DVD-RW plays but DVD-R does not

[LeTrout]

I've been working on a project (Mpgs from TMPG, slideshows for Showbiz, a few jpgs in a separate file, authored in DVD-lab, burned in RecordNow) and burning it to DVD-RW as I go to check it out. Never had a problem playing it in my standalone (Panasonic DVD-RV31) until I was finished and recorded it to DVD-R. I've burned two DVD-Rs, and both come up in the RV31 as "unable to play this type of disc" or some such. Both DVD-Rs play fine in PowerDVD on my PC. I did everything exactly the same as my last (successful) DVD-RW test except:

1) In the DVD-R, I changed the volume title to "USGP_2002_HOME" because I never realized I could do that before

2) I think RecordNow chose a faster record speed for the DVD-R. Not sure, but it seemed like the DVD-RW was ~2x and the DVD-R was about 4x.

I intent to try again after correcting both of these discrepencies, though I think I'm grasping here. Any others ideas on what might be wrong?

[LeTrout]

Oh yeah: Sony DRU500A burner.

[davideck]

On two occasions, I have authored a DVD project using Ulead DVD Movie Factory 2 that played fine in my Sony DVD player if it was burned on a DVD-RW. When burned to a DVD-R (on media that I know was compatible because it worked on other projects) I would get a "Disc Dirty" message. This same DVD-R would play OK on a different DVD player. I wonder if this is the same issue. Can anybody shed some light on this?????????????

[lordsmurf]

Media.

[davideck]

lordsmurf - it is not the media. I have tried burning the faulty project on a Maxell, a Memorex, a Fuji, and a Ritek. All of these media have worked with other projects on this player, but they only fail with one specific project. There is something else going on...

[lordsmurf]

Burning software.

[LeTrout]

I don't think it's media in my case. I'm using name brand (Memorex) disks, and all three DVD-RWs from the box have given no problem while both DVD-Rs I have tried have given me trouble. Both DVD-Rs play in PowerDVD so they're not coasters, they just won't play in my standalone.

I don't think it's software either, I used the same software to author (DVD-lab) and burn (RecordNow) the succesful -RWs as the problem -Rs. Though again, the -Rs do work in the PC.

I think it's my player (Panasonic RV31). I reviewed the manual and was shocked to find that -Rs are not supported. It also claims -RWs (and +RW which I've also gotten to work) are not playable, maybe I just got lucky with those. Looking at user comments on this site for this player I see others have had problems with -R disks on this pig, probably time to get a new one. I bought it long before I even considered making my own DVDs, so that's lifeI guess.

I plan to give one DVD-R to a friend to see if he can play it, the other I'll take to Best Buy or something to try out on newer players.

[lordsmurf]

I'm using name brand (Memorex) disks, and all three DVD-RWs from the box have given no problem while both DVD-Rs I have tried have given me trouble.

That's it.
Memorex DVD-R = CMC = junk.
The DVD-RW are different.

[normando]

(CORRECTION) Sorry, I just read that the problem was due to your dvd player. I guess the following suggestions wouldn't fix that, but they are good suggestions none the less. Also, if you mount the iso image with Daemon Tools, you can check your menus for errors, etc...

(ORIG POST)
I have been converting my DVDLab files into an iso image via ImageTool and then burning the iso image to DVD-R using DVDDecrypter.

I have read many posts from Sony users having problems with -R media. Have you tried burning it to +R?

[LeTrout]

That's it.
Memorex DVD-R = CMC = junk.
The DVD-RW are different.

Possible, but maybe not. I did finally get it to work with Memorex -Rs, though they are from a different box. I blew all the -Rs from the first box, could have been a bad lot or something. Regardless, this is good to know. I'm always interested in opinions on media brands. I'm surprised Memorex -Rs and -RWs are different, though they certainly look different (red dye on the -Rs). Then again, maybe they always do, I'm very new to the recordable DVD world.

Anyhoo, confession time. It seems that the original problem was --- I'm an idiot. While digging around in RecordNow to turn the record speed down, I was shocked to see that the disc at once setting was set to multisession (or whatever, don't recall the exact wording now). I changed that to write once (and 1x write speed) and 3/3 DVD-Rs have worked since then. I was surprised because
a) I had just assumed any such setting would have defaulted to the more compatible write once and
b) that this setting had a detrimental affect on -Rs but not -RWs, I would have expected the opposite.

I'm still not 100% sure what the problem was as there are still a few variables. But it seems to be working now, so I'm moving on with my life. I'll probably try upping the record speed to see if it still works, but nothing else seems worth trashing more discs just out of curiosity.

Thanks for all the help guys.