@Jane1 - don't put yourself down. Most things PC related are easy (honestly). In addition to Rotary's replies, +R discs can usually be 'booktyped' to DVD-ROM format, which basically fools a standalone player to assume it's a standard dvd-rom disc so in theory helps with compatibility). I myself stick to -R cus that's what i started out with and any player i have access to, plays the (many) copies i make. It's horses for courses really. As for Verbatim [bold]datalifeplus[/bold](which i'm not shy in promoting!) they're top quality discs, and very importantly they're no more expensive than cheapy nasty discs. I get thru a lot of discs so i can't afford (literally) to use crap or even so-so discs plus i've been stung by cheapy fake media in the past (i mean literally 100s of crap discs that i would have to re-copy but i just can't be bothered, it would take forever). If you like, have a look thru the first 2 links in my signature and skip all the boring technical details and just read the bits about media, though i've explained it here anyway. (I do Tech Support for a living but am not a total geek, i just like to know a lot of stuff to keep up with all the young upstarts out there!)
Thanks again, You really have cleared many queries & I might be bothering you occasionally when I get the burner installed. I am not a computer engineer but still feel awkward when my friends talk about pc soft wares, hard wares.....about my ignorance as if I am still living in Stone Age. lol. One more query regarding flat panel monitors. I plan buying one. What features should I look for specifically? e.g. like Active Matrix, TFT, LCD etc. Sorry for bothering you once again.
When i bought my flatscreen i vaguely recall a few simple things to check for. Obviously there's cost and size (these days you can get a sexy 17" screen for what i paid for my 15". I was moving on to a boat so i needed something small and flatscreens were a godsend). Saying that you can get thse new fangled LCD TV/PC monitor combo things now, i think some of those are the same price as a normal flatscreen. I can't say i recall 'active matrix' but i guess they're all laptop type terms. I'm not much of a laptop expert. When i bought my flatscreen i looked at cost/brand name/size in that order. Then i think there's not refresh rate but something similar - i'll have to look it up....
i can't remember the other term for refresh rate on flatscreens, something to do with brightness i think. i'm cheating, here's a start - http://www.viewz.com/shoppingguide/monitor3.shtml#lcd http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=302399 I don't think you need to worry too much about details these days, i think it's still cost/size/brand name/built in speakers or not/built in tv etc etc. Best thing is probably to skim those 2 links, then just go into a PC store and see a few on display
Hello again, It was nice reading your views. Sorry got paged so couldn’t have replied earlier. I am really impressed by your technical expertise. As regards flat panel I am looking at the moment at View Sonic graphic series & Samsung Sync Master, both 17”. Besides comparing prices & refresh rate, I was looking at contrast ratio, cddmm2 etc. But one thing that I don’t like about them is that the picture gets blurred when looked at from a side angle? Any idea why? It’s great only when one is sitting in the front, the moment one stands or tilts the display becomes blurred. I too have the habit of getting off tracked very easily. Lol Another query I have the following soft wares: TMPGEnc MPEG Editor Xilisoft 3GP Video Converter & some more that I don’t remember the names. Which soft wares would you recommend me to keep in my arsenal since I plan jumping into the arena of DVD burning, editing, movies etc lol. Take care.
those are two very good brands of monitor. (mine's a Samsung 152V - the 15" one). As for the viewing angle, i think they're pretty forgiving. I got 2 on my desk at work and i love 'em. At home i have to sit on the floor to use my PC as my 'desk' on the boat is real low down, but the viewing angle is fine. Unless i get tired or stiff and try using the PC lying down (the 'desk' is really that low down!) then the viewing angle is impossible. That at least is my cue to get off the PC -http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/creaky/P1010112.jpg PS 'Contrast Ratio' - that's the term i couldn't remember before, that was one of the things i looked into when i bought my screen. I knew that refresh rate on normal CRT (bulky) monitors is an issue as it has to be above 75Hz for mine and most people's eyes to not be strained, but on flat screens 60Hz is i think the standard and is fine. Brightness is one thing i didn't care about as i always turn it right down on any flat screen i use as they are inherently brighter (well i think so!) As to the software, 'fraid i can't help you there as haven't used either.
