VC,

I didn't go all the way back in your thread to check, but I was wondering: Have you tried both DVD-R and DVD+R? Can you make both?

It's a good idea to try +R and -R, some players that won't play -R play +R very well.

Josaver.

I think the answer, and the amount of effort on your part, will be different depending on what you find on the www.dvdrhelp.com site. Find out her exact model of DVD player. Check at the dvdrhelp site to see if it is compatible with DVD-R or DVD+R. If the site says it isn't, then you shouldn't waste your time and hers. If, however, the site says the DVD player can play either DVD-R or DVD+R, and you are willing to go the extra step, I would, as I suggested in an earlier post, try burning one more copy on the Maxell 2X media.

The problem with -R vs +R and various brands boils down to not knowing what player each owns. Not meaning to be difficult, but I can't image her calling her family members and friends and getting DVD player brands and model numbers from all them. We'll try, though.

I'm checking out the web site www.dvdrhelp.com.

Thanks, guys, for hanging in there with me!

What burner do you have? Maybe if you could get someone else to burn on a different DVD burner, then it would work.

It's the new Pioneer A06.

It's the new Pioneer A06.

That burns both both -R and +R. Try both (on the Maxell media).

John, please don't misunderstand me (or maybe I'm misunderstanding), but I can't a burn a -R and a +R for every person she wants to send one of these to--I can't afford the expense.

What is weighing on me now is all this apparent trouble one must go through to provide a client with something as simple(?) as a DVD. It is obvious that I was sorely mistaken in thinking that the industry had its act together on this. Boy was I wrong!

VC,...kind of off topic here,..but..

Can I ask you this question? Why would someone want a tape/DVD/CD or anything visual of a funeral? I'm not being sarcastic here,..just openly curious. I understand that perhaps one may want a keepsake or something to keep as a respectful tribute to a loved one (however my choice would be to have compilation video of the goodtimes while they were alive and vibrant and not lying in a wooden box.) but even so I would not want one for other family members if it was of a funeral. I guess I'm of the minority on this,...and I do not mean to say that one is wrong for wanting this,....but for me,...I would pay money to give someone all of my videos from their life and compile it in a beautiful movie with perhaps their favorite song(s) in the background.

A movie of the funeral,....not this guy.

Note: EDK,..you do have a point. I mean whether or not I agree with the whole video of a funeral thing anyway,...if she paid me then I would have to do everything I can to resolve this most unfortunate issue,....but keep in mind,..I don't think VC "wants" to be in the business so to speak. He did this as a favor and just wants it behind him. I would agree after he has tried that one last route of burning all of the discs in both formats and/or using another burner,...if still no success,....the white flag starts waving.

td

I have to assume that you are getting paid to burn these DVDs. So I don't see where the expense is. So what if you have make 1 DVD+R & 1 DVD-R for each client. We are talking about 2-3 dollars per disc at the most. Burning time is 20-25 min. VHS copies that you said you would provide instead, is more costly, considering just the time. (If we talking about a 2 hr Video).

If after delivering +R & -R and you have checked them on other players, and they still don't work on the clients players, than and only than, you have done all that you can do. But I think you will find that after you explain what you have done, you will not hear back from the client.

And if you are going to stay in the DVD business, you need to consider adding more burners to you system. I assume you have 2-3 VCRs for duplicating VHS copies.

I agree that DVDs can become a pain, but at the same time, we must be able to deliver DVDs, to the client, or we lose.

Ed

Td, it wasn't a funeral in the pure sense of the word. No church, no casket, just people remembering/honoring this young man (24). Some spoke, some sang a song, some read poems, etc.

VC,....thanks. I misunderstood. Apologies.

Ed, points well taken. However, I'm not charging for DVDs that don't work, regardless of which side the problem is on--hers or mine. So yes, it can get and has gotten very cost prohibitive very quickly.

These various players are scattered all over the US--literally!

I'm not in the DVD business, per se. I'm in the video production business. I've not run into this problem until now. If it were just her and her player--it's a done deal--no problem. It's all those players of family and friends that are creating the issue.

