dual-layer

jinx

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November 7, 2006
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hi guys! i have a question... i just received a dual-layer dvd with some photos and stuff like that on it, and my pc dvd-player won't read it! i don't know what to do... it is probably too old to read it, but could there be another explanation? maybe?
 
Joined
Nov 7, 2006
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Post some more specs (brand, model type, year of build) about the DVD-player and about your system in general and the answer will be more easy to give. Also describe the behaviour of the player in detail: does it whir and whine a lot for a time and then spits it out. Or does it just sit there doing nothing with the DVD. Or does it try to read it and give an error message?
A couple of preliminary reasons besides your player not supporting reading DL (which would be kind of odd, or it is really an old, old player):
- the burn process failed. It still happens, burning DVD does not come with a 100% succes rate
- it's a known issue with DL DVD that they are not always 100% compatible with all readers/players.
- DL DVD's also come in one of the standards in industry. So it might be a DVD+R or DVD-R. Some older players won't support one or the other.
- your player is broken (try some other DVD's)
- the burn process was not finalized. This means that no recognizable TOC (table of contents) was written on the DVD and the player does not know where and how the data is stored. This would also be an unexpected and strange problem because finalizing is a standard operation with DVD's that are burnt at a computer.
- I don't know for sure about this one but I read somewhere that the burn speed can be too high for some players to read the DVD afterwards.
 
Joined
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Well, first, it does make strange whining and whirring sounds, but no message... otherwise i have an athlon 2500+, 512Mb RAM, radeon 9600, i am not sure about my dvd, the only thing it says in the hardware listing is DVD 16x DVD-ROM BDV316E... thanks in advance!
 
Joined
Nov 7, 2006
Messages
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I recognize the type number: it's probably from a company that is called "BTC" and it's a OEM drive (supplied with the computer when you bought it). Well, I'm sorry to say BTC is not known for quality products that last eons. So that may lend credence to reason number 4. Hope you got your warranty still.
You might try flashing the firmware if you know how to do it. This site has the correct flash file: http://etna.rpc1.org/mt/ (middle of page). Be careful though, you have to know what you're doing.
Those strange sounds are probably endless retries of the drive to find the "beginning" of the disc. That may point to a bad burn.
So I would try this in succesion:
1 Try the DL DVD in another computer: if it works it points to the drive as culprit OR the format is not supported in your drive
2 Try other non-DL DVD's in your drive: if they don't work --> drive has more problems than you knew (helpful, isn't? :)) Beware of the format issue
3 Try an official DL DVD in it (for example a rented movie) --> if 2 works but this fails the drive may not be compatible with DL DVD
4 Try another self-burn DL DVD in it if possible
5 Update the firmware (usually voids warranty!) and try above steps from 2
6 Toss the thing in frustration and get a new one!
Good luck with it, I'm off to bed
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
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