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  1. Member
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    Hi all I'm new here so howdy. I have some discs I recorded on a Medion dvd recorder I never got around to finalizing. The dvd recorder quit working so I bought the same model Medion dvd recorder from eBay with the hope I could finalize those dvds on the new recorder. They play fine and the title lists look the same as the other one but for the 2 discs I tried to finalize, they ended up not being able to be read at all by the Medion or any other dvd player after finalizing. I got a message at the top of the screen right after trying to finalize those 2 discs but don't know what it means, maybe someone here does, here's a picture of it.Click image for larger version

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  2. Member hech54's Avatar
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    How do they react in a computer?
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  3. Member DB83's Avatar
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    'Same model' would have to mean same physical model AND same version of software. Since most units are 'badged' there is no guarantee that another unit can finalise these disks.

    The message appears to refer to the software. You can always try to update that but also run the risk of 'bricking' this unit in the process.

    Better to 'rip' the disk contents using software such as iso-buster and re-author the dvd in a PC.

    If all your other disks play in the new machine better even then to get another recorder(maybe try and borrow one) and copy/dub from the playing machine to the other one and finalise in the recording one.
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  4. Member
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    Are you saying the unfinalized discs played in your replacement Medion but after you finalized them in the same Medion they now refuse to play in that or also a DVD player? If so that sounds really odd. I agree with DB83's suggestion of ISO-BUSTER, although if your discs now won't even play in the Medion I have my doubts as to what ISO-BUSTER will do.........good luck!
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  5. Banned
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    The message you see is an unhelpful error message that would be of use only a programmer who worked on the firmware code for this model. It could mean anything.

    Are your discs re-writable? Approximately how old are they and what brand are they? Maybe you are finalizing RW discs and due to age you are having problems. RW discs aren't meant for permanent storage. Even if properly stored they will destabilize after time. As jjeff points out it is very unusual for finalized discs to become unplayable after finalization. There is also a chance that the finalization failed and the discs are not RW but normal write once DVD-R or DVD+R and the failure of finalization is causing your playback problems. If so, you'll have to use ISO-Buster and hope it can read your discs.
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  6. Member
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    Yes the unfinalized discs play in the replacement Medion recorder but once finalized with that recorder they will no longer play in that same recorder. They are all the write once dvds (DVD+R) from 2005 so they are 9 years old. I did DB83's suggestion of playing an unfinalized disc in the Medion and recording onto another recorder and finalizing with that one. It worked OK but its a copy of a copy rather than just a copy meaning the picture quality goes down. How does ISO-Buster work, is that a program I would use on the computer to rip the unfinalized disc to the hard drive and then make a new dvd from that? If so I don't see how that could work when my Macbook will just eject an unfinalized disc. I still have the original Medion that quit working. The problem is that it cant read the remote anymore which means it cant get into the setup which needs to be done to get it going. I know the remote is OK because it works on the replacement Medion. Im wondering if I switch the remote sensor from the replacement to the original Medion if that would fix the original, but I was thinking it might be something other than the remote sensor that has gone out. Any thoughts on this?
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  7. Member
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    It's possible that Medion, like Panasonic, Pioneer and maybe others has the ability to set the unit to several remote codes. When you push the remote do you see anything pop up on the front display of your old Medion? Generally if it's a wrong remote code it would say something like R1 or CHK 1. If it says nothing it could very well be a bad IR sensor in the old Medion.
    Very odd that finalizing discs on your new Medion can make a disc that used to play no longer play but as jman98 said it can happen. I've had the very rare occasion in my Panasonics where if the disc slips during finalization that I may actually lose the title rendering the disc unusable. Generally I don't lose the title but rather it says the disc is unfinalizable(still playable in the recorder but not a standard DVD player) but I believe I've had the disc get ruined too.

    I've only used ISB-Buster a couple of times but yes, you load the program in your PC, insert the disc, it reads it(can take quite some time) and in the end you end up with a title than can be burned to a DVD and is playable in any standard DVD player. Not sure how nicely ISO-Buster works with a Mac, I've always had MS PCs.
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  8. Member
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    Thanks to everyone who replied to this thread. I think what I'm going to do is get an ION Video 2 PC which is a device with audio/video inputs and S-video also used mainly for transferring video tapes to a computer but will work with anything that has rca outputs or s-video output. Then just transfer the dvd content to the computer by playing those unfinalized discs in the Medion, then probably just get rid of the discs afterwards. The device will work on a Mac also and I had planned to buy one anyways to transfer some video tapes, that should take care of it, so just letting you know!
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  9. Member DB83's Avatar
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    That video 2 PC device could give you worse results than dvd-recorder to dvd-recorder but since you are working on a Mac I simply do not know what formats are available to you - if you just capture as mpeg2 then it will be worse. If your quality has gone down it is due to having the recording setting lower than the original or the cabling is not right. It is not a 'copy of a copy' as you say since you are simply recording the stream. Only when you re-encode the original would you lose quality.

    Of course, if you plant on capturing some tapes you would need such a device.
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  10. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    Have you even TRIED ISOBuster yet?

    Scott
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  11. Member
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    I went to ISO-Buster website and they do not have Mac listed where you choose your operating system. Also not ready to fork out $40 then end up not having it work.
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  12. Member DB83's Avatar
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    I thought isobuster had a free version so atleast you can see if it does work.

    You will not get a full dvd from that version but you can still test it.
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  13. Member
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    OK I tried the free version and apparently it doesn't work with a Mac. The picture I included is what I get when I try to run the program which is typical of a Windows program on a Mac. So no need to worry about ISO-Buster anymore.

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  14. Member DB83's Avatar
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    Of course Windows programs will not wok on a Mac but you can install Windows on a Mac and run programs then.
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