No, I don't VHS equipment. I sub that out. It's cheaper for me in the long run. Besides, as I said, I'm not in the duplication business.

No apology necessary! :o)

I can't a burn a -R and a +R for every person she wants to send one of these to--I can't afford the expense.

I can understand that. I wasn't suggesting you do it for every client. Instead, I was trying to suggest that you ought to do it for at least this one (assuming dvdrhelp.com says her player is capable of playing either DVD-R or DVD+R). The reason? To find out what is causing the problem so you don't have it the next time.

I was sorely mistaken in thinking that the industry had its act together on this. Boy was I wrong!

This is similar to what happened with CD-R. The early CD players were designed and built before anyone had even thought of recordable CDs. As a result many can't play them. The CD-RW came along, with even lower reflectivity, and many of the second generation CD players couldn't play them. The same thing has happened in DVD.

I have read the results of various compatibility tests and they suggest that over 90% of all players (this includes all the old ones) can play DVD-R and about 80-85% can play DVD+R.

You can't back away from DVD: The quality, durability, accesibility (via menus) make it too good a format. Virtually any player sold in the last two years can play the recorded DVDs.

The final reason is for you: Duplicating a DVD takes very little time compared to VHS, and the blanks will soon be far less expensive than tape (assuming you're using decent tape).

Excellent points, John, all of which are well taken. Will give that a try.

Thank you, too, for the explanation. Sorry for my misunderstanding.

I have found that by using DVDA I get more compatible burns. Much better than using Nero or Record Now Max. In fact using DVDA and my Pioneer A05 I am able to make DVD's which play in a 5 year old Toshiba DVD player. I use FUJI DVD-R and sometimes Verbatim DVD-R.
John

John, it just so happens that the client's DVD player is a Toshiba also. She claims it's less than a year old (bought last Christmas). So go figure...

Yes, I'm using DVDA, too. Tomorrow I will try Maxell and Verbatim discs, both -R and +R.

VC.Last year I've had a problem with a very new DVD player (two weeks) that reads VCD, I've made a VCD for a client and the client told me that tis VCD wonn't play. The player's specificatons show that was capable to read VCD. I've reburned the VCD on 7 Cd brands, with all color on the reflective layer, nothing, on a Kodak gold Cd, it colud read the menu...., but it was all.
I called to JVC, the player was a JVC, and they tell me the player was capable to read VCD... With the client and his player we go to the technical service, and tried my VCD in a demp player ( the model of my client) The VCd palyed without problem....The problem was the optical block on the new ( two weeks) player.

From this moment I tell to my clients that normally the problem is the player. I demonstrates the DVd plays on my 2 DVDs, and ..... is his decision,. The DVD is correct and works... If the clients make a very intensive use of the player sometimes there is a dust or a litle problem on the optics. Another problem is the label if you put label , this can misequilibrate the disc on the very finel border... normally I fit the disc only to 2/3 parts.

Josaver.

Jo, thank you for sharing your experience. Just goes to show how crazy this business can be. There was one thing you wrote I didn't quite understand, that was:

"The problem was the optical block on the new (two weeks) player."

Would please explain in more detail what you mean? I don't understand what "the optical block" refers to, and I'm not sure what you meant by inserting the "(two weeks)". What is that referring to? Do you mean the new player was only two weeks old?

We make it a point to play the customer's DVD for them in the store before they leave. We have some Apex 1100's at the front desk. While they're paying for the disc, we pop it in and watch some of it.

While it may not cure their problem at home, it demonstrates that the disc does in fact work. It takes the edge off of a customer complaint that it never worked. We also explain while the disc is playing that it may not play in many computer DVD players that are a bit older as well as some set top players. By demonstrating on a cheapo Apex, many customers have gone out and simply bought one if their current home unit won't play recordable DVDs.

On another front, we had a customer return DVDs as unplayable recently, demanding a full refund. We later found out he simply duplicated them before he made the complaint so he could get them for FREE!

Mike