finalising a dvd

[devdev]

i have recorded a dvd using a dvd recorder pioneer

I thought I have finalised it but when I eject and reinsert the disc to play it, it does not come up with 'FINALISED'

does anyone have any ideas as t how I can check that it is finalised?

[DB83]

A little more info might help.

1. DVD-R or DVD-RW ?
2. Video Mode or Video Recording Mode ?
3. Have you tried to play the disk in a PC drive ?

[devdev]

dvd-r
video mode
yes plays in pc drive

[hech54]

Can't you just copy the VIDEO_TS folder to your computer and burn a new DVD?

[usually_quiet]

dvd-r
video mode
yes plays in pc drive

Recordings on unfinalized DVD-R media won't play except in the DVD recorder that made it, or possibly another DVD recorder from the same maker. If you can watch recordings on a DVD-R using your PC or a using regular DVD player, then the disc is is finalized.

[DB83]

I may be mistaken here but AFAIR there is no explicit 'finalizing' of -R media. Insert a blank disk and a Lead-In is written to it. Then you perform the recording. After the recording is finished the recorder writes a Lead-Out. Put that disk back in to the recorder and you can not undo anything and write more to it.

RW disks have to be formatted AND finalized unless you just play it in the recorder. But you can un-finalize that disk, delete the content and write more to it.

[usually_quiet]

I may be mistaken here but AFAIR there is no explicit 'finalizing' of -R media. Insert a blank disk and a Lead-In is written to it. Then you perform the recording. After the recording is finished the recorder writes a Lead-Out. Put that disk back in to the recorder and you can not undo anything and write more to it.

RW disks have to be formatted AND finalized unless you just play it in the recorder. But you can un-finalize that disk, delete the content and write more to it.

DVD writing with burning software on a PC works as you describe, but that isn't how my old Panasonic DVD recorder or my current Magnavox DVD recorder work. With both machines, more recordings can be added to DVD-R media until the disc is full or explicitly "finalized" by the user via a menu selection. (Once finalized, DVD-R can't be unfinalized.) Without finalization, recordings on DVD-Rs can only be played by the DVD recorder that made them.

[devdev]

someone once told me that if you right click in a pc open properties and there are zero bytes on the disc - then it's finalised - does this sound right?

[Bernix]

someone once told me that if you right click in a pc open properties and there are zero bytes on the disc - then it's finalised

yes, it sounds right.

[usually_quiet]

someone once told me that if you right click in a pc open properties and there are zero bytes on the disc - then it's finalised - does this sound right?

Yes, that is correct. I just put a DVD-R finalized by my Pannasonic in my PC's DVD drive, right clicked the drive in Windows Explorer, and selected properties. Free Space was 0 bytes.

[BzERK IE]

download "DVD Decrypter" it's free and there is an option under TOOLS/DRIVE to close "finalize disc"

[DB83]

download "DVD Decrypter" it's free and there is an option under TOOLS/DRIVE to close "finalize disc"

Whilst that may work in certain scenarios, it certainly is of no use to the OP. (or did you not actually read the entire thread ?)