DVD won't play

[Guest]

Hoping someone can shed some light here....

I am creating a 'movie' using still photos with background music and need to
burn to DVD. I've read much of what's out here for tips, but am still having
problems getting the DVD to play.

I am using Win XP, MM2, Sonic My DVD

Here are my steps:
1. My Movie Maker 2 file (.mswmm) is complete, I choose 'Save to My
Computer' in the Task Pane.
2. I choose DV-AVI (NTSC) as the movie setting. Click Ok, the computer
does its thing.
3. Go to Sonic MyDVD, click get movies. Import the .avi file just created
by Movie Maker.
4. When I preview the movie in Sonic, it's fine. Then I click burn, it
goes through the encoding process and after about 15 minutes it spits the DVD
out and says 'complete.'

However, when I place this DVD in my DVD player (hooked to my TV), it just
shows a disk with a question mark next to it. I also tried it in a DVD
player at work and it says 'bad disk."

Thinking the actual disk was bad, I tried again, but it still didn't work.
I have also tried burning both DVD-R and DVD+R and both have the same
results. I'm using Maxell brand.

Can anybody please help? As far as I can tell, I'm following the steps
properly, but it just doesn't work! This is for an anniversary party this
weekend and I'm stuck!

Thank you!

 

[PapaJohn]

try it with a low burning speed rather than high or auto...

 

[Guest]

I was previously recording at 8x, this time I tried 2.4x, but it still
doesn't work. Any suggestions on what I should try next?

 

[KDE]

If you insert the DVD in the computer, does it play like a DVD? that will
tell you if you have a "burning" problem or a "compatibility issue"


| I was previously recording at 8x, this time I tried 2.4x, but it still
| doesn't work. Any suggestions on what I should try next?
|
|
| "PapaJohn" wrote:
|
| > try it with a low burning speed rather than high or auto...
| > --
| > website references are to www.papajohn.org
| >
| > PapaJohn
| >
| > | > > Hoping someone can shed some light here....
| > >
| > > I am creating a 'movie' using still photos with background music and
need
| > > to
| > > burn to DVD. I've read much of what's out here for tips, but am still
| > > having
| > > problems getting the DVD to play.
| > >
| > > I am using Win XP, MM2, Sonic My DVD
| > >
| > > Here are my steps:
| > > 1. My Movie Maker 2 file (.mswmm) is complete, I choose 'Save to My
| > > Computer' in the Task Pane.
| > > 2. I choose DV-AVI (NTSC) as the movie setting. Click Ok, the
computer
| > > does its thing.
| > > 3. Go to Sonic MyDVD, click get movies. Import the .avi file just
| > > created
| > > by Movie Maker.
| > > 4. When I preview the movie in Sonic, it's fine. Then I click burn,
it
| > > goes through the encoding process and after about 15 minutes it spits
the
| > > DVD
| > > out and says 'complete.'
| > >
| > > However, when I place this DVD in my DVD player (hooked to my TV), it
just
| > > shows a disk with a question mark next to it. I also tried it in a
DVD
| > > player at work and it says 'bad disk."
| > >
| > > Thinking the actual disk was bad, I tried again, but it still didn't
work.
| > > I have also tried burning both DVD-R and DVD+R and both have the same
| > > results. I'm using Maxell brand.
| > >
| > > Can anybody please help? As far as I can tell, I'm following the
steps
| > > properly, but it just doesn't work! This is for an anniversary party
this
| > > weekend and I'm stuck!
| > >
| > > Thank you!
| >
| >
| >

 

[Guest]

When I put the DVD in my DVD drive, it opens Dell Media Experience. I
inserted the DVD 3 or 4 times...sometimes it goes to the main screen where I
can select the chapter, etc. and start from there. Other times it just
starts playing. The first time I inserted the DVD, it started playing in the
middle of the movie. Once I stopped and restared it was fine. So, it seems
as though it is working, but not exactly as it's supposed to.

 

[KDE]

honestly, I'm not sure what to tell you. It sounds like they are
"authoring" ok if they play in Dell Media Experience. My suggestions would
be try a different style of disk +R vs -R (which you have already tried) and
try a different player (which you have already tried.)

the only other thoughts I have:
*I hate Maxell disk. I've never had good luck getting them to burn
(although once burned they play fine)
*make sure you are using -R and not RW disk. DVD players are notorious for
hating RW disks.
*you said it only encoded for 15 minute? is it a really short movie? I have
a player that will not play DVD's if they are too short. Encoding times
vary based on your PC, but 15 minutes to encode and author a DVD is pretty
fast. if your DVD is longer than about 5 minutes and it is encoding in 15
minutes something is wrong with MyDVD (which also sux - IMHO).

