Premiere Elements 7 burns with no errors, but doesn't play

[tyheydon]

I have Premiere Elements 7.0 and have a small 'test' file of a 1/2 dozen pictures and a couple of music files. I burn it, receive no errors, but when I go to play it on a normal DVD player, it doesn't work.

I've burned it using the NTSC format and PAL format. I've tried exporting it to an AVI file, and then opening a new project, importing AVI file and burning it in both formats.

Once again, no errors, but it doesn't run on either of my regular DVD players.

Help please!

[Chuck Engels]

This is usually a problem with the Media you are burning to, what brand of DVDs are you using?

[ATR]

tyheydon

We are going to do this piece by piece to try to eliminate all the possibilities:

1. After you placed your media in the Timeline content...did you next go to Create Menus (AutoPlay or Menus??), and, if so, what did the Preview look like there?

2. Did you next go to Share/Disc and what did your select in the Burn to: of the Burn to Dialog
a. Disc
b. Folder (4.7 GB)
c. Folder (8.5 GB)

3. After the process was completed, did the DVD burner tray open to give you your finished DVD-VIDEO? Or did you have to open the DVD burner tray yourself?

4. If you take that DVD-VIDEO end product DVD disc, place it in the DVD burner drive tray, and Explore its contents in the Drive in the Computer, do you see two folders, OpenDVD and VIDEO_TS? Inside the VIDEO_TS, do you find a bunch of files, some with the file extension .VOB?

5. What brand/model DVD players do you have? You say that the DVD "doesn't work" in your regular players. But, what happens/what do you see right after you put the DVD in the player and hit the PLAY button? No messages, just as if you had not hit the PLAY button???

6. What type and brand DVD disc did you use in Premiere Elements and what DVD disc types do your players support.

7. Will these players play DVD Movies such as you purchase in the stores?

Please answer all the questions, and we will figure this out together.

ATR

[tyheydon]

Thanks for the help.

1. I hadn't done the "Disc Menus", etc. step before so thought that would do the trick. Unfortunately, I tried both with a 'Menu" and with "auto-play". Both worked great with the preview (although I do have a text synch issue, but that's for a different time.)

2. Then I did a Share/Burn into a folder (worked great ... created all the right files ... video_ts folder, .vob files, etc), but Share/Burn into a disc still doesn't work. Although I get no error message (it says all files burned), when I look at the disc it remains blank but now unusable.

3. Yes, after the burn, the video tray opens automatically.

4. Once I take the DVD out, and look at it with Explorer, it does not have any files on it. But has now been labeled unusable although it was usable when I first put it in.

5./7. When I put these DVDs in regular players, it doesn't work ... I'm assuming because no files are going on the DVD. Yes, these 'regular' players can play both store bought movies AND DVD-R's that I've cut using this same burner (TSSTCorp DVD+-RW TS-H653F) and Roxio MyDVD Creator Plus.

6. I'm using SONY DVD-R both 8X and 16X 4.7GB disks.

Just as a thought ... when I first got this burner, my Roxio MyDVD didn't work anymore and I got a patch from them that fixed this. I looked all over for a Premiere 7.0 patch but haven't found anything. Would you have access to a fix?

Thanks!

[ATR]

tyheydon

Thanks for your report.

We can safely say that the Burn to Disc is not encoding/burning your Timeline to a folder recognized DVD-VIDEO format (or any format) on a DVD disc. Premiere Elements uses its Sonic Software and your DVD burner in this process. But, you do find that you can Burn to Folder (encode) your Timeline and obtain the folder structure of a DVD-VIDEO.

There are no patches for Premiere Elements 7. Do you have any information on the details that necessitated the patch for your Roxio-burner issue? I suspect that it was a burner recognition problem. So, I would ask, in the Premiere Elements Burn Dialog, does it name your DVD burner where its says Burner Location? Did you check MyComputer/Properties/Hardware/Device Manager to check the status of your DVD burner?

