Before You Burn

Here are some general notes about storage capacity, compatible hardware and other helpful information you need before burning a DVD or CD.

• CDs hold about 680 mb of data which translates to about 90 minutes of aduo and 10-20 minutes of video
• DVDs hold about 4 gigabytes of data which equals about 1.5-2 hours of high-quality video
• CD-R is the most compatible CD type.
• CD-RW are rewritable, but not as stable.
• DVD-R is most compatible.
• Newer drives are able to read and write all types of CDs and DVDs. In a couple of years, we won't be worried about types.
• Finalize the CD/DVD if you want to make sure you can read it on different computers. You will not be able to add more to it.
• Finalize the just the session if you want to add more to the CD later. You may not be able to read your disc on another machine.

Blu Ray vs. HD: Hot Competition

Hot competition exists between Blu Ray disc DVDs and HD DVDs. While Blu Ray disc movie releases have escalated beyond the HD releases, the competition is heating up. Between April 1 and June 30, 70 total HD titles were released while only 63 Blu Ray titles were released within that period. This competition to release more titles and new releases in both of the cutting-edge format is good news for consumers. You will now be seeing more and more titles in both HD and Blu Ray format. Whether you choose Blu Ray, HD or both, your selection is increasing.


Source:

Visitor News Post, (Jul 2, 2007 ). More HD DVD Movies Released in Q2 Than Blu-ray Disc . Retrieved July 10, 2007, from BurnWorld.com Web site: http://www.burnworld.com/burningnews/hddvd/More_HD_DVD_Movies_Released_in_Q2_Than_Blu-ray_Disc.shtml

DVD/CD Burning Terms

Curious about the DVD/CD burning process. Here are some basic facts to keep you in the know.

Data burned to a CD or DVD is laid out in sessions. These sessions are composed of a lead-in which holds the table of contents for the disc. Next is the lead out. A blank CD or DVD can only acquire 99 tracks per session. Sometimes multiple sessions are required to burn all content to DVD or CD media. In these cases, the lead in contains an "address" or directions that clue the new session in on the previous burn session history.


TOC
The Table of Contents (TOC) is where the layout of the tracks on the disc is held. It is located in the lead in area of the disc of that latest session.

Lead-In
Again, the lead in is the beginning part of the recordable media. It holds the TOC and the directions to the next session or part of the disc.

Lead-Out
The lead-out area is the ending part of the CD session. When the session is closed, the lead-out area is written.

DVD Ripping

Not sure what this means? If you think DVD ripping refers to literal ripping or snapping a DVD in half, you need some more education. DVD Ripping is synonymous with DVD copying- the process of copying a DVD to your hard drive. Once the data from the DVD is on your hard drive you're free to view it through your computer, copy it to a disc or simply store it there for backup.

CD Burning 101

Here are the basics of the CD or DVD burning process if your new to the scene or if you've been duplicating DVDs forever and would like to learn more. The process begins with a recorder that burns or encodes the information onto a disc. The disc may be of a few formats: CD-R, DVD+R or DVD-R. New formats include the Blu Ray Disc and HD DVD-R disc. The recording device heats a layer in the disc using a laser. Though the process is much more complicated and precise, the result of the laser burning phase creates marks that can be read and translated into a movie!

What is Blu Ray?

You've heard about High Definition (HD) television and discs, but have you heard about Blu Ray discs? Blu Ray discs are high-density discs formatted to store high definition data. Basically Blu Ray discs can hold much more data than a typical burnable DVD because Blu Ray discs are burned with a blue-violet laser. Blue rays are characterized by a short wavelength which allows these discs to hold more data. A typical Blu Ray disc can hold about 5 times the data of a regular DVD.

Why won't my DVD fit?

Are you trying to record a backup of your copy of Spiderman to a recordable DVD and it won't fit? Here's why. DVD recordable media can only hold 4.7 GB of data. Most DVDs contain more data than that, though. So what do you do? You can compress the data with your DVD copy software. Basically this means you shrink the data down into a size that your recordable media can handle. Or, you can record the DVD on to multiple discs. The most convenient option is compression. If your DVD copy software does not have compression capabilities you can easily find software that does. DVD copy software is also inexpensive, so you might consider updating your software so you can backup your favorite DVDs.

DVD Rom and DVD Burner

If you have been wondering about this "Rom" word, don't feel bad. Many users only know that DVD Burner is hardware that enables the copying of data onto DVDs. But what exactly is a DVD Rom? Is it a synonym for DVD Burner? No. A DVD Rom refers to hardware that allows you to read data contained on DVDs, but cannot copy data. So if you are in the market for hardware that can copy data onto a DVD, you need a DVD burner, not just a DVD Rom. Now you know.

CSS Decryption

The CSS (Content Scrambling System) means that DVD manufacturers have converted the data into a code so that it cannot be easily duplicated. You probably realize that the film and DVD industry does not want consumers to copy DVDs, so the purpose of CSS is to sabotage efforts to copy DVDs. CSS decryption then is a mechanism to undo the scrambling effect of CSS so that a DVD can be copied. Interestingly CSS was developed by a fifteen year old boy from Norway. Though legal action was attempted against the boy, the case was dismissed in 2003. Since then DVD copy software has been utilizing CSS. Some companies include CSS within the software while others leave out CSS which requires the user to download the component from the Internet.