If all else fails. download a trial of Nero Vision Express, (
http://www.nero.com/nero7/enu/nero7-demo.php ) and try burning your DVD with
that.

- good luck.


| When I put the DVD in my DVD drive, it opens Dell Media Experience. I
| inserted the DVD 3 or 4 times...sometimes it goes to the main screen where
I
| can select the chapter, etc. and start from there. Other times it just
| starts playing. The first time I inserted the DVD, it started playing in
the
| middle of the movie. Once I stopped and restared it was fine. So, it
seems
| as though it is working, but not exactly as it's supposed to.
|
|
|
| "KDE" wrote:
|
| > If you insert the DVD in the computer, does it play like a DVD? that
will
| > tell you if you have a "burning" problem or a "compatibility issue"
| >
| >
| > | > | I was previously recording at 8x, this time I tried 2.4x, but it still
| > | doesn't work. Any suggestions on what I should try next?
| > |
| > |
| > | "PapaJohn" wrote:
| > |
| > | > try it with a low burning speed rather than high or auto...
| > | > --
| > | > website references are to www.papajohn.org
| > | >
| > | > PapaJohn
| > | >
| > | > | > | > > Hoping someone can shed some light here....
| > | > >
| > | > > I am creating a 'movie' using still photos with background music
and
| > need
| > | > > to
| > | > > burn to DVD. I've read much of what's out here for tips, but am
still
| > | > > having
| > | > > problems getting the DVD to play.
| > | > >
| > | > > I am using Win XP, MM2, Sonic My DVD
| > | > >
| > | > > Here are my steps:
| > | > > 1. My Movie Maker 2 file (.mswmm) is complete, I choose 'Save to
My
| > | > > Computer' in the Task Pane.
| > | > > 2. I choose DV-AVI (NTSC) as the movie setting. Click Ok, the
| > computer
| > | > > does its thing.
| > | > > 3. Go to Sonic MyDVD, click get movies. Import the .avi file
just
| > | > > created
| > | > > by Movie Maker.
| > | > > 4. When I preview the movie in Sonic, it's fine. Then I click
burn,
| > it
| > | > > goes through the encoding process and after about 15 minutes it
spits
| > the
| > | > > DVD
| > | > > out and says 'complete.'
| > | > >
| > | > > However, when I place this DVD in my DVD player (hooked to my TV),
it
| > just
| > | > > shows a disk with a question mark next to it. I also tried it in
a
| > DVD
| > | > > player at work and it says 'bad disk."
| > | > >
| > | > > Thinking the actual disk was bad, I tried again, but it still
didn't
| > work.
| > | > > I have also tried burning both DVD-R and DVD+R and both have the
same
| > | > > results. I'm using Maxell brand.
| > | > >
| > | > > Can anybody please help? As far as I can tell, I'm following the
| > steps
| > | > > properly, but it just doesn't work! This is for an anniversary
party
| > this
| > | > > weekend and I'm stuck!
| > | > >
| > | > > Thank you!
| > | >
| > | >
| > | >
| >
| >
| >

 

[Guest]

I installed the DVD burner myself last year - it was ordered through Dell,
but after I already had the computer. Could that be causing the problem? I
did a similar project last year and had a few problems, but nothing like this.

How do I diagnose what is actually going on? I may try to download Nero,
but my measley dial-up wasn't too thrilled when I started the process
earlier. Do I need to reinstall Sonic?

Any other thoughts or advice would be much appreciated!

 

[KDE]

try DVD Santa http://www.dvdsant.com
I've never used it, but the download is only 2mb and it has a trial version


