Only One Of Two Movies Gets Burned

[jethrodesign]

OK, I'm having NO luck with Roxio EMC 8 yet for burning DVDs. I purchased it based on the clear "TiVo" logo and certification on the box and website for backing up my TiVo shows.

 

Well, there's been pretty much no success there yet. I'm just about to give up.

 

But I'm wondering if anyone would know specifically why this seems to be happening:

 

I've tried 2 times now to burn 2 TiVo movies totalling about 4.2GB total with a simple menu. One time I tried using original .tivo files, the other I used 'freed' mpeg2 files. Unfortunately TiVo files are not DVD standard format and have to be transcoded. But that's another topic.

 

I had set up both projects correctly and set them to burn to DVD AND to ISO file simultaneously (I'm assuming this is possible as they give you the option).

 

After about 7-8 hours each time, the burning process says it has completed OK. There are no error messages.

 

- But my DVD is blank!

- And I do have a 4.2GB ISO file on another drive where I put it.

 

So I use Disc Copy to burn the ISO file to DVD. This takes about 1/2 hour and competes without any errors.

 

- BUT BOTH TIMES I end up with a DVD with ONLY the first movie on it, and NO menu at all. The total space taken up on the DVD is only 2.1GB!

 

What's going on?!? Does this software acutally work?!?! The ONLY thing I can think of is that I have only about 1.8GB free on my boot partition. I have plenty of space on the drive where I keep all files and burn the ISO file to, though. Could this be the cause?!?

 

THANKS!!!

[jimbo206]

Load the iso file in the "disc image loader" which will play it in an emulated drive. If it plays ok here then the issue is in the burn.

[ggrussell]

The ONLY thing I can think of is that I have only about 1.8GB free on my boot partition.

 

Eck! How does Windows work with so little space? Even the printer spooler could use that up quick. You should definitely clear up some space on the boot drive even if that isn't the problem.

 

Videowave and MyDVD both have a place to change where temp files are created. Load MyDVD, under TOOLS / OPTIONS. Change the location of PROXY FILES. Wouldn't hurt to change the location of Captured Narration if it points to the boot drive too.

[jethrodesign]

OK, so I loaded the file in Disc Image Loader. Sure enough, same problem. Only the first movie shows up and plays. No menu or 2nd movie.

 

But the properties still show a file size of over 4GB! Where is this other information?!?

 

And I had set the proxy files to be stored on another drive. I wasn't sure if this was the temp files or not. I had tried to burn a SVCD project to a disc image (since TiVo files are SVCD resolution) and the temp file was stored in a folder called 'SVCD' in the location I stated above. This project froze up at 65% complete. I assumed DVD temp files were stored here as well.

 

And I'm still curious to why the DVD doesn't burn the first time as well?

 

I'm going to look into returning this software, but most software mfg don't do that. Just don't want to waste the $100 if I'm going to have to spend it again on software that actually works.

 

Thanks!

[grandpabruce]

OK, so I loaded the file in Disc Image Loader. Sure enough, same problem. Only the first movie shows up and plays. No menu or 2nd movie.

 

But the properties still show a file size of over 4GB! Where is this other information?!?

 

And I had set the proxy files to be stored on another drive. I wasn't sure if this was the temp files or not. I had tried to burn a SVCD project to a disc image (since TiVo files are SVCD resolution) and the temp file was stored in a folder called 'SVCD' in the location I stated above. This project froze up at 65% complete. I assumed DVD temp files were stored here as well.

 

And I'm still curious to why the DVD doesn't burn the first time as well?

 

I'm going to look into returning this software, but most software mfg don't do that. Just don't want to waste the $100 if I'm going to have to spend it again on software that actually works.

 

Thanks!

 

Good grief!!!!!! What part of Gary's post did you not understand?????????

[bimicher]

OK, so I loaded the file in Disc Image Loader. Sure enough, same problem. Only the first movie shows up and plays. No menu or 2nd movie.

 

But the properties still show a file size of over 4GB! Where is this other information?!?

 

And I had set the proxy files to be stored on another drive. I wasn't sure if this was the temp files or not. I had tried to burn a SVCD project to a disc image (since TiVo files are SVCD resolution) and the temp file was stored in a folder called 'SVCD' in the location I stated above. This project froze up at 65% complete. I assumed DVD temp files were stored here as well.

 

And I'm still curious to why the DVD doesn't burn the first time as well?

 

I'm going to look into returning this software, but most software mfg don't do that. Just don't want to waste the $100 if I'm going to have to spend it again on software that actually works.

 

Thanks!

 

I haven't a clue on what your are trying to do. You talk about "burnibg a SVCD project to a disc image" and then about DVD temp files, etc. Perhaps you could go back and exactly describe in a step-by-step outline what you are doing.

Also working with only 1,8GB free on your system drie will almost guarantee that you will have problems. You should also never burn to iso and DVD at the same time, it's the same as burning to a DVD by itself I believe.

[jethrodesign]

Sorry about the confusion, guys!

 

Here's the simple rundown...

 

I have loaded 2 movies (TiVo shows) into MyDVD 8.

 

I made a simple menu with buttons for each movie.

 

I set the properties to 352x480 (original TiVo files are 480x480) and 4.6Mbps. This gave me a total size of about 4.2GB.

 

I went to burn the DVD. I checked BOTH the burn DVD and Create ISO file checkboxes. I put the ISO file on a separate drive with plenty of space (I set this other drive to store my Proxy files as well).