How Long Should a DVD Copy Take?

DVD copy speed depends on the speed of your computer. On a typical 3.0 GHz P4 computer with a 16X DVD writer the process will run roughly 10 to 15 minutes for copy and another 5 to 10 minutes to burn the actual DVD. Also consider the length of the movie into that equation.

Can I copy games?

You know that you can copy CDs and DVDs, but how about your favorite video games? You're in luck. Certain DVD burning software has the capability of burning a copy of video games. It's important to note that not all DVD burning software contains this game copy feature. The best way to find out if a prospective software program can copy games is to check a review site. Review sites provide a step by step analysis of the features and functions of software. This way you can honestly determine the abilities of a product. Game copy software exists, just check out a product's stats on a review site.

Is DVD Copying Legal?

The answer here is a bit murky. On the one hand, industry heads like DVD manufacturers and movie studios call the copying of DVDs illegal because it infringes upon copyright law. On the other hand, the public cites the Audio Home Recording Act of 1992 as their justification for copying DVDs. This Act states that it is perfectly legal to copy a media source the you have purchased for the purpose of a backup or replacement copy. Currently, the studios and manufacturers are making their DVDs and CDs as hard as possible to record so that they may not be copied. However the DVD burning software industry has found ways to circumvent these extra measures taken by studios. So the answer is: DVD copying is legal if you are owner of the DVD and you make a copy for your own personal use.

How can I make my DVD burn faster?

-Have as few other programs running as possible.
-Don't work on your computer while the DVD copy is being made.
-Using the least amount of compression makes it encode faster. To reduce compression, select the "move only" option for those movies that are unusually long (over 100 minutes)
-If you can upgrade your RAM to at least 512MB (for windows XP) this seems to be the best
-Use high quality blank DVD media so your DVD writer can burn at optimal speed. We recommend google.com to search for Taiyo Yuden DVD-R media.
-If you have a slow/old dvd writer (under 16X write time) consider upgrading. They're pretty cheap and easy to replace. Buy one at Best Buy or WalMart. The added benefit is that you can use your old DVD writer as the source DVD drive, and your new one as the Destination Drive. This way, you don't have to put in the blank half way through the process.

Burn DVDs on One Disc

You can burn an entire movie on one DVD blank disc if you have the right product features. In order to burn a convenient one-disc copy of your favorite movie look for these features in software: Dual Layer Support or Compression. Dual Layer refers to a burning capability that allows you to burn an entire movie on one 9GB disc. Compression refers to a process of condensing DVD data into one disc. Compression can compromise quality, however, so you may want to omit bonus scenes if you only have compression ability and not Dual Layer support. Find DVD burning software that supports both of these features: http://www.consumerfirstreviews.com

Can CD-R writers burn DVDs?

No. DVD utilizes a smaller wavelength of laser to create smaller pits and the tracks are closer together. The DVD laser also focuses more tightly and on a different level. A CD-R made with a CD-R burner may not be readable by a DVD-ROM drive.

Copy TV Show Seasons Onto DVD

The luxury of watching your favorite show without commercials and weekly interruption is finally here! Now that you can by TV shows on DVD you may be wondering how you can copy this media. You may have already tried to copy your favorite season of Friends but were met with an error message or an incomplete disc. What you need to copy these types of DVDs is episodic support. The episodic support feature is available on many DVD copy software programs now. If you need burning software with episodic support check out http://www.consumerfirstreviews.com/ You can compare prices and features of DVD burning software.

What is the difference between DVD-R & DVD+R?

If possible, buy a DVD burner that can burn to BOTH DVD-R and DVD+R recordable media. If your DVD writer only supports one type of DVD media, you will need to know that before you buy DVD recordable media. If possible, buy a DVD player that can play both DVD-R and DVD+R discs. Again, you would need to look at your DVD player owners manual to find out.If you already own a DVD burner and a DVD player (like most of us), find out what your DVD player can play, then use that type of DVD recordable media. Most newer DVD burners support both formats so focus on what your DVD player can handle.So what's the difference you ask? DVD-R and DVD+R are two competing technologies that use different formats. No single company owns either DVD format and both technologies have their advantages.DVD-R/RW was developed by Pioneer. Based on CD-RW technology, it uses a similar pitch of the helix, mark length of the 'burn' for data, and rotation control. DVD-R/RW is supported by the DVD Forum, an industry-wide group of hardware and software developers, and computer peripheral manufacturers. The DVD-R format has been standardized in ECMA-279 by the Forum, but this is a private standard, not an 'industry' ISO standard like the CD-R/RW Red Book or Orange Book standard. DVD+R/RW is also based on CD-RW technology. DVD+R/RW is supported by Sony, Philips, HP, Dell, Ricoh,Yamaha, and others, and has recently been endorsed by Microsoft. DVD+R/RW is not supported by the DVD Forum, but the Forum has no power to set industry standards, so it becomes a market-driven issue.