Iam using dvd xpress with HPdvd640 writer.My problem is when copying movies,I get perfect copies and one{s} that freeze.Same media ,same method? What is also annoying it comes up "Copied successfully" As I have just started burning any info will be much appreciated,but write slowly as I am a silver{bald} surfer and keep it simple for Grandad,theres good children.
Firmware. Is it up to date? Check the version and check support. Firmware tells the burner what to do and adds support for different media. If you have nothing to ID firmware, download and use free DVDInfopro. Firmware version is in drive info on right upper side of window of DVDInfoPro. What media are you using? Download DVD Identifier (free). Put DVD in the burner, with DVD Identifier open, click the Identify box. Tell us your brand and supply the info from the box to the left of Identify. Shouldn't mention copying rentals. Should edit out. Compression errors and problems with source can cause errors in the copy. What software are you using? It's often helpful if we know the specs on the sytem you have along with brand and model.
Cheers Brobear,got both downloads and hopefully this is the info. yuou wanted;Firmware revision JSO4. Buffer size 2048.connection interface...atapi 3.user changes left...4. vendor changes left..4 Media being used,two types 1..DVD-R Ritek go5,manuf.name ritek corp. ID.Ritek Go5.Disc capacity 4.7.Second disc used is DVD-R TTHO2. Manufacturer name TDK Corp.Man.ID.TTHO2. capacity 4.7.The problem arises when I make more than one copy of the same disc.
Okay, try another app to see if it's just the software. Download and use the trial versions of AnyDVD and CloneDVD 2 from SlySoft. http://www.slysoft.com/ DVDCopy 4 from InterVideo is another good transcoder with a good trial. http://www.intervideo.com/ I'll not get into the ethics of multiple copies, but doing copies is a job for copy software, not a transcoder. I heard XCopy had a feature that prevented multiple copies. Since I don't do them, I never tried it to find out.
thanks for all your advice and useful websites Brobear much appreciated.Maybe its best to stick to one backup copy.I take it the media was ok then.Also ,reading the other mails reveals such a lot of interesting information,what a very helpful site and a lot of helpful people,thanks everybody.
The HP 640 has several models: C/I/and 1 or 2 more. The JS04 firmware is for the 640C lightscribe,which I also have. That is the latest up to date firmware for your drive. HP sucks when it comes to firmware updates-very slow. Main thing: How are you viewing them when they freeze? Standalone player or while you watch from your pc using the 640 drive? I'll bet it is a stand alone player! If it is,look at one of those backups that freezes-take note of where it freezes,and see how that HP 640 plays them.Particularly the areas that freeze. Your media isn't actually the greatest. Lots of people having trouble with those Ritek-G05s and TDK. Here's the usual culprits for stand alone player freezing: 1) Media quality-use quality verbatim or taiyo yuden 2) Burn speed 3) Dirty laser lens in that stand alone player-if the 640c plays them perfect.Clean it-and i consider that a last resort before replacement. 4) Paper/sticker labels-can't leave that one out,LOL 5) Fragmented harddrive 6) Weak burner- which My 640c is so I use it for reading and scribing. HP burners are not the greatest drives. 7) Burn engine.Lots of issues with x-copy and a lot of their users switching to nero and dvd decrypter. Switch programs. I believe x-copy places a watermark on their backups.This may be causing you the trouble? 8) Compression- Do main movie only,edit out extra bonus crap and see if issues are solved.
Here's the link to HP support for the 640. http://h20180.www2.hp.com/apps/Look...163-1&h_query=hp+dvd640&submit.x=9&submit.y=7 Using that path one can go to their system for software and firmware downloads. The 640 got lightscribe software updates in January and got a firmware update this month. So, it appears they're staying current, if not giving as many update offerings as some companies. I've got a 740i(B) that has been trouble free. Here's the link to the 640i(C) with the XP operating system. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareList?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=455746&lang=en&os=228 veedubkh The media you have isn't the best, but I guess not the worst. I usually suggest Sony, Verbatim, Taiyo Yuden, and brands with Made in Japan. For those not familiar with what to search for, it makes the purchases easier. I did your homework for you. LOL Use the link above and update your firmware. If you're consistently getting a good copy the first time you do a backup and then problems occur on successive copies, I'd suspect the software, not the drive. As I said, you can do the software check. It doesn't hurt to clean a drive occasionally as saugmon suggests. I use a DVD Cleaner, I suspect a CD cleaner works if you have one. You're just dusting the optical head. I have a Philips DVD Cleaner disc that runs some minor system tests to tell you if the drive is working okay. That makes it handy for testing and cleaning. By the way, you're welcome and let me know how things are going. Good luck.
saugmon They finally got around to the updates at HP. Use the link in the last post. While there you may want to subscribe to their update notification service. HP was bad for even finding their support firmware, but they've made it easy now.
