I have had this burner for a couple of years and am becoming increasingly
suspicious that it is faulty. It appears to write to DVD+R blanks reliably,
but video written to DVD-R blanks frequently plays back erratically with the
picture glitching and freezing. Both types of blank media are TDK.

Has anybody else experienced this problem?

Is a firmware/driver upgrade likely to help?

If I decide to buy a new DVD+/-R/RW drive what are your recommendations?

"Malcolm H" wrote in message
...
I have had this burner for a couple of years and am becoming increasingly
suspicious that it is faulty. It appears to write to DVD+R blanks
reliably, but video written to DVD-R blanks frequently plays back
erratically with the picture glitching and freezing. Both types of blank
media are TDK.

Has anybody else experienced this problem?

Is a firmware/driver upgrade likely to help?

If I decide to buy a new DVD+/-R/RW drive what are your recommendations?
http://www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters....h=Search&list=
seams to be very picky

"Trev" trevbowdenATdsl.pipexDOTnet wrote in message

If I decide to buy a new DVD+/-R/RW drive what are your recommendations?
http://www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters....h=Search&list=
seams to be very picky

Thanks for that Trev. Very helpful! I have ordered an NEC ND-3520A

On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 21:22:06 GMT, Malcolm H wrote:

I have had this burner for a couple of years and am becoming increasingly
suspicious that it is faulty. It appears to write to DVD+R blanks
reliably,
but video written to DVD-R blanks frequently plays back erratically with
the
picture glitching and freezing. Both types of blank media are TDK.


I've experienced problems with TDK media in a normally reliable writer so
I'd blame the media first. Try Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden.

Cheers.

James.

In message , James Perrett
writes
On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 21:22:06 GMT, Malcolm H wrote:

I have had this burner for a couple of years and am becoming increasingly
suspicious that it is faulty. It appears to write to DVD+R blanks
reliably,
but video written to DVD-R blanks frequently plays back erratically
with the
picture glitching and freezing. Both types of blank media are TDK.


I've experienced problems with TDK media in a normally reliable writer
so I'd blame the media first. Try Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden.

There's some useful information on media reliability at:
http://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

In message , Tony Morgan
writes
In message , James Perrett
writes
On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 21:22:06 GMT, Malcolm H wrote:

I have had this burner for a couple of years and am becoming increasingly
suspicious that it is faulty. It appears to write to DVD+R blanks
reliably,
but video written to DVD-R blanks frequently plays back erratically
with the
picture glitching and freezing. Both types of blank media are TDK.


I've experienced problems with TDK media in a normally reliable writer
so I'd blame the media first. Try Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden.

There's some useful information on media reliability at:
http://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia

I should perhaps have mentioned that it might be worth while downloading
and installing DVD Identifier from:
http://dvd.identifier.cdfreaks.com/

There seems to be a lot of unbranded DVDs about, but DVD Identifier will
do just that. It's also worth mentioning that a lot of branded DVDs are
simply badged versions of others, but DVD Identifier, coupled with its
associated database, will tell you exactly what DVD you've got.

Both myself and a number of friends buy media from a local supplier
VFM-Computers. Currently most of us use an unbranded DVD-R, at £16 for a
pack of 50. These are white unmarked printable DVDs and always seem to
burn satisfactorily (across a range of burners). DVD Identifier tells us
that these DVD-Rs are RITEKG05. The slight downside of these particular
packs is that though they look like a spindle, when you open them you
find that they are a spindle-less pack. Fortunately most of us have old
CD or DVD spindles laying about that we can use.

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

I should perhaps have mentioned that it might be worth while downloading
and installing DVD Identifier from:
http://dvd.identifier.cdfreaks.com/

There seems to be a lot of unbranded DVDs about, but DVD Identifier will
do just that. It's also worth mentioning that a lot of branded DVDs are
simply badged versions of others, but DVD Identifier, coupled with its
associated database, will tell you exactly what DVD you've got.

Both myself and a number of friends buy media from a local supplier
VFM-Computers. Currently most of us use an unbranded DVD-R, at £16 for a
pack of 50. These are white unmarked printable DVDs and always seem to
burn satisfactorily (across a range of burners). DVD Identifier tells us
that these DVD-Rs are RITEKG05. The slight downside of these particular
packs is that though they look like a spindle, when you open them you find
that they are a spindle-less pack. Fortunately most of us have old CD or
DVD spindles laying about that we can use.

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

Thank you Tony, very useful info!