Philips DVDR75 overwriting existing titles

[Rletson]

I know this is an old (and not well liked) unit, but I'd rather fix than replace it right now--

The machine: Philips DVDR75/17 with the latest/last firmware update and an in-warranty replacement of the read/write assembly

The problem: On DVD+RW disks with an existing title, a second (timed) recording overwrites the first title rather than being written to the "empty title" slot. I'm careful to point to the next-available-title space on the thumbnail screen when I do the programming, and there is more than enough space left on the disk for the second recording. Might there be some sort of miscalculation of available space (which would cause the system to go back to the top of the disk's space and overwrite the first title) or a problem with whatever internal pointer the system uses to identify the "next empty title" slot? Or maybe it's not the software but the disk--could there be a problem with directory structure? (Though I *think* it has happened to two different disks.) Right now I'm testing to see whether this will happen with a non-timer recording.

Potentially related problems: Occasional failure to recognize a disk properly (shows as empty), fixable by inserting/recognizing a different disk, then retrying the first. Very occasional failure to record (via timer) from cable accompanied by a "copy protected" message--the failure is not immediate but seems to kick in after a few minutes. I take these to be responses to something in the cable's data stream.

Searches here didn't show any similar issues; a Google search turned up one (with no solution yet). Any ideas?

[wabjxo]

I have a Philips 3575 and, when I use a +RW or -RW disc, I don't have to do any "pointing" to add a 2nd title to the disc... just set up the timer program or press REC if manual.

Your pointing sounds more like "overwriting" which the 3575 can also do, but then you get into longer/shorter programs overwriting in automatic ways, etc.

???

[lordsmurf]

Older Philips machines often overwrote RW discs without asking you. A fatal flaw of the machine.

[mikel]

Can be useful though. In the olden days...before editing on the recorders hard drive....
if I ran into a bad section while converting VHS tapes...
I could play the first (good part) of the disk, kick it into record-pause after winding through the
bad section on the tape ....and continue the now "edited" recording.
..no glitching or break-up of video

[Rletson]

Update: Not sure whether this is an answer, but the problem seems to be with two disks, a Memorex and a Fuji. The Memorex got so munged that it would barely read on insertion. Erased it in the PC and have successfully used it as a computer data disk (so far). Haven't tried the Fuji again, but other disks are behaving OK. (Again, so far.)