HP Pavilion 716n, Pavilion a230n, Pavilion a250n, Pavilion a255c, Pavilion a257c Creative Guide

hp pavilion home pc

Creating DVDs and CDs

With Your DVD Writer/CD Writer Drive

The information in this document is subject to change without
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Table of Contents

Creating DVDs and CDs.........................1

DVD Writer/CD Writer Drive Features.....................1

Creating DVDs and CDs with RecordNow ...............2

Creating a Music CD from Other CDs .................2

Creating a Music CD from Audio Files................. 3

Storing Files on a DVD or CD ............................. 5

Copying a DVD or CD....................................... 7

Erasing a DVD or CD ........................................8

Removing Files from a Recorded Data Disc ..........8

Creating DVD Movies..........................................10

Creating a Quick DVD Movie...............................10

Creating a Custom DVD Movie.............................12

Requirements for Capturing Video.....................12

Capturing Video with ShowBiz ......................... 13

Editing Video Files in ShowBiz.......................... 15

Recording a DVD Movie with Showbiz DVD.......17

Editing Recorded DVDs with Showbiz DVD............ 18

Playing Your Recorded DVD Movie ....................... 19

Playing Your DVD in

InterVideo WinDVD......................................... 19

Playing Your DVD in Windows Media Player .....20

About Recording Video Files ................................ 20

Erasing Recorded Video Files ............................... 21

Recording VHS Video Files onto DVDs .................. 21

Setting Automatic Recording Options .................... 21

Compatibility Information..................................... 23

Disc Quick Reference .......................................... 24

Software Quick Reference.................................... 29

DVD Writer User’s Guide

iii

Troubleshooting .................................................. 34

My recording failed ........................................34

I can’t add files to my music CD ....................... 34

I can’t add data files to my DVD ....................... 35

My music CD won’t play in my stereo ............... 35

The titles of my music tracks don’t appear

on my CD ...................................................... 35

I get an error message when I try to

capture video files........................................... 36

My PC doesn’t recognize my digital

camcorder when I try to capture video files........ 36

My movie won’t play on my DVD player ........... 36

Which discs are compatible with my

DVD and CD players? ..................................... 36

More Information................................................ 37

Creating DVDs and CDs

iv

Creating DVDs and CDs

Your PC includes the DVD Writer/CD Writer,
which is a DVD and CD rewriteable optical
drive. This guide tells you about the optical drive
features and tells you how to create audio, data,
and video DVDs and CDs.

Important:

HP supports lawful use of technology and
does not endorse or encourage the use of our
products for purposes other than those permitted by
national copyright law.

DVD Writer/CD Writer Drive
Features

The DVD Writer/CD Writer is a multipurpose
rewriteable optical drive that can read audio,
data, and video files and can record them (burn)
to both CDs and DVDs.

This DVD Writer/CD Writer drive enables you to:

■

■

■

Create custom audio, data, and video files that
can be recorded onto DVDs or CDs.

Create DVDs and VCDs that can be played on
most DVD-ROM drives and some home DVD
players.

Create music CDs.

DVD Writer User’s Guide

1

■

Record directly to a DVD or CD from a digital
or an analog video source, such as a digital
video camera, a TV tuner, or a VCR.

Creating DVDs and CDs
with RecordNow

Note:

■

Your PC must have an analog capture card to
capture video from an analog device such as
a VCR.

Store, edit, and preserve video files from
various video sources.

■

Store large amounts of data.

■

Play DVD movies and music CDs.

■

Read data DVDs and CDs.

Note:

2

Burn is an industry term used to describe the

recording of information to a DVD or CD. Optical
recording uses a laser beam to place information
onto the disc, thus the term ”burning.”

Creating DVDs and CDs

Creating a Music CD from
Other CDs

1 Click Start, choose All Programs,

CD (DVD) Recorder, if it is present,

RecordNow, and then click RecordNow.
2 Click Make a Music Disc.
3 Select Make a Music Disc from

other CDs.
4 Insert a music CD, and then click Next.
5 Select the tracks you want to record, and then

click Add.

6 Click the Finish button when you have added

all the audio files to your music CD project.

7 When prompted, insert a blank CD-R or

CD-RW disc, and then click Next.

Note:

If you want to play your music CD in your home
or car stereo, use a CD-R disc. CD-RW discs
won’t play in some stereos.

8 Click OK. It is best not to use the PC while

recording.

9 Click Done when recording is complete.

Click Help and then select RecordNow Help
for more information about recording music CDs
with the RecordNow program.

