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[UncleUB]

Hi all,
heres the problem/puzzle.

I have a dvd disc that is part of a boxset.When it gets to the last quarter of the film it starts to get blocky and stutters every few seconds.The disc looks scratch free and has been given a good clean.
This disc plays fine on my pc's dvd drive.
I very rarely have a problem with any other dvd's and if I do a good clean of them usually sorts it.
I have just bought a dvd laser lense cleaner but that hasn't sorted it .
My dvd player is JVC which is a combined dvd/vhs player and is 5 years old.
Any suggestions/help?

[oldfogy]

Assuming the disc's are of a legal nature, then there are two options.
1 the DVD is faulty.
2 the DVD player's optic reader is weakening and may need replacing soon.

PC DVD readers are possibly more sensitive than their DVD stand-alone counterparts so would therefore be able to read the disc better.

As the disc plays ok on the PC, then you could always create a backup of it.

Have you been able to try the disc in different DVD player?

[UncleUB]

Thanks for your reply OF.

Assuming the disc's are of a legal nature,

Yes its not a copy,but part of a genuine box set.

Just baffling why other dvd's play ok..........

Have you been able to try the disc in different DVD player?

No.

Edit,if i were to get some blank dvd's and try making a copy of the disc,what type do I need.........DVD+R or DVD-R......whats the difference?

[oldfogy]

what type do I need.........DVD+R or DVD-R......whats the difference?

DVD+R or DVD-R is a bit like the old VHS v's Betamax.
Originally manufacturers made their players to play one particular particular type of tape, much the same can be said for DVD+R or DVD-R.

However, nowadays most PC DVD players recognise both types of disc, so if you can check your player and it accepts DVD+R, then that is the type I would recommend you try to start with.
(mainly because DVD+R is said by some to be the better type to use).

You may also find the tutorial listed below of some help, as you may need it to bypass any encryption of the original disc.

How to Backup a DVD Movie using DVD Shrink
http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php?topic=2977.0

You will also need to check if the original is a DVD9 (Dual layer disc) (DL) = 9.8 GB
Or a normal DVD5 of 4.4GB
(Just place the disc in your PC and and in "My Cpmpute/Explorer" and see how big it is)

Unfortunately "DL" disc's normally only burn at a speed of 2.4 x. (20+ minutes to burn)
Whereas a normal single layer DVD can burn at a much faster speed, although burning at a speed of only x6 will take about 9 minutes but there is less chance of creating a bad copy.

[sevenlayermuddle]

Hi Uncle,

I guess I'm stating the obvious to say that either

1) there's a physical fault with the disc (scratched) or
2) that the disc is physically OK but there's something about the encoded video data that's incompatible with your player.

Edit,if i were to get some blank dvd's and try making a copy of the disc,what type do I need.........DVD+R or DVD-R......whats the difference?

I'd be tempted to try a copy, as it may help to distinguish between (1) and (2) above.   In fact I have a DVD myself which played intermittently, and I resolved the problem by making a copy which plays 100%.   Follow OF's advice to the letter, however one thing to understand wrt DVD-R and DVD+R....

+R and -R are both, actually, computer disc formats, and significantly different from the disc format originally designed for DVD-players.  DVD players were designed for 'DVD-Video', which is neither +R nor -R.  But the only way to make DVD-Video is to press the disc in a machine, a bit like pressing old vinyll records, they're not home makeable.

Most recent computer drives will burn both +R or -R DVDs, the problem arises when you try to play it back to your TV.  As well as DVD-Video, some DVD players will play -Rs, some will play +Rs, and most recent players will play both.  But some older players will play neither.   If you still have the documentation, the DVD player manual will probably specify whether it's compatible with +R or -R, or both.  If it plays both then, as OF says, I'd go for +R.  If you're not sure, or of the documentation's vague, then maybe a -R would be worth a try too.  -R came first, and it's quite possible that a five-year-old player may only play -Rs. 

I looked at a cheap-as-chips DVD player (about £17!!!) in Asda the other day, and noticed that it listed only '-R' on the box, though actually I'd be willing to bet it'll play '+R's too.

[UncleUB]

Thanks for your in depth replies guys,will see if I still have the manual and check what it will play.

Now I would like some info please on DVD recorders with freeview included.

At present I have a Goodmans freeview box( which is not very good) and  a JVC DVD/Video player combined.

I would really like to just have one unit that will....play dvd's/record dvd's/have a built in harddrive and freeview....is that possible?

I have seen one of these..http://www.trustedreviews.com/home-cinema/review/2008/08/13/Humax-PVR-9300T-Freeview-PVR/p1

I don't think it plays dvd's though does it,but it lets you watch one programme while recording up to another 2.So would I need a seperate dvd player?

Then there is this..http://www.trustedreviews.com/home-cinema/review/2008/05/08/Panasonic-DMR-EX78-DVD-HDD-Recorder/p1

which I think has a hard drive/freeview and plays dvd's,but doesn't allow you to watch one programme and record another at the same time.

Also it would be very handy if the unit could record and include subtitles........

Any help/advice would be most appreciated.

[camallison]

I have had a Humax PVR since they were launched and now wonder what we did without it!  A superb bit of kit.  As you say, it doesn't play DVDs, but DVD players are cheap as chips nowadays - so I would go for both PVR & DVD player if I were you.

