I bought a new spindle of DVD-R disks the other day, and the first disk I burnt ended up a "coaster".  The last time a spindle started this way the first 5 disks ended up as "coasters", even when burning as slow as 1x, and I ended up buying a new burner to work around the issue.  That might seem a little excessive but at the time the cost of a spindle and a burner were fairly similar and the new burner would be a "long term" fix for media compatibility problems, or so I thought.  A year later I seem to find myself in the same situation again.

Rather than waste additional disks, I decided to confirm my burner should be able to cope with the media.  The steps:

1. Verify you are using the latest firmware for your burner, and make sure you have a copy of the firmware installer on your HDD (you will need it in a later step).  I have a Pioneer DVR-109 and DVR-112D so went to the Pioneer firmware page on their global site for this download.
2. Review the firmware’s readme file, release notes or related documentation to see if your media is supported.  Pioneer’s notes are too vague to verify this so I had to confirm compatibility using other means.
3. Download DVDIdentifier and install it.  This software analyses your DVD media to determine its true manufacturer and unique identifier, which are pre-requisites to verifying compatibility.
4. Run DVDIdentifier and use the Identify button to gather detail about your media.  The value you need to pay attention to is the "Manufacturer ID" field.
5. Open a web browser and navigate to VideoHelp’s DVD Media website to check for reports of compatibility issues with your disk.  Enter the "Manufacturer ID" returned by DVDIdentifier into the "Search Media Code" field and execute a search.  DVDIdentifier used to be able to directly call VideoHelp’s search function but it appears VideoHelp decided to break that functionality. This may return entries under multiple brands.  Select the brand relevant to you and examine the individual comments for issues related to your burner model, or any suggestions for speeds to try when burning the media.
6. If your burner supports it, download and install MediaCodeSpeedEdit, This is designed to modify the media supported by your burner, but can also be used to confirm media support in a given firmware version. 
   MediaCodeSpeedEdit’s homepage reports support for the following burner brands: "all LiteOn, most Benq, PHILIPS, HP, LG, NEC, newer PIONEER, Cyberhome DX162D-A and a few BTC, Gigabyte, Samsung and Artec DVD writer firmwares.". A detailed list of supported models and firmwares is listed on the homepage.
7. Run MediaCodeSpeedEdit and load the firmware you downloaded or verified in step 1).  Browse through the list of supported media looking for the "Manufacturer ID" previously obtained from DVDIdentifier.  If you can’t find this in the Name field then your media is not supported by the firmware.

As you can tell from the screenshots, both VideoHelp’s website and MediaCodeSpeedEdit confirmed my media was supported by my burner so my fears were unfounded.  Based upon the VideoHelp comments I reduced the burn speed to 12x and the next disk burned and verified flawlessly!

If you are not so lucky you should return the media and try a different model/brand, buy a burner with better media support, or you might be able to patch the firmware to provide support for your media.  MediaCodeSpeedEdit may be able to help with the last option but I have no experience with that and recommend you refer to the software’s homepage for advice on how to use it in that way.

Apple’s iPod managed to make its way into many stockings during the festive season. The svelte music player is beautifully designed, but how do you keep its appearance pristine once you remove it from the box? Can it be done without overly compromising either its aesthetics or usability?

Socks are a great way to protect an iPod while in transit and still providing some access to the controls at the same time. They help prevent cosmetic damage from abrasion and scratches and also combat some shock and intrusion damage. This makes them ideal for keeping your MP3 player safe while in a pocket or a bag, and still allow you to easily remove the case to show the iPod off in all its glory when you get to your destination.

Right now the Apple ecosystem is hoping you will run off to buy the official iPod socks from an online retailer, or failing that you might find some cheap alternatives on eBay. Or you could do what I did and DIY.

If you are a parent you can start by heading to your child’s wardrobe, otherwise make your way to your nearest children’s clothing retailer.

The key to this whole exercise is finding the right sock. If you are old enough to be reading this post then your own socks will be too large and will look decidedly home made if used. I’ve had best results with socks for an infant (sized for <= 1 year old), but make sure they are both stretchy and warmer autumn or winter socks so they have some thickness to them. This ensures they provide some padding but can still expand to completely cover your iPod.

You don’t actually have to make any modifications. This project is DIY because you are using the socks for a purpose other than was originally intended by the designer. Slide the sock onto your iPod and you are done!

Not only is this solution affordable, but you have a huge range of styles to chose from, and will have a spare case if your main one starts to look a bit worn!