Problems playing a DVD Dual Layered disk after burning

[Harry Lender]

Need some help.
I just video taped a two day seminar. After editing, the total video comes to 3hr 58min long and 11.5 gigs in size. This my first time dealing with a production this size. I would like to put it all on one disk like a Dual Layer Dual sided Disk but after searching for a Dual Layer Dual sided disk I realize that might be impossible. Those disk are very hard to find. At least I couldn’t find any. I tried spitting the video up and burning part of it onto a Verbatim Dual Layered Disk. After burning I could only get it to play on my computer and on a Samsung DVD player. It would not play on my Philips or either of my two Sony’s. After a search in several forums I see that others have been having the same problems. DVD-DL disks are very finicky it seems to say the least. My burner is very capable of burning DVD-DL disks however the problems I’m encountering makes me think it’s not worth the time. I may have to settle for burning the production on three regular 4.5gig DVD disks. Which may be the easiest. I was hoping to get it all on one disk.

So after all that explanation my question is..Does anyone have a different solution to my problem. One that will work.

Thanks in advance. I appreciate the input.
Harry

[John Estcourt]

Harry, try using this bit rate calculator
DVD-HQ : Bitrate & GOP calculator

or if the link doesn't work just try a quick search for it.
For a 4 hour DVD using Mpeg 2 VBR 2 pass you would need an average of about 4050 Kb/s minimum of 1600 Kb/s max 8000 Kb/s if you used Dolby audio.

This should fit on a dual layer dvd.

The verbatim DVDs are very good and I burn hundreds with no problem. try using Img Burn.
perhaps your bit rates were too high, what program are you using to author your dvds? and to encode your video ?

hope this helps john

[Harry Lender]

John:
Thanks so much for your fast reply. I will try your suggestions. Just yesterday on one of my searches the mention of Img Burn came up. People are saying positive things about it. I checked the web site and it looks like it's a free software and download. Is it difficult to learn? There are few tutorials on youTube.
Anyway Thanks again. I'll keep you posted.
Harry

[Eric Olson]

Originally Posted by Harry Lender

I may have to settle for burning the production on three regular 4.5gig DVD disks.

I think the reason dual layer disks are hard to find is because of the compatibility problems. For a seminar you should be able to reduce the bitrate without artifacts so everything fits on two single layer disks. The cost of duplicating two single sided DVDs and shipping them in boxes that hold two disks each will be significantly cheaper than dual layer disks anyway.

[Harry Lender]

Eric:
Thank you also for your fast reply. I will try your suggestion too.
Again thank you. I'll keep you posted.
Harry

[Harry Lender]

Originally Posted by John Estcourt

Harry, try using this bit rate calculator
DVD-HQ : Bitrate & GOP calculator

or if the link doesn't work just try a quick search for it.
For a 4 hour DVD using Mpeg 2 VBR 2 pass you would need an average of about 4050 Kb/s minimum of 1600 Kb/s max 8000 Kb/s if you used Dolby audio.

This should fit on a dual layer dvd.

The verbatim DVDs are very good and I burn hundreds with no problem. try using Img Burn.
perhaps your bit rates were too high, what program are you using to author your dvds? and to encode your video ?

hope this helps john

John:
I have a question. I saw your calculations for my project with the calculator. I went to the calculator and tried it myself. I tried to follow the instructions. At the end I closed the box and thought it was going to load figures in the right box but nothing appeared. Different numbers did appeared in the left box. Are their supposed to be numbers appearing in the right box?
Sorry for the questions
Harry

PS Side note.
I closed out the page then came back and reloaded the page and the numbers were now in the right side. I don't know what I did but they were. Go figure??????

[George Kilroy]

All of my DVDs have gone out on +RDL discs for the last couple of years with no playback problems reported. I leave Encore to determine the best bit rate to fill the disc. I've only had one that reached near four hours and that went on to an 8.5GB disc and looked fine.

I've never heard of Dual Layer Duel Sided discs, do they exist?

[John Estcourt]

Harry, I don't think you need to close the box just click the make preset button. The page should reload with your settings.
Its not something I tend to use because I use Tmpgenc mastering works and that will tell you what bit rate touse. George, I'm the same, used hundreds of dual layer discs and never get a problem.

[Harry Lender]

Success:
I believe I found my problem. I was in Encore CS6 after I had rendered my video Premiere Pro CS6 using the settings from DVD-HQ : Bitrate & GOP calculator. For some reason I right clicked on the video in my “Project window” then left clicked on The “Transcode settings” tab in the drop down menu. Then clicked on “Edit Quality Presets”. That took me onto the export setting menu where I notice that the “Format” defaulted to “MEPG2 Blu-ray” everytime I clicked into it. So from now on I’ll have to check my settings to make sure it’s not on Blu-ray. Everything seems to be ok now The 4 hour video is now on a Dual Layer disk and plays great on 3 of my 4 DVD players. The one that it doesn’t play on, a sony, keeps telling me that the “Disk is dirty”. I ran a lens cleaner through it but that didn’t help. I’ll do some more checking.
Anyway thanks to everyone for their help. I appreciate very much.
Harry