft Word Reader (use Open Office Writer) and Microsoft IE to name the most irritating ones. Firefox and of course AVG find the urge to call, so I tolerate that. But I'm postponing installing Firefox 9 for as long as I can. Version 8 finally settled down and became less frantic and troublesome. Bottom line - all this 'busy work' slows me down but I see no alternative and it seems to be getting worse. [Link] |
| BigBobxxx Senior Member 2681 Posts 5/04 | Posted - Nov 20 2009 : 12:01PM [Link] |
| Robert Member My past is a foreign country. Most things are different there, including word usage. 503 Posts 12/06 | Posted - Nov 20 2009 : 12:42PM Sure and I do. That doesn't keep them from asking and asking and asking. I think I'm (we're) getting off topic a bit. The OP wanted "...suggestions on a decent DVD authorizing software package?" That would be authoring. As I said I use Intervideo WindDVD2 Creator, it's old but it does everything I want to do and better than many of the new ones I've tested. A few years ago PolderbitS developed a DVD Creator and they sent me a beta test version that I evaluated for them. They didn't use a story board approach (like WinDVD Creator and Microsoft MovieMaker) and I decided to pass when they released Version 1. They are on Version 2 now and offer a 7 day full function free trial. I will say this for PolderbitS. Pretty sharp programmers and fantastic tech support. I've used their Sound Recorder for years. If there was no WinDVD2 Creator (MovieMaker is limited by files types and it's buggy) I would seriously consider PolderbitS. [Link] |
| BigBobxxx Senior Member 2681 Posts 5/04 | Posted - Nov 20 2009 : 1:41PM Part of the reason we got into Nero, me in particular, is because the OP specifically mentioned Nero 6, and I have it, and have used it to great success, for 5+ years. Among other things, I make personal comps and harvest movies (e.g. scene-by-scene) for my personal database that are indistinguishable from the original DVDs and VHS (which I own the originals for). In fact, after I do my own editing (including things like adjusting volume levels between scenes), the result is often better than the original movies themselves (and far more enjoyable to "use") I've had great success with Nero 6, and believe I can help anyone else achieve the same, provided I know all the pertinent facts (e.g. system, memory, HD capacity, burner specs, exact versions of Nero programs, did he download the extra templates, is it OEM or a full version, etc.). Why spend money and time buying and using multiple programs, if you already have something good? I'm not saying he isn't having problems. But, I am saying I know the program works. Well. BTW, since Nero is absolutely useless in getting customer support, and doesn't maintain downloads of older versions, I also saved my original install files (and would be willing to send them to someone if they have the ability to receive them somehow). After all, they gave free trials, and you can't use the software after that without the serial # (which the OP would already have) to unlock the full-version and continue using it. Besides this whole topic is instructive and informative to all of us. God only knows what will happen when I'm forced to "upgrade" to Windows 7 someday? I'm glad I successfully dodged Vista :) I'm still running XP SP2 (avoiding SP3 until absolutely forced) -- because everything works, as is. [Link] |
| Robert Member My past is a foreign country. Most things are different there, including word usage. 503 Posts 12/06 | Posted - Nov 20 2009 : 3:01PM Click to expand As I've mentioned in previous threads, I probably do more editing than watching.In general, I would agree. However years of experience tells me the devil is in the details. I have two identical systems, both hardware and O/S XP SP2. They were purposely built that way and I've been running nearly all the same applications on both for about 2 years. Gradually, over time, the systems have deviated in many aspects, a primary one being how some of the applications run. Another is how the O/S itself runs. At this point, neither machine even boots up identically. In general I blame this situation on what happens when you install and remove programs. But that doesn't explain all the glitches. Once you operate in a multi-program mode with the O/S controlling the stack priority and run application programs that were written at different points in time there is no way you can predict what will happen at any given point in time. Sometimes you can't even determine what happened (after the fact). I've dug myself out of some very sticky problems, including losing completely the O/S linkage, by appealing to MajorGeeks.com for help. I use CDFreaks.com for CD/DVD problems.And I'm not saying that your Nero 6 program doesn't. Too bad they replaced it with Nero 7 ( and 8). I doubt they would install correctly at this point. Too much else has changed since those install programs were written.My sentiments, exactly! I just didn't want to be accused of taking the thread off-topic.I have application programs that won't even load that ran fine on my old DOS operating system and the first version of Windows. [Link] |
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