Creating a Music CD
from Audio Files

1 Click Start, choose All Programs,

CD (DVD) Recorder, if it is present,

RecordNow, and then click RecordNow.
2 Click Make a Music Disc.
3 Select one of these options:

■

Make a Music Disc from Audio Files
Create a music disc from WAV, WMA, or
MP3 files on your hard disk drive

Or

■

Make a Disc for an MP3 Player
Create a disc specifically for MP3 players

4 Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW disc into

the drive you want to record to, and then

click Next.

DVD Writer User’s Guide

3

5 Click Scan for Music to have RecordNow

search your hard disk drive for all music files.
These files appear in the Music on System
window, and can be used to create your
music CDs.

Click Help and then select RecordNow Help
for more information about recording music CDs
with the RecordNow program.

About creating a music CD

Note:

RecordNow scans for all audio files, even the
sounds from your operating system. If you don’t
want to include these sounds, you can select an
option to scan for files of a certain length, or you
can just delete the unwanted files.

6 After you scan for music files, select a file

in the Music on System window and then
click Add.

Or
Click the Browse button, locate your music

file, and then click Add.

7 Click Next when all of your music files have

been added.

8 Click OK. It is best not to use the PC while

recording.

9 Click Done when recording is complete.

Creating DVDs and CDs

4

Important: HP supports lawful use of technology and

does not endorse or encourage the use of our
products for purposes other than those permitted
by national copyright law.

When recording music files, it is important to
note that:

■

In order to play your music CD in a home
or car stereo, it needs to be recorded as a
music CD in CD Audio (CDA) format, not as
a data CD.

■

You must record all music files in one
recording session because RecordNow closes
the CD after recording is complete. Music files
can be recorded repeatedly on a rewriteable
(CD-RW) disc, but all previously recorded
music files must be erased first.

■

As you add music files in the recording
session, RecordNow calculates and displays
the amount of recording time available to
record additional music files.

■

You can’t record song titles unless you make
an exact copy of a music CD in your
collection.

■

If you try to record more than a standard CD
can hold, RecordNow displays a message
warning you that it may not fit on your disc.

Storing Files on a DVD or CD

Unlike music CDs, data DVDs and CDs can be
recorded in multiple sessions.

1 Click Start, choose All Programs, CD

(DVD) Recorder, if it is present,
RecordNow, and then click RecordNow.

2 Click Make a Data Disc.
3 Insert a blank or appendable CD-R,

CD-RW, DVD+R, or DVD+RW disc into

your drive, and then click Next.

■

If the disc is full, insert a blank or another
appendable disc. If the disc has data
recorded on it, files with the same name are
recorded over (updated) and any new files
are added.

Or

■

If you are appending a disc, click Yes.

Or

■

If you are erasing a rewriteable disc,
click Erase.

4 To name your disc, select Volume Label,

and then type your name over it. RecordNow

will assign a name based on the recording

date if you don’t type in a name.

DVD Writer User’s Guide

5

5 Add your data files to the file selection

window:

■

Drag your file from your desktop or from
anywhere in Windows Explorer into the file
selection window. Repeat this step until all
files are added.

■

Click the Add Files and Folders button,
select your file, and then click Add. Repeat
this step until all files are added.

Or

Creating DVDs and CDs

6

Note:

You can rename your files in the file selection

window by selecting and typing over the current

name. This does not affect the original files on

your hard disk drive.

6 Click Next when all of your files have been

added.

7 Click OK to begin recording your files to disc.
8 Click Done when recording is complete.

Click Help, and then click RecordNow Help
for more information about recording data files
with the RecordNow program.

About storing data files on disc

When storing data files on a disc, it is important
to note that:

■

You can add new data files to a CD-R and a
DVD+R in a later recording session, until the
disc is full. With DVD+R discs, you need to
select the correct setting in RecordNow to
record files in a later session. To do this, insert
your recorded DVD, open RecordNow, click
the Options button, select the Advanced
tab, and then select the recording option
you want.

■

When you record files that have the same
name as previously recorded files, RecordNow
updates the file and the previous version is
overwritten.

■

RecordNow allows you to change file names
and titles of files you want to record and files
that were previously recorded.

■

As you select data files to record to your disc,

RecordNow calculates and displays the

amount of recording space available on

your disc.

Copying a DVD or CD

Important: HP supports lawful use of technology and

does not endorse or encourage the use of our
products for purposes other than those permitted by
national copyright law.

RecordNow allows you to make a copy of a
music or data disc from your collection. You can’t
copy commercial DVDs because they are
protected by copyright laws and are encoded to
prevent illegal duplication.

To make a copy of a music or data disc from
your collection:

1 Click Start, choose All Programs,

CD (DVD) Recorder, if it is present,

RecordNow, and then click RecordNow.

