Fangoria

iTrader: (1)

I have a new Dell computer but didnt tick the DVD option.... so it is only CDR/dvd rom

I have broadband so am downloading a fair bit from Winmx........

I recently tried a recommended DVD player that would play any file format - i.e you burn AVI and it recognises it straight away (Doshima 2038) - but this DVd player was just a scam - I smashed it to pieces last night in sheer frustration as it only recognised about 1/50 discs I burned.......

I have Nero Burner.......which effectively converts avi's/mpeg's etc to VCD/SVCD and I also have splitters (the ones I have actually work on audio sync!!)..... but the conversion is sooooooooo slow

If I got a DVD burner would it effectively be the same......i.e. I'd have to use software to convert the media and then I could just effectively put more on the disc than the standard discs 702mb - I guess I like the fact that I could put a few films on a 4.7gb Disc and leave it converting and burning overnight

But is that the only difference with DVD Burners - i.e. more capacity or is it the fact that if burned onto DVD all DVD players should recognise it?

Which is a decent DVD burner to get as there is a whole plethora on ebuyer.......... - I just want a simple player that will preferably burn at a reasonable speed and can be connected to the back of my Dell Hardrive

Or............. is it just easier to get an S Video cable and take the Hardrive downstairs and plug the computer straight into the TV screen???

Probably been said before but comments very much appreciated

Rgds

Steve

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

ive got one of those divx dvd player where it is not as good as a player as the xbox they do play the stuff ok once it has been flash upgraded something i pressume you never did it would of played if you done that. as far as dvd writers go i would just buy a sony dual layer writer as they are chaet at the moment i got mine for £90 the media is a joke but its a dual format writer and will burn the dual layer disks once the media is at i price i will pay for

making a backup of a dvd take s approx 2hrs less if you have a faster writer and once done correctly they will play in everything , backups i have done play in unmodded PS2's

if you just want to write divx stuff to dvd you can just put as many on the dvd as you can fit, i do this for the divx stuff for my xbox, media player see all the films and allows you to pick the one you want froma menu

connecting pc's up to tv's is a real pain

Scooby Dooby Blue

If you want a player that recognises everything except DivX, look no further than you local Asda for the Pacific 1010. Currently £30
For quick/simple conversion of mpeg/dat etc, look no further than TMPGEng DVD Author. 30day evaluation available.
Assuming you're going to buy a dvd burner, this app converts 2gb of mpeg to 2gb VIDEO_TS (note, no padding out of filesize ) in about 25mins.
The appeal of DVD media over CD-R is indeed the storage capacity. Some people have 4gb home movies they like to back up in their entirity on a single disk. Before 4.7gb media was available, this was not possible (hence VCD/SVCD's)
DVD media is no more or less compatible with DVD platers, it's the format on the disks that decides whether or not a disk will play.
In saying that, there are certain dyes use in the mproduction of DVD media that are not as compatible as others. Ritek DVD-R is advised for compatibility in standalone machines.
I'd have to disagree strongly with Steves burner recommendation.
Week in, wek out we get compatibility complaints from customers with Sony burners. They are one of the fussiest and least supported drive available which is ridiculous at the price!
If you're not impatient, hold fire for a Pioneer 108D next month. It will be without doubt, the most future proof machine on the market and as usual, well supported (firmwares).

Paul

the_boy

Ditto what Scooby Dooby Blue said

Wait for the Pioneer 108 it's gonna be huge!!

I've also got a Pacific and it plays just about everything (another good part of the deal is that you get a 3 year warranty from Asda so if anything does wrong take it back and they will replace it)

For DVD advice check here
http://www.vcdhelp.com
http://www.doom9.org

Job's a good 'un

Fangoria

iTrader: (1)

So your saying that this Asda player will play avi files? - i.e. a few minutes burn to a disc and insert it and it'll play? (at least the German Doshima only cost me £64 all in - so just the cost of a night out!!)

I will wait for the Pioneer then re the DVD Burner........

