Blocks appear in copy

CD, DVD and (Ultra HD) Blu-ray Writers NEC / Optiarc Writer
#1

Hi,
I use AnyDVD running in the background to remove CSS etc and use DVD2one (1.50) to copy/compress the dvd to the harddrive which i can then burn onto a dvd.

I noticed that on the copies I did that on occasion (but on every dvd i have done that i have watched so far) some blocks would appear at random times. Fairly large blocks of colour and in a group - a bit like a corrupted JPG. Not really enough to be too big an issue but still it is there and i am a bit of a perfectionist :slight_smile:

I though it could be the media I was writing to but when i checked the copy on the PC it also had the same problem. The disks i copied from seem clean and scratch-less so i am guessing it is the hardware having a problem.

Equipment : NEC 2500a with 1.06 Herrie firmware (19-12-2003) - been meaning to go the later version of that firmware.

So I suppose the questions are…
1 - Has anyone else experienced this?
2 - Can it be fixed?

I have heard the NEC isn’t a great reader - is this true?

Many thanks,
s0

p.s. did try a search but didnt really come up with anything.

#2

I think it’s a compression issue ("…but when i checked the copy on the PC it also had the same problem"), rather than a firmware issue! What are the settings of DVD2One you’re using? Did you ever try DVDShrink?

#3

Thanks for the reply :slight_smile:

Yeah I am hoping that it is just compression problem. I am going to upgrade to herrie’s 2k5107v2b5dld anyway.

The settings for DVD2one are:
Movie Only
Constant Ratio
Selective Ratio: Low (read up about this on the dvd2one site but it seemed a bit vague on which one to use).

I usually just use the one audio (english) and usually thats AC3 and all the subtitles (to stop any probs with default subtitles and stuff).

thanks again
s0

#4

Try selective ratio set to medium I do full disc in this mode turns out great viewed on 42in.

#5

I suggest sticking with DVDShrink! :wink:

#6

Ok kewl ill try using selective ratio at medium and ill give DVDShrink a go as well :slight_smile:

So does DVDShrink use a different method for compressing the video?

#7

Use DVDShrink and be sure to have “Deep Analysis” checked.

#8

Ok great - thanks

s0

#9

Hi I tried DVDShrink but it takes forever in comparison to dvd2one. When it started and it said 30mins I though ok kewl, a bit slower but hey if it has better results… but that was only the analysis phase, then it started the encoding which would take another 30mins. dvd2one takes about 15-20 (maybe 25 for bigger movies) for the whole thing.

Yeah ok I know the answer is gonna be that well patience gets better results :slight_smile: but dvd2one has given me amazing quality other than the occasional blocks. I suppose what I am really saying is there is a big difference between 20mins compared to at least an hour. Just seems a bit weird the time difference to simply stop those blocks from occuring.

Or I have I used the wrong settings is DVDShrink and it should be done a lot quicker?

:slight_smile:

Thanks
s0

#10

DVD Shrink may take a little longer but the quality is fantastic.

#11

1st question: what are the specs of your machine (CPU, RAM, OS,etc.)?
2nd question: do you want a GOOD copy, or just a copy/backup? I am satisfied with backups made with DVDShrink WITHOUT “deep analysis”, and my machine (Athlon XP 2600+, 768 MB RAM-333, Winblows XP) lets me make them in a TOTAL time of about 30mins. Anyway, I do know that such backups aren’t THE ULTIMATE in quality backups! But I can live (I mean, really!) with the quality I get; can you?

#12

Deep analysis on my PC takes about an extra 10 minutes
spec below :slight_smile:

#13

My pc spec is…
AMD Thunderbird 1.4GHz
512 Cas-2 ram
2x 80GB HDD’s on Raid 0
NEC 2500a - With Herries 107-beta5-dual layer firmware -i.e. rip-lock removed.
Windows XP sp1.

I would like a GOOD copy if possible and dvd2one does seem to give me that - other than the occasional block :slight_smile: - or am I being naive here and actually the copy could be a lot better? I did have DVDShrink on deep analysis as suggested earlier in this thread so that most probably increases the time.

I can live with the copies it does at the mo (other than maybe the blocking :slight_smile: ) with dvd2one because i dont really see the loss in quaility and anyway there is going to be some loss just by compressing the movie onto 4.7gb. Most probably side by side you would see the difference but when playing on its own there doesnt seem to be much difference.

I will give DVDShrink another go cos maybe i was a bit harsh on it :slight_smile:

#14

I prefer dvd2one over shrink, faster and better quality for me.Have you tried it in selective ratio set to medium. I don’t see these blocks and I am doing full disc.

#15

I am just trying dvd2one on selective ratio set to medium. One thing I have just noticed is that when I created this thread I had Herrie’s 1.06 firmware (the older one) and when ripping a normal dvd (6-7gb in total) would take about 20-25 to do (movie only) and the cpu useage for dvd2one was 100%. Now I am using Herries 107-beta5-dl the cpu useage for dvd2one is at most 70% and it is a taking a little longer (but only slightly i.e. couple of minutes at most).

Maybe it was the firmware and before it was ripping too fast and hence the errors but maybe in this firmware that has been resolved.

…or am i talking ball***s :slight_smile:

#16

I hope that fw beta 5 solved your problems.

If not, consider as well the possibility of a bad burn related to bad media or excessive speed like doing 8X on a poor batch of Ricoh R01 or Ritek G04; which happened to me. Reducing speed to 4X or 6X solved the random blockiness or freezes on the disc. (Transfer rate test with cdspeed showed distinct drops where the freezes occurred)

#17

Sadly beta 5 hasnt fixed the problem :frowning:

I think the problem is more reading from “official” released DVD’s more than reading from copied media - in fact I dont think I have tried to copy from copy media :slight_smile: The blocks appear in the image before I have burned them onto the dvd so the problem must lie in the reading/compression.

I also have AnyDVD 3.8.1.3 running which is taking out the CSS/Macrovision/etc - could it be this that is putting the blocks in as I suppose it must process the video stream to remove the macrovision etc?

#18

Just found an example of the problem I am getting - someone else has done a screenshot. I don’t get it this bad but this is the problem.

Screenshot

The blocking appears in the copies I have on my pc using Nero Showtime and Windows Media Player so I definately think its in the files and not a player problem.

#19

That screenshot looks like a media readability issue.

#20

hmm which makes me think that sadly its just my NEC is having problems reading the discs (which are original movies) for some reason and hence why the compressed versions on the hardrive have the blocks in them.

Could having the riplock removed in the firmware be causing the problem? Could it be that it is ripping too fast, i.e. with the lock the slower speeds causes a better read?

If I have to put up with it then I think I can it just would have been nice to rip to the hardrive at full speed, using something as fast as the dvd2one/anydvd combination and not have the blocks appear. Lol maybe im asking too much :slight_smile: