If you are creating DVDs for others, at some point you will receive the "I can't play this DVD in my player!" phone call. All DVD players in the real world are not equal. Here are a few tips I have learned that help prevent those calls:

1. Always use good media (Taiyo Yuden and Verbatim are quality brands).
2. Keep the bit rate around 6000. Some DVD players choke on 8000+ bit rates.
3. Lower the burn speed. I always burn at 4X, even if the media and burner are rated higher.
4. Use a good burning program with data verification. I use Nero with data verification turned on. It takes longer but it is worth it.
5. Get a good quality DVD burner (Plextor and Pioneer have good reputations).

Not everyone will agree with the above tips, but since I have been following these I have had zero calls from customers complaining that their DVD won't play. For more information, visit VideoHelp.com and cdfreaks.com. These sites are awesome resources for anything related to DVD or CD creation.

If you have additional tips, comments or criticisms, leave a comment! I would love to hear what works and what doesn't work for you.