You firmware is out of date, should be PDS7 for a Dell according the the Firmware Page. http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?category=14&manufactor=30 You can go to the Dell site and punch in your service tag and see what they are offering in upgrades for the drive. PDS3 firmware is about two behind and could be why you are having problems with the media.
It should be on your computer somewhere, it is a number that Dell gives out when you get your comp so they know which one is yours and you can get all the info when you go to the site and login.
or just click find when useing dvd decrypter (firmware checking) it will go to the website and show the download you need!
Ok, forget that, I found it and downloaded an update....I'll see what happens the next time I burn...should be in a few days. I'll let you know!!! Thanks!
Ok, I deleted all extra stuff on my computer and defraged, I downloaded the update, picked a DVD that had NO scratches and burned it. When I played it today, it skipped a couple of times and then stopped completely! Couldn't get it to go past the spot where it stopped....HELP!!!!!
ok, so ur firmware is up to date. im not sure what type of media ur burner takes (-r or +r or both). try getting some verbatim or sony dvds (not rw). i would recomend tys but u have to get them online ( i havent found any at wal mart lately except a few +r sonys here and there). both of these media brands are pretty dependable. that should eliminate one more thing.
Your problems sound similar to the ones I had when I first started burning. Firstly, I'll repeat what everyone is saying: media. I had skipping, freezing errors with a variety of cheap media until I switched to Verbatim. Secondly, burn speed. But most importantly is ensuring that your booktype is set to DVD ROM. This can be found under the Quality Settings tab of DVD Shrink. This, along all the crappy media I was using, was my major problem. Because my standalone DVD player is three years old, it has major problems reading +/-r media. When you set to DVD ROM you trick your stand alone into believing it is reading a regular DVD. When I firtst started burning, I ended up with stacks of failed burns. By reading this guide http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/183136 I was able to troubleshoot and I now have backed up over one hundred DVDs successfully. Your problems sound exactly the sameas mine: firmware, bad media, burn speed, and most importantly booktype.
I forgot. I rarely post to this form, so I like to give a shout out everytime I do. When i first started burning, I had no clue what I was doing. My burns were skipping and freezing or were simply unreadable by my stand alone. My wife and I would sit down to watch a movie and then it would skip and I'd be off to the computer in a total rage. I was spending all my free time attempting to get a clean burn. I think we were close to divorce. Then I started using this website. By searching through the forums, I was able to solve all my problems. Not once did I have to post a help message because all my problems had already been addressed. If it wasn't for this site, I would have given up burning and considered myself a failure. Thanks to everyone on this site. All my clean beautiful burns are a result of your shared knowledge.
skatiman - what dvd player are you using. Currently I decrypt/shrink with dvd shrink and burn with dvd decrypter...ALL my burns play well on my computer and on my Toshiba recorder. However, I have tried 3 different stand along dvd players in my "TV" room and all of them cause the movies to freeze up. UUUUUGH. I've tried the newer model Sony, Phillips, one other brand and the same problem with the freezing. I don't have the money to buy another Toshiba recorder (approx. $450)....but would like to have a reliable dvd-player option for watching moves. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED!!
hi i have bought 5 of the cheapest no name no brand standalone dvd players for peanuts and they all play anything i chuck at them
ROTARY -- Which 5 do you use? I'd love to know. I hear that cyberhome and magnavox work well....are those the brand of any of your players? THANKS A BUNCH, JC
Another question...I can't seem to find the dvd shrink tab where I can set the booktype to "DVD-ROM". Any help would be appreciated.
hi dvd shrink doesnt booktype not that i know of? dvd decrypter does! the brand is called COMPACKS, i started buying 1 then saw it was good for cheap poo, then bought my lad and mother-in-law etc...
Thanks rotary... now where can I find the booktype setting in dvd decrypter. THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR HELP!
Does anyone think it could be my actual player thats messing up the picture...I can't remember the brand name right off the bat, but it was a pretty 'good' one when we bought it about 1 1/2 yrs ago. Name brand. My mother has a no name brand one, brand new, just a few weeks old that also messes up....