DVD Writer User’s Guide

7

2 Select Make an Exact Copy.

3 Click the Erase button.

3 Insert the CD or DVD you want

to copy.

4 If you have more than one optical drive, click

the Change button, select the drive you want
to write to, and then click Next.

5 Insert a blank DVD or CD into the drive, and

then click OK.

6 Click OK, and then click Done when the

recording is complete.

Erasing a DVD or CD

RecordNow can erase all types of files from
rewriteable DVDs and CDs, leaving almost all the
disc space available for new recordings.

1 Click Start, choose All Programs,

CD (DVD) Recorder, if it is present,
RecordNow, and then click RecordNow.

2 Insert the DVD+RW or CD-RW you want to

erase.

4 Click Ye s.

Removing Files from a Recorded
Data Disc

RecordNow can’t erase files from recordable
(record once) DVDs or CDs, but files that have
been previously recorded can be removed.
When you remove a recorded file from a data
DVD+R or CD-R, the disc space is lost and can’t
be used for new recordings.

To remove data files from a recorded DVD or CD:

1 Click Start, choose All Programs,

CD (DVD) Recorder, if it is present,

RecordNow, and then click RecordNow.
2 Click Make a Data Disc.
3 Click Ye s.
4 Insert the disc you want to remove files from,

and then click Next.

Creating DVDs and CDs

8

5 Click Ye s.
6 Select the file you want to remove and

then click the Remove icon. You must
have at least one file on your data disc
to re-record it.

7 Click Ye s.
8 Click Next to re-record your data disc.
9 Click Done when the recording is complete.

About removing files in
RecordNow

When removing files in RecordNow, it is
important to note:

■

When you remove a recorded file from a data
DVD+R or CD-R, the disc space is lost and
can’t be used for new recordings.

■

You can’t remove music files from previously
recorded music CDs but you can remove music
files from the File Selection window in
RecordNow during the creation process.

■

You must use a blank CD to create a
music CD.

■

If you delete files from the file selection
window in RecordNow before the disc is
recorded, available disc space is not affected.
If you delete a file from a CD-R or DVD+R
after the disc is recorded, available disc
space is lost.

DVD Writer User’s Guide

9

Creating DVD Movies

Creating a Quick DVD

Your DVD Writer/CD Writer drive allows you to
capture, or copy, edit, and record your home
movies in a few easy steps by using the ArcSoft

®

ShowBiz

DVD software program.

If you simply want to copy a video file to disc in
the fewest steps, follow the instructions in
”Creating a Quick DVD Movie.”

If you want to create a video project that
combines various video files and slideshows,
refer to the section ”Creating a Custom DVD
Movie.”

Both options allow you to edit your DVD movie
when you are creating your disc or later if you
choose.

Movie

To create a quick DVD Movie by using ArcSoft
ShowBiz DVD:

1 Connect your digital video camcorder

or other digital video device to the

FireWire

Make sure your device is turned on and in

playback mode.

2 From the Digital Video Device window, select

Quick DVD, and then click OK.

Or

Click Start, choose All Programs, Video,

if it is present, ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD, and

then click ShowBiz Wizard. In this window,

select Create a ”Quick DVD.”
3 When the Quick DVD window opens, type

a title for your video in the area Create

Project Name.



(IEEE 1394) port on your PC.

Creating DVDs and CDs

10

4 Place a check in the Back up to hard disk

check box.

5 Click the folder icon to store your video file on

your hard disk drive. When the Save As
window appears, type in a file name, click the
folder icon, select drive, click OK and then
click OK again.

6 Select your chapter and menu style settings.
7 Use the digital camcorder playback controls to

find the place in your video you want to begin
recording to disc.

8 Insert a blank DVD+R or DVD+RW disc into

your drive. If your DVD+RW disc has files on
it, ShowBiz will prompt you to erase them.

9 Click Start to begin capturing your video file.

10 Click Stop to stop capturing your video file.

ShowBiz automatically creates your video file
and records it to your disc.

11 When ShowBiz ejects your disc after the

recording process is complete, click No.

DVD Writer User’s Guide

11

Creating a Custom

Requirements for Capturing Video

DVD Movie

The software included with your new PC allows
you to create custom DVDs by including multiple
source videos and slideshows. In this section, you
will learn how to:

■

Transfer your home video files to your hard
disk drive.

■

Edit video files, and customize the look and
layout of the DVD menu.

■

Record your video project file to DVD or CD.

