Recording onto DVDs

[The Sean Man]

I got a brand new dvd recorder for Christmas. I bought some Memorex dvds, and have recorded some shows and movies, but the results are kind of spotty. Any suggestions on which brand are best, before I plunk down more money on another brand?

[Hiryu]

I use Verbatim for back-up and ISO's. They are pretty good too so they may also work well with DVD recording. You may also want to contact "Nightwolf". He's an expert at burning stuff. He may be able to recommed better brand CD-R's. Here's his email... nlivadit@yahoo.com If he asks how you found him, tell him a RIGG member told you.

Good Luck!

[Storm_Cat]

I use Memorex almost exclusively, DVD +R, and I've rarely had a "coaster" in the bunch. The biggest prob's I run into are faulty MS patches that screw with my 3rd party software.

It could be the program you are using. Top shelf WinDVD is the "TiT's", or so I've heard.

[MrMacphisto]

My best results have come from TDK. A lot of times, the brands of your burner and media matter a lot. Certain brands of DVDs are literally incompatible with certain burners. For example, I can't use Imation DVDs on one of my burners.

Storm Cat also brings up a good point about the software you use.... I find that DVD Decrypter and Intervideo DVD Copy are the best programs for ripping and burning (respectively).

[drew70]

I used to use a DVD ripping software called DVD X-Copy. It worked pretty well, and at the time was reputed to be the only software that burned DVD movies at full resolution. However, because of this it was often necessary to split the burned movie onto two DVD-R disks.

What I did not like about this software was that whenever you installed it, it required a handshake with the vendor, Studio 123. If you didn't have an Internet connection, you had to call them and have them manually do the handshake. I remember having conversations like this one:

Drew: I don't understand why I have to call you guys every time I reload this software. Do I own it or not?

Studio 123: Oh it's no big deal. You only have to do it once, when you install the software.

Drew: But I have to install the software frequently. And this is very inconvenient, to say the least.

Studio 123: I don't understand. Why do you have to keep reloading the software? It should only need to be installed once.

Drew: Because I format my hard drive every couple of months as part of my standard housekeeping.

Studio 123: Why do you reformat so often?

Drew: To clean out the hard drive of any number of undesirable elements.

Studio 123: That's really strange!

Drew: Well, that's my own business, is it not? All I require from you is software I don't continually need authorization to reload.

Studio 123: I'm sorry, I can't help you there.

Drew: Buh bye.

Now I understand why they did it this way. It's because their permission to legally distribute this software was evidently under dispute, and they ultimately had to pull it. Now I can't load it at all, which rather irritates me, since it is software for which I paid good money.

[Storm_Cat]

I used to use a DVD ripping software called DVD X-Copy. It worked pretty well, and at the time was reputed to be the only software that burned DVD movies at full resolution. However, because of this it was often necessary to split the burned movie onto two DVD-R disks.

What I did not like about this software was that whenever you installed it, it required a handshake with the vendor, Studio 123. If you didn't have an Internet connection, you had to call them and have them manually do the handshake. I remember having conversations like this one:

Drew: I don't understand why I have to call you guys every time I reload this software. Do I own it or not?

Studio 123: Oh it's no big deal. You only have to do it once, when you install the software.

Drew: But I have to install the software frequently. And this is very inconvenient, to say the least.

Studio 123: I don't understand. Why do you have to keep reloading the software? It should only need to be installed once.

Drew: Because I format my hard drive every couple of months as part of my standard housekeeping.

Studio 123: Why do you reformat so often?

Drew: To clean out the hard drive of any number of undesirable elements.

Studio 123: That's really strange!

Drew: Well, that's my own business, is it not? All I require from you is software I don't continually need authorization to reload.

Studio 123: I'm sorry, I can't help you there.

Drew: Buh bye.

Now I understand why they did it this way. It's because their permission to legally distribute this software was evidently under dispute, and they ultimately had to pull it. Now I can't load it at all, which rather irritates me, since it is software for which I paid good money.


DVD X-Copy was the best. I've found clones of it, plus other DVD ripping software. I use this type of software to make a back-up of my DVD's, then lock up the original ones for safe keeping. It's a whole lot cheaper to burn a new copy than to buy a replacement, if the original got scratched, stolen, or borrowed and never returned (same as stolen)! As a consumer, I feel it's my right to make a back-up of any CD or DVD I purchase ... I paid for the damn thing!

Check these links:

http://dvd-burning-software.topchoicereviews.com/

http://www.321closeout.com/

http://www.copydvd.com/dvd-x-copy-platinum.aspx?aff=google2

[TKpervert]

I've had great luck with Memorex's stuff (cassettes, tapes, CD's), haven't tried DVD's.

Are you getting spotty results playing back from the same machine that you burned them with ?