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avoiding VTS sector errors
Thanks in large part to this forum I’ve authored dozens of titles now, learned about the advantages of AC-3, limited data rates, etc.
But last week I authored a piece that’s going in for 20,000 units, and the producer got a “data error” notice on his home tv when he tried to play it. This happened even after I lowered the data rate, changed “first play” from video to a menu, tried different burn rates. Media is Verbatim DVD-R printable.
From the DVD Authoring forum, I got a lead to look at Trai Forrester’s website. There, I read the following: “We automatically correct VTS sectors entries (lots of authoring systems will be in error on this, which can cause lots of problems. These VTS sector errors, interestingly, are caused by the way in which some authoring systems build their VIDEO_TS folders; they expect they’re going to be pre-mastering them, as well, filling in the correct sector offsets when they add their lead-in file system. So we have to set the VIDEO_TS folder up as a self contained entity).”
What does this line mean, to an Adobe Encore user? “they expect they’re going to be pre-mastering them, as well, filling in the correct sector offsets.”
I have been using “Check Project” and then building a Disk Image, which I then burn using DVD Decrypter. But is there another workflow which would be better, and avoid the problems that Trai Forrester discusses? For example, should I be making a DVD Folder and simply burning that with something like RecordNow?
I’m “burning” with curiosity about how to avoid problems, especially for clients with these larger replication needs.
And, is there disk verification software (Trai’s is Mac-only) that an Encore user could benefit from?
— BC
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3 Replies
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Bob,
Why do you feel that the error reported by the DVD player is a VTS Sector Error?
Does this disc play on any other set-top players or do all have the same problem? IOW, is your client’s DVD player lame?
Dave
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Thanks Dave. Great questions.
1. I was just picking up on Trai Forrester’s remarks in a forum on his website, that VTS Sector Errors are common. I am particularly interested in whether my workflow (create DVD Image in Encore) is partly to blame. Is there a benefit to creating a DVD Folder first? Or, to burning from the DVD Folder rather than a DVD Image?
2. I only have one DVD player here. That is clearly not smart. But how many should I have, and which ones, for my QC?
3. My client’s DVD player may well be lame. When I mentioned the brand (Apex) to a true expert who works for Eclipse (verification software), he indicated that it presented particular challenges (which their software mimicks, apparently, as part of its verification procedure).
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[Bob Cole] “Is there a benefit to creating a DVD Folder first? Or, to burning from the DVD Folder rather than a DVD Image?”
In theory, if you are burning multiple copies of the disc, then using the image should be a bit quicker. My reasoning is that when burning the folder set to disc the authoring program has to construct and write the various part of the disc one at a time, eg. lead-in, folders/files, lead-out. Whereas, when burning the image file all these elements are already there and layed out (supposedly) correctly. Using burning software (eg. Nero, RecordNow, Roxio) rather than the authoring software to burn the image file might also be faster. But I haven’t tested that premise.
When creating a disc image the authoring software has to first create a folder set anyway (else what’s to be imaged?) so you might as well create the folder set – test it with DVD playing software – and then either create an image from the folders or simply burn straight from the folders at your whim.
[Bob Cole] “2. I only have one DVD player here. That is clearly not smart. But how many should I have, and which ones, for my QC?”
We ususally test on 3-4 set-tops and 2-3 computers. The set-tops range from a $40 Wal-Mart never heard of the brand before player to an very expensive Sony. For computer we run it on average ‘office’ type machines running Win 98, XP and 2000 and possibly on a G4 or G5 running OS X (if the graphic department will let us on their machines that is).
[Bob Cole] “When I mentioned the brand (Apex)…”
We had one of those around for awhile. It wouldn’t even play ‘hollywood’ releases so it went to the junk pile.Hope this helps.
Dave
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