 

After about 7-8 hours, I get a blank DVD disk and an ISO file of about 4.2GB.

 

I use Disk Copy to burn the ISO file to the DVD.

 

1/2 hour later it fiinishes completely.

 

When I view my DVD (on a standalone DVD player or using the computer's DVD player) I only get the FIRST movie with NO menu at all.

 

When I check the size of the content on the DVD, it is only about 2.1GB.

 

When I play the ISO file directly in Disk Image Loader, I get the same behavior (only the first movie, no menu).

 

I hope that is clear. I'm not sure how else to describe it. Sorry about the confusion about SVCD. I had tried aonther time using that mode to see if I could get the files to not be transcoded (since they are pretty much the SVCD format). I was hoping if that worked I could then burn that to a DVD and see if my DVD player would play it (it supports SVCD).

 

Thanks agian for any help!

[bimicher]

Sorry about the confusion, guys!

 

Here's the simple rundown...

 

I have loaded 2 movies (TiVo shows) into MyDVD 8.

 

I made a simple menu with buttons for each movie.

 

I set the properties to 352x480 (original TiVo files are 480x480) and 4.6Mbps. This gave me a total size of about 4.2GB.

 

I went to burn the DVD. I checked BOTH the burn DVD and Create ISO file checkboxes. I put the ISO file on a separate drive with plenty of space (I set this other drive to store my Proxy files as well).

 

After about 7-8 hours, I get a blank DVD disk and an ISO file of about 4.2GB.

 

I use Disk Copy to burn the ISO file to the DVD.

 

1/2 hour later it fiinishes completely.

 

When I view my DVD (on a standalone DVD player or using the computer's DVD player) I only get the FIRST movie with NO menu at all.

 

When I check the size of the content on the DVD, it is only about 2.1GB.

 

When I play the ISO file directly in Disk Image Loader, I get the same behavior (only the first movie, no menu).

 

I hope that is clear. I'm not sure how else to describe it. Sorry about the confusion about SVCD. I had tried aonther time using that mode to see if I could get the files to not be transcoded (since they are pretty much the SVCD format). I was hoping if that worked I could then burn that to a DVD and see if my DVD player would play it (it supports SVCD).

 

Thanks agian for any help!

Does your production play properly in the myDVD preview? Can you select each movie from the main menu screen? From what you are describing you seem to be only burning the one movie to the DVD or image file. Have you set up the menu correctly?

It's really not necessary to check both the "Burn to DVD" and the "create image" checkboxes, only use the "image" checkbox. That way if there is a problem encoding you will not have wasted a DVD. By selecting the 352x480/4.5 Mbs setting you are creating a low quality video. I think you would be much better putting each movie on a separate DVD at best quality (720x48 and 8Mbs)

[jethrodesign]

Does your production play properly in the myDVD preview? Can you select each movie from the main menu screen? From what you are describing you seem to be only burning the one movie to the DVD or image file. Have you set up the menu correctly?

It's really not necessary to check both the "Burn to DVD" and the "create image" checkboxes, only use the "image" checkbox. That way if there is a problem encoding you will not have wasted a DVD. By selecting the 352x480/4.5 Mbs setting you are creating a low quality video. I think you would be much better putting each movie on a separate DVD at best quality (720x48 and 8Mbs)

 

OK, so I did try running the project in preview mode (I don't usually try that as my computer is pretty slow and it sometimes chokes). I DID see the menu and I was able to select the second movie and it started playing.

 

So I'm assuming that this would point toward the menu being set up correctly. It's pretty basic, just a background with two default buttons, each with some descriptive text underneath.

 

I could try burning at top quality with 1 one-hour show per DVD, it would just eat up a lot of DVDs for all the shows I have. What makes a 2-hour movie fit on a DVD and look so good? Or 4 1-hour episodes of '24' on a DVD, including some extras? Do the major studios have access to some different formatting technology that we cannot get?? Just wondering.

 

Thanks again for any help!

[ggrussell]

Not only do they have better technology, but they use computer farms for rendering. They could use 1000s of computers just to render one movie. Not because it's faster, but for the quality. It's amazing that we can do what we can on a home machine, but I don't think our home movies will ever reach the same quality as commercial DVDs. We might be able to reach today's quality with high definition and blue ray burners eventually. And that's a big 'might'.

[jimbo206]

Render each movie seperately as an iso then view the iso in disc image loader to save from ruining any more dvd discs. My guess is movie 1 will come out fine and movie 2 will not. If this happens movie 2 file is likely corrupted. If they both come out ok on separate discs then the computer is "Choking". Sometimes alls it takes to choke while rendering is for a program to attempt to connect on the internet (among other things) so make sure the internet is off and stop all unneccesary operations using "task manager".

[jethrodesign]

Render each movie seperately as an iso then view the iso in disc image loader to save from ruining any more dvd discs. My guess is movie 1 will come out fine and movie 2 will not. If this happens movie 2 file is likely corrupted. If they both come out ok on separate discs then the computer is "Choking". Sometimes alls it takes to choke while rendering is for a program to attempt to connect on the internet (among other things) so make sure the internet is off and stop all unneccesary operations using "task manager".

 

Thanks for the advice. If Roxio 'chokes' while creating the ISO file, will it still say 'Complete" at the end and not give any error messages?