hi my friend has 2 view sonics at 19inch for 2 computer setups, i have viewed and worked on these and the picture is very good! so is the flat panel, i can recommend these... i am thinking of getting one, but ned to buy/build my new pc first, i got the lianli windowed case (just showing off - hehehe...) but am waiting for amd new cpu x2 dual core in 1 chip to be released... ps - what sort of editing are you going to do? @ creaky man you like those verbs! hheheeee http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/creaky/P1010112.jpg
Hi Rotary, Do you mean View Sonic 19" Flat Panel OR CRT?? If Flat Panel than what series.......Normal,Pro,Graphic? What's their model #? Take care. PS: A beginner's editing lol.......you know i'm pc dumb.
hi sorry meant picture is very good and the actual flat panel look and design of it is good,,, now the version i cant remeber but i think PRO springs to mind? they are black versions with DVI and anologue adapters/leads... i have here now myself a crt 19inch HANSOL gaming monitor, this scren is very crsip pictures
Hi, CRT I believe are good for gaming. I plan to make a new Intel P4 machine. How do you rate all these & DVD X Copy Platinum softwares? What's the real utility of DVD shrinker & Decrypter? Take care.
@Rotary - lmao, i forgot there were loads of Verbatim tubs in the picture, i can't store too many! @Jane1 - i use DVD Shrink for 99.5% of my movie copying (many 100s), with Decrypter for a handful that Shrink couldn't handle. Shrink is no longer updated so can't handle the newer copy protections. I personally only do movie-only copies (am not interested in the extras on the discs) and the quality that Shrink provides is top notch. Sometimes you try and copy a scratched or troublesome disc (or copy from a low quality disc) and that's when i use Decrypter as it has some 'brute force' options to really have a go at getting the data off discs. Decrypter (3.5.4.0) has been shutdown so try and find it online but it may be worth being careful where you download it from as that huge company Macrovision had Decrypter shutdown and took away the guy's website/forums. Decrypter can still handle all the latest copy protections such as Sony's Arccos protection. (you probably know that both programs are free btw). There are a couple free region-free programs around and a highly-respected program is Anydvd by Slysoft. As they can sell their program i guess they have have money with which to keep their program right up to date with newer protections. They're based in Antigua and apparently have different copyright laws so should be safe from being shutdown by the greedy companies out there for some while. I haven't bought Anydvd yet (despite a few members trying to convince me i'll need it in future). I just haven't needed to buy it as Shrink & Decrypter has so far beaten every single film i've bought up to now. I burn using Nero so that's all i need personally, so i only know a little about other ripping/authouring programs.
@Jane1 - in fact, re Shrink & Decrypter - look here - i explained it better yesterday ( i dunno, my memory!) - http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/1/200558#1083526 and here's another good one - http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/198921 I really shouldn't post so much stuff
Thanks for explaining the features of the softwares in depth. I do appreciate your help for a new bie like me who wanna jump into DVD arena despite being pc illiterate. Rotary has yet to reply about the View Sonic Flat Panels lol. Take care.
they try to make PC's easier to use so that anyone can use them, and they are getting easier as time goes on, but i guess they are still a bit strange. My folks are very new to PC's, though my mum is (her words not mine!) a pensioner now, she's got the hang of stuff like MSN messenger etc, and she has shorthand texting (on mobile fone) down to a tee. I know enough to get by but am always quick to say when i don't know something, i just pick up the rest as i go along and I keep the grey cells active by posting so often. For instance, in the last link in my signature, there's not much more to PCs than what's in there..
Hello, I downloaded DVD Shrink, Decryptor & Any DVD. My next project after this DVD burning, is to make my own personal BUT prof. web site. Let’s see how it goes. I like to keep my neurons working, active & functional. Take care.
Hello again, How do you personally rate Sony DVD R? Your views regarding various movie format e.g Mpeg-1,2,3,4, avi, wmv, dvi, divx etc. Their pros & cons. Take care.
