Chris F. wrote:

This may be slightly off-topic, but this seemed to be the best place
I
could find.
I'm wondering if I need to replace the LG DVD-RW drive on my PC. The
drive
appears to read CDs and DVDs just fine, but the trouble occurs when I
try to burn video DVDs (haven't tried any data DVDs yet). The write
process will appear to have been successful, but when I go to play the
disc back (on various players), only the first 5 minutes or so is
playable - after that, the video goes jerky and/or freezes. I've tried
burning several discs with different content, and with different
levels of compression, and have noted something odd. The problem seems
to occur at a certain physical place on the disc, regardless of the
content. For example, if I burn a disc at 100% quality, the video cuts
out about five minutes in. If I burn the same content at 50% quality,
the video goes about ten minutes before it cuts out. Examining the
disc itself showed something else very odd. The first 1/4" of the
written area (from the center) has a darker appearance than the rest
of the disc. Previously burned discs that turned out OK do not show
this symptom - the entire surface of the disc (the written area
anyway) is the same color. All have been recorded with the same media,
hardware, software, and settings.
At this point I suspect that the laser is crapping out after it
warms up -
would I be right? This drive has (successfully) burned hundreds of
CD's and DVD's in it's two-year lifetime, so failure would not
surprise me. But I'd still like to make sure before I shell out $50
for a new one.

The laser is sticking part way down the rails ! Probably dirt, dust or
other debris. If you want to open it up and clean the rails with a dry
cotton bud and then one damped in very fine oil it should get it
working again.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.