You can copy (capture) video files to your hard
disk drive by using the ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD
program. To capture video, your PC also needs
either a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port to capture
video from a digital video (DV) camera or an
analog video capture card to capture video from
a TV, a VCR, or an analog video camera.

Creating DVDs and CDs

12

To capture video files, you need to:

■

Connect your digital video capture device
properly.

■

Turn your device on and set it to
playback mode.

■

Make sure the program you want to use
can detect your digital or analog device.

Note:

You may need to turn your device off and
on again for the program to detect it.

If your PC has both a digital and an analog
video capture card, make sure you select the
correct device from within the video program.
Refer to the Help menu in the video program you
are using for more information about selecting
your device.

Capturing Video with ShowBiz

To transfer your digital (DV) video files to your
hard disk drive by using ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD:

1 Connect your digital video camcorder

or other digital video device to the
FireWire (IEEE 1394) port on your PC.
Make sure your device is turned on and in
playback mode.

2 When the Digital Video Device window

appears, select DV Capture and Edit, and
then click OK.

3 Your video file should appear in the preview

window. Use the playback controls on your
camera or in the ShowBiz capture window to
find the place in the video you want to begin
copying.

DVD Writer User’s Guide

13

5 When the Save As window appears, type in a

file name, select your video format from the

drop-down list, and then click the Start

capturing button.

4 Click the record button (red circle) to begin

capturing your video file.

Creating DVDs and CDs

14

6 Click the Stop capturing (black square)

button to stop capturing your video file.
7 You can preview your captured video by using

the playback controls in the capture window.

8 Click Done.

9 Select the project and then click Save to save

your project to your sample projects folder.
You can open the project later when you want
to edit it.

Editing Video Files in ShowBiz

Use the ArcSoft ShowBiz® Video Editor program
to perform advanced editing tasks such as
adding transitions, effects, text overlays, and
music tracks to your video projects. You can then
record your video project to disc later, when you
are ready. If you do not want to edit your video
files, you can skip to ”Recording a DVD with
ShowBiz DVD.”

To edit your video files:

1 Transfer your video files into your project file.
2 Click Start, choose All Programs, Video,

if it is present, ArcSoft ShowBiz Video
Editor, and then click Edit Movie.

3 Transfer all your video files into your

ShowBiz DVD project.

4 If your video files are already on the hard disk

drive, select the Media tab, and then click the
Book (Add) icon to browse and select your
video files.

Book (Add) Icon

DVD Writer User’s Guide

15

5 Select your file, and then click Open.
6 Select a video file and then click OK. Click

OK again to process scene detection.

7 Drag video files from the album to the

storyboard or timeline area of the window.
You can add transitions, special effects, and
text. Refer to the Help (?) menu in ShowBiz
for more information about editing your
video files.

8 Select Project and then click Save to

save your video project to your hard disk
drive. This option allows you to make
additional changes to your video files before
recording them to disc or your hard disk drive.

9 When you are ready to record your files to

disc, select Create, and then click CD/VCD,

Basic DVD, or Advanced DVD Project.

Note:

Choose Basic DVD if the movie you are
editing is the only file you want on the disc.
Choose Advanced DVD Project if you
want to add additional videos or slide shows
to the disc.

10 Type a name under DVD Title & Project Name,

select your chapter and menu options and then

click Start.

11 Insert a blank or rewriteable disc. If the disc is

not blank, ShowBiz DVD will prompt you to

erase it.

12 When ShowBiz DVD has completed writing

the disc, the disc is ejected.

Refer to the Help (?) menu in ShowBiz Video
Editor for more information about editing and
recording your video files.

Creating DVDs and CDs

16

Recording a DVD Movie with
Showbiz DVD

With ArcSoft Showbiz DVD you can capture,
edit, and record video files to create DVDs and
VCDs that can be played in most DVD-ROM
drives and in some DVD players.

Note:

1 Click Start, choose All Programs, Video,

In ShowBiz DVD you can combine several video
files into one ShowBiz DVD project, and then
record the entire DVD project file onto a DVD+R or
DVD+RW disc.

if it is present, ArcSoft Showbiz DVD,
Tools, and then click Create DVD to edit,

and record your video file.

2 Click the Design tab.

■

Select the Themes tab to select a
background for your DVD menu page. You
can select one of the available backgrounds
or you can click the New Background
button, select a picture from your hard disk
drive, and then click Open.

■

Select the Customize tab, and then select
the options for your title text, menu buttons,
and the general button layout.

DVD Writer User’s Guide

17

3 Select the Add Media tab to select your

videos. Select New Album from the drop­down list. Create a name for your new album
by selecting New Album and then and
typing over it.

