How do I know what disc to burn to?

[ErikaPNP]

Help out a computer thikko, please.

I've made a movie in windows movie maker, now I'm stuck!How do I know what kind of disc to buy to burn it to?

 

On the front of my DVD drive it says "DVD + R DL"

 

...further along it says "compact disc +" then "ultraspeed rewritable"

 

I've done it before but I can't remember for the life of me what kind of disc I used. Help!

 

Do I just buy a set of discs that say "DVD + R DL" on them - will they work?

[kiptower]

yes , seems your writer is plus + only

 

the Dl means dual layer if you want to use larger 8.5 gig disks

 

depending on what your doing to what disks you buy , for normal use its 4.7 gig single layer

[locutus]

DVD + R are probably your best bet, providing it's not over 2 hours long. Get them from most supermarkets.

[ErikaPNP]

Ok, I have some blank DVD + R discs. Didn't realise I still had them. I know they work because I've used them before, but I've managed to waste 10 so far! I keep getting an error message.

 

It does the encoding, then "fails to burn" (goes up to 98%)

 

I've tried using them as well to burn word docs, and I get "unable to complete the format".

 

With windows movie maker, I've gone into tools, compatibility, and unchecked all the boxes. Didn't work.

 

Tried updating the drivers. Still doesn't work. I'm close to throwing the damn PC out the window!

 

Any solutions to this?

[kiptower]

try this

 

Free DVD Creator: Create & Burn DVD from AVI DivX MPEG WMV MP4 to DVD.

 

problem may well be your using windows inbuit dvd / cd writing

 

what you using XP vista win 7

[locutus]

Do you know what version you have? If not, whilst in moviemaker, click help, then it should have an "about windows movie maker" or something similar, click that and tell me what version you are running.

 

Also are you trying to make a DVD that will play in a standard DVD player?

[locutus]

try this

 

Free DVD Creator: Create & Burn DVD from AVI DivX MPEG WMV MP4 to DVD.

 

problem may well be your using windows inbuit dvd / cd writing

Simultanious post there kip. I was going to sugest the same route if the movie maker is an older version. Export the movie to your hard drive and use a tool such as the one kip suggested to burn it as a DVD.

[kiptower]

no prob, thats a straight forward one

[ErikaPNP]

It's version 6.0 on vista.

 

Thanks for that programme - I appreciate it, but unfortunately, it didn't work either.

 

I've also tried reducing the burn speed to "medium" and then tried "slow" - no luck.

[kiptower]

how big is your file , one or 2 of us can convert it for you and write to disk

 

check this out a guide to do it with vista if it helps

 

DVD-Guides.com - How to convert DivX/XviD/WMV to DVD using Windows DVD Maker (Vista)

[locutus]

It's version 6.0 on vista.

 

Thanks for that programme - I appreciate it, but unfortunately, it didn't work either.

 

I've also tried reducing the burn speed to "medium" and then tried "slow" - no luck.

6 is good on systems that it works on, unfortunatly it's also more tempremental... google version 2.6 (It doesn't support HD, it is more stable however which is why Microsoft released the older version for Vista) and give that a go.

 

Failing that, If you want me to do the encoding and burning I'll do that no problem, send me the files and I'll get on with that tomorrow... (I hope it's nothing that will make me blush!) If you host the files on a site like http://storage.to/ and PM me the link and an address to post the DVD to, I'll gladly sort it and get it off to you.

Edited July 25, 2010 by locutus

[ErikaPNP]

Thanks for the offer, but this is something I really need to fix on my pc. It won't allow me to burn my docs to disc either, which is something I've done several times before on the same dics with no problem. I think it's a problem writing rather then the movie maker itself.

 

It does show as working normally in device manager. I can play discs, just won't let me record them.

[dragonkeeper]

It seems to be more of a hardware problem than software, possibly writer part of DVD (no pun) burnt out.

Any chance of borrowing DVD writer from friend to test in your system.

On the plus side if it is defunct, they are not that expensive to replace.

 

you cannot do this by the way of bluetooth

 

dk

[locutus]

Before talking about replacing the drive, some drives don't like certain brands, and some cheaper brand disk have a high fail rate when burning. If you can, try a Verbatim +r disk (they're about the best, and pretty common in shops)

 

Now, if that doesn't work, and you want to replace the DVD drive, it is not a hard job. The 1st bit of info we need, is it a Laptop or a standard PC?

[ErikaPNP]

It's a standard PC, labtec. I thought it might be a problem with the writer too, which is a bit disappointing - only used it a few times to burn. I'll try some other discs first. I might give uninstalling the driver a go too, it should automatically re-install on start up, perhaps it just needs that "kick" to get it going - I hope!

 

Failing that I'll borrow a writer to test it. Thanks guys.

[ErikaPNP]

Oh, Jeeee-sus!!

 

Right, I got it burned to a different disc. It's a wmv file. But when I try to play the DVD it comes up with all these folders which are BUP, and won't play.

 

 

Erm - why? Can I "fix" it so that every time I burn a wmv file, it will stay a wmv file and not convert? It's muttering some jibberish about "codecs".

 

It's a DVD + RW 4.7GB that I've burned it to. And now erased because it isn't doing what I want it to do. Am I being completely stupid? Please tell me that I am and that it's a quick fix....pretty please!

[saintly_1]

Try a programme called convertx to dvd

[locutus]

Convertxtodvd is brilliant at making DVD files. DVD + RW are not so good... most DVD players won't recognize it.

 

Try making the movie on the hard drive, then copying it to the DVD +RW.

[ErikaPNP]

Got the little beggar!

 

I decided to try another way, by playing the movie then burning "now playing" onto data disc - and it worked!

 

I don't know why it converted it to bup when I tried to publish it from movie maker.

 

Woooohoooo! Finally. As you can guess I am not the most computer literate....

 

Thank you all so much for taking the time to help me, I really appreciate it. I kinda freak out when my PC doesn't do what I want it to.

[BrettStones]

Check on your computer the maximum write speed, then buy a DVD that has the equal write speed or lower. plus is usually for pc and - is usually for mac, but i dont think it matters with modern computers

[andydd]

Brettstones. Youre 3 years too late

[adridude]

+R or +RW is better for video

 

-R -RW is better for date

 

why? Years of experience

 

Just to add, dvd writers arent't just +R compliant, :-/ they 'swing both ways' so + and - will work.