CD DVD Duplication Replication Advice and Tips Blog by DiscMasters

If you are having DVD playback problems with the disc you just burned… read on, this is for you! Unrecognized media, skipping, or DVD playback that freezes randomly can be caused by a number of reasons. The most common playback problem for digital video is typically the compatibility of the recordable media itself. Many older DVD players (and YES, some newer models as well) have older firmware inside them that was programmed years BEFORE the newer DVD formats ever existed — much like an mp3 file in 1985 (yes we had computers back then), but none of them would have known how to playback an mp3 song!

Same holds true with older DVD players. Take a DVD player from 1997 and put a brand new DVD+R disc in the player and behold the pure bliss and grandeur of sublime nothingness… Older firmware only knows how to play standard DVD-ROM (silver backed DVDs). Even some “newer” DVD players suffer from this problem. Even if the manufacture date on the back of the drive says March 2007, the firmware inside (the computer chips that control the player) may be a bargain basement blow-out from a company looking to dump their old inventory (you buy now… 1 million chips only cost 12 cent each - U BUY NOW!). Sadly the manufacturer may have said, hmmm 12 cent vs. 1.19 per x 4.5 million units = mucho $$$ o.k. me buy now… OUCH! But hey, you bought a DVD player that only cost $29 dollars at BarginDepotExpress, it least it plays Netflix DVDs o.k.

Solutions… you could attempt to poke around online and locate a firmware upgrade for your player (proceed at your own risk, one mistake and your DVD player may NEVER work again) or you could try a different media type. For example DVD-R was in the marketplace before DVD+R, so logically, more pre-dated firmware knows how to play DVD-R than +R typically. The most important thing, before you start throwing money at the problem, is to take your burned DVD down to your local retailer and try playing the video on several models (ask the clerk first if it’s o.k.). This will also help troubleshoot if the problem is a bad disc, or if it really is a player issue.

Finally for those who have been burning their own DVDs and some customers, clients, friends, etc.. are complaining that your disc won’t play?? You may want to consider contacting us for dvd replication… Replicated DVDs are the traditional silver-back discs (like you would purchase in retail or rent from Blockbuster). Because replicated DVD-ROM was the first generation DVD disc, rest assured that the older firmware players DO KNOW how to playback this media type - and your compatibility woes are over. For more detailed information, or if you have more technical questions… please give us a call toll free 1-888-430-DISC (3472). We’re happy to assist!