Creating Your Own DVDs

A Handy Guide to Help You Satisfy Your Yearn to Burn!

You just took your brand new DVD burner out of the box and you can't wait to get started doing fun things like customizing movies and archiving tons of data. You've got your user manual in front of you, but you really would like to cut to the chase rather than wade through a bunch of technical jargon. Don't fret - we've designed this handy guide as an easy-to-read shortcut to get you started. Of course, we do recommend that you get around to reading your user manual, but first it's time to satisfy your yearn to burn!

Selecting Your DVD Media
Although you might be tempted to buy low-priced, off-brand DVDs - don't! Even though DVD media may look alike, there are vast differences in quality among the products on the marketplace. Surveys show it is best to select name brand media because discs manufactured by well-known companies are less likely to fail and are more compatible than generic discs. All of the DVD media manufacturers represented on our web site are respected firms who subject their products to the strictest testing standards.

Choosing Media for Burning Video
We recommend that you choose DVD+R or DVD-R for burning video. These formats are the most reliable for one-time use. You can add data to these discs, but you can only play them back in other devices after you have completed their content.

The Proper Care and Handling of Your Media
DVD discs are delicate objects, which are particularly sensitive to light and heat. Therefore, you should keep they away from heat and direct light. Exposure to these elements could make your data unreadable. Make sure you clean your discs properly using a lint-free cloth, compressed air or a liquid cleanser specially designed for DVDs. Dust and other particles can scratch the surface of your disc, causing imperfections in copying and playback. When you clean your DVD disc make sure you do not use a circular motion and NEVER use a tissue, paper towel or rag that could have abrasive particles or fabric.

For Data Backup and Video Editing
When you back up data or edit video it is best to use DVD±RW or DVD-RAM discs. These formats can store both routine data and video. Each adheres to a corresponding video recording mode that makes it easier to edit video on disc. Unfortunately, the corresponding video recording mode limits the disc's compatibility with other players and recorders.

Watch that Speed! X-Rating Matters
To increase your efficiency, it pays to take your media's x-rating seriously. If you use media that matches your drive's speed rating, you will get more speed out of your drive. Media speed matters less with stand-alone DVD recorders, because you are going to record television in real time.

Organize Your Data
If you arrange your data in a scattershot fashion you won't be able to easily access the files you are likely to burn. We recommend that you store the files you are most likely to burn under one folder. You can create various sub-folders to further organize your data.

How to Import Audio and Video
Importing audio and video is a relatively easy process with the right equipment. You can accomplish this by using an audio visual input box connected to your PC's USB 2.0 port. Alternatively, you can use a TV tuner card or graphics card that has A/V inputs. We recommend that you work with S-Video to attain the best visual clarity. And FireWire will enable you to make a digital connection between a DV camcorder and your PC.

How to Get the Most Video Data on a Disc
You can squeeze more video data on a disk by using a different video codec or lowing the bit rate. Only an hour of video can be stored on MPEG-2 - the standard codec for DVD-Video at its maximum bit rate and image settings. However, other encoders can cut a video file size in half, allowing you to fit almost 7 hours of video on a DVD without compromising your video quality. In order to play the video you create by altering the standard codec you will need software that supports the different codec or a DVD player that is compatible with the format.

Getting Inventive! Creating Your Slide Show or Movie
With the proper software there's no end to how far you can stretch your imagination with your DVD burner. Many software suites give you the capability to create a customized photo slide show on DVD that includes your choice of musical selections and graphic images! You can also emulate a Hollywood director with the help of software suites by creating stylized video productions that even allow you to jump to specific sections in your video.

The Joys of Dual-Deck VHS-DVD Recorders
You've collected a huge stack of VHS tapes over the years and fear that DVD technology has all but rendered them obsolete. Fear not - because an investment in a dual-deck VHS-DVD recorder will give you the opportunity to transfer those old VHS tapes to DVD! If you choose to purchase a Dual-Deck VHS-DVD recorder, we recommend that you also buy high quality cables to go with it to ensure superior picture quality.

Maximizing Burning Performance
As we mentioned earlier, you will maximize performance if the write speed you select corresponds to the speed rating of the media you use. If you plan to use your PC while burning a disc it's a good idea to reduce the recording speed. This will improve the quality of your recording and prevent buffer under-runs. A buffer under-run occurs when your PC isn't supplying data quickly enough to the CD writer for it to record the data properly. When an buffer under-run occurs the writing action stops and your disc may be ruined.

Making Sure You Burned it Right
Once you've finished burning your DVD, we highly recommend that you verify your data. Unfortunately, verifying data is a tedious operation, but it is necessary if you want to ensure your data's safety. Most burning software packages support data verification, which is a process in which the software compares the data you've just copied with the original data still on your hardware.