DVDs work in desktop PC but not in laptop - previously worked in laptop

[Brent Jewell]

I use a Panasonic SDR-H18 camcorder and the Imagemixer software that came with it. For about a year I have successfully made DVDs of my kids soccer games for myself and other parents. Recently produced DVDs work perfectly in the desktop PC where I make them, but will not work in my laptop or any other computer. I did not change anything that I know of. The older DVDs still work fine in both places. I tried a DVD cleaning disk to no effect. Thanks for any help.

[Baldrick]

Are you using same media brand?
Do you see any files on the dvd on the laptop or is it empty?
How do you burn? Don't make any multisession dvdr.

[Brent Jewell]

media has been a constant ... laptop "sees" nothing at all ... making a dvd with Imagemixer software is a 3 step process. 1-importing video from camera 2-authoring or choosing which clips to include and 3-writing, which performs a bunch of operations (creating video stream etc.) ending with "write to disk". the entire process seems
identical in every way as it unfolds, but the end product is now as I described. something changed but I don't know what or how. an acquaintance with sophisticated equipment, but no time to help out much, said the recent dvds
were not written as deep on the disk and suggested the cleaning in case the lens had gotten a bit dirty.
lastly, thanks and I don't know what that multisession item means.

[redwudz]

You are assuming the quality of your DVD media hasn't changed. That may not be correct. I would try some different brands to see if that could be the problem. It's the easiest and cheapest change to make.

Many brands of media are made by the lowest bidder, no matter what the brand that is printed on the disc. You can find out who actually made the disc with a program like one of these: http://www.videohelp.com/tools/sections/media-dvd-cd

If not, I would try Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden if you want quality media.