Is there such a thing as a perfect copy?

[fender]

Hi there,
I'm quite new to all this, although I have done quite a bit of reading recently mostly in your forum. I've used CloneDVD with a NEC AD-5170A drive to make a copy of a film on a Verbatim DVD+R DL (Singapore, ID:MKM 001) at 2.4x (certified speed). When I checked this with Nero CD-DVD Speed the Read test at maximum speed was 100% good, but the C1/C2-PI/PO test at 5x (recommended for my drive) gave a result of 97% good. I made another copy at 1x which produced a better result (98.2 good, 1,7 damaged, 0.1 bad) but still not perfect. My next move was to run the tests on the actual, brand new, original disc, as well as on a couple of older original ones, none of which produced a reading of more than 98.7% good either. Finally, I checked every disc again using VSO Inspector (both surface scan and file test) which gave a result of 100% good for all. So, what I'd really like to know is:

Is Nero CD-DVD Speed too 'sensitive', VSO Inspector too 'insensitive' or, perhaps, there isn't such a thing as a perfect copy (or original) and I should be happy every time I get a reading above 98% or even lower with the former program?

By the way, is using Nero CD-DVD Speed and/or VSO Inspector the same as or better than Nero Recode's disc verification process?

Thanks

 

[Webslinger]

Hi there,
I'm quite new to all this, although I have done quite a bit of reading recently mostly in your forum. I've used CloneDVD with a NEC AD-5170A drive to make a copy of a film on a Verbatim DVD+R DL (Singapore, ID:MKM 001) at 2.4x (certified speed).

4x should be fine if your burner is capable of that speed.

1x tends to be too slow and you risk overcooking the dye; burning too slowly is just as inadvisable as burning too fast. (By the way, you can't burn 1x on this blank media with Clonedvd or anything else I should think; that should be impossible, regardless of whether you select 1x in Clonedvd ). This is especially true when using 16x rated media and attempting to burn at 4x or lower. And you will see that information when The Digital Dolphin finally publishes his blank media longevity study.

Also, some drives/burners are not good for doing quality scans with. And I personally don't trust scans produced by NEC burners.

 

[fender]

Wow, that was fast! Thanks Webslinger.
Do you mean to say that Nero CD-DVD Speed would be able to produce a reading of 100% for the same disc if scanned with a different drive and which brand would you suggest? That is, also, just because my NEC drive (capable of burning DL discs at 8x) may not be able to produce good scans, it may not be a good burner either because of it? Also, any input on my last question?

 

[Webslinger]

Wow, that was fast! Thanks Webslinger.
Do you mean to say that Nero CD-DVD Speed would be able to produce a reading of 100% for the same disc if scanned with a different drive

Not necessarily . . .

Getting perfect scans with double layer media is not easy, even with Verbatim +R DL (but using that media is your best shot)

and which brand would you suggest?

Plextor PX-760 (if you can find them), and Benq burners based on the philips chipset (which are impossible to find)

That is, also, just because my NEC drive (capable of burning DL discs at 8x)

A 4x write speed should be fine with Verbatim +R DL media and that drive then.

may not be able to produce good scans

I mean "accurate" and not "good".

it may not be a good burner either because of it?

Your burns should be fine. Again, I meant "accurate".

 

[fender]

Don't worry, 'accurate' is what I meant too. I'm going to try a 4x speed although I fear that Nero CD-DVD Speed (in combination I guess with my NEC drive) won't like it at all. But what about my last question, do Nero CD-DVD Speed and VSO Inspector do the same job as Nero Recode's disc verification or had I better use the latter program for my burns?

 

[Webslinger]

do Nero CD-DVD Speed and VSO Inspector do the same job as Nero Recode's disc verification or had I better use the latter program for my burns?

No. I was under the impression that Recode will verify that the data written on your disc matches the data on your hard drive. Nero cd-dvd speed and vso inspector are doing read tests of the backup without any comparison. That is if those programs can read sectors or files fine then the disc passes the test.

 

[fender]

Thanks very much for all your help.