Many thanks for your comprehensive explanation. I sort of understand now!
The only problem is that this is the ‘first’ time that I am attempting to burn a DVD!
It might be that the disc I am using is not empty as I have had a few aborted attempts using the same disc. Is this a possibility?
Anyhow, with a new disc inserted I followed your advice and used Encode All + both rewrite options checked, and the burn started seemingly OK.
But after cut 2 of 7,  the burn was aborted due to ‘internal error while processing’.
So I had a look at the log file an found:

Step 1 of 7, Encoding movie 1 ...
Step 1 done
Step 2 of 7, Encoding movie 2 ...
Step 2 done
ERROR: PrepareDVDVideoFiles() failed with errNo 39 - cannot add menu to authoring image
!!! DBK error in BurnProject: 2 - unspecified failure !!!

This has been the case with all my attempts to burn. Do you have any ideas what I might be doing wrong? I hope so because I'm at my wits end!

Hi

. . . . I have had a few aborted attempts using the same disc . . . .

That is the cause of the Encode All etc message you are getting - the movie has already been rendered and the DVD structure set up.  The next stage, which is where your problem is, in the burning of the DVD files to the disc.

. . . . It might be that the disc I am using is not empty as I have had a few aborted attempts using the same disc. Is this a possibility? . . . 

Highly likely.

. . . . ERROR: PrepareDVDVideoFiles() failed with errNo 39 - cannot add menu to authoring image . . .

Try changing the menu template to see if you can complete the burn - some templates have been known in the past to cause this issue.

Check if your MEP is patched up to date.

To save wasted discs I always do my initial burns to DVD-RW or BD-RE discs - if there is a problem or I spot changes needed to the video then I have not wasted a disc - I just erase the disc and start again.

Once I have a good burn and the movie is correct then I copy the rewriteable to DVD-R or BD-R disc - I do not use MEP to write the final disc.

HTH

John

I may be spouting heresy here, but after my MEP created its first coaster I stopped letting it do my burning and went with Nero and always let MEP create a disc image onto hard drive first.  Nero has always been the burn software of choice for many, and these days it's not good for a whole lot else, though it works flawlessly for burning (just an aside here).  In fact, when you tell it to check data after burning and it tells you there were errors found, then (assuming you are using quality discs like Verbatim) it probably means your burner is going south.

And by the way, it's always desirable to have both Nero and MEP check data, as things can sometimes go wrong.  If MEP says it successfully completed burning (to HD) then you are good to go with your burning tool.  A trick johnebaker taught me was to have a dual-layer empty disc in the DVD burner (assuming a movie that requires more space than a single-layer disc can hold).  Then in the Burner selection at the top when you change from Image recorder to the DVD drive it will show some white space on the  used-space indicator.(as long as you don't go over the capacity of a DL DVD, that is).  Just be sure to remember to change it back to Image recorder before you begin the burn process.

Here is where things can get tricky.  If your used-space indicator says your compilation won't fit even on a DL disc you can adjust the bit rate or leave it alone and see if MEP makes it ok or if it chokes.  It may go all the way, or it may report there was an error saving to hard drive.  Me?  I always set it for the maximum quality (9724) by default, but if the used space indicator shows to be over the limit of the disc then I back off the 9724 to 9700 and don't worry if the compilation is still too big for the disc.  Once I learned this trick of going down to 9700, MEP stopped showing burn errors at the end of the burn process.

Sometimes even though MEP says you are needing more space than the disc can hold, it may end up leaving some blank space on the disc anyway (something like 7.65 Gb used).  Other times, for some strange reason, it will end up with a compilation that truly is bigger than a DL can hold.  In this case I use DVD Shrink to back it up to a separate folder on the hard drive that I name [movie title]-shrunk.  It works perfectly and can determine the percentage of shrink needed to fit it on the disc (sometimes just one or two percent) is needed).

DVD Shrink is freeware and can be acquired here:  http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/dvd_shrink.html

Just FYI:  Beware of the "official" DVD Shrink site. It is full of traps.

Using - Magix Movie Edit Pro 2013 on Windows 8.

My Samsung DVD Burner is recognised in Device Manager and appears as an option in the Magix  'Burning' dialogue box. So Far so good.

The Disc format selected is 'Standard PAL'

When I hit the 'Burn' button I am asked if the existing VTS.VOB file/s should be used and I haven't a clue!

Not sure if this applies in your case, but when I see this message it is because MEP started to burn to disc instead of to hard drive, this being due to the fact that I forgot to change from my optical drive to Image recorder in the Burner selection.  MEP had already begun to create a folder in its
"C:\Users\[Your Name]\Documents\MAGIX\Movie_Edit_Pro_MX_Plus_Download_Version\Disc Images" folder.
I find if I just delete the folder just created and start over MEP breezes right through into creating an image onto the hard drive.  HTH

Hi

@Arthur-LW

. . . . In fact, when you tell it to check data after burning and it tells you there were errors found, then (assuming you are using quality discs like Verbatim) it probably means your burner is going south. . . . 

Not necessarily - you nearly always get errors on discs for various reasons eg bad data blocks, imperfect dye spots etc.

The disc structure and the softwares method of writing can 'fix' most of the errors - when it can't then you get a bad disc error.

Consider how a well used disc still plays despite hundreds of fine scratches on the surface.

Signs that . . . . your burner is going south . . . are:

     - Not recognising brand new discs when it did before - although this can be agravated by using the disc manufacturer changing dyes and the burner has not got the settings for the dye used - usually requires a firmware update .

     - Fresh burned discs becoming unplayable in other players - usually due to the burner optical head going out of alignment through wear and tear.

John

Hi

@Arthur-LW

. . . . In fact, when you tell it to check data after burning and it tells you there were errors found, then (assuming you are using quality discs like Verbatim) it probably means your burner is going south. . . . 

Not necessarily - you nearly always get errors on discs for various reasons eg bad data blocks, imperfect dye spots etc.

John

All I can go by is what the disc checker tells me, John.  Nero has proven to be flawless (at least when it comes to burning discs anyway).  I've only had two Verbatim discs ever show bad data checks.  When I tested the discs themselves with a disc checker it reported they were 100% with no bad sectors, etc. whatsoever.  When I flung the burner in the recycle bin and replaced it with a new one, guess what?  Flawless burns without a single error from then on.

There simply isn't any reason to live with discs that do not come from the factory totally 100%.  It's doable.  I had one Verbatim I thought was bad and they quickly mailed me out a replacement without a peep.  It was only later that the burner quit entirely, and I was able to look back in hindsight to see it was the burner hardware that was on the way out that caused the bad data check, not the disc. 

When I get that sort of treatment from a company, you can bet they have my loyalty for life.   

Good day, I am using Magix Edit Pro 2013 and have a project that needs to be burned to a 8.5 disc. The project is only 7707MB and leaves 444MB free on disc, however when I press burn it tells me there is not anuff space! please can someone advice me on what to do.

Thanks...

Good day, I am using Magix Edit Pro 2013 and have a project that needs to be burned to a 8.5 disc. The project is only 7707MB and leaves 444MB free on disc, however when I press burn it tells me there is not anuff space! please can someone advice me on what to do.

Thanks...

I have been experiencing this same problem lately and it is very annoying! Did you ever find the reason and a fix?