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  1. Member
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    OK as I just got my 1st DVD recorder , I am experiencing what I was afraid of the many problems as DVD recorders still present:

    I several VHS tapes to DVDRW+ (Memorex 2.4X dvd rw+) but when trying to finalize the disc, the lite-on 5104 keeps asking to change disk ???

    does anyone know why?

    thanks
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  2. Member FulciLives's Avatar
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    Lite-On DVD recorders are often talked about as a "cheap" alternative to other models because of the "cheap" price and the fact that they use a very good MPEG-2 encoding chipset.

    However various models have trouble with this thing or that thing etc.

    I would return it and get something else.

    Pioneer and JVC are both very good. Some of the new Toshiba units are good as well.

    I have a Pioneer DVR-531H-s and I am very happy with it. This is a model exclusive to WALMART or you can buy the DVR-533H-s which is sold by many on-line stores (and the 533 has FIREWIRE input where as the 531 does not but otherwise they are identical except as expected the 531 is a bit cheaper).

    That model has a built-in 80GB HDD which is a god send to have but if you don't need a built-in HDD then I would maybe try the JVC or TOSHIBA units that don't have a HDD ... the Pioneer 233 (no HDD) is missing features found on the 531/533 etc. and is to be avoided.

    - John "FulciLives" Coleman

    P.S.
    Before you give up on your Lite-On (although I would if I were you) there is a chance that there is an updated firmware for your Lite-On that fixes the problem. See this here other thread: CLICK HERE

    Another option is to try a different brand/make of DVD+RW or maybe try a DVD-RW etc.
    "The eyes are the first thing that you have to destroy ... because they have seen too many bad things" - Lucio Fulci
    EXPLORE THE FILMS OF LUCIO FULCI - THE MAESTRO OF GORE
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  3. Originally Posted by texicle
    OK as I just got my 1st DVD recorder , I am experiencing what I was afraid of the many problems as DVD recorders still present:

    I several VHS tapes to DVDRW+ (Memorex 2.4X dvd rw+) but when trying to finalize the disc, the lite-on 5104 keeps asking to change disk ???

    does anyone know why?

    thanks
    I don't know for sure, but I think the problem is you're trying to finalize the disc. I don't think DVD+RW discs are meant to be finalized. They are meant to be reused again and again and if you finalized them it would defeat the purpose. This could be the problem. Maybe the machine is telling you to use a another type of disc.
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  4. Member FulciLives's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by JAB285
    Originally Posted by texicle
    OK as I just got my 1st DVD recorder , I am experiencing what I was afraid of the many problems as DVD recorders still present:

    I several VHS tapes to DVDRW+ (Memorex 2.4X dvd rw+) but when trying to finalize the disc, the lite-on 5104 keeps asking to change disk ???

    does anyone know why?

    thanks
    I don't know for sure, but I think the problem is you're trying to finalize the disc. I don't think DVD+RW discs are meant to be finalized. They are meant to be reused again and again and if you finalized them it would defeat the purpose. This could be the problem. Maybe the machine is telling you to use a another type of disc.
    My stand alone DVD recorder only uses DVD-RW but you definately can (and should) finalize them once you are "done" recording onto them.

    Perhaps DVD+RW are different and don't require to be finalized but I wouldn't know ... all I can say is that DVD-RW needs to be finalized so I would think that DVD+RW would be the same.

    - John "FulciLives" Coleman
    "The eyes are the first thing that you have to destroy ... because they have seen too many bad things" - Lucio Fulci
    EXPLORE THE FILMS OF LUCIO FULCI - THE MAESTRO OF GORE
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  5. I stand corrected. I've never used RW media so I bow to your experience. I just got one question though. When you want to use the disc again do you unfinalize them or do just overwite the whole disc?
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    To my little knowledge, all DVD +RW must be finalizable.there should be no issues.So I will be checking for firmware update.

    Finalizing means that you can't add any recording to it once it's finalized.So if unfinalized,it implies that you have to erase the disk before you can add more recordings.[/quote]
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  7. Hi texicle, I own a few Liteon (and clones) recorders and when using DVD+RWs discs you do not need to finalize them, that's why you're getting the "change disc" message, they can be played in other players, rare are the times that you will hit a non-compatible player.

    If there's enough room on the RW disc, you can add to it. When you want to reuse it I would suggest erasing it first, this will give a better blank disc to work with. Overwriting actually writes on top of recorded material which will not be as clean sometimes.

    Of course if you are using DVD+R discs, you will need to finalize those first before playing them in other players. Here I would suggest that you ensure that you've got all the material that you want on the +R disc and finalize it, it's been the experience of many that when they (and myself) take a +R disc out of the recorder prior to finalizing it, sometimes the recorder won't recognize it if reinserted, that how most of our coaster stacks started .

    Cheers

    CC
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  8. Member
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    Hi CrazyCanuck,

    You are correct in that DVD +RW need not be finalized to be playable but it doesn't mean that a DVD recorder cannot finalize or shouldn't be able to the disc.
    I think Lite ON is confused between what "need not be" or "should not be".
    I called their tech support and they gave me the "need not be" answer but couldn't explain why it can't finalize my DVD+RW discs(I used 3 different brand , they all hcouldn't be finalized!)

    thx,texicle
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  9. Yeah, I know, I also have a Go Video recorder and I have to finalize the RWs which they call "make compatible" for RWs and "finalise" for Rs but for some reason not the case with Liteon recorders for RWs. Just wondering, why do you need to have your RWs "finalized"?

    I've experienced the "change disc" message on three different scenarios with my Liteon;

    1- tried on RW (don't need to)
    2- by mistake, tried on an already finalized R (already done, don't need to)
    3- Commercial DVD, by mistake (again, already finalized).

    I think that the "change disk" message is not saying that the disk is no good, but more that the disk doesn't need to be or already finalized.

    hope this helps.

    Cheers

    CC
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  10. Member
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    I wanted to finalize them because some discs couldn't be played with my other DVD player, after I DVD-recorded w/ the lite-ON.

    I can tell it's NOT the disc because I have used the same DVD+RW disc(and brand) to burn the same movie with my PC DVD burner(+ Roxio sw) ,which automatically finalized them and it can play w/o any issue on the same DVD player.

    So the only root cause possible for the DVD player to fail to play the DVD+RW disc is the liteON DVD recorder
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