■

Click the folder icon to find your video file.
Select your file and then click Open to add
it to your new album. Select the file and
drag it to the preview window.

Or

■

Select the video camera icon on the toolbar
to capture video from your camera.

4 Select the Author tab. Trim your video files,

add chapters, and create chapter images for
your DVD menu page.

6 Type your DVD name, click Save, select a

drive to write to, and then click OK.
7 Insert your blank DVD. Follow any onscreen

instructions to complete the recording process.

Editing Recorded DVDs with
Showbiz DVD

You can use the ArcSoft ShowBiz Video Editor
program to edit your DVD projects after you have
recorded them to a disc. You can re-record
changes back to the same DVD+RW disc, but
you must use a blank DVD+R disc to re-record
video files that were recorded onto a DVD+R.

To edit a recorded DVD movie:

5 When you’re ready to record your movie to

DVD, click the Produce tab, and then click
the Start button.

Creating DVDs and CDs

18

1 Insert the recorded DVD into the

DVD Writer/CD Writer drive. If the AutoPlay

window appears, select Take no action and

then click OK.

2 Click Start, choose All Programs, Video,

if it is present, ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD,

ShowBiz Wizard, select the Create a
DVD drop-down menu, and then click Edit
ShowBiz DVD Disc.

3 When the Browse for Folder window appears,

select the DVD Writer drive icon, and then
click OK.

4 Make changes to your video file.

Playing Your
Recorded DVD Movie

You can use InterVideo® WinDVD™ or the
Windows Media Player programs to play your
recorded movies.

Playing Your DVD in
InterVideo WinDVD

5 Select the Produce tab, and then click Start.
6 Select the option to Update current disc or

to Create a new disc and then click OK.
Your rewriteable disc is re-recorded.

7 Click OK to complete updating your disc.

DVD Writer User’s Guide

1 Insert your DVD or Video CD (VCD) into a

DVD drive. Select Play DVD movie using
InterVideo WinDVD from the AutoPlay
window, and then click OK. The InterVideo
WinDVD program opens automatically.

Or
If the program doesn’t open, click Start,

choose All Programs, Video, if it is
present, InterVideo WinDVD Player, and
then click InterVideo WinDVD 4.

19

2 Use the InterVideo WinDVD control panel to

play your DVD or VCD.

Playing Your DVD in
Windows Media Player

1 Insert your DVD into a DVD drive. Select Play

DVD Video using Windows Media
Player from the AutoPlay window and then
click OK.

Or
If the program doesn’t open, click Start,

choose All Programs, Video, if it is
present, Windows Media Player, and then
click Windows Media Player.

2 Use the Windows Media Player control panel

to play your DVD.

Note:

You cannot play video CDs in Windows Media
Player.

About Recording Video Files

Video quality depends on the quality of the
source files, the PC speed, and its graphics
processing ability.

If you need help creating or recording DVD
movies, refer to the Help files in the video editing
and recording programs.

Note:

Disc Labels

Your DVD Writer/CD Writer drive will not copy

commercially available DVD movies. Most
commercial DVDs are encoded to prevent
unauthorized duplication.

Warning:

not use sticky labels. They can cause the
DVD to play erratically. Instead, write on
the DVD with a felt tip pen to label it.

When labeling your DVDs, do

Creating DVDs and CDs

20

Erasing Recorded

Recording VHS Video Files

Video Files

You can erase all recorded video files that are on
a rewriteable DVD or CD (DVD+RW or CD-RW),
leaving almost all the disc space available for
new recordings.

1 Click Start, choose All Programs,

CD (DVD) Recorder, if it is present,
RecordNow, and then click RecordNow.

2 Insert the DVD+RW or CD-RW you want to

erase.

3 Click the Erase button.
4 Click Ye s to erase all data from the disc.

onto DVDs

To record VHS video files onto DVDs:

■

Your PC must have an analog capture card
that you can connect to a VCR or another
analog video source.

■

The video recording software must support
analog capture devices.

■

You must connect a VCR to an analog video
port on the PC, open the video editing
software, and then follow the onscreen
instructions.

Setting Automatic
Recording Options

When you first insert a blank CD
into your DVD Writer/CD Writer drive,
Microsoft
options for the type of disc you insert.

®

Windows® XP may give you

DVD Writer User’s Guide

21

Note:

When you insert a blank DVD into your DVD
Writer/CD Writer drive, an options window does
not appear. You must open the program you want
to use with your DVD, and then perform an action.

For example, if you insert a blank CD-RW disc,
you can select any of these options:

■

Open writeable CD folder using Windows

Explorer

■

Create a disc using RecordNow™

■

Take no act io n

If this window of options does not appear, you
can click Start, My Computer, right-click the
DVD Writer/CD Writer drive icon, and then
select one of the available options.