Hi there, I finally got the DVD copied to the hard drive than got it burnt on a new Vertex DVD R media. 1. Only 2 GB of the 4.2 got copied & burned, most likely the rest of the files were corrupted? 2. copied only the Video_TS folder. 3. When I played it was fine, but while looking at the properties of the VOB files they were mpeg-2 type. What does that mean? That they were VCD files copied to a DVD? 4. The Video & Audio quality is not the same as I normally see on other DVD movies. Why? 5. Is there any software with which I could edit/improve the video & audio quality? The picture isn’t as crisp & sharp. Feels like am watching a VCD movie. 6. The movie has 2 files, VOB_1& 2, but they won’t Auto play. I have to manually select the files while using power DVD & than play them. Any specific reason? Any comments? Take care.
hi sorry i lost track on this thread of what film you needed to copy now? but dvd files are mpeg2/vob... what apps did you use and abit on how you did it all so we can have a look see on if anything looks odd...
Hello, I have a Asus 16x DVD drive on my computer. It normally plays all movies using Cyberlink Power DVD player ver 6.0. A friend gave me a movie that won't play on it, gives some kind of DVD Error message. This movie which has been burnt on a writable DVD works fine on my Sony DVD player attached to Samsung plasma TV. What could be the reasons? I tried looking at its properties etc. It's size is 4.4 GB. Has 3 folders........Audio_TS,ULEADDMF & Video_TS. The first 2 are empty. When I try opening the contents of the Video_TS folder the system hangs at times & at others it evens fails to recognize the DVD, but instead reads it as a CD. How can I make this DVD play on my computer Computer's DVDRom drive is ASUS Quie Track 16x/48x. Software is Cyberlink Power DVD 6.0. Sony DVD player is stand alone DVD player, connected to the TV. I was doing some research on line & this is what I concluded. The DVDR disc has a ULEADDMF folder apart from Audio_TS & Video_TS, meaning that Ulead movie factory software was used to burn the DVD. Some brands of DVDRoms have a problem playing such a movie, cause they cannot recognize the empty ULEADDMF folder. It's best not to burn this folder, to make the DVD play on most brands of DVDRom drives. As regards the stand alone players are concerned most brands would play a movie/DVD that has been burnt using Ulead movie factory....... @Jane1 - i'm puzzled, haven't come across 'ULEADDMF' folder on copied dvd's - they normally should only have the other 2 folders. maybe it's a multisession dvd or something It ain't a multisession DVD. I got this info doing a search using google. http://www.videohelp.com/forum/archive/t181794.html Which are the most versatile/recommended DVDROM & DVDR Brands for pcs. As to copying the Video_TS folder, i pretty much stated that before. Copy it the the hard drive somewhere then you can burn that to a new DVD with whatever software you have For now, if you just want to play the movie, copy the Video_TS folder to your PC somewherre and play thru PowerDVD After installing the latest ver. firmware (1.08), the DVD no longer hangs, but it still won't play. The Video_TS files won't get copied to the hard drive, give some kind of an error....cyclic redundancy?? DVD info sw shows that the DVDROM doesn't have the necessary MEDIA CODES to support the DVD disc. Have you tried a simple copy and paste from the folder VIDEO_TS to your hard drive? I finally got the DVD copied to the hard drive than got it burnt on a new Vertex DVD R media. 1. Only 2 GB of the 4.2 got copied & burned, most likely the rest of the files were corrupted? 2. copied only the Video_TS folder. 3. When I played it was fine, but while looking at the properties of the VOB files they were mpeg-2 type. What does that mean? That they were VCD files copied to a DVD? 4. The Video & Audio quality is not the same as I normally see on other DVD movies. Why? 5. Is there any software with which I could edit/improve the video & audio quality? The picture isn’t as crisp & sharp. Feels like am watching a VCD movie. 6. The movie has 2 files, VOB_1& 2, but they won’t Auto play. I have to manually select the files while using power DVD & than play them. Any specific reason? Any comments?