These are my suggestions for now:
1. Try another brand and type of DVD disc (but, type compatible with your DVD player)
2. Take only the VIDEO_TS Folder (all its contents) and burn that to a DVD disc, using your DVD burner and burn software that may have come with the DVD burner. Nero software is usually used for this purpose. But, remember, use the Burn Video Files option, NOT the Make Data Disc option. Let us see how your DVD burner handles that situation. Also, does your DVD burner work for non Premiere Elements activities?
3. Other avenues to explore...conflicts with the Roxio software, if it is still installed on the same computer as Premiere Elements...packet writing conflicts....

But let us see how we do with the above.

ATR

[tyheydon]

Thanks for trying to help me with us, unfortunately, I've just discovered that things are getting worse.

After I installed Adobe Premiere Elements, apparently, that 'broke' my Roxio MyDVD ability to burn. (Yes, I have both for different reasons ... but if I can create in elements and burn with Roxio or vice-versa, I'd be willing to live with that.)

Both programs recognize the drive, continue to 'burn' to it, but end up not writing any files. In addition to the Sony disks, I've tried TDK disks, and slower speeds. (Good thing they're cheaper nowadays ... I've burned up a couple of dozen without anything on them.)

The burner was a replacement from DELL for the one that broke. It didn't come with any software.

In MyComputer/Properties/Hardware/Device Manager it says my device is working properly for this burner.

Here's what else I've done. On the DELL website, they put out new firmware last month so I've updated to the "D400" level of firmware. Unfortunately, then the computer recognized it as a CD-Rom drive and no longer a DVD drive. So, I deleted the device and rebooted and now it is recognized as a DVD-RAM device. I've turned on DLA and turned off CD recording. But still don't have the ability to burn from either program.

I don't have Nero (did on my old computer, not on this one). Roxio came as the default on this computer.

So bottom line ... NOTHING is burning to my burner anymore, even though each software package recognizes it, 'thinks' it's burning, but can't seem to 'finalize' the burn.

I'm trying to get a video done for my grandmother's funeral and am now at my wits end.

[ATR]

Think about this suggestion before you act on it and get back to me with your thoughts on it.

This is not a fix, but rather a emergency means to an end MAYBE...

Do you have the installation disc for Premiere Elements? If so, create your video with Premiere Elements and burn to folder, with the folder saved to your computer hard drive. Keep in mind these are "video files".

Assuming that Roxio could and still can burn "video files" to a DVD disc, uninstall Premiere Elements, and try to burn your "video files" to a DVD disc with Roxio. Once you have your DVD-VIDEO, then you could weigh your options for future projects.

Or....do you have a friend that has a DVD burner and maybe Nero software and his/her computer? If so, transfer your video files to a USB Jump Drive (aka Flash Drive), take the USB Drive to your friend's computer, and burn your video files to DVD-VIDEO there.

Does any of that work for you? If not, we are going to have to unravel the conflicts on your computer. Any thoughts of getting a new DVD burner after a chat with Dell?

To be continued....

ATR

[ATR]

Add on....

In all this, did you take a close look at your DVD burner settings?

ATR

[Chuck Engels]

Just a note, software cannot break hardware. If the device is not burning with any software it is probably the burner that has problems. I have MyDVD and Premiere Elements installed as well as RecordNow and have no problems with any of my three DVD Burners.

Check for a burner Firmware update, that will most likely solve your problem.

[ATR]

CE

From tyheydon post #6 of this thread

Here's what else I've done. On the DELL website, they put out new firmware last month so I've updated to the "D400" level of firmware. Unfortunately, then the computer recognized it as a CD-Rom drive and no longer a DVD drive. So, I deleted the device and rebooted and now it is recognized as a DVD-RAM device. I've turned on DLA and turned off CD recording. But still don't have the ability to burn from either program.