You can also open a program before you insert a
disc. After the program is opened, select an
action and follow onscreen instructions within the
program.

You can choose to have a specific action occur
automatically each time you insert a blank CD by
selecting the Always do the selected action box.

Creating DVDs and CDs

22

If you later decide that you want to change the
option you have set:

1 Click Start.
2 Click My Computer.
3 Right-click the DVD Writer/CD Writer

drive icon and select Properties.
4 Click the AutoPlay tab.
5 Click Select an action to perform, select

an action, and then click OK.

Or

Click Prompt me each time to choose

an action, and then click OK.

Here are some of the other options you can
choose:

■

To view the files on the disc you inserted, click
Start, My Computer, and then right-click
the DVD Writer/CD Writer drive icon and
choose Explore.

■

To view the files on the disc you inserted, click
Start, My Computer, and then double-click
the DVD Writer/CD Writer drive icon.

■

To open a particular program, click Start,
choose All Programs, and then click the
program you want.

If you insert a blank or data disc, a window
with options for blank or data discs opens.

If the option you want is not listed, you can select
Take no action, and then click OK. The
window closes, and you can then manually

Compatibility Information

An important feature of the DVD Writer/
CD Writer drive is its high level of compatibility
with other optical drives and CD and DVD
players.

select a different option through the Start menu
on the desktop.

DVD Writer User’s Guide

23

■

The CDs that you create play in most home
and car stereos and in most computer
DVD-ROM and CD-ROM drives.

Note:

■

The DVDs that you create are compatible with

CD-R discs are more compatible with home and

car stereos than CD-RW discs are.

some DVD video players and with most
computer DVD-ROM drives.

Your DVD Writer/CD Writer drive is able to read
from and record to almost every type of optical
disc. Writing speed rates for the DVD Writer/CD
Writer drive are fast, allowing quick recording
times.

Important:

The DVD Writer/CD Writer drive can’t
record to DVD-R, DVD-RW, or DVD-RAM discs.
When recording, use DVDs that have a ”+” in
their names.

Compatible File Formats

Your DVD Writer/CD Writer drive can read and
record the following audio formats:

■

WAV, MP3, WMA, and CDA for CDs

■

WAV, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, WMA, and
Layer 2 files for DVDs

Your DVD Writer/CD Writer drive can read and
record the following video formats:

■

MPEG-1 and MPEG-2

■

AVI and WMV

Disc Quick Reference

You can use DVD+RW, DVD+R, CD-RW, and
CD-R discs in the DVD Writer/CD Writer drive.

Creating DVDs and CDs

24

DVD+R discs

DVD+RW discs

■

Can’t be erased or written to again. Some
programs, like RecordNow, allow you to
record data in multiple sessions until the disc
is full.

■

Can’t edit a DVD+R that has been recorded as
a DVD movie.

■

Hold up to 4.7GB – the equivalent of
seven CDs.

■

Record up to 2 hours of video files, depending
on the quality of the recording.

■

Are compatible with more DVD drives and
players than a DVD+RW disc is.

■

Can be used to back up your hard disk
drive files.

■

Can be erased and rewritten.

■

Can hold up to 4.7 GB — equivalent of
seven CDs.

■

Record up to 2 hours of video files, depending
on the quality of the recording.

■

Can be used to back up hard disk drive files
that you can update periodically.

CD-R discs

■

Can’t be erased or written to again. Some
programs, like RecordNow, allow you to
record data in multiple sessions until the disc
is full.

■

Can hold about 80 minutes of music files, or
up to 99 tracks.

■

Can hold up to 650 or 700 MB of data,
depending on the media.

■

Can be used to create music CDs and storage
discs for your hard disk drive files.

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25

CD-RW discs

■

Can be erased or rewritten.

■

Can hold about 80 minutes of music files, or
up to 99 tracks.

■

Can hold up to 650 or 700 MB of data,
depending on the media.

■

Can be used to create storage discs for your
hard disk drive files.

Video Recording Length

Video quality setting

Disc type

4.7 GB
DVD+RW,
DVD+R

700 MB CD­RW, CD-R

650 MB CD­RW, CD-R

Good Better Best

180
minutes

27
minutes

24
minutes

120
minutes

18
minutes

16
minutes

60
minutes

9 minutes

8 minutes

Note: Video quality settings and recording lengths

may vary.

