FAQ, tips and tricks - DVD-information

How can I play DVD movies with my Plextor DVD drive?

To Play DVD movies on your system you need to install a software DVD player. This software program is called "PowerDVD" and is shipped with your Plextor drive.

There are also DVD/MPEG-2 cards on the market which allow you to view DVD movies, these cards mostly use their own software to playback the DVD. More information about the software and drivers needed for these cards can be found on the website of the manufacturer.

Will my DVD player playback the DVD R(W) dics I created?

Most DVD players on the marked at this moment can play DVD disc's which are burned in a DVD writer. For more information about the capabilities of your DVD player, please check with the manufacturer.

During playback the film jumps and there are often long pauses in the film?

• Check the system requirement of your DVD playback software if they match your configuration.
• Make sure the DMA option of the drive is enabled. More info on LINK
• Quit all programs before playback. (Internet download managers or sharing programs, Virus scanners…)
• Reduce the resolution and colour depth of your video card.
• When using a DVD hardware decoder video card ensure you have the latest updates and software installed. For details and downloads please visit the video card manufacturer's web site.

Region codes for DVD

The world is divided into 6 regions for DVD playback. To play a commercial DVD film the region of the film should match the region programmed in your DVD drive.

The region code of your Plextor drive will be programmed by your DVD playback software the first time you insert a DVD disc. According the DVD standards this region code can be set 5 times.
ATTENTION: The region code can only be set 5 times, the fifth time the region code will be locked to the last one set. Plextor Europe does NOT provide any warranty on changing these region codes.

Can I create my own DVD-video's with my DVD recorder?

Yes, Plextor bundles his DVD writers with Pinnacle studio 8 premastering software. This software allows you to edit your own video files and encode them into a standard DVD video format for playback. (Note: to import files from a video camera you either need a video capture card or firewire conection depending on the type of video camera)

How Much Video can I burn on a DVD disc?

The amount of Video you can burn depends on the quality you select in your video editing software (bitrate, resolution, encoding method,…) it can varies from 60 minutes to 180 min.

The write speed is locked at 2.4x for my DVDR media

It is only possible to write at 4x if the media you use is 4x certified. For more information about compatible media please check our list.

Can I copy DVD films with my DVD writer?

Most commercial DVD films are protected with the CSS copy protection to prevent copying of the disc. This copy protection meets the requirements of the industry standards and was accepted as an international copy protection technology.

What is the life time of a DVD disc?

The life time of the media is related to the type and dye used (from 30 - 100 years). We advice you to inform with the manufacture of your media for the exact lifetime.

Can Plextor drives do bit-setting?

Bit setting or booktype change is a feature that is not compliant to the standards for DVD recording. However, by means of installation of latest firmware for DVD models PX-708A and later models, it is possible to change booktype from DVD+R to DVD-ROM, this will increase the compatibility when this media is inserted in DVD-ROM players which are not compatible to read DVD+R written media.

Are Plextor DVD-drives prepared for Mount Rainier Format?

Mount Rainier format is completely supported for CD but for DVD recording only background formatting is supported. Background formatting is completed in UDF 1.2 format.