mpg and DVD play error

First, I'm not certain that this is the correct discussion group for my
problem. If it isn't, could someone tell me where it should be posted.
Here's the situation and problem:
My computer: Dell Dimension E510, 2MB RAM, 3.2GHz CPU, XP Media Center
Edition, Version 2002, Service Pack 2.
For the last several years I have been making home movies for my children
and grandchildren as a Christmas present. I have used Windows Movie Maker for
some but have used Roxio VideoWave more recently. I create the movies as mpg
files. I have burned the DVD with Roxio MyDVD. There have been some problems
with the Roxio products , but I have always - with patience - been able to
get the job done. So I'm doing the same thing now. In fact, I have already
created on the the DVDs for this year, but am still working on the rest.
My usual procedure is to create the mpg movie with VideoWave and then to
check it by viewing it in
The trouble statred a few days ago when I tried to check a recently made
movie. I double click on the movie and Windows Media Player opens and then
produces an error window, saying it is unable to run the movie. I went back
to Roxio and recreated the movie. Same results. I then tried playing an mpg
movie made last year, but got the same error.
Then it gets worse - I think.
Thinking that the problem is somehow with the Media Player software, I
burned a DVD with this problematic mpg, as well as a few others that had
previously run fine in Media Player. I loaded the DVD into my Panasonic DVD
player and got an error message that it was a bad disk. Before the error
message was displayed, the DVD player, in the process of trying to read the
DVD, produced several sounds - sounded to me like grinding. Now, the DVD will
not read any DVD and produces the same sounds right after power on, and on
power off.
That's my - long - story. It would be wonderful if someone out there is an
expert in software as well as DVD players. However, I'd be happy to start
with the computer part.
Any ideas?
Thanks.

Rufus wrote:
First, I'm not certain that this is the correct discussion group for
my problem. If it isn't, could someone tell me where it should be
posted. Here's the situation and problem:
My computer: Dell Dimension E510, 2MB RAM, 3.2GHz CPU, XP Media Center
Edition, Version 2002, Service Pack 2.
For the last several years I have been making home movies for my
children and grandchildren as a Christmas present. I have used
Windows Movie Maker for some but have used Roxio VideoWave more
recently. I create the movies as mpg files. I have burned the DVD
with Roxio MyDVD. There have been some problems with the Roxio
products , but I have always - with patience - been able to get the
job done. So I'm doing the same thing now. In fact, I have already
created on the the DVDs for this year, but am still working on the
rest.
My usual procedure is to create the mpg movie with VideoWave and then
to check it by viewing it in
The trouble statred a few days ago when I tried to check a recently
made movie. I double click on the movie and Windows Media Player
opens and then produces an error window, saying it is unable to run
the movie. I went back to Roxio and recreated the movie. Same
results. I then tried playing an mpg movie made last year, but got
the same error.
Then it gets worse - I think.
Thinking that the problem is somehow with the Media Player software, I
burned a DVD with this problematic mpg, as well as a few others that
had previously run fine in Media Player. I loaded the DVD into my
Panasonic DVD player and got an error message that it was a bad disk.
Before the error message was displayed, the DVD player, in the
process of trying to read the DVD, produced several sounds - sounded
to me like grinding. Now, the DVD will not read any DVD and produces
the same sounds right after power on, and on power off.
That's my - long - story. It would be wonderful if someone out there
is an expert in software as well as DVD players. However, I'd be
happy to start with the computer part.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
===================================
Sounds like you have two issues.

The Panasonic apparently has hardware
problems and may need to be replaced.
I'm thinking coincidence and no relation
to the current DVD issue.

As for the .mpgs...there's some info in the
following article:

Guide To MPEG Playback In Windows Media Player
http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/articles/10633.aspx

Maybe it would be worth a try to download
and use the following free player:

VLC Media Player
http://www.videolan.org/

--

John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

John,
Thanks for your reply.
The VLC Media player showed that my mpg files are functional. I guess that
means that the Roxio disk burning software, MyDVD, must have a bug. I will
try to uninstall and then reinstall.
I also followed the first link you gave and downloaded software from
Microsoft that looked at my computer and found one piece of software that
could be used for mpg playback, but it was not compatible with Media Player
10. So I have a little more thinking to do - but not to much time to do it if
i'm still going to be able to burn the DVDs for Christmas.
Bob