Creating DVDs and CDs

26

Disc Feature and Compatibility

Disc

CD-ROM Data No Yes No No
Music No Yes Yes Varies by model

VCD DVD movie No Yes No Varies by model

File type

Dat a Yes Ye s No No CD-R
MP3 Music Yes Yes Varies by model Varies by model
Dat a Yes Ye s No No CD-RW
MP3 Music Yes Yes Varies by model Varies by model
Data No Yes No No DVD-ROM
DVD movie No Yes No Yes
Dat a Yes Ye s No No DVD+R
DVD mov ie Yes Ye s No Var ies b y m ode l
Dat a Yes Ye s No No DVD+RW
DVD mov ie Yes Ye s No Var ies b y m ode l

Ability to
record

Plays in PC

Plays in home or car
stereo

Plays in home
DVD player

Note: For the latest disc compatibility information for your Hewlett-Packard PC, check the Hewlett-Packard Web site:

http://www.hp.com

DVD Writer User’s Guide

27

Optical Drive Quick Reference

Optical drive can

Read CDs, CD-Rs, and
CD-RWs

CD-ROM

CD-RW,
CD-R

DVD-ROM DVD+RW/+R

Combo
CD-RW/DVD

X X X X X

Read DVDs X X X

Read data on a CD X X X X X

Play music X X X X X

Record data or music to
disc for storage

X X X

View DVD movies X X X

Record DVD movies X

Play PC games X X X X X

Creating DVDs and CDs

28

Software Quick Reference

To open the DVD Writer/CD Writer software programs, click Start on the taskbar, choose
All Programs, select the program folder, and then click the program to open the software. Refer to the

following table to determine the best programs for the tasks you want to do.

Note:

You may have a software update CD included with your PC. You may need to install this CD before using the
DVD Writer/CD Writer drive. To do this, follow the installation instructions that came with the CD.

The PC has various software programs preinstalled that you can use with the
DVD Writer/CD Writer drive:

■

ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD and

■

RecordNow

■

Windows Media Player

ShowBiz Video Editor

■

RealOne Player

Note:

DVD Writer User’s Guide

Some programs listed above may not be included with your PC model.

■

InterVideo WinDVD

■

Windows Movie Maker

29

Your PC comes with the following software programs. Use this table to find out what you can do within
each program.

Software With this program you can

Windows
Media Player

RealOne Player

■

Play music CDs, MP3, and other audio files.

■

Play DVD movies. (Windows Media Player can play DVDs only if another DVD player
program, such as InterVideo WinDVD, is installed.)

■

Play Windows Movie Maker files.

■

Record music files.

■

Organize digital files into a library for recording or listening.

■

Play music CDs, MP3, and other audio files.

■

Play DVD movies. (RealOne Player can play DVDs only if another DVD player program,
such as InterVideo WinDVD, is installed.)

■

Plays video CDs.

■

Record music files.

■

Organize digital files into a library for recording or listening.

Creating DVDs and CDs

30

Software With this program you can

Windows
Movie Maker 2.0

■

Import audio, video, and other media files from a videotape, an audiotape, a Web
camera, or a television broadcast.

■

Record audio and video files to create a video project that becomes a Windows Media
source file with a .wmv extension.

■

Edit and preview files.

■

Send movie in an e-mail or to a Web server.

■

Add music files (MP3).

■

Import audio files such as .mp3, .asf, or .wma; video files such as .wmv, .asf, .avi, or
.mpg; or image files such as .jpg or .gif.

■

Can create AVI and WMV (Windows Media Video) files.

InterVideo
WinDVD

■

Play DVD movies and video CDs (VCD).

■

For more information about playing DVDs with InterVideo WinDVD, refer to the printed
information that came with your PC.

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31

Software With this program you can

RecordNow

ArcSoft
ShowBiz DVD

■

Record data and music files.

■

Record a copy of an existing music or data CD to use on the PC.

■

Create customized music CDs from CDs in your collection, or from WAV, MP3, or WMA
files. These CDs can be played in your home or car stereo.

■

Copy and share data files.

■

Copy short video files.

Note: Video files recorded with RecordNow can be viewed on a PC but not on home DVD

video players.

■

Capture digital and analog video files directly from a digital video (DV) camera, VCR, or
analog capture device in a few steps.

Note: Your PC may not include an analog capture device.

■

Assemble movies by capturing video clips and scenes into your video project.

■

Edit your movies. Cut scenes and add music and sound effects, still images, text, video
transitions, and voice-overs.

■

Preview movies during editing and before recording final files.

■

Create video files, save them to your hard disk drive, and then play them on your PC.

■

Create video files, record them to DVDs and CDs, and then play them on some DVD
video players.

■

Record video files to VCDs and DVDs.

