My DVD dillema at DVinfo.net

Glenn Gipson · July 27th, 2007, 11:27 AM

I need to produce a DVD that can play in most Home DVD Players, but I don't have much money.

I need your opinions on two issues:

1. I am looking to buy the LightScribe DVD-R burner called the ASUS DRW-1814BL. How good is this DVD burner in terms of burning DVDs that can play on most Home DVD Players?

2. I know that DVD-R brands can vary widely in terms of their compatibility with most Home DVD burners. Since I will be using LightScribe DVD disc, I am looking at either HP or Verbatim DVD-R LightScribe disc. Which one of these brands is more reliable in terms of being able to play on most Home DVD players? HP or Verbatim? Thanks.

Ervin Farkas · July 27th, 2007, 11:54 AM

Just a couple of things from my personal experience. LightScribe is nice but a huge pain in terms of burning time - a decent label could take up to an hour to burn (depending on the complexity of the graphics and text).

The best compatibility (even for older players) can be achieved using DVD+R discs and a bitsetting-enabled burner because you emulate a pressed DVD.

Good luck!

Greg Hartzell · July 27th, 2007, 12:12 PM

I've sent out over 200 dvd-r discs with now compatability issues with home players.

Dave Blackhurst · July 27th, 2007, 12:20 PM

Glenn -
I'd say the software is more of an issue than the burner - I've got all sorts of different burners, and never had a compatibility issue I couldn't trace back to software... some just don't "follow the rules", I ended up with Vegas, and it's worked for me, YMMV...

Also you might consider inkjet printable DVDs as an option depending on the sitch.

Bob Warner · August 2nd, 2007, 01:00 PM

I had a lightscribe burner and it made some very nice images but was very slow. I now have a Canon iP4300 inkjet printer which I am very happy with. It is not a commercial solution by any means, but for home users it is fast and prints beautifully on printable DVDS and CDs. And the ink cost is not as high as the Epson. BUT....the US iP4300s are set up to PREVENT using them as CD/DVD printers. The place where the tray fits in is blocked by a thin strip of plastic and the machine is coded in some way to disallow using a disk tray. Fortunately, there is an easy solution. Go to ebay and search "Canon tray". There is at least one guy who sells these. They are about $20. The tray comes with instructions for removing the little plastic strip (you just pry it out) and using some Canon service codes ("push this button 4 times, then push this button 3 times, etc., etc.") to change the machine so it thinks its a European model or an Australian model. You then just install your regular US driver (or uninstall it and reinstall it if you've already been using the printer) and you're ready to go. The tray also comes with a CD-label print software which is nothing sophisticated but works just fine. I just create my label in Photoshop and then import the image into the software and print it out. (Note: In CD Label Print you have to go to File-Select Paper-New to change the inner diameter of the label to 20mm so it will print all the way to the center of the DVD.) By the way, the guy I got my tray from on ebay ("rumsmila" or something like that - I don't recall exactly) is VERY helpful. I've emailed him a few times and have gotten back a response in every case in less than an hour. This is a $100 total solution for fast, beautiful CD/DVDs. If I sound like a rep for Canon (why do they screw up the U.S. printers?) or the tray guy it's only because I have been so pleased with this inexpensive solution. Bob

July 27th, 2007, 11:27 AM	#1
Glenn Gipson Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Plainfield, New Jersey Posts: 927	My DVD dillema I need to produce a DVD that can play in most Home DVD Players, but I don't have much money. I need your opinions on two issues: 1. I am looking to buy the LightScribe DVD-R burner called the ASUS DRW-1814BL. How good is this DVD burner in terms of burning DVDs that can play on most Home DVD Players? 2. I know that DVD-R brands can vary widely in terms of their compatibility with most Home DVD burners. Since I will be using LightScribe DVD disc, I am looking at either HP or Verbatim DVD-R LightScribe disc. Which one of these brands is more reliable in terms of being able to play on most Home DVD players? HP or Verbatim? Thanks.

July 27th, 2007, 11:54 AM	#2
Ervin Farkas Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta/USA Posts: 2,515	Just a couple of things from my personal experience. LightScribe is nice but a huge pain in terms of burning time - a decent label could take up to an hour to burn (depending on the complexity of the graphics and text). The best compatibility (even for older players) can be achieved using DVD+R discs and a bitsetting-enabled burner because you emulate a pressed DVD. Good luck! __________________ Ervin Farkas www.AtlantaLegalVideo.com

July 27th, 2007, 12:12 PM	#3
Greg Hartzell Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Columbia, CT Posts: 168	I've sent out over 200 dvd-r discs with now compatability issues with home players.

July 27th, 2007, 12:20 PM	#4
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Glenn - I'd say the software is more of an issue than the burner - I've got all sorts of different burners, and never had a compatibility issue I couldn't trace back to software... some just don't "follow the rules", I ended up with Vegas, and it's worked for me, YMMV... Also you might consider inkjet printable DVDs as an option depending on the sitch.

August 2nd, 2007, 01:00 PM	#5
Bob Warner Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 35	I had a lightscribe burner and it made some very nice images but was very slow. I now have a Canon iP4300 inkjet printer which I am very happy with. It is not a commercial solution by any means, but for home users it is fast and prints beautifully on printable DVDS and CDs. And the ink cost is not as high as the Epson. BUT....the US iP4300s are set up to PREVENT using them as CD/DVD printers. The place where the tray fits in is blocked by a thin strip of plastic and the machine is coded in some way to disallow using a disk tray. Fortunately, there is an easy solution. Go to ebay and search "Canon tray". There is at least one guy who sells these. They are about $20. The tray comes with instructions for removing the little plastic strip (you just pry it out) and using some Canon service codes ("push this button 4 times, then push this button 3 times, etc., etc.") to change the machine so it thinks its a European model or an Australian model. You then just install your regular US driver (or uninstall it and reinstall it if you've already been using the printer) and you're ready to go. The tray also comes with a CD-label print software which is nothing sophisticated but works just fine. I just create my label in Photoshop and then import the image into the software and print it out. (Note: In CD Label Print you have to go to File-Select Paper-New to change the inner diameter of the label to 20mm so it will print all the way to the center of the DVD.) By the way, the guy I got my tray from on ebay ("rumsmila" or something like that - I don't recall exactly) is VERY helpful. I've emailed him a few times and have gotten back a response in every case in less than an hour. This is a $100 total solution for fast, beautiful CD/DVDs. If I sound like a rep for Canon (why do they screw up the U.S. printers?) or the tray guy it's only because I have been so pleased with this inexpensive solution. Bob