ATR

[tyheydon]

I am going to create in Elements and then burn to an MPEG or a folder, put it on a stick, and have someone else burn it. We're testing that today. That gives me time to work on the burner issues later ... I just got this burner in Oct/Nov so it's not very old.

However, what burner settings should I have set / not set?

[ATR]

tyhedron

I would suggest that you use Burn to Folder in Premiere Elements, so that the next person just has to use the Burn Video Files option of the burn software to get the DVD-VIDEO. This route will be give you the DVD-VIDEO files structure, OpenDVD Folder + VIDEO_TS, to work with.

If you export the Timeline to MPEG2, you will need create the DVD-VIDEO files in a DVD authoring program.

Are you going to be using Nero in either case?

With regard to the burner settings, I was thinking mainly in terms of how you had the master slave set up when you installed the burner. That was probably in the hardware installation instructions.

Your report sounded like a great step forward. When you have time, please update us on the outcome.

Good luck getting the DVD-VIDEO finished on time

ATR
(Also, my sympathy on the loss of your grandmother. I think that your video is a wonderful gift in her memory.)

[Chuck Engels]

A DVD-Ram Drive is not compatible with Premiere Elements. If this is truly a DVD-RAM drive then it will not work.

[ATR]

CE

After tyhedron's grandmother's funeral, there is no question that the DVD burner situation there needs serious addressing.

ATR

[Chuck Engels]

My condolences also.

[ATR]

For reasons mentioned in this thread, we have not yet gotten into troubleshooting specifically the DVD burner involved in this issue. tyhedron wrote:

Here's what else I've done. On the DELL website, they put out new firmware last month so I've updated to the "D400" level of firmware. Unfortunately, then the computer recognized it as a CD-Rom drive and no longer a DVD drive. So, I deleted the device and rebooted and now it is recognized as a DVD-RAM device. I've turned on DLA and turned off CD recording. But still don't have the ability to burn from either program.

That followed with the following CE comment:

A DVD-Ram Drive is not compatible with Premiere Elements. If this is truly a DVD-RAM drive then it will not work

Since one seems to be talking about drive names and the other about drive support, I think that a comment on both quotes is in order before we continue.

When you install a DVD/CD writer into a Windows XP computer, it is Windows that recognizes and determines the drive name. As far as I know you can change local drive name, but not drives such as DVD drives, external drives… But, Microsoft has a procedure for that. And, there is software available for an easy way to do that if necessary (maybe because you installed two DVD writers and both drives installed with the same name, although they had different drive letters.

Bottom line #1: If the DVD writer specifications say that the writer supports DVD-R, DVD-RW, etc. plus DVD-RAM, but the drive name for the writer comes up with the NAME = DVD-RAM, the name given to the drive by Windows should not prohibit the writer from burning to disc something other than DVD-RAM. Of course, Premiere Elements does not support DVD-RAM, so you would not be using that type of disc for Burn to Disc in a Premiere Elements project.

Let me give you a first hand account based on my Windows XP computer with two DVD/CD writers installed. Both are HP with the usual supported disc types, but one includes DVD-RAM support, the other does not. Description of the drives:

Writer without DVD-RAM support: Name DVD-RW Drive (D:) with an Icon that displays the type of disc when that disc is inserted into the drive tray, such as DVD-R, …

Writer with DVD-RAM support: Name DVD-RAM Drive (E:) with an Icon that displays the type of disc when that disc is inserted into the drive tray, such as DVD-R,…

If I right click either of those drives in My Computer, followed by Properties, I find under Type: CD Drive. From all reports, including mine, that is normal. Just to dot the i’s and cross the t’s, I will mention that, when I installed these burners, I configured the burners so that the Master is the writer that does not include DVD-RAM support and configured the other that does support DVD-RAM as the Slave. I followed the HP instructions for installation.


Bottom line #2: Both my burners work for non Premiere Elements projects as well as for Premiere Elements projects. So, please do not discontinue troubleshooting if the drive names do not appear as you thought that they should have. I do not know if that was the case, but just in case.....



ATR