Colin

[jazz]

I've had a Humax PVR for a couple of years now and I wouldn't be without it either.  It will record up to two progs at the same time but doesn't play DVDs.  You can start watching a recording while it is still recording the programme ("chase-playing"). It also has the facility to "pause" live TV though I have to admit I don't watch any "live" TV any more - just set the Hummy to record progs I want and then view as and when I feel like it. Thoroughly recommend them.

[camallison]

PS - and they are available direct from Humax "reworked"  http://www.humaxdirect.co.uk/prodCat2.asp?cat=Factory  (Dear price snorter ...)

Bought one of these for my sister and to be honest there is no difference between reworked and new - they do a good job of it.

Colin

[sevenlayermuddle]

Hi Uncle,

I'll echo many of Camallison's sentiments.

I've had a Sony (HDX-series) HDD recorder for a couple of years.  Of all the dozens of high-tech gadgetry that's accumulated in the lounge over the past few years, it's the device I appreciate most.  Setting the timer from the EPG (Electronic Program Guide) is so much easier than messing about with VHS recorders, and it doesn't matter if the program runs late, the recorder 'knows' and automatically adjusts itself.

Best of all, for me, is the ability to watch a programme while it's still recording.  I loathe the interminable advert breaks that crop up 10 minutes or so on some of the digital channels like 'film 4'.  The solution is to start recording it and then wait 20 minutes before starting to play it, so you can fast-forward past the ads.  If you catch up with the live broadcast, just take a ten minute break then carry on.

The Sony does have a built in DVD, which is useful if you ever want to take a permanent copy of something you've recorded on the hard disk.  I must admit I've only used it once in two years, but it's nice to know it's there.  It may also reduce the number of boxes under your TV, but that depends on whether you'll keep the VHS/DVD combo (for the sake of VHS)?

In my opinion, ignore any claims about 'up to gazillion hours' recording time.  All the manufacturers make such claims, but they do it by allowing the recording quality (which is user-adjustable) to be reduced to something much, much worse than the earliest, nastiest, VHS recorders.  It's a bit like the way camera makers boast about 'digital zoom' figures, which savvy camera buyers just completely ignore.

edited (twice) for typos.  Must book myself on a 'learn to type' course.

[UncleUB]

Thanks guys  

Tbh,don't use/need a vcr now.

and having just one unit is a bonus.

Does any unit record the subtitles...?I am very hard of hearing...its not about the loudness,its the clarity of peoples voices that I struggle with,so subtitles are a must when I watch anything (apart from sport)  

Edit,just seen this in the Humax PVR-9300T review.

The rest of the feature list goes well beyond the norm. You can chop out sections of a recording using an editing tool that lets you enter start and stop points in real time, or split a recording in two. The picture-in-picture mode lets you watch two channels at the same time and even has its own set of controls on the remote. You get access to all the usual Freeview features including lightning fast digital text, MHEG support, favourite channel lists and subtitles,which can also be recorded. There are also four devilishly addictive games embedded in the firmware, which help pass the time when there's nothing on TV

http://www.trustedreviews.com/home-cinema/review/2008/08/13/Humax-PVR-9300T-Freeview-PVR/p1

[sevenlayermuddle]

I'm not sure about subtitles.  I suspect most do, as I don't think it needs any extra hardware inside the machine, but I'd advise you to check.  I'm not even sure about my own Sony, though I'll try and remember to have a fiddle with the menus tonight and see what I find.

Usually these days, before buying something like this, once I have a short-list I go the the manufacturers websites for my short list, usually the 'support' area, and download copies of the user manuals.  Reading them gives much more information than you can expect the average sales assistant to be able to tell you, and I'm sure it would tell you whether or not subitles can be recorded.

[oldfogy]

Re, Subtitles.

Usually a machine/recorder will only record that what is being displayed at the time of recording, so if the subtitles are not being shown, then you will be out of luck.

I only wanted something fairly basic so went for a "Daewoo" DRVT-43" DVD Player/Recorder, VHS and Freeview, cost was about £99 from Curry's 12 months ago. (No internal drive)

"Although I think it was knocked down in price so they could get rid of it, but it suits my needs, although I don't record TV programs, I do have CCTV camera's connected to it which allows me to record onto either VHS or DVD.

Much like yourself I wanted to reduce the clutter of equipment, but still have a VHS (just-in-case) and it does come in handy for transferring VHS direct to DVD without any hassle (2 button pushes is all that's required)

[sevenlayermuddle]

Usually a machine/recorder will only record that what is being displayed at the time of recording, so if the subtitles are not being shown, then you will be out of luck.

You made me curious there, OF, as I'd have thought it would be quite straightforwards to design a machine that would record subtitles as well as video from digital broadcasts, regardless of whether they were displayed on screen or not.  But I downloaded my Sony user manual and it does say 'if subtitles are displayed while recording, they will appear on the disc'.

However, in a different section, there's also an independent menu option for the 'recording settings' to enable/disable subtitle recording from digital broadcasts. 

I think, probably, maybe, perhaps, what it's saying is that subtitles will be recorded if either (1) if they are displayed during recording or (2) if that meny option's set.  But it's ambiguous, and I'm far from certain.  I'm away from home right now, but my curiousity is well and truly aroused, I think I'm going to have to give it a try later on (or maybe tomorrow) when I'm at home.

[UncleUB]

I shall look forward to your comments 7LM.