"John Inzer" wrote:

Rufus wrote:
First, I'm not certain that this is the correct discussion group for
my problem. If it isn't, could someone tell me where it should be
posted. Here's the situation and problem:
My computer: Dell Dimension E510, 2MB RAM, 3.2GHz CPU, XP Media Center
Edition, Version 2002, Service Pack 2.
For the last several years I have been making home movies for my
children and grandchildren as a Christmas present. I have used
Windows Movie Maker for some but have used Roxio VideoWave more
recently. I create the movies as mpg files. I have burned the DVD
with Roxio MyDVD. There have been some problems with the Roxio
products , but I have always - with patience - been able to get the
job done. So I'm doing the same thing now. In fact, I have already
created on the the DVDs for this year, but am still working on the
rest.
My usual procedure is to create the mpg movie with VideoWave and then
to check it by viewing it in
The trouble statred a few days ago when I tried to check a recently
made movie. I double click on the movie and Windows Media Player
opens and then produces an error window, saying it is unable to run
the movie. I went back to Roxio and recreated the movie. Same
results. I then tried playing an mpg movie made last year, but got
the same error.
Then it gets worse - I think.
Thinking that the problem is somehow with the Media Player software, I
burned a DVD with this problematic mpg, as well as a few others that
had previously run fine in Media Player. I loaded the DVD into my
Panasonic DVD player and got an error message that it was a bad disk.
Before the error message was displayed, the DVD player, in the
process of trying to read the DVD, produced several sounds - sounded
to me like grinding. Now, the DVD will not read any DVD and produces
the same sounds right after power on, and on power off.
That's my - long - story. It would be wonderful if someone out there
is an expert in software as well as DVD players. However, I'd be
happy to start with the computer part.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
===================================
Sounds like you have two issues.

The Panasonic apparently has hardware
problems and may need to be replaced.
I'm thinking coincidence and no relation
to the current DVD issue.

As for the .mpgs...there's some info in the
following article:

Guide To MPEG Playback In Windows Media Player
http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/articles/10633.aspx

Maybe it would be worth a try to download
and use the following free player:

VLC Media Player
http://www.videolan.org/

--

John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

Rufus wrote:
John,
Thanks for your reply.
The VLC Media player showed that my mpg files are functional. I guess
that means that the Roxio disk burning software, MyDVD, must have a
bug. I will try to uninstall and then reinstall.
I also followed the first link you gave and downloaded software from
Microsoft that looked at my computer and found one piece of software
that could be used for mpg playback, but it was not compatible with
Media Player
10. So I have a little more thinking to do - but not to much time to
do it if i'm still going to be able to burn the DVDs for Christmas.
Bob
======================================
If you do not have hardware issues with your burner...
maybe the following freebie would burn your DVDs:

DVD Flick
http://www.dvdflick.net/

Be sure to read the Guide:
http://www.dvdflick.net/guide.php

If you have problems downloading DVD Flick...
try the following direct link:

http://tinyurl.com/6gt7p2
or...
http://voxel.dl.sourceforge.net/sour...up_1.3.0.4.exe

Save the file to a folder on your hard drive and
install from there.

Tutorials:

DVD Flick Tutorial
http://beginwithsoftware.com/videogu...ick-guide.html

Burn Any PC Video Format into DVD
http://www.freevideoworkshop.com/dvdflicktutorial.htm

To create a basic Video DVD that should play in a free
standing DVD player...try the following...

Good luck.

First...read the DVD Flick Guide to familiarize yourself
with the program.

Open DVD Flick and insert a blank DVD in your burner.

If your computer's Autoplay window opens....just close it.

Click the Project Settings button and go to...Video /
Target format...residents of USA...choose...NTSC /
Accept.

Left click the Add title button and browse to your
Movie Clips and select the ones you want on the DVD.

You can arrange them by selecting one and then use
the Move Up and Move Down buttons.

Left click the Create DVD button / OK / Yes / Yes.

Wait while the DVD is created.

When the text "Finished Successfully" appears you
may close DVD Flick. Now you can eject your DVD
and play it in your DVD player.

Good luck.

--

John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

Thanks again, John, for the valuable info.
Earlier today I tried using Roxio to burn a DVD and it crashed - twice. So I
think I will give DVD Flick a try.
I do appreciate the assistance.

