Is it possible to create dvds that really do play?

[deuxbebes]

I am at the end of my rope with my Toshiba RDXS-32. For the past 3 years, I have been copying and editing to the HDD and then burning onto discs. I cannot imagine the number of coasters I've tossed out because of error messages. All I want to do is copy children's programming, edit out commercials or "scary parts" and keep them on discs but this just doesn't happen.

I thought that finally replacing the burner would end my problems but it's still hit or miss. Following info that I found here, I replaced the burner with an HP 940 and it does load much quicker but I'm still getting "disc may be dirty or damaged" messages after dubbing. Or "dubbing failed, check condition of disc". (DH really is a rocket scientist and I'm sure it's installed correctly.)

Having little technology background, I am really good at operating the Toshiba DVR, mostly through trial and error. But my knowledge is pretty limited when I read posts here.

All I want to do is create dvd's for my kids. I can do all this with no effort on the Toshiba HDD but once that's full, that's it. I have Nero Express that came with the dvd burner in the PC but any discs that I burn with that are distorted (picture is stretched) and disc is "protected" once I put them in the dvr. All the programming that I record is not copyright protected...it's just Dora and Mickey.

I'm very apprehensive about replacing the DVR, this one took a long time to master and it still doesn't work (the Hdd is always full tho). I don't want to make another expensive mistake. Is there a simple way to copy, edit and burn to disc using a DVR and/or PC program? Please help, the children are depending on you!

Thanks,

deuxbebes

[Baldrick]

distorted and protected? What do you mean?

[deuxbebes]

Sorry-see repost with edit...the disc info on the dvr reads (under disc info) "protected" meaning it cannot be copied on the dvr.

[DVWannaB]

you have lots of things going on there and you did only a good job confusing the heck out of the people who can help you.

Lets try this again.

You record on the hard drive of your DVD recorder. When the hard drive is full "thats it" ? What does that mean? Sounds like you need to clean up your hard drive. Just edit out commercials on the hard drive and burn to DVD-R. Done.

What kind of discs are you using to burn your DVDs on? If you are not using Taiyo Yuden or any of the fairly commonly recommended brands on these forums, then you are liable to get anything but quality production. Toshiba DVD recorders are very picky about which DVD media is used. Use Taiyo Yuden Premium DVD-R and you cant go wrong.

Cant help you with Nero Express, but I would also suggest one of the better packages for DVD Authoring/burning. DVD-Lab Studio, etc. Nero Burning ROM to burn authored DVD with a solid DVD Authoring package is fine.

What am I missing here?

[SLK001]

I think that he is burning on DVD+R media (see HP burner). It is possible that his settop DVD player has limited support for these pieces of crap... I mean the DVD+R format.

[DVWannaB]

Sorry-see repost with edit...the disc info on the dvr reads (under disc info) "protected" meaning it cannot be copied on the dvr.

That is because you are trying to record tape or DVD that is copy protected. If you want to copy a copy protected media do a search on this site. many posts and links concerning this. I am not sure if it against board rules for me to tell you how to do this.

[deuxbebes]

OK, thanks for your patience...

I can't get the programs to successfully burn from the HDD to disc. All the TY discs I currently have are 4x (the only ones that the previous burner would accept) and the new burner doesn't like them. I am all for trying the TY 8x but just don't want to find that the problem lies with this DVR and I'd be wasting more money on coasters.

I would be happy to record onto discs and edit on the PC but I guess I need a better authoring software? Thanks for the recommendations. There is so much info out there, it's hard to sort through it all.

[DVWannaB]

Does this happen only with VHS and DVDs that you bought in the store? Or for everything you try to record, like Disney Channel or other kiddie channels?

[deuxbebes]

As far as the protected message goes, these are programs that I had already recorded onto the DVR HDD, then to a disc, then to my PC, then back onto a disc. There was no copyright protection until the final step of putting the program back onto a disc from my PC. If it was copyrighted in the first place it wouldn't have let me dub from the HDD to a disc on the DVR...

[deuxbebes]

This is TV children's programming primarily...

[DVWannaB]

hmmmmm.....if you are using Nero Express to author and burn (?) then somewhere in that process it is installing a copy protection flag.

After transferring to your computer, does it play ok then? Did you verify that the length of the movie is accurate on your computer? If the answer is yes to both, then Nero is the culprit here. Try DVD-lab to author. Or try TMPG DVD Author. It will allow you to edit, author and I believe burn the DVD project.

[deuxbebes]

I wondered if there wasn't a setting in the Nero program that was flagging the burn as "protected"...

The "movies" that I tested were just one 30-minute program per disc, so there can't be a problem with the length.

Maybe the answer is to get a basic DVR that uses DVDRAM and then do the editing on the PC with better software than I currently have...

[rich1842]

DVD+R is reckoned by the industry to be the most widely compatible format, but especially if you are having so much trouble why don't you use RW disks until problem solved. Save a lot of coasters.

[jman98]

DVD+R is reckoned by the industry to be the most widely compatible format, but especially if you are having so much trouble why don't you use RW disks until problem solved. Save a lot of coasters.

Bad idea. First of all, it's DVD-R that is the most widely compatible format, not DVD+R. Secondly, the compatibility of RW discs is lower than either DVD-R or DVD+R. There are plenty of older DVD players that are capable of playing DVD-R and DVD+R but won't play RW discs at all whether they are +RW or -RW.

[lordsmurf]

Toshiba RDXS-32 is not a +RW Alliance machine. Quit talking about DVD+R and DVD+RW, it's not applicable. The thing uses DVD-R and DVD-RAM (maybe DVD-RW too, I forget).

[rich1842]

Sorry - should have read more closely - thought coasters were being produced in a pc - so many people do use permanent disks to experiment - really reacting to SLK001's comment 'these pieces of crap... I mean the DVD+R format'. Please note this apology - not many here.

[thecoalman]

As far as the protected message goes, these are programs that I had already recorded onto the DVR HDD, then to a disc, then to my PC, then back onto a disc. There was no copyright protection until the final step of putting the program back onto a disc from my PC. If it was copyrighted in the first place it wouldn't have let me dub from the HDD to a disc on the DVR...

Not too familiar with DVR recordings and the flags that can be set but I'd imagine that is certainly possible. As an example there was thread in the DV forum where the poster was able to capture a file through his camcorder but it set a flag in the file that it was protected content, he could not send this file back to the cam until he reencoded it.