Problem with self made DVDs

I have burned many, many DVD movies from my computer to DVD disks and played them successfully on my TV with a Toshiba DVR. However, I burned a movie I can't get to play no matter what I do. It is an avi format and I've tried converting it to mpg and other formats, but it still won't play. I put it in my DVR and, although everything else I have burned works perfectly, this one won't. I called Toshiba tech support and even they didn't have any ideas what to do. I can watch the movie on my computer, but not on my TV. When I burn it to a disk and put it in my DVR, the machine doesn't recognize it and shows "Zero items" where it usually shows how many movies are on the disk. I'd rather watch the movie on my big screen flat panel than on my computer screen. Anybody out there got any ideas?:cry

 

Welcome to MG's..

That would depend upon 2 things

what type of file is it originally(mpg,vob,avi,etc..)
what types of files will your dvr play.(are you sure it is converting the file correctly)

one last thing are you sure you are actually burning the disc or maybe you have checked simulate under options)

afewideas
P

 

Hi Petaluma, the file was originally an avi file. I've burned at least 150 movies in the same way. That's why I couldn't figure out what went wrong. After it wouldn't play as an avi, I converted it to mpg, NTSC DVD, and other formats, but I still have the original avi movie. My player will play almost anything, especially avi formats, and everything I've self made on my PC. So, the converting isn't the problem, because I tried it first without converting.

 

Im confused are we talking like home-made movies here? or something you downloaded off the internet? Maybe the file is bad or something :\

 

Have you tried ConvertXtoDVD (not free) or DVDFlick to convert the avi to a VideoTS folder (with standard DVD formatted files inside)? Time consuming about 2-4 hrs. depending on your computer but pretty much full proof. DVDFlick will burn the files to disc for you as well. DVDFlick Guide.

*******
My guess is that your Avi file is using an H264 codec or something that your DVD player doesn't like. You could get something like GSpot to tell you the audio and video codecs but if the player doesn't like them it just doesn't like them.

 

Don't know how far it is to your TV from your PC, but since about '01 I've had my computers hooked up to the TV via an S-video cable. That way you can clone the PC display to a video mode on your TV. If you have a solid video card these days, it should still have S-video out as an option. You can even go really expensive, and get one with an HDMI output. In the long run, it may save you a boatload on DVDs.

Also, in the event you may not know this, (doubt it, but you never know) they make adapters that convert 1/8" stereo plugs to a pair of RCAs. I have always run my sound card through the house stereo over the years.

Just an option, hope it helps out...

 

I agree with Sach2, my Divx enable player can handle just about anything I throw at it... except a H264 encoded movie. When I get one of those I either use convertxtodvd and make a 'real' dvd from it or I run it thru Virtualdub and re-encode it with a codec my player can handle (I use Xvid, just a old habit.) You WILL lose quality when you re-encode but how much is subjective and some might not even be able to tell.


** Side note, I wanted to see how much quality was lost when I re-ecoded a video, I took a 10 minute clip and ran it through Virtualdub 15 times. I went from a Xivd source to a Divx, etc, etc. After 15 converts the clip was still watchable but it was noticable different than the source file. **

 

Thanks, guys, for the suggestions. I tried the Super DVD Creator and it recorded the first 5 minutes of the file, but it still wouldn't play in my DVR. This is not a home movie, by the way, it's a copy of a vid from mininova.org and was a made-for-TV movie. I don't know how to find out if this is an H264, but my DivX-playing DVR won't play the movie and it's getting frustrating. Long way from the TV to the PC, too. Although if I can get the video transferred to my laptop, hooking it directly to the TV may be the solution. I'll try it when I figure out how to get it to the laptop. I'll get back to you guys when I've tried it. Thanks...

 

Try DVDFlick it will most likely convert the file.

Gspot will tell you the codec used. Just unzip the folder, click on the program in the folder and it will analyze the file and tell you the codecs used. It doesn't look like SuperDVDCreator can handle h264. I'm not sure you have an h264 file but DVDFlick will put just about any file in standard DVD format that any player can handle.

 

I tried Gspot and it confirmed the file was not an H264. It showed MPEG4, but it won't play on my wife's iPod. I converted it with DVD Flick and burned it to a disk with the same burner I always use and it still came up unrecognizable in my DVR. Nothing seems to work to get this screwy file to play anywhere except on my PC.

 

Sorry, I don't have any new ideas. If DVDFlick was able to recognize the original codecs and convert to standard DVD format (.bup .ifo and .vob) I can't understand why it wouldn't play. Once DVDFlick is done converting, it is no longer a codec issue. Even any corruption in the original avi should be removed since you are doing a full encoding.

I'd be interested if you eventually come up with a solution. Sorry that I can't help more. Good Luck!

 

Woo hoo!!! Thanks, Sach, I finally did it! Sorry about the negative report about DVD Flick. I guess I just didn't understand how to use it properly. After your last message, I decided to give it a try again and this time I went through the directions (we men always have a problem with that, don't we and discovered where I went off the map previously. I took another run at it this morning, made all the right choices in the settings and it finally worked. I am now able to see my movies through my DVR to my flat panel TV where they belong! Thanks a million for the heads up on the DVD Flick - it was the right choice.

 

I have a similar problem to this.
Since the advent of standalone DVD players/Recorders with USB input, I don't find the need to to use something like ConvertX2DVD any more (great tool), as I just put the files on my USB stick and plug it in.

My problem is also that I appear to have some different types of AVI file. They all play fine on the PC, but when I try and watch some on the TV they don't.
I took a look at GSpot, but that hasn't been supported in over 2 years. Is there anything similar I can use to figure out why one should work, and the other not?

K

 

I don't know why you're having that problem. I never figured out why I had the problem. I'm not that much of a technician, but I know what you mean. Some avi's play and some don't. However, somebody turned me on to some freebie software that works and so far I've been able to redo the DVDs I was having trouble with by using this software and now they all work without any problem. You can Google it and try it yourself. It's called DVD Flick. It takes a lot longer to burn a DVD using this software than using the one I had previously, but it's well worth it. Try it and see if it doesn't solve your problem like it did mine. Good luck...

 

Dumb question possibly, but is it possible to install the codecs on the standalone DVD player.
Is there no simple tool that can tell the difference and convert? GSpot did half.

I'll give DVD Flick a try. I tried AVS Video Converter 6 but it was incredibly slow, more so than simply burning it to DVD with ConvertX2DVD.

 

I very much doubt either is possible. You just need to get your burned video onto a disk in a format your player can read. They don't seem to be as universal as a computer, which usually plays everything. The newer stand alone DVD players are better about recognizing home made DVDs where older ones don't. I use a Toshiba DVR600KU which is good about playing home made disks, but even they missed playing a few until I used DVD Flick as a burner. If you can do that, it wouldn't be necessary to start trying to find codecs for your stand alone player, or modifying it.