DVD-RW problem

[Mr D Black]

I have a DVD writer on my laptop, but the drive keeps defaulting to a CD writer drive, even though I have successfully written DVDs on it before. How can I get it be a DVD writer drive again?

[Phantaxus]

what software are you using to burn your cds/dvds?

[Mr D Black]

I use Nero Express. Is there a better programme I could use?

[puzzlesRus]

Can't quite understand this - If, for example, you wanted to copy a DVD from your DVD drive using Nero, are you saying that Nero is reporting the disc as a CD ? If not, then after copying, when you are asked to insert a rewritable DVD disc, is Nero then reporting that the wrong disk has been inserted ?

[Mr D Black]

Yes thats correct. I try and burn a dvd and nero says, this disk is "not a cd" please insert a cd. I dont know what i have done wrong.

[puzzlesRus]

But do you specify DVD in the Nero options ? What does the Nero info tool report your writer as - CD only or both CD and Dvd ?

Suggest you open Nero Express, click on MORE, insert a new blank DVD -RW (or +RW) and click on disc info. Does it recognize the disc as DVD ?

[Mr D Black]

I had to use a different version of nero express to finally get it to work. Although it took 2hrs to burn one. I never thought it would take that long. Is there any other free burning software I could use?

[puzzlesRus]

Nothing wrong with Nero, in my opinion. More likely limitation in your prcessor power or memory.

[Mr D Black]

So how long does it normally take to write a 2hr 700mb mpg to a dvd on nero?

[puzzlesRus]

Just recording one now from my digi tv stick. I'll come back to you later.

[puzzlesRus]

Befor I burn the disc, a couple of questions :-

1.Are you sure of your figures ? A 700Mb mpeg2 file would run for about only 25 minutes.
2. Did you burn the video as an mpg data file or convert it to DVD format ?

[Mr D Black]

I did the following:

1.I opened up Nero Express 3.SE
2.Make a DVD
3. Add video files
4.Do the menu page
5. Burn disc.

Am i doing anything wrong?

[puzzlesRus]

My arithmetic was a bit adrift. I recorded an mpeg2 file from my TV stick, size 518MB. It took 25 minutes to record. I then went into Nero VISIONexpress to create dvd, added the file I had just recorded and burned to a dvd+RW disc. The whole Nero process took only 5 minutes.

By this reckoning, a complete DVD film of 4GB would take approximately 40 minutes to create, using Nero.

[puzzlesRus]

Can this problem be 'put to bed' now ?

[Mr D Black]

I will burn another one soon, and will keep you posted how i get on. thanks again.