DVD type recommendations?

[Patrick]

Jhoneycutt, how can you be so sure that the Yamaha will play -DVDs when it doesnt include them in the list of compatible formats? The only type of DVDs that the manual lists are the + ones.

[soundboy]

The laptop at my father's work had spent over 27 hours downloading the DV version of 'Pulse of Life' (using Broadband with a wireless connection.) There was one hour to go till the finish and then a power failure had occurred.

Arrrrgghhhh!!!

We have now started from scratch again...hopefully this second download will finish on Sunday. If so, I look forward to my first viewing of the film.

Unfortunately Awand's server doesn't seem to support resuming

[jhoneycutt]

Jhoneycutt, how can you be so sure that the Yamaha will play -DVDs when it doesnt include them in the list of compatible formats? The only type of DVDs that the manual lists are the + ones.

When DVD players were first introduced, they would only play the DVDs that you rent at the video store. The first consumer produced DVD format that the next generation players would support was DVD-R. So, if a desk top DVD player will play any other DVD format other than the format that Blockbuster Hollywood DVDs are, it is DVD-R. It is so common, that many players don't even list it any more.

Here is a web site that has a lot of DVD information. It has reviews from folks that use this player. You can see that many folks are playing DVD-R media in this model player:

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php ... &#comments

As an aside, I saw a remark that says you can get firmware updates for your player from Yamaha's web site. Probably a good thing to do.

The fact that your player supports DVD-R media is good news for you. If you have a DVD burner in your computer, chances are that it will burn DVD-R media. DVD-R media is very cheap. I recommend that you stay away from no-name media, and buy a brand you have heard of before. I like TDK myself. And it is so very cheap (less than 50 cents a DVD-R blank with out a jewel case). Head out to your computer store and pick up a packet of paper CD/DVD sleeves. Also very low cost.

After you have burned your movie on your computer, drop it in your Yamaha player to make sure it burned OK. You will probably make a few "coasters" until you get the hang of it. Defrag your HD before you burn. Turn off all other running applications before you burn. Reboot. Burn at a slightly *Slower* speed than your computer DVD burnner will support.

Unless a friend's DVD payer is very old, your DVD-R disk will play fine in almost all players.

Are you in the UK?

jack

[Patrick]

I'm in Australia. The blank CDs that I normally buy to scan 35mm slides with are TDK brand so naturally, I chose the same brand when hunting for blank DVDs. Regardless, even if I do have a +RW DVD master copy, I guess it would be a simple, no fuss affair to make a -R DVD copy of it via a burner?

[Angus]

my experience with cheaper DVD players is that the performance is NOT as good as expensive ones

in what way? i'm most happy with mine. it even outputs progressive rgb and 5.1 audio.
/matt

Have you ever tried el cheapo player on a 2 metre wide plasma screen or with an LCD projector?

ON a regular CRT television virtually any DVD looks very good...go up to a better display and the differences are noticable. Also if you have a good ear and a top end sound system you can really hear the difference.

Sure for watching on a regular CRT in most circumstances the sub $50 DVD players are fine. Mind you my local supermarket always has a queue of people returning faulty unigs...

[mathis]

I also had very bad experiences with an ultra low budget DVD player. Despite the awful audio quality it had a pretty soft picture and would hang when the bitrate got too high.
I sold it, bought a low budget Pioneer DV-350 and am fairly happy now for some years already.

[mattias]

Have you ever tried el cheapo player on a 2 metre wide plasma screen or with an LCD projector?

sure, with progressive scan component rgb it looks great, although i admit it's a little soft compare to dvi from my laptop.

/matt

[Patrick]

if I have a +RW DVD master copy of a film, would it be a simple task to make a -R DVD copy of it via a burner?

[jhoneycutt]

if I have a +RW DVD master copy of a film, would it be a simple task to make a -R DVD copy of it via a burner?

yep

jack

[mwkurt]

I would suggest using DVD+r and setting the booktype to DVD-ROM. This can only be done with +r media. DVD-ROM is the same setting that commercial DVD's use and is the one setting that will play in all DVD players. As for the best type of DVD media, I would say Taiyo Yuden media is best. You can find Taiyo Yuden media with it's own label at places like Rima.com, or you can buy Fuji (made in Japan) media that will have the Taiyo Yuden label. Use DVDinfopro to check the actual manufacturer of the disk. Many companies use different manufacturing plants to produce their DVD media. Generally you want to stay away from any media that had an MCC as the manufacturer. Also, generally try to avoid DVD media that was made in Taiwan. The media made in Japan is the best you can!
Mark

[Angus]

Maybe you're more experineced than I, but I have used Eproformance and Infiniti DVD- discs all made in Taiwan for a year now and no probs whatsoever. Only one wasted disc (incomplete burn) and no compatibility issues except the Eproformance 8x discs don't play so well on one "desktop" player I have tried (work fine in the other 6).