This may be slightly off-topic, but this seemed to be the best place I could find. I'm wondering if I need to replace the LG DVD-RW drive on my PC. The drive appears to read CDs and DVDs just fine, but the trouble occurs when I try to burn video DVDs (haven't tried any data DVDs yet). The write process will appear to have been successful, but when I go to play the disc back (on various players), only the first 5 minutes or so is playable - after that, the video goes jerky and/or freezes. I've tried burning several discs with different content, and with different levels of compression, and have noted something odd. The problem seems to occur at a certain physical place on the disc, regardless of the content. For example, if I burn a disc at 100% quality, the video cuts out about five minutes in. If I burn the same content at 50% quality, the video goes about ten minutes before it cuts out. Examining the disc itself showed something else very odd. The first 1/4" of the written area (from the center) has a darker appearance than the rest of the disc. Previously burned discs that turned out OK do not show this symptom - the entire surface of the disc (the written area anyway) is the same color. All have been recorded with the same media, hardware, software, and settings. At this point I suspect that the laser is crapping out after it warms up - would I be right? This drive has (successfully) burned hundreds of CD's and DVD's in it's two-year lifetime, so failure would not surprise me. But I'd still like to make sure before I shell out $50 for a new one.

This may be slightly off-topic, but this seemed to be the best place Icould find. I'm wondering if I need to replace the LG DVD-RW drive on my PC. The driveappears to read CDs and DVDs just fine, but the trouble occurs when I try toburn video DVDs (haven't tried any data DVDs yet). The write process willappear to have been successful, but when I go to play the disc back (onvarious players), only the first 5 minutes or so is playable - after that,the video goes jerky and/or freezes. I've tried burning several discs withdifferent content, and with different levels of compression, and have notedsomething odd. The problem seems to occur at a certain physical place on thedisc, regardless of the content. For example, if I burn a disc at 100%quality, the video cuts out about five minutes in. If I burn the samecontent at 50% quality, the video goes about ten minutes before it cuts out.Examining the disc itself showed something else very odd. The first 1/4" ofthe written area (from the...

Except that the data/reflective layer is near the center of the sandwich.On a single sided DVD, there is a 0.6 mm dummy layer of plastic betweenit and the label.That's on a CD. The label is applied on top of the dummy layer on a single sided DVD.On a CD.-- sam | FAQ: Repair | Main Table of Contents: +Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: | Mirror Sites: Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above isignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in thesubject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

Samuel M. Goldwasser said the following on 2008-11-08 15:17:Yes. And the discussion was about cd:s

DVD Burner Failure?

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Meat Plow 17 years ago

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Don't know. How bout a link to an explanation.

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bz 17 years ago

"Peter Hucker" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@fx62.mshome.net:

The data on a DVD ROM is PRESSED into the upper surface, like CDs, from a master.

formatting link

The reflective layer is then applied and covered with a label.

Be careful HOW you write on it. Don't use a ball point pen or pencil. They deform the surface and can damage the data.

Some magic markers are ok but some ink solvents will damage the data.

Scratched and finger printed CD/DVD's can be recoverable.

Scratches can be polished away. Finger prints can be cleaned off. Damage to the upper surface is permanent.

bz 73 de N5BZ k please pardon my infinite ignorance, the set-of-things-I-do-not-know is an infinite set. bz+ser@ch100-5.chem.lsu.edu remove ch100-5 to avoid spam trap

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Samuel M. Goldwasser 17 years ago

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-- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ:

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Repair | Main Table of Contents:

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+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ:

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| Mirror Sites:

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Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

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Samuel M. Goldwasser 17 years ago

Except that the data/reflective layer is near the center of the sandwich. On a single sided DVD, there is a 0.6 mm dummy layer of plastic between it and the label.

That's on a CD. The label is applied on top of the dummy layer on a single sided DVD.

On a CD.

-- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ:

formatting link

Repair | Main Table of Contents:

formatting link

+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ:

formatting link

| Mirror Sites:

formatting link

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

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Peter Hucker 17 years ago

I have used several makes of "permanent marker" with no problems. I obviously wouldn't use a pen or pencil. I've never seen anyone that daft - although I saw one woman write on the data side! To be fair it was a cheap disk with only a slight colour diffference betweeen the two sides.

Sometimes I can repair scratches using a kit of polishes designed for this purpose, sometimes it fails. Depends how badly scratched it is. At work we have a lot of machines with those miniature DVD drives (lke you would find on laptops), and if the disk is not clipped in properly, it can jump out and end up between the drive and the case.

http://www.petersparrots.com http://www.insanevideoclips.com http://www.petersphotos.com Sprinter Tim Montgomery is banned 2 years for doping. Track officials began to suspect he might be juicing. His personal best time recently broke the record held by Chuck Yeagar.

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Meat Plow 17 years ago

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Well that explains it.

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General Patron 17 years ago

Yes. And the discussion was about cd:s

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DVD Burner Failure?

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