- - Rufus

"John Inzer" wrote:

Rufus wrote:
John,
Thanks for your reply.
The VLC Media player showed that my mpg files are functional. I guess
that means that the Roxio disk burning software, MyDVD, must have a
bug. I will try to uninstall and then reinstall.
I also followed the first link you gave and downloaded software from
Microsoft that looked at my computer and found one piece of software
that could be used for mpg playback, but it was not compatible with
Media Player
10. So I have a little more thinking to do - but not to much time to
do it if i'm still going to be able to burn the DVDs for Christmas.
Bob
======================================
If you do not have hardware issues with your burner...
maybe the following freebie would burn your DVDs:

DVD Flick
http://www.dvdflick.net/

Be sure to read the Guide:
http://www.dvdflick.net/guide.php

If you have problems downloading DVD Flick...
try the following direct link:

http://tinyurl.com/6gt7p2
or...
http://voxel.dl.sourceforge.net/sour...up_1.3.0.4.exe

Save the file to a folder on your hard drive and
install from there.

Tutorials:

DVD Flick Tutorial
http://beginwithsoftware.com/videogu...ick-guide.html

Burn Any PC Video Format into DVD
http://www.freevideoworkshop.com/dvdflicktutorial.htm

To create a basic Video DVD that should play in a free
standing DVD player...try the following...

Good luck.

First...read the DVD Flick Guide to familiarize yourself
with the program.

Open DVD Flick and insert a blank DVD in your burner.

If your computer's Autoplay window opens....just close it.

Click the Project Settings button and go to...Video /
Target format...residents of USA...choose...NTSC /
Accept.

Left click the Add title button and browse to your
Movie Clips and select the ones you want on the DVD.

You can arrange them by selecting one and then use
the Move Up and Move Down buttons.

Left click the Create DVD button / OK / Yes / Yes.

Wait while the DVD is created.

When the text "Finished Successfully" appears you
may close DVD Flick. Now you can eject your DVD
and play it in your DVD player.

Good luck.

--

John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

Rufus wrote:
Thanks again, John, for the valuable info.
Earlier today I tried using Roxio to burn a DVD and it crashed -
twice. So I think I will give DVD Flick a try.
I do appreciate the assistance.

- - Rufus
========================
You're welcome.

Let us know the results you
have if you try DVD Flick.

--

John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

I have used DVD Flick over the last couple of days. Bottom line: it did what
I wanted, namely burned a DVD with several of my home videos. As I stated
previously, I am a novice at video and DVD creation. Having repeated that, I
wish that my Roxio product performed as it should, and as it used to. The
results are "prettier" than with DVD Flick, and, since these DVDs are to be
gifts, pretty is nice (but "works" is much better). One additional problem
that I had was in connection to the tutorials. I did bounce back and forth
between them as I created my first DVD, and that first DVD get get burned
successfully. However, due to my novice status, there was an awful lot of
terminology that was essentially meaningless to me. I guess I will have to
search for some resources so that I can decrease my ignorance level. Oh well,
that's for another day.
Thanks again for your help.

"John Inzer" wrote:

Rufus wrote:
Thanks again, John, for the valuable info.
Earlier today I tried using Roxio to burn a DVD and it crashed -
twice. So I think I will give DVD Flick a try.
I do appreciate the assistance.

- - Rufus
========================
You're welcome.

Let us know the results you
have if you try DVD Flick.

--

John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

Rufus wrote:
I have used DVD Flick over the last couple of days. Bottom line: it
did what I wanted, namely burned a DVD with several of my home
videos. As I stated previously, I am a novice at video and DVD
creation. Having repeated that, I wish that my Roxio product
performed as it should, and as it used to. The results are "prettier"
than with DVD Flick, and, since these DVDs are to be gifts, pretty is
nice (but "works" is much better). One additional problem that I had
was in connection to the tutorials. I did bounce back and forth
between them as I created my first DVD, and that first DVD get get
burned successfully. However, due to my novice status, there was an
awful lot of terminology that was essentially meaningless to me. I
guess I will have to search for some resources so that I can decrease
my ignorance level. Oh well, that's for another day.
Thanks again for your help.
=============================
Editing video and burning DVDs are
complex tasks that definitely have a
steep learning curve...hang in there.

And...you're welcome.

Thanks for the update.

--

John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk