DVD Frustrations!

[jessmac80]

Looking to see if anyone can offer me a little assistance! I'm trying to copy a DVD for the first time and it's gonna cause me to pull my hair out!

I am running Vista on my laptop and I have downloaded DVD Shrink as well as DVD Fab and I have Nero 7. I can get it working fine and when the DVD is backed up, it automatically opens and Nero starts to burn it.

After the DVD "successfully" copied, I tried it in my DVD player and all I see is the first image on the DVD but am unable to select it to open it. When I play the DVD that I copied it from, the image has a yellow line around it and I just have to hit play. I should also add that it's not an illegal burn, just my wedding video that I had transferred from VHS recently!

ANY HELP OR SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!  I am only just learning how to do the DVD thing so all this shrinking, encoding and encrypting stuff is new to me! But it's been driving me crazy for a week now.

[CBMatt]

How old is your DVD player?  And what format of DVD are you using?

[Broni]

...and what kind of DVD is it? Some copyrighted material, maybe?

[CBMatt]

I should also add that it's not an illegal burn, just my wedding video that I had transferred from VHS recently!

And I just thought of something...how exactly did you get the VHS onto your computer?  What software did you use?  What format is the video in (VOB, AVI, WMP, etc.)?

[jessmac80]

How old is your DVD player?  And what format of DVD are you using?

My DVD player is less then a year...it has DivX, mp3 and Windows media compatibility...or at least that's what the little pictures show on the front 

The DVD's I am using at DVD+R....is that what you were wondering about?

[jessmac80]

...and what kind of DVD is it? Some copyrighted material, maybe?

I have a couple of home videos that I recently transferred to DVD from VHS. It shouldn't be copywrited

[jessmac80]

And I just thought of something...how exactly did you get the VHS onto your computer?  What software did you use?  What format is the video in (VOB, AVI, WMP, etc.)?

Well, I had a lady transfer the videos for me for 20 bucks a pop. I wouldn't know what software she used but I seem to remember seeing VOB when I was trying to burn them.

In those video_ts and audio_ts folders, is there supposed to be anthing in the audio one? It doesn't show anything in mine 

[CBMatt]

Okay, it does indeed sound like these are actual DVD files and I would expect your player to be able to handle DVD+R (this seems to be the most compatible format).  And don't worry about the AUDIO_TS; I've dealt with hundreds of DVD's and I have never seen one with any files in that folder.

I'm going to have to assume that the problem lies with the burning process.  For starters, DVD Shrink isn't used for burning DVD's; it is only used for compressing them, putting them on your computer, and tweaking the files/menus.  DVD Fab is essentially the same thing.

Now, many people swear by Nero, but I personally think it's a piece of junk.  I've encountered many problems with it.  So, to start, let's try a much simpler program (the one I use for all of my DVD's).  Download a free trial of CopyToDVD here:
http://www.vso-software.fr/products/copytodvd/copytodvd.php

The trial is limited, but it'll be good enough to test this out, and you'll be able to use it long enough to burn your videos.  Install the program and when you start it, you should be given a few options.  If so, choose DVD Video.  You should then be given a dialog box that wants you to select VIDEO_TS.IFO.  Navigate to one of your wedding videos, open the video folder, and then open the VIDEO_TS file.  Then, near the top-right corner, click on the little icon that looks like a DVD on fire.  Let the program burn the DVD and when it has completed (it will automatically pop out), test it in your player.


If it doesn't work, then I would suggest contacting the woman who copied these onto your computer for you.  It's possible that she didn't copy them properly.  Out of curiosity...open one of your copied videos.  Do you see a VIDEO_TS.IFO file?  (If it's associated with a program, it may look different than the other icons.)  If so, double-click on it.  Does your video play?

[jessmac80]

Okay, it does indeed sound like these are actual DVD files and I would expect your player to be able to handle DVD+R (this seems to be the most compatible format).  And don't worry about the AUDIO_TS; I've dealt with hundreds of DVD's and I have never seen one with any files in that folder.

Now, many people swear by Nero, but I personally think it's a piece of junk.  I've encountered many problems with it.  So, to start, let's try a much simpler program (the one I use for all of my DVD's).  Download a free trial of CopyToDVD here:
http://www.vso-software.fr/products/copytodvd/copytodvd.php

If it doesn't work, then I would suggest contacting the woman who copied these onto your computer for you.  It's possible that she didn't copy them properly.  Out of curiosity...open one of your copied videos.  Do you see a VIDEO_TS.IFO file?  (If it's associated with a program, it may look different than the other icons.)  If so, double-click on it.  Does your video play?

So the CopytoDVD program would be the only one I would need to use then? No shrinking and stuff?

Another thing I'd like to mention....a friend suggested that I go into Nero and just select "Copy to DVD" which essentially is the same as copying a CD (nice and easy!LOL). I tried that and it created the image to burn just fine but when I popped in the DVD+R, it said that it couldn't continue because I needed to insert a DVD-R/RW??? I thought those were the same thing but just re-writable.

[CBMatt]

Well, you may still need DVD Shrink.  If the files are larger that 4.38 GB (approximately), then you'll need to shrink them so they'll fit onto a standard DVD+R.  But when it comes to actually burning the DVD, CopyToDVD should be a lot easier than Nero.

Another thing I'd like to mention....a friend suggested that I go into Nero and just select "Copy to DVD" which essentially is the same as copying a CD (nice and easy!LOL). I tried that and it created the image to burn just fine but when I popped in the DVD+R, it said that it couldn't continue because I needed to insert a DVD-R/RW??? I thought those were the same thing but just re-writable.

Now, that, I'm really not sure about.  I haven't used the program in ages, so I'm not familiar with how it works anymore, so perhaps someone else can answer the question for you.

[jessmac80]

Thanks a million, I'll give that program a shot! Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me!   

[CBMatt]

I'll even cross my eyes.  Good luck!

[jessmac80]

I'll even cross my eyes.  Good luck!

hehehehehe, thanx!

[patio]

Are you making sure you are "finalising" the DVD burn ? ?
This step if missed will show up as a blank DVD.
In Nero you click "no multisession" before you start the burn...

[jessmac80]

Are you making sure you are "finalising" the DVD burn ? ?
This step if missed will show up as a blank DVD.
In Nero you click "no multisession" before you start the burn...

I never realized that I had to do that.....would that still apply if I can see the image in the menu on my DVD player? I can see the first image on the DVD but I can't select it.