In my configuration, Nero does not have any options in the selection box to change the burn speed from the maximum that the disc-burner combination will allow. When I put in a diffferent +RW disc the speed changed to the max writing speed of the disc (in this case 2.4X) but I still had no options to select a 1X burn!

Is there any configuration in Nero or in the PC System area that will allow a choice of burn speeds (including 1x) to be there? Do I need to get the latest version or Nero or another package to do this? Does the DVD drive need a firmware upgrade?

Burner: Ricoh 5240 4xDVD+R/+RW
Nero: 5.5.10.56 (Updated)
O/S: Windows XP SP1

Thanks,
ntrprs

Actually I have done a little checking.  The drive can burn at 2.4X or 4X.
(apparently +R burners have 2.4X as the lowest setting)

I would like to try burning at 2.4X (the lowest for my drive) to determine if it is the burning process or the disc which is causing the incompatibility.  I am currently trialing TDKs \"1-4X\" (which are only being recognised as a 4X by Nero).

I have used DVDInfoPro and DVDIdentifier and both of these give different answers as to the disk speed for a certain disc.  DVDInfo says the disc is 4X only, but the other one states either 2.4X or 4X for the same disc!  ?

Ahhh, Justspeed - I was wondering what that does!
The reports I got about the media I am using were from DVDProfiler and DVDInfoPro.  One reported 2.4x AND 4X and the latter 4X only - perhaps this difference was due to the fact that DVDProfiler gave a message expecting an internet connection (perhaps to retrieve the latest info?) - I do not know - my PC is not networked.  Anyway your theory about JustSpeed may be it - I will look into it.

Anyway, I seem to have found a cause of the problem that I was looking for, it (the freezing of the video after starting in my player) was not caused by the burning of the image to the DVD (and hence my investigation into lower burning speeds), but the AC-3 audio bitrate on the disc.  (see explanation if interested)

The Freezing Problem:
I have been using DVDLab and ffmpeg (to prepare the WAV to AC3 audio).  As per Lordsmurf\'s website, I though that using the 256k bitrate for the AC3 was the way to go - this was causiung the problem (perhaps ffmpeg was not doing it correctly?) .  Anyway as the legal AC3 bitrates are 192kps to 384kps, I trialled a few bitrates (as per the pulldown options given in ffmpeg) and found that video with AC3 audio at 192 AND 384kps both worked fine in my Pioneer DV-344 player on a DVD+RW AND DVD+R.  Any others would not!  Interesting that I had a DVD+R from someone else that IFOedit reported that the bitrate was 256kps and this one worked fine!  (which leads me to believe ffmpeg does not do the middle rates correctly).  BTW, I cannot use Besweet as DVDlab does not recognise the files produced (they apparently contain non-standard AC3 headers)

Anyway, I found the freezing problem, burnt my first archive DVD (DVD+R bitset as ROM) and it works fine in both my players - which leads me to believe it will work anywehere - now to test it out!!

Thanks again for your help, I will let you know what I find out about JustSpeed.