Grr, I just made a coaster.

[MrsPepper]

I was trying to make a DVD on my computer with some Muppet Show episodes. It even gave me the option to make a menu. I was excited! The whole conversion process thingy took 2 and a half hours, so I go do some other things, and I come back, finalise the disk in 5 minutes and there you go.

Well, it is only useful as a coaster. It works when I put it in my dvd player, nice menu. Problem is, I CAN'T SELECT ANYTHING. **growls** I wasted a cd and some of my time on something that doesn't work. I don't know why! Anyone technical, can you help me decipher this? Because I need to get those episodes off my comptuer onto some disks, but I already have one coaster and one is enough.

I used the program Nero Express. The weird thing (and probably the most obvious thing) is that I don't specifically have a DVD burner, just a CD burner. But it said "Please insert CD-r/CD-rw disc", which is a normal disc, not a dvd disk.
And yeah, that's probably why it didn't work, I'm assuming. But I thought I would try, since it was leting me do it anyway. Guess it didn't work. Anyone whos knows more about this stuff, please reply.

 

[D'Snowth]

Sorry about that MrsPepper. At least you got to make menus, I'd like to do some cool animated menus for my Courage the Cowardly Dog sets I make, but I don't have any kind of software to do anything like that, plus my laptop doesn't support DVD's. Yeah, making DVD's can be a pain, I don't know if anyone else has this kind of problem, but for me, it's so hard to make the transitions seemless; for example, whenever I record one piece of footage, and then another piece of footage, the DVD will pause, and make a loud whirring noise as it goes into the next footage. I tried to do a Whose Line Is It Anyway? DVD set with Kathy Greenwood awhile back, BUT, I was trying to blend a collection of the same games into separates segments (i.e. a segment of different "Questions Only", then a segment of different "Weird Newscasters", i.e., but that didn't turn out too good). Another pain too is that since you're transfering something from a VCR to a DVD, the recorder automatically "distorts" the picture due to copyright protection. So my Courage sets are picture-presentable, but at least they're still watchable. Wow, this was a long reply. Sah-ry!

 

[Muppetsdownunder]

well you cant really make a dvd with a CD disc, I think its possible to create whats called a mini dvd with not much video on the cd but in dvd quality but your dvd player would have to support it, but it would work in a computer. Its probably better for you to create a video CD rather than a dvd if you dont have a dvd burner.

 

[Beige]

I use Nero for burning stuff too, and as you say the problem might be that you used a dvd instead of a cd, but I also had a similar problem when trying to make VCD's.

The menu's would turn out fine, but the buttons would be unselectable. However, the shows were still on the disc and in order to play them I would have to select them the same way you would select individual tracks off a CD,-ie. hitting 01 for show one, 02 for show two, etc. Your coaster might actually be working fine as a disc, I'd try it out before sticking any drinks on it.

 

[MrsPepper]

I use Nero for burning stuff too, and as you say the problem might be that you used a dvd instead of a cd, but I also had a similar problem when trying to make VCD's.

The menu's would turn out fine, but the buttons would be unselectable. However, the shows were still on the disc and in order to play them I would have to select them the same way you would select individual tracks off a CD,-ie. hitting 01 for show one, 02 for show two, etc. Your coaster might actually be working fine as a disc, I'd try it out before sticking any drinks on it.

That's what it is, a VCD. I talked to my techie friend today. He informed me of that, and that it's most likely a problem with Nero, he said.
And Beige, I tried what you said just now, by selectin a number, and it worked!! Thank you! The quality isn't perfect, obviously, (like, it doesn't run smoothly) but it's not too bad!

Too bad I already scribble "USELESS COASTER, GRR" on it in green pen. I'll write over it in a sharpie. ^_^ Thank you!!

 

[Krazedmuppet]

Its not JUST a coaster! It can also be a very cool Frisbee! Or you could paint it with flowers and give it to your dear ol' mommy! or you can take nail polish remover to it! (thats always fun) you could make a flying saucer, with real fishing wire-flying action too! Or ... you could just protect your table tops with it....

 

[MrsPepper]

Thank you for the ideas, but I don't have to! I'm actually quite glad. Yeah, it's a "video cd". VCD. ^_^ And it actually works! I am really glad. I don't like watching things on my comptuer because sometimes it lags, so it frezzes, then plays super-fast to catch up. And even though it's not perfectly smooth, it's god enough for me. Again, THANK YOU BEIGE, since what you described is exactly what I did! THANK YOU.

 

[christyb]

I have the same problem with my Nero. (And have a few nice frisbee's or coaster b/c of it.) I notice that if I want it to burn correctly you have to keep the menu super simple. That and make sure you don't move or bump anything. That and pray. Ok so I'm not much help.

 

[MrsPepper]

lol! Okay. Well, I can play it if I press the numbers, as I just found out a few minutes ago and did a happy dance because of it, so that will do. So, if I let it burn and leave it alone, I might get a cursor?

 

[anythingmuppet]

I had the same exact problem with my F&F VCDs. I was trying to make it work, and I thought I blew it AGAIN but then I pressed 1 and now they all work!

PS: F&F is short for Frogger & Friends, which is my very own cartoon show. It's pretty cool actually, IMHO!