■

Create MPEG files.

Creating DVDs and CDs

32

Software With this program you can

ArcSoft ShowBiz
Video Editor

■

Capture digital and analog video files directly from a digital video (DV) camera, VCR, or
analog capture device in a few steps.

Note: Your PC may not include an analog capture device.

■

Assemble movies by capturing video clips and scenes into your video project.

■

Edit your movies. Cut scenes and add music and sound effects, still images, text, video
transitions, and voice-overs.

■

Preview movies during editing and before recording final files.

■

Create video files, save them to your hard disk drive, and then play them on your PC.

■

Create MPEG files.

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33

Troubleshooting

My recording failed

If your recording failed, try the following and
then record your files again:

■

Close all other programs and don’t perform
any tasks while recording.

■

Enable Direct Memory Access (DMA) on
your PC.

■

Reduce maximum recording speed.

■

Manually select a slower recording speed.
Each time you make a recording, RecordNow
selects the optimum recording speed for your
drive and the disc you are using. Refer to the
Help menu in RecordNow for more information
about selecting a slower recording speed.

■

Make sure you have enough space available
on your hard disk drive for RecordNow to
store a temporary copy of your CD.

■

RecordNow can record only to the same disc
type it records from. For example, you can
record a DVD only to a DVD+R or DVD+RW
disc, and you can record a CD only to a CD-R
or a CD-RW disc.

■

When you create a DVD or CD, RecordNow
does not let you add a track if it exceeds the
available space on your disc. Most CD-R discs
can record about 80 minutes. You can make
space available by removing one or more
tracks from the list before recording the
remaining files to CD.

I can’t add files to my music CD

■

Make sure you select the correct drive before
recording. RecordNow selects the first optical
drive it finds, but you can select the drive in
RecordNow before you begin recording.

Creating DVDs and CDs

34

When recording a music CD, RecordNow
creates a closed session CD, which means no
additional files can be added to that disc after
the initial recording.

I can’t add data files to my DVD

When you create a data CD in RecordNow, data
files can be added in later recording sessions
until the disc is full. If you want record data to a
DVD in multiple sessions, you must set the correct
recording option. To do this, insert your data
disc, open RecordNow, click the Options
button, select the Advanced tab, and then
select the multiple session recording option.

My music CD won’t play in
my stereo

If your CD won’t play in your home or car stereo,
try the following:

■

Use a CD-R, not a CD-RW disc.

■

Try another CD brand or check to see if the
brand of disc works with your stereo. Check
the documentation that came with your CD
player and check the manufacturer’s Web site.

■

If you are creating music CDs from MP3 or
WMA audio files, those files need to be
converted to WAV or CDA music files before
recording.

■

Use a CD instead of a DVD. You can record
audio files to a DVD to be played on your PC,
but you cannot create a music DVD to be
played in a home or car CD player.

The titles of my music tracks don’t
appear on my CD

You must be connected to the Internet for the
artist, title, and track information to appear when
playing your music CD in Windows Media
Player or when recording your music CD in
RecordNow. If you are not connected to the
Internet, the music tracks are displayed as
Track 1, Track 2, etc.

Note:

Artist, title, and track information cannot be
recorded to disc in RecordNow.

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35

I get an error message when I try
to capture video files

My movie won’t play on my DVD
player

If you have an analog and a digital capture
device on your PC, you may need to select your
device before capturing video files. Refer to the
Help menu in the video capturing program to
find out how to change your video device
selection.

My PC doesn’t recognize my
digital camcorder when I try to
capture video files

Before you can transfer your digital video files to
your PC, you must connect your camcorder
properly to a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port on your
PC, turn your camcorder on, and then select the
playback mode before transferring video files to
your hard disk drive.

Your DVD movie may be in a file format that your
DVD player can’t read. If you recorded your
video files as data, they will not have the proper
format to be played on your DVD player. Files
must be encoded in the proper DVD video format
by using a recording program such as ArcSoft
ShowBiz DVD to play in your DVD player.

Which discs are compatible with
my DVD and CD players?

Go to the Web site of your DVD or CD player
manufacturer to find information about disc
compatibility.

Creating DVDs and CDs

36

More Information

For more information about your DVD Writer/
CD Writer drive and DVD Writer/CD Writer
software programs, refer to the:

■

Printed Quick Start Guide included with
your PC.

■

Help menus within any of the programs
included with your PC.

■

Web sites of software manufacturers (for the
latest program updates).

■

Help and Support information located in the
Start menu on your desktop.

For general information about products and
services and for answers to computer support
questions, go to the Hewlett-Packard Web site at

http://www.hp.com

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37