| I installed the DVD burner myself last year - it was ordered through Dell,
| but after I already had the computer. Could that be causing the problem?
I
| did a similar project last year and had a few problems, but nothing like
this.
|
| How do I diagnose what is actually going on? I may try to download Nero,
| but my measley dial-up wasn't too thrilled when I started the process
| earlier. Do I need to reinstall Sonic?
|
| Any other thoughts or advice would be much appreciated!
|
|
|
| "KDE" wrote:
|
| > honestly, I'm not sure what to tell you. It sounds like they are
| > "authoring" ok if they play in Dell Media Experience. My suggestions
would
| > be try a different style of disk +R vs -R (which you have already tried)
and
| > try a different player (which you have already tried.)
| >
| > the only other thoughts I have:
| > *I hate Maxell disk. I've never had good luck getting them to burn
| > (although once burned they play fine)
| > *make sure you are using -R and not RW disk. DVD players are notorious
for
| > hating RW disks.
| > *you said it only encoded for 15 minute? is it a really short movie? I
have
| > a player that will not play DVD's if they are too short. Encoding times
| > vary based on your PC, but 15 minutes to encode and author a DVD is
pretty
| > fast. if your DVD is longer than about 5 minutes and it is encoding in
15
| > minutes something is wrong with MyDVD (which also sux - IMHO).
| >
| > If all else fails. download a trial of Nero Vision Express, (
| > http://www.nero.com/nero7/enu/nero7-demo.php ) and try burning your DVD
with
| > that.
| >
| > - good luck.
| >
| >
| > | > | When I put the DVD in my DVD drive, it opens Dell Media Experience. I
| > | inserted the DVD 3 or 4 times...sometimes it goes to the main screen
where
| > I
| > | can select the chapter, etc. and start from there. Other times it
just
| > | starts playing. The first time I inserted the DVD, it started playing
in
| > the
| > | middle of the movie. Once I stopped and restared it was fine. So, it
| > seems
| > | as though it is working, but not exactly as it's supposed to.
| > |
| > |
| > |
| > | "KDE" wrote:
| > |
| > | > If you insert the DVD in the computer, does it play like a DVD?
that
| > will
| > | > tell you if you have a "burning" problem or a "compatibility issue"
| > | >
| > | >
| > | > | > | > | I was previously recording at 8x, this time I tried 2.4x, but it
still
| > | > | doesn't work. Any suggestions on what I should try next?
| > | > |
| > | > |
| > | > | "PapaJohn" wrote:
| > | > |
| > | > | > try it with a low burning speed rather than high or auto...
| > | > | > --
| > | > | > website references are to www.papajohn.org
| > | > | >
| > | > | > PapaJohn
| > | > | >
| > | > | > | > | > | > > Hoping someone can shed some light here....
| > | > | > >
| > | > | > > I am creating a 'movie' using still photos with background
music
| > and
| > | > need
| > | > | > > to
| > | > | > > burn to DVD. I've read much of what's out here for tips, but
am
| > still
| > | > | > > having
| > | > | > > problems getting the DVD to play.
| > | > | > >
| > | > | > > I am using Win XP, MM2, Sonic My DVD
| > | > | > >
| > | > | > > Here are my steps:
| > | > | > > 1. My Movie Maker 2 file (.mswmm) is complete, I choose 'Save
to
| > My
| > | > | > > Computer' in the Task Pane.
| > | > | > > 2. I choose DV-AVI (NTSC) as the movie setting. Click Ok,
the
| > | > computer
| > | > | > > does its thing.
| > | > | > > 3. Go to Sonic MyDVD, click get movies. Import the .avi file
| > just
| > | > | > > created
| > | > | > > by Movie Maker.
| > | > | > > 4. When I preview the movie in Sonic, it's fine. Then I
click
| > burn,
| > | > it
| > | > | > > goes through the encoding process and after about 15 minutes
it
| > spits
| > | > the
| > | > | > > DVD
| > | > | > > out and says 'complete.'
| > | > | > >
| > | > | > > However, when I place this DVD in my DVD player (hooked to my
TV),
| > it
| > | > just
| > | > | > > shows a disk with a question mark next to it. I also tried it
in
| > a
| > | > DVD
| > | > | > > player at work and it says 'bad disk."
| > | > | > >
| > | > | > > Thinking the actual disk was bad, I tried again, but it still
| > didn't
| > | > work.
| > | > | > > I have also tried burning both DVD-R and DVD+R and both have
the
| > same
| > | > | > > results. I'm using Maxell brand.
| > | > | > >
| > | > | > > Can anybody please help? As far as I can tell, I'm following
the
| > | > steps
| > | > | > > properly, but it just doesn't work! This is for an
anniversary
| > party
| > | > this
| > | > | > > weekend and I'm stuck!
| > | > | > >
| > | > | > > Thank you!
| > | > | >
| > | > | >
| > | > | >
| > | >
| > | >
| > | >
| >
| >
| >

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the info...I plan to check out DVDSanta tonight. I'll post back
what I (hopefully!) figure out.

Anybody have any thoughts on resintalling Sonic to fix the problem? What
about upgrading to MyDVD 8? I've read in other sites that it's a much
improved version and they've fixed many of the bugs.

 

[Guest]

I downloaded DVDSanta and same issues...dvd's would play in dvd-rom, but not
on stand-along player.

So, that led me to believe that this was a 'burning' issue, not a 'software'
issue. I did some more digging and went to dell support online. Turns out
there is a firmware release for my dvd drive (Philips DVD8631 DVD+-R/RW
drive). After downloading and installing that fix, I re-burned the video it
plays successfully on my stand-along players. Yeah! I can breathe easier
now....

Thanks for the help and suggestions to point me in the right direction.