DVDFab Express mode

Hi,
System winxpsp2, pioneer dvr-A09 (2L), DVDFab Platinum, verbatim media
Since upgrading to 2L burner, DVDFab exp mode does not copy main movie on blank media - Reported error Failed writing on DVD:5 - if compression must take place (io 90%). DL capability unthick in settings. Fabexlog does not contain any info why or what is wrong
DVDFab Gold mode ok to burn on DVD9 (2L). But because of $$ I would like to compress some on DVD5.
Has anybody a clue to try to solve this problem?
Before I was using a SONY burner 1L & compression was never a problem.
Many thanks in advance.

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Last edited by 747john; 03-05-2006 at 09:35. Reason: typing error

What is the DVDR size set in options menu?

Size was tried at 4200 and 4500, actual size of media is 4700
The last try with Exp was a movie of 4690 (comp 93%) with 4500 setting

This issue has been discussed on the forum several times. There is a misundersanding about what the numbers exactly mean in DVD size. Simply put, the capacity of a SL disk is 4.377 GB which is 4482 MB. Therefore the setting in SL burn should never be more than 4482, even the preset option of 4472 is often risky and the best to do is to remain at 4200.

What do you mean? The setting was set at 4200 & it did not work?
Just to make sure, I tried the other settings.
The problem is not there, I think it is in the compression part of the soft. This never happened before DVDFab was upgraded to 2L.
I am wondering if somebody has experienced the same problem?

I just do not know what the problem exactly is. When DVDR is set at 4500 you can not burn the results to a SL disk. I suggest that you set the size to 4200, rip to HD and check the folder size you get and also play the contents from HD for testing. If the size remains bigger that is a problem and someone may come up with the same experience. I myself have never encountered this. Under heavy compression FAB tends to need a few mor MBs than set, but insead of 4200 you should really not get more than maybe 4210. If folder size is fine copy to DVD-R (or rather RW first) from there and see if you get the same error there (remember to adjust DVDR size again to be above the folder size to avoid repeated compression problems)

Hope this helps or at least we will know where the problem lies.

Hi again
I must admit that I have never checked the size of the HD copy. Will do that, burn it compressed to HD first, see the size and then try to burn it to a DVD 1L. I might try to burn it with Nero as well to compare. Will keep you posted. It will take a few days as I am going away and will not have time in those next few days. Thanks.

Hi Hun
Sorry been away and very busy so no time.
Have tried to burn first on Hdd then to DVD, worked OK with compression.
Your tips worked finewhen compression to DVD5 is needed.
Dvdfab exp ok when writing 100% but still not OK for direct copy to DVD and still don't know why...
Maybe next version will solve the problem.
Thanks anyway for your help, at least I have a workaround.
John

I am glad you managed. A lot of members complain about write errors and there does not seem to be a solution yet. I have no such problem luckily but I think the burning engine might be too sensitive to hardware and software configuration issues.

747, just to add one thing to Hun's help. Note that Fab always writes to the HDD first, even with the burner set as target write device. However in this case it uses a temp directory, and then by default deletes the contents after successful burn to dvd. Determine what the temp directory is and make sure there are no contents there (from past rip/burn attempts) - delete them if so (leave the folder itself labeled "DVD"). Had an issue once with failed burns, and this appeared to be the culprit - once I cleaned out - burned fine on a "direct to dvd" burn selection. When you intentionally rip to HDD, and then burn later - Fab (you set) uses a different target HDD directory.

Hi Larry
Yes I know that exp write first to the Hdd (temp dir) and you can avoid the auto wiping out, but what I did was to direct the copy of the main movie to a totally different dir as final destination, thus uncompressed because no restrain on space. Then from there re-use Fab Exp to compress it to a DVD 1 layer.
By doing it that way it worked fine as suggested by Hun.
If a movie does not need any compression I can burn it to a DVD 1 layer directly without problem. This is why I think the problem is in the compression part of the program. It happens only since it was modified to cope with DVD9 (2 layers). The version I am using is 2976. I have not upgraded yet because of the other problems I read in the forum.
Thanks for your help
John

747, understood. That is strange then, I'm holding at 2.9.7.7. due to issues reported with 7.8., but think I used 7.6. okay also. It should (I know, should!) rip/compress and burn in one step (albeit the temp HD rip).....Another way to try I guess is to rip it with DL unchecked (thus if a source dvd9 will compress), and burn with something like Nero if you have...Still though I agree, something appears to hampering the designed way Exp is supposed to work.