Brobear: That HP site is all screwed up. When I click on HP 640c/then drivers/it takes me to the 640i firmware.I've tried the rest as well-no dice. Oh well, I got it bookmarked so I may be able to update some day whenever they get that site fixed, LOL 4 different HP 640 drives. The i is made by Benq,model# 1655. I'm not sure what the v and the e are,but could be lacie or lite-on?
getting a little off subject...... my stand alone player, which has been the back bone of my surround system, has recently giving me a little problem with finger prints. It never had before! So when you guys mentioned about cleaning the lens of your drive, can this be done to your stand alone? I suspect with the heavy use that I am putting on it that it must be dirty and I don't know how to clean it or what I need to get to clean it. Can you guys give me help with this or should I ask in a new thread?
IHoe Yes. The Philips DVD Laser Lens Cleaner disc I have is for PC or standalone. Saugmon I'd ask HP Support about those designations. I have the 740i which reads as a 740B according to various utilities. I did a check on the same site the link is for. I enter 740B and it goes to 740i, but the firmware upgrade is the one that has been listed for my drive since it became available HP has been working on the site, so I'm not sure if there is a need for different firmware for the different drive versions for the same model or not. Looks like time to give HP Support a call or email to ask what's up.
I'm not too worried about that fw update for my 640c. I got the Benq 1650 booktyping those verbatim +8x lightscribes for me. A far superior burner over my HP,but so are both my 1620s and 1640, LOL My 640c is a very good reader though. The lightscribe looks ok,but I have nero to expirament on. I'll give it a go today. Edit: Ihoe: I also have the philips cleaning disc. I consider it a last resort-before replacement.It ruined my first rca stand alone player. It helped on my sony dvp-ns325,until I started using dl media. An el cheapo walmart special magnavox took care of that issue! I wouldn't use in in any of my pc drives. An occasion squirt of compressed air does no harm to them.
I checked in Best Buy, CompUSA, Circut City, and still can't find the [bold]Philips Laser Lense Cleaning Disc[/bold]. I found Belkin's & Fellows similar product but not Philips, are these the same thing? http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=50452160&pfp=BROWSE http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=302057&pfp=BROWSE are these safe to use?
Try walmart. They sometimes have them on clearance from time to time. They'll have different types. Some come with a special cases to clean your dvds-no biggie on that feature. I'd be cheaper just to get the lens cleaning cd all by itself. Load cd,listen to the directions on that player,and that's all she wrote.
FIRMWARE UPDATE FOR DIFF.MODEL LETTER,(E} ARE FOR EXTERNAL BURNERS HP dvd640i Firmware Update 04-2006 QS12 HP dvd640e Firmware Update 04-2006 QOUC HP dvd640i Firmware Update 04-2006 QS12 HP dvd640e Firmware Update 04-2006 QOUC HP DVD Writer dvd600 series » HP dvd640c DVD Writer » HP dvd640e DVD Writer » HP dvd640i DVD Writer » HP dvd640v DVD Writer START HERE http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support.html
Ireland You end up the same place as the link I supplied above with the same firmware updates. The cookies even left the link highlighted on the page. Different versions of the 640, some using the same firmware snd some different. I only use my Plex more for burning DVD backups because it booktypes. If I've got it, I figure I might as well use it. The HP 740i(B) burns well and I've had no problems at all with it. Just did the firmware update a week or so ago. It actually reads better than the Plex, and except for booktyping, does as good a job of burning. Booktyping doesn't matter with my equipment, but then I may eventually run into a player belonging to someone else with compatibility issues.
Saugmon;all I ever copy is the main movie.My NARNIA has the Disney Watermark on but plays ok.I only watch on stand alone player,have also used Sony media. BROBEAR;have now got all the progs.you said incl.updates[today]so will do a trial .the annoying thing is that dvd fab xpress is good.So will keep you all updated on how things progress I think a process of elimination is called for,keep talking amongst yourselves ,I am going to be tied up for a while.and remember things could be a lot worse,you could be one of my creditors! PS can anyone recommend a PCTerminology dictionary as most of what you said went over my bl**dy head but hey,I,ll learn from you lot,