Thanks for all the quick responses

Just trying to save an avi file to super vcd - had to split the 700mb file into 3!! to fit each on a disc - and nero takes about 1 hr to convert a 1 hr film.......... way too slow!! (splitting Troy - the film is over 2 and half hrs!)

Had'nt thought about xbox/playstation dvd's........... but dont have these anyway.......

the_boy

**cough** check the links **cough**

DVD2AVI does a two way conversion
The site has a guide and a download on it

wwp8

can anyone help me !!!

what would you choose between the pioneer 108 16x
and the NEW BENQ 16X Dual Layer DVDRW+

i'm buying one over the weekend quick advice please

wwp8

can anyone help me !!!

what would you choose between the pioneer 108 16x
and the NEW BENQ 16X Dual Layer DVDRW+

i'm buying one over the weekend quick advice please

ScoobyDriverWannabe

i baught the £30 DVD player from asder about 2 weeks ago, u do NOT get the 3 year warretry any more its only a 12 month 1.

I put a movie onto AVI onto CD the other day using cucusoft AVI to VCD to convert the file then burned it with Record NOW DX.

They work perfectly, sound is in sink with the picture unlike some other progs iv tried and it works on the pacific. I havnt currently tried to do larger files as i dont have a prog to split them and dont know what 1 too use ;o(

Scooby Dooby Blue

William

Buy the Pioneer. From the 103 to the 107, the drives have proved bulletproof and hugely supported with both official and unofficial firmwares.

Not so the BenQ.

If you can hold off even another week, the Pioneers will drop substantially.


Paul

Leg@cy

iTrader: (2)

Agree STRONGLY with SDB.....

Got a Sony back last year............ it's been Sooooooooo FUSSY!!

Bought a 107 a while ago......... it doesn't care or know what you put it in......!!

Success with all media types/brands/quality

(in my expreience)

Phil

pwebb

Steve -
as you know (from some of the mini dvds I have sent you in the past) I have been cutting DV and mpeg content to mini dvd for about 4 years now -
over the years I have learned that chinese sourced dvd players do the best job of playing any disk formats - ie cd based dvd content, mini-dvd, svcd plus mp3 and avi files too...mainly because of the huge pirate film market in the far east.

I have sworn by cyberhome in the past but I am now fedup of low quality dvd players and have gone for a momitsu from hong kong that will shame players 10 times the price - but thats another story -

supermarket dvd players will probably play mutliple formats but don't expect brilliant sound or picture quality.

The key to these units is the new breed of all in one chips from the likes of sigma systems that have analogue to digital converters + dts encoder in one, support for mpeg, wmv, mp3, divx etc all in one bit of silicon. there are vast amounts of chinese and taiwanese units using these now but most have really cheap PC dvd drives in them.

I don't bother with cd based content anymore as too many pals couldn't get their dvd players to read the discs and dvd writers and media are so cheap these days -

just get a dvd burner and you will be surprised how quick the re-authoring can be

You will pay just £45 quid for a decent dvd +r/-R drive and blanks are about 35p

as far as software goes - don't use nero for anything other than data disks...
especially don't use the nero recode or nerovision products they are hopeless.

use dvddecrypter to rip dvd files, clone discs and write .iso images without macrovision or copy protection (deCSS)

if you need to reduce the size of a dvd 9 disk to fit on 4.7 MB then use either clonedvd2 or the excellent freeware tool 'dvd shrink 3.2' (note this last one needs nero present to be able to do the final 'burn')

the latter is probably all that you will need to re-author or clone discs

you should be able to find all the above with a quick google search

If you need to write dvd format from captured video (e.g digi camera) then I would recommend any of the ulead products ; dvd factory, dvd workshop - depending what you can afford

drop me a note if you need any more pointers

cheers,

Paul W

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

tis funny watching lots of old threads like this be ressurected thru all the forum must of had to do some searching to drag a month old thread up in here

Andy Mid.

why's that then ?

I was going to order a Pioneer drive